All scans / Serums / Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum
Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum ingredients: is it worth it?
Luxury pricing is doing more work than this retinol formula.
Luxury pricing is doing more work than this retinol formula.
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The efficacy score is 3.9/5: the product contains genuine retinol and the brand states a 0.06% concentration, but retinol appears around position 26, so the treatment dose is modest rather than clinically aggressive. The formula has a strong moisturizing base with glycerin, squalane, shea butter, PCA, panthenol, and ectoin, which may improve tolerability, but no disclosed pH, no clear encapsulation claim, and numerous late-list botanical and vitamin derivatives do not compensate for the low retinol concentration. The marketed peptide and botanical complex adds formulation interest, not proven anti-aging potency comparable to a well-dosed retinoid. The essential-oil component also prevents this from being an especially minimalist sensitive-skin formula.
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DemythSkin rates Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum 3.9/5 for efficacy and 4.0/5 for safety.
CONTAINS COMMON SENSITISERS⌄
Fragrance components and essential oils that more often cause reactions in sensitive skin: Leptospermum Scoparium Branch/Leaf Oil. Most people tolerate them; patch test if your skin reacts easily.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS BY TIER
Gold Standards
High clinical proof | Skin-transformativeReliable
Proven resultsPotent
Developing evidenceOverhyped | Marketing
Hype | Limited dataDocumented Irritants
Evidence-backed flagFORMULATION BASE (15)⌄
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄
Aqua/Water/Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, C12-16 Alcohols, Squalane, Propanediol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Ectoin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Hybrid Oil, Palmitic Acid, Myristyl Alcohol, PCA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Carbomer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Zinc PCA, Maltodextrin, Retinol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Panthenol, Totarol, Leptospermum Scoparium Branch/Leaf Oil, Niacinamide, Sodium Hydroxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Piper Nigrum (Pepper) Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pyridoxine HCl, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Oligopeptide-177, Phenylalanine, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil, Sodium Chloride, Silica. For the latest information, it is recommended to review the ingredient list printed on the packaging of the product prior to usage or consumption
WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (24)⌄
- Aqua/Water/Eau
- Formula solvent
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Light emollient
- Glycerin
- Humectant moisturizer
- Octyldodecanol
- Emollient texture agent
- C12-16 Alcohols
- Emollient consistency agent
- Squalane
- Skin-conditioning emollient
- Propanediol
- Humectant solvent
- Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
- Plant-derived emollient
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- Occlusive emollient butter
- Ectoin
- Cell-protective osmolyte
- Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Hybrid Oil
- Emollient plant oil
- Palmitic Acid
- Fatty acid emollient
- Myristyl Alcohol
- Emollient thickener
- PCA
- Natural moisturizing factor
- Hydrogenated Lecithin
- Emulsifier skin conditioner
- Xanthan Gum
- Viscosity controlling thickener
- Potassium Sorbate
- Preservative
- Carbomer
- Gel-forming thickener
- Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
- Emulsifier
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative
- Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
- Emollient plant oil
- Tocopherol
- Antioxidant skin conditioner
- Citric Acid
- pH adjusting agent
- Zinc PCA
- Sebum-balancing humectant
EXTERNAL CITATIONS
Retinol: Augustinus Bader states that The Retinol Serum contains 0.06% pure retinol.
Glycerin: Established humectant that supports short-term skin hydration.
Squalane: Established emollient used to reduce moisture loss and improve skin feel.
Panthenol: Established humectant and skin-conditioning ingredient.
DISCLAIMER: THIS ANALYSIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. AI-GENERATED DATA BASED ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INGREDIENT LISTS. VERIFY WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
A cheaper serum that scores as high or higher
A different formula for the same concern (anti-aging) that scores at least as high on both efficacy and safety.
Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum: common questions
Is Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum worth it?
Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum scores 3.9 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Effective) and 4.0 out of 5.0 for safety (Gentle) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. Luxury pricing is doing more work than this retinol formula.
What are the key active ingredients in Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum?
Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum contains these gold-standard actives with strong clinical evidence: Retinol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate.
Does Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum contain fragrance or known irritants?
DemythSkin flags these ingredients in Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum as documented irritants: Leptospermum Scoparium Branch/Leaf Oil, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil.
How is Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum scored?
DemythSkin grades every product on two independent scores: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are graded S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. Brand and price are not part of the score, and no brand pays for one.
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