It's the most anticipated skincare launch of 2025 so far—so, does it live up to the hype? MC Beauty Editors decide

Like so many beauty enthusiasts, I fell hook, line and sinker for Augustinus Bader when it first launched in 2019. The clever brand, powered by its patented healing Trigger Factor Complex (TFC8®), played into my no-nonsense, science-backed skincare preferences. Its The Rich Cream has soothed my dry skin over the years, The Face Mist is my spoiling pay day treat, and I would bathe in The Body Cream if I were financially able to.

The brand boasts a 35-strong product lineup, applying its smart formulas and impressive clinical results to haircare, as well as skin. And yet, in the six years since it hit the market, there has been one very obvious gap in its offering: the daily facial sunscreen.

At every AB launch I've attended in recent years, the question "What about an SPF?" would come up. My fellow beauty editors and I were curious about why the brand had chosen to launch so many other product categories before a sunscreen, something that is considered by some to be the most essential step in any skincare routine. The response from Charles Rosier, Co-Founder and CEO, was always the same: AB wouldn't release an SPF until everyone involved was happy that they had found a formula that "embodies our standards of performance and luxury."

Well, it would appear that everyone on team AB is finally happy, because last week the Augustinus Bader The Sunscreen SPF 50 launched.

I spoke with Professor Augustinus Bader, the scientist who discovered TFC8® during his research into burn healing and who shares his name with the brand, and asked him, "Why now?"

"Since 2021, we have worked relentlessly to develop a formula that not only protects but actively supports cellular renewal and long-term skin health," he said. "With an increasing awareness, particularly among younger generations, of the profound anti-aging benefits of SPF, the time has come to introduce a multifunctional sunscreen that seamlessly fits within our high-performance approach to skincare. It’s not just about protection; it’s about nurturing the skin and optimizing its health, every day."

And what about those iconic healing properties? How do they work alongside the sun protection? Professor Bader explains that the SPF acts as a shield, physically protecting the skin from UVA and UVB radiation and preventing damage caused by sun exposure, whilst the TFC8® supports cellular renewal and helps counteract the effects of environmental stressors.

The beauty world has waited with bated breath to try this facial sunscreen, so the Marie Claire beauty team put it to the test...

Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor

I've been a beauty editor for a long time, and over the years I have tried countless facial sunscreens and SPF moisturisers. And in all honesty, there are very few that I've disliked. Some haven't quite suited my needs, whilst others haven't sat well under my make-up, but all in all I've been very pleased with my sun protection collection. I didn't feel like I was missing anything special...

That was until I tried the new AB SPF. I can't really put my finger on why I think it's so fantastic. I think it has something to do with the fact that I haven't used a sunscreen in recent memory, quite so nourishing. My dry skin that's prone to dehydration is very happy when I use it. It also might be that my skin has felt much softer since I've started trialling it six weeks ago. Perhaps it's also because my recent flare-up of guttate psoriasis across my forehead has calmed (something that I am holding the brand's skin-repairing amino acid complex responsible for). It could also be because once applied, it leaves a veil of radiance on my skin, which, as I'm partial to an illuminating primer, I love.

Come to think of it, perhaps I can put my finger on why I love it so.

Nessa Humayun, Junior Beauty Editor

One of my points of pride when it comes to my skincare routine is that I never leave the house without SPF. Rain, shine, or British weather, I will undoubtedly be wearing SPF50+. But this doesn't always mean it's always an enjoyable process; I need a product that absorbs quickly, doesn't disrupt make-up application, or leave a dreaded white cast, oh and has a host of skincare benefits to boot. Essentially, for me, the best SPFs have to be invisible and weightless once applied.

In my years as a beauty editor, I have stumbled across a few formulas that can do this, but Augustinus Bader's The Sunscreen SPF 50 takes the cake. Thick and creamy, this pale yellow cream feels more akin to an evening moisturiser, before absorbing into basically nothing. I don't even give it a passing thought once I've applied it—and that's the highest praise I could give any sunscreen. My make-up applies flawlessly on top, and there's no pilling or white cast to speak of.

As is typical of Augustinus Bader, the packaging is luxe and weighty. Though if you're planning on travelling, it's worth noting that the length of the tube might take up a considerable amount of your liquid allowance.

At £105 for 30ml, it's definitely pricey, but I think it's worth it for the standout formula and texture, not to mention the skincare benefits. There are antioxidant-rich ingredients to defend against oxidative stress and delayed sun damage, as well as vitamins E, A, omega-3 3 and omega-6 for added photoprotection. Plus, sunscreen is the most important step in any good skincare routine. In any case, it is my new holy grail facial SPF, and I won't be without it this summer.

Lollie King, Senior Beauty Writer

As a black woman, finding a sunscreen that doesn't leave me with a white cast can be an arduous task. Now, I don't mean to sound dramatic, but I think I've finally found "the one" and I won't be letting it go. I was shocked to see how easily this glided across my face and leaving my skin glowing. The formula is super lightweight and absorbs into the skin almost immediately, leaving your skin plump and hydrated.

I have oily/combination skin, so I was intrigued to see whether this would make me look super shiny, but it delivered on hydration while giving me a glow.

My greatest skin nemesis is hyperpigmentation, something that most people with dark skin tones suffer with, but this not only works to give you sun protection but also helps to reduce pigmentation, wrinkles and redness. I'm sold.