Augustinus Bader Review: The Cream vs The Rich Cream, US Prices and the Unopened-Only Returns

Augustinus Bader is a luxury skincare and haircare brand best known for two moisturizers, The Cream and The Rich Cream, both built around a patented ingredient complex it calls TFC8. The brand sells direct through its own website, which has a separate US storefront priced in dollars, and through retailers listed on its store locator. On the US site the two signature creams cost $99 for a 15ml jar and $315 for the 50ml size, serums run from $200 to $575, and cleansers and mists sit between about $26 and $100.

This review covers what the brand sells, how The Cream and The Rich Cream differ, US prices by size, delivery charges, the strict return rule, and what to check before paying luxury prices online.

What Augustinus Bader sells

According to the brand's about page, the company was founded in 2018 by Professor Augustinus Bader, MD, PhD, who is described as Director and Professor of Applied Stem Cell Biology and Cell Technology at the University of Leipzig in Germany, together with co-founder Charles Rosier. The site describes TFC8 as decades of Professor Bader's research translated into a patented cosmetic technology that is meant to support skin cell communication and visible renewal. Those are the brand's own descriptions, not independent findings.

The US catalog runs to roughly 65 products, grouped as follows:

• Moisturizers. The Cream, The Rich Cream, The Light Cream, The Overnight Restorative Cream and The Ultimate Soothing Cream.
• Serums and oils. The Serum, The Retinol Serum, The Vitamin C Serum, The Elixir and The Face Oil.
• Cleansers and toners. The Essence, The Cream Cleansing Gel, The Foaming Cleanser, The Cleansing Balm and The Face Mist.
• Eyes, lips and suncare. The Eye Cream, The Rich Eye Cream, eye patches, lip balms, The Sunscreen SPF 50 and The Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50.
• Body and hair. Body cream and oil, a hand treatment, shampoos, conditioner, hair oil, a scalp treatment and a neem comb.
• Sets and collaborations. Starter kits, travel systems, holiday sets such as The 12 Days of Bader, and collections with Victoria Beckham, Sofia Coppola and L/UNIFORM.

The Cream vs The Rich Cream: what to compare

Most first-time buyers are choosing between the two signature creams, which share the same prices and sizes. The product pages separate them mainly by skin type and supporting ingredients:

• The Cream is listed for normal to combination, dull or blemish-prone skin, and described as a refreshing daily moisturizer. Key ingredients named alongside TFC8 are hydrolyzed rice protein, panthenol, vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) and vitamin C.
• The Rich Cream is listed for normal to dry skin, especially in cold or dry climates, and described as deeply nourishing. Its named ingredients are evening primrose oil, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E alongside TFC8.
• Free-from claims. Both pages say the formulas are free from common irritants including fragrance, parabens and sulfates, and both are labeled non-comedogenic. The Rich Cream page also calls its formula vegan; The Cream page does not mention this either way.
• Clinical claims. The Cream page cites a 32% reduction in the look of fine lines and wrinkles in a 4-week trial of 20 participants aged 40 to 75. The Rich Cream page cites a 54% reduction in the look of crow's feet in a 4-week trial of 30 participants. These are small, brand-run studies, so treat them as marketing claims rather than proof of what any one person will see.
• Size and value. The 15ml jar is the cheapest way to try either formula. The skincare collection page's FAQ says a 50ml jar lasts about six weeks and a 30ml about four weeks, which puts daily use of the 50ml at roughly $50 a week.

The brand also sells a 15ml Discovery Duo for $180 and starter kits built around each cream for $220, which can make sense if you are unsure which texture you prefer.

Prices

The US storefront lists prices in US dollars. Examples from the US product data at the time of writing:

• The Cream and The Rich Cream: $99 (15ml), $195 (30ml), $315 (50ml), $565 (100ml)
• The Light Cream: $195 (30ml); The Overnight Restorative Cream: $365 (50ml)
• The Serum: $380 (30ml), $575 (50ml); The Retinol Serum: $200 (15ml) to $575 (50ml)
• The Vitamin C Serum: $380; The Elixir: $550; The Face Oil: $100 (10ml), $280 (30ml)
• The Essence: $34 (30ml), $100 (100ml); The Cream Cleansing Gel: $26 (30ml), $76 (100ml)
• The Eye Cream and The Rich Eye Cream: $215 (15ml)
• The Sunscreen SPF 50: $110; The Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50: $145
• Lip balms: $47; hair oil: $62; shampoos: $67; The Body Cream: $115 (100ml), $200 (200ml)
• Sets: The Rejuvenating System $99, The Hydration Heroes $160, The 12 Days of Bader $660, The Supreme Collection $1,865

One thing to watch: the skincare collection page showed several items about 20% below their product-page prices when we checked, for example The Foaming Cleanser at $60.80 against $76, and The Light Cream at $156 against $195, with no sale label explaining the difference. Confirm the price in your cart before you check out.

Shipping

The delivery and returns page says all US orders ship via FedEx, and the brand aims to process and ship orders within 24 hours. Orders placed before 2:00 p.m. EST on weekdays usually leave the same day; Friday orders after 2:00 p.m. EST are processed the following Monday.

• Standard: free on orders over $75; $8.95 below that.
• Express: free over $450; $9.95 for orders of $200 to $449.99; $14.95 under $200.
• Auto-Replenish: subscription orders qualify for free standard delivery.
• Delivery: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with a signature required. The courier cannot deliver to PO boxes, BFPO or freight-forwarding addresses.
• Sales tax: collected in a list of states including California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Pennsylvania, and applied to the total including shipping.

The US section does not give a transit time estimate. The page lists separate fee schedules for the UK, EU, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Singapore and other countries, and names countries it does not ship to, including Brazil, Mexico and India.

Returns and skin reactions

For US orders you have 28 days from receiving your parcel to arrange a return or exchange through the brand's returns portal. Products must be new, unused, unopened and with all security seals still attached, and returns that do not meet that standard are not refunded. Standard returns come without a prepaid label, so you choose and pay for a courier, and the parcel remains your responsibility until it arrives; the page recommends a tracked service and keeping proof of postage. Approved refunds are processed within 3–5 business days to the original payment method.

If a product causes a reaction, there is a separate Consumer Skin Reaction Claim Form. After review, US customers may be sent a prepaid return label, followed by a refund or replacement. Damaged or missing items should be reported to customer service. The delivery page does not say whether sets, samples or gift-with-purchase items have different rules.

Who should buy from Augustinus Bader

• Existing fans who already know which cream suits them and want every size, including the 100ml jar, in one place.
• Gift buyers looking at starter kits, travel systems and holiday sets.
• Repeat buyers who will use Auto-Replenish for free standard delivery and loyalty points.

Think twice if you are trying the brand for the first time with a full-size jar: because opened products cannot be returned, the 15ml size or a set is the lower-risk way to find out whether a $315 cream is worth it for your skin.

Augustinus Bader coupon codes

We did not find a public discount code on the brand's site that we could verify, and we do not publish codes we cannot check. The verifiable perks are free standard shipping over $75, one free sample on orders over $200 and three free samples on orders of $325 or more, loyalty points shown on each product page (the 50ml Rich Cream page listed 1,575 points), free standard delivery on Auto-Replenish orders, and the brand's loyalty club, whose terms were being updated in September 2026. Any working offers we find are listed on our Augustinus Bader coupons page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Augustinus Bader legit?

Yes. The brand runs official storefronts for several regions, publishes a delivery and returns page, a help center and a support email (contact@augustinusbader.com), and lists stockists on a store locator. Buying from the official site or a listed retailer is the safest way to avoid counterfeits of a product at this price.

What is the difference between The Cream and The Rich Cream?

They cost the same and come in the same sizes. The Cream is aimed at normal to combination or blemish-prone skin, and The Rich Cream at normal to dry skin, particularly in cold or dry climates, according to the product pages.

Can I return Augustinus Bader if I opened it?

Not under the standard policy, which accepts only new, unused and unopened products with security seals intact within 28 days. A skin reaction is handled separately through the brand's claim form.

Does Augustinus Bader offer free shipping in the US?

Standard FedEx shipping is free on orders over $75 and costs $8.95 otherwise. Express is free over $450.

Does the brand give free samples?

Product pages state one free sample on orders over $200 and three on orders of $325 or more.

The bottom line

Augustinus Bader's US site offers its full range in every size, quick FedEx dispatch, free standard shipping over $75 and samples on larger orders. The prices are high and the return policy is unforgiving once a seal is broken, so start with a small size or set if you are new to the brand, read the skin-type notes for each cream, and check the cart total against the product page before you pay.

Visit Augustinus Bader

Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Prices and policies were checked on the Augustinus Bader website at the time of writing and may change.