Professor Augustinus Bader and Charles Rosier tell us how their brand is different from their competitors, the technology that is changing the skincare industry and the correct way to cleanse
In the beauty industry, the Augustinus Bader brand is a name to reckon with. Co-founded by leading stem cell and biomedical scientist Augustinus Bader, this luxury skincare label started with Professor Bader’s research into finding a way to heal burns without surgery or skin grafting.
This drew the attention of investor-turned-entrepreneur Charles Rosier, who wondered if this technology could be applied to skincare, which led to the creation of this now cult-favourite brand. And since its launch five years ago, it has garnered a dedicated fan following—from celebrities and beauty editors to make-up artists and influencers.
Last month, Bader and Rosier visited Hong Kong for the launch of their latest product, The Foaming Cleanser, and talked to Tatler about the new product, the future of the beauty industry, and what sets their brand apart from their competition.
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Tell us how the idea for this foaming cleanser came about.
Charles Rosier: We started with just The Cream and The Rich Cream, which were our only products for the first 18 months. Then we got requests from our celebrity clients, friends and shareholders for a body cream.
We also had consumers asking how best to apply the creams. We always say to apply them “on clean skin”, but when I asked Augustinus which cleanser to recommend, he said that the formulas available weren’t good [enough]. He didn’t want to endorse them, so we decided to develop our own cleanser. That’s how the line grew over the past five years: [from receiving] queries about doing a face oil, an eye cream, a serum and so on. We moved from a very basic routine—having one cream for everything—to having a full line [of products] to meet consumers’ needs.
How does this cleanser work on the skin?
Augustinus Bader: The microbiome [naturally occurring and beneficial microbes] is an important part of our skin. Our cleanser [thoroughly cleanses without disrupting the microbiome], and contains the patented TFC8 [Trigger Factor Complex] that protects, repairs and regenerates skin.
It also has good lipids, which help transport the TFC8 into the skin and seal the skin’s moisture barrier. This is a cleansing formula with a protective component, which is new to the field.