Augustinus Bader's Face Oil is a thoughtfully built seven-oil blend with a fragrance-free profile, linoleic-rich top oils, and a botanical antioxidant supporting cast — one of the more sophisticated multi-oil formulations on the market. It is also $230 for 30ml, which is impossible to defend on ingredient cost alone. The right buyer wants the experience and can afford it; the wrong buyer would be just as happy with a $50 multi-oil from Indie Lee or Kahina.
The Face Oil
Augustinus Bader's Face Oil is a thoughtfully built seven-oil blend with a fragrance-free profile, linoleic-rich top oils, and a botanical antioxidant supporting cast — one of the more sophisticated multi-oil formulations on the market. It is also $230 for 30ml, which is impossible to defend on ingredient cost alone. The right buyer wants the experience and can afford it; the wrong buyer would be just as happy with a $50 multi-oil from Indie Lee or Kahina.
Score Breakdown
A genuinely well-built multi-oil blend with a thoughtful selection of cold-pressed plant oils and an antioxidant supporting cast. Loses substantial points on value — comparable multi-oil blends exist from Indie Lee, Kahina, and other quality brands at half to a quarter of the price.
Data Confidence: high
The Face Oil has been on shelves since 2020 with substantial review counts on Sephora, Net-A-Porter, Dermstore and the brand's own site, plus extensive ingredient analyses from independent cosmetic chemists.
0/100
Overall Score
Ingredient Quality 0
Value for Money 0
Suitability Breadth 0
Irritation Risk (↑ = safer) 0
Assessment
Pros
- Seven cold-pressed oils chosen for fatty acid diversity
- Linoleic-rich top oils make it tolerable for combination skin
- Layered botanical antioxidant package
- Truly fragrance-free — rare at the luxury oil tier
- Includes TFC8 amino acid complex via emulsifying carrier
- Lightweight satin-glow finish without heavy slick
- Cruelty-free and vegan formulation
Cons
- Price is impossible to justify on ingredient cost alone
- Visible-results gap from cheaper multi-oil blends is small
- Plant oils make it not reliably fungal-acne safe
- Hazelnut oil rules it out for tree nut allergies
- 30ml glass bottle is breakable and empties faster than expected
Full Review
There is a particular grammar to the luxury face oil category that has been remarkably consistent since the Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum lit the fuse on premium oils in 2014. The grammar goes like this: pick a hero plant oil, build a backstory around the founder's discovery of it, layer in twenty additional botanicals for sensory and aromatic depth, dose it heavily with essential oils for a spa-like scent, and put it in a frosted glass bottle that costs $185 for 30ml. Vintner's Daughter, May Lindstrom, In Fiore, Maya Chia, Kahina — they all play by some version of these rules, and the rules work. Luxury oil customers want the sensory experience as much as they want the ingredients. Augustinus Bader's Face Oil doesn't play by the rules. It launched in 2020 as the brand's expansion from creams into oils, and it took a deliberately different approach: stack seven cold-pressed plant oils at the top of the ingredient list, choose them for fatty acid diversity rather than narrative drama, skip the essential oils entirely, and let the formulation chemistry carry the experience. The result is a face oil that feels meaningfully different from its luxury peers — more clinical, more restrained, and harder to describe in marketing copy. Whether the difference is worth $230 is the question this review is built around. The first thing to understand is the seven-oil base. Grape seed oil sits in the first slot — high in linoleic acid, lightweight, and one of the better-tolerated plant oils for acne-prone skin. Babassu oil follows at slot two, contributing lightweight slip and a fatty acid profile similar to coconut oil but with less comedogenic risk. Jojoba is third, mimicking the structure of skin's own sebum and helping the formula sit on the skin without disrupting the natural lipid balance. Argan, hazelnut, sunflower, and cranberry round out the top oils — each chosen for a specific fatty acid character. Argan adds oleic-acid richness for dryer skin. Hazelnut contributes additional linoleic plus a slightly astringent character. Sunflower adds more linoleic acid and vitamin E. Cranberry seed oil is the unusual choice — it has a uniquely balanced omega-3-to-omega-6 ratio that's hard to find in most face oils, and it contributes meaningful antioxidant capacity. The cumulative effect is a fatty acid diversity that no single-oil hero can match. If you imagine the oil as a nutritional profile rather than a spa product, this is a much more complete one than most cult favorites. The supporting cast is where the formula's other intentions become visible. Sea buckthorn fruit extract is one of the richest plant sources of omega-7 fatty acids and carotenoids — a small but meaningful inclusion that adds antioxidant load. Pomegranate seed extract contains punicic acid, a rare conjugated fatty acid associated with anti-inflammatory effects. Karanja oil provides mild antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory function and a very modest UV-absorbing capability. Horse chestnut, licorice root, chamomile, carrot root, and rosemary fill out the botanical antioxidant package. Vitamin E in two forms anchors the antioxidant defense. None of these are doing dramatic individual work, but layered together they create the kind of multi-pathway antioxidant system that mirrors how skin actually defends itself from oxidative damage. The TFC8 amino acid complex appears in trimmed form — alanyl glutamine, arginine, oligopeptide-177, oligopeptide-6 — and is dispersed via the formula's lecithin and pentylene glycol carrier system. Including water-soluble actives in an oil format requires specific emulsifying chemistry, and the inclusion is the connecting thread that places the oil within the broader Augustinus Bader narrative. The texture is the part that delivers the experience. The oil dispenses cleanly from the glass dropper as a lightweight golden liquid, spreads thin across the fingertips, and absorbs into the skin within a couple of minutes to a satin-glow finish that never tips into the heavy slick that cheaper oils can produce. There is no fragrance — none of the rosehip-jasmine-sandalwood essential-oil cocktail that defines most luxury face oils — just the faint inherent earthy scent of cold-pressed plant oils. For users who specifically want a fragrance-free luxury oil, this is one of the few options that delivers on that promise. The honest conversation about value has to be had. At $230 for 30ml or $85 for 10ml, this is one of the more expensive face oils on the market. Per ml, the cost is about $7.67, compared to Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum at about $6.17 per ml or Kahina Beauty Argan Oil at about $4.13 per ml. Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil is around $1.40 per ml. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane is under $0.40 per ml. The structural ingredients responsible for skin softness, antioxidant defense, and fatty acid replenishment are not unique to Augustinus Bader. What you're paying for above the formulation floor is the seven-oil sophistication (which is genuinely thoughtful), the fragrance-free luxury formulation, the TFC8 complex, the brand experience, and the academic research pedigree. None of those are nothing. The seven-oil approach is more sophisticated than most cheaper alternatives, and the fragrance-free profile is rare at this tier. But they don't add up to a 5x value gap on visible results. For a buyer who specifically wants a luxury, fragrance-free, multi-oil face product with a genuinely thoughtful formulation philosophy and can comfortably afford the spend, this is one of the more defensible options in the luxury oil category. For a value-driven buyer, almost any well-formulated mid-range multi-oil blend delivers most of the visible benefit for a fraction of the cost. Be honest with yourself about which buyer you are. A few additional honest notes. The plant oil content means it isn't reliably fungal-acne safe — confirmed Malassezia folliculitis sufferers should avoid it. Hazelnut oil makes it inappropriate for users with tree nut allergies. The 30ml lasts about two to three months at twice-daily application of three to five drops, which works out to a substantial annual spend. The glass bottle is breakable and the dropper applicator is slow. Augustinus Bader's broader project is to commercialize genuinely thoughtful formulation philosophy at the luxury tier, and the Face Oil is one of the cleaner case studies in that thesis. The seven-oil approach is more sophisticated than most cheaper alternatives, the fragrance-free profile is unusual and meaningful, and the formulation as a whole feels considered rather than contrived. It is also priced at a level where the formulation quality stops being the entire conversation, and the experience and the brand have to carry the math. If you can afford it and want it, it's a good product. If you can't, you're not missing as much as the price suggests.
Formula
Ingredients
The hero actives that drive this product's performance.
| Ingredient | Function | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Oil Blend (Grape Seed + Babassu + Jojoba + Argan + Hazelnut + Sunflower + Cranberry) | The structural backbone of this oil — seven plant oils stacked at the top of the ingredient list, each contributing a different fatty acid profile. Grape seed and sunflower bring linoleic acid for barrier-friendly application, jojoba mimics skin's own sebum, argan and hazelnut add oleic-rich richness, babassu adds lightweight slip, and cranberry provides a uniquely balanced omega-3-to-omega-6 ratio. Together they create a fatty acid diversity that no single oil could match. | well-established |
| Karanja Oil | Pongamia glabra seed oil is the standout choice in this blend — it's traditionally used for its mild antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and offers very modest UV-absorbing function. It sits at a small percentage but signals the formulator's intention to build a multi-functional oil rather than just a moisturizing one. | promising |
| Pomegranate Seed Extract | Pomegranate seed contains punicic acid — a rare omega-5 conjugated fatty acid associated with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in dermatological research. In the context of this oil it's part of the antioxidant supporting cast that pairs with vitamin E, sea buckthorn and licorice root. | promising |
| Sea Buckthorn Fruit Extract | One of the richest plant sources of omega-7 fatty acids and carotenoids, contributing both barrier-supporting lipids and a meaningful antioxidant load. Its inclusion alongside the other oils gives this blend an unusually broad nutrient profile for a face oil. | promising |
| TFC8 Amino Acid Complex | Augustinus Bader's signature complex appears in trimmed form — alanyl glutamine, arginine, oligopeptide-177, oligopeptide-6 — sitting alongside the oil base. In an oil format, water-soluble actives like amino acids are unusual and require specific emulsifying chemistry, which this formula handles via the lecithin and pentylene glycol carrier. The complex is the brand's connecting thread across the line. | promising |
Full INCI List
Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Orbignya Oleifera (Babassu) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Corylus Avellana (Hazelnut) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Extract, Pongamia Glabra (Karanja) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Lecithin, Glycerin, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Water, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Brassica Alba Oil, Oligopeptide-177, Oligopeptide-6, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol
Product Flags
✓ Fragrance Free✓ Alcohol Free✗ Oil Free✓ Silicone Free✓ Paraben Free✓ Sulfate Free✓ Cruelty Free✓ Vegan✗ Fungal Acne Safe
Potential Irritants
nut oils for nut-allergic users
Common Allergens
hazelnut oil
Compatibility
Skin Match
Best For
Works For
Not Ideal For
Addresses These Conditions
dryness aging dullness dehydration
Use With Caution
Routine Step
treatment
Time of Day
AM & PM
Pregnancy Safe
Yes ✓
Layering Tips
Apply 3-5 drops to clean, slightly damp skin after serum and before moisturizer for richer absorption, or as the final step over moisturizer for a glowing finish. Press into the skin rather than rubbing. In the morning, apply before sunscreen.
Results Timeline
Immediate: skin feels nourished and looks instantly more radiant within minutes. Short-term (1-2 weeks): improved softness, comfort, and visible glow. Full benefits (4-8 weeks): more even tone and improved overall skin quality from the cumulative antioxidant load.
Pairs Well With
Augustinus Bader The Creamvitamin C serumshyaluronic acid serumsretinol on alternating evenings
Conflicts With
high-strength acid treatments in the same routine layer
Sample AM Routine
- Gentle cleanser
- Vitamin C serum
- Augustinus Bader The Face Oil
- Moisturizer
- SPF 50
Sample PM Routine
- Cream cleanser
- Hydrating serum
- Augustinus Bader The Cream
- Augustinus Bader The Face Oil
Evidence
Science
The Science
The case for multi-oil face blends rests on the well-established cosmetic chemistry of plant oils as topical emollients and antioxidant carriers. A 2018 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences by Lin and colleagues examined the dermatological applications of common cold-pressed plant oils and concluded that fatty acid composition is the primary driver of how an oil performs on skin — linoleic-rich oils support barrier function and tend to be better tolerated by acne-prone skin, while oleic-rich oils provide richer occlusion suited to dry skin. The seven-oil blend in this product spans both ends of that spectrum, which is part of its skin-type breadth. Specific to acne-prone skin, a 1986 study by Letawe, Boone, and Pierard in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology found that linoleic acid was reduced in the sebum of acne patients and that topical application of linoleic acid reduced microcomedone size — the mechanism behind the now-common observation that linoleic-rich oils don't necessarily worsen acne. Pomegranate seed oil's punicic acid has been studied for its anti-inflammatory effects, including a 2017 review in Phytotherapy Research that summarized in vitro and in vivo evidence for the compound. Sea buckthorn's omega-7 fatty acids and carotenoid content have been characterized in multiple cosmetic chemistry papers. Karanja oil's mild antimicrobial properties have a longer history in traditional Indian medicine than in peer-reviewed cosmetic literature, but it has been studied for its terpene content. Vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate and tocopherol) is one of the most extensively studied topical antioxidants, with decades of cosmetic and dermatological research support. The takeaway is that the structural effects of this oil — fatty acid replenishment, antioxidant support, and barrier emolliency — are driven by well-understood ingredient chemistry, while the seven-oil diversity and the TFC8 complex represent the brand's specific formulation contributions.
References
- Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils — International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2018)
- Digital image analysis of the effect of topically applied linoleic acid on acne microcomedones — Clinical and Experimental Dermatology (1998)
Dermatologist Perspective
Dermatologists generally recognize multi-oil face blends like this one as legitimate luxury moisturizing options, particularly for dry, normal, and combination skin types that benefit from the layered fatty acid profile. Board-certified dermatologists note that the fragrance-free formulation is a meaningful advantage over most luxury face oils, which often rely on essential oils that can sensitize over time. They also consistently emphasize that for visible anti-aging results, prescription retinoids, sunscreen, and in-office treatments deliver more dramatic change than any face oil at any price. For specific use cases — supplementing a routine for very dry skin, adding antioxidant support, or providing a fragrance-free luxury option — this oil is one of the more defensible choices in its tier. Caution is generally advised for confirmed fungal acne and tree nut allergies, where the plant oil and hazelnut content would be problematic.
Guidance
Usage Guide
How to Use
Apply 3-5 drops to clean, slightly damp skin after serum and before moisturizer for richer absorption, or as the final step over moisturizer for a satin-glow finish. Press into the skin rather than rubbing. The oil is concentrated and a little goes a long way — resist over-applying. Use morning, night, or both. In the morning, layer sunscreen on top. The brand often pairs the Face Oil with The Cream or The Rich Cream for a fully layered Augustinus Bader routine.
Value Assessment
At $230 for 30ml or $85 for 10ml, this is one of the more expensive face oils on the market, sitting in the same tier as Vintner's Daughter and luxury indie oil brands. Per ml, the cost is about $7.67, compared to roughly $1.40 per ml for Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil or under $0.40 per ml for The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane. The structural ingredients responsible for fatty acid replenishment, antioxidant support, and skin softness are available in many quality multi-oil blends from Kahina, Indie Lee, Maya Chia, and other reputable brands at a fraction of the price. What you're paying for above the formulation floor is the seven-oil sophistication, the fragrance-free luxury formulation, the TFC8 complex, the brand pedigree, and the experience. For users who specifically value that combination and can comfortably afford the spend, the oil is one of the more defensible luxury options. For value-driven buyers, almost any well-formulated mid-range face oil delivers most of the structural benefit for far less.
Who Should Buy
Users with dry, normal, or combination skin who specifically want a fragrance-free luxury face oil with sophisticated multi-oil chemistry and can comfortably afford the spend. Also a good fit for layering over Augustinus Bader's creams for a fully branded routine, and for users who want the brand's academic research pedigree.
Who Should Skip
Oily and actively breaking-out skin types, anyone with confirmed fungal acne, users with tree nut allergies (hazelnut content), value-driven shoppers, and people who would be just as happy with a Kahina, Indie Lee, or Maya Chia multi-oil blend at half the price.
Ready to try Augustinus Bader The Face Oil?
Details
Details
Texture
Lightweight golden oil that spreads easily and absorbs to a satin-glow finish without leaving a heavy or sticky film
Scent
Truly fragrance-free with a faint inherent earthy-botanical scent from the cold-pressed plant oils
Packaging
Heavy frosted glass bottle with a glass dropper applicator — premium and elegant but breakable
Finish
dewynaturalglowy
What to Expect on First Use
First application feels exactly like a high-end multi-oil blend should — substantial without being heavy, absorbing within a couple of minutes, leaving the skin with a soft satin glow rather than an oily slick. The fragrance-free profile is striking against most luxury face oils, which tend to lean heavily on essential oils for scent.
How Long It Lasts
About 2-3 months with twice-daily face application of 3-5 drops
Period After Opening
12 months
Best Season
fall winter
Background
The Why
Augustinus Bader expanded the line beyond its original two creams in 2020 with The Face Oil — the brand's answer for users who wanted to add a layered nourishing step to their routine without leaving the brand for a Vintner's Daughter or Kahina. The multi-oil approach was a deliberate choice to mirror the philosophy of the broader brand: combine many components at lower individual concentrations to create a system that's better than the sum of its parts. The fragrance-free formulation differentiated it from most luxury face oils, which typically use essential oils heavily.
About Augustinus Bader Emerging Brand (2–5 years)
Augustinus Bader was founded in 2018 around Professor Augustinus Bader's stem cell and wound-healing research at the University of Leipzig, where he developed an amino acid and peptide complex originally aimed at burn treatment. The TFC8 complex commercialized across the brand draws on that academic body of work, but the proprietary nature of the exact composition makes independent replication difficult.
Brand founded: 2018 · Product launched: 2020
Myth vs. Reality
Myths
Myth
Face oils break out everyone with oily or combination skin.
Reality
Linoleic-acid-rich oils like grape seed, sunflower, and hazelnut are actually well-tolerated by combination and even some oily skin types — research suggests acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid, and applying linoleic-rich oils can support rather than worsen barrier function. The Face Oil leans linoleic-heavy in its top three ingredients, which is part of why its skin-type breadth is wider than it looks.
Myth
An expensive face oil must be measurably better than a cheaper one.
Reality
Luxury face oils tend to use higher-quality cold-pressed sources and more diverse oil blends than drugstore alternatives, but the visible-results gap from a well-formulated mid-range blend is small. The Face Oil is sophisticated and well-built, but it's not 5x more effective than a $40 multi-oil from a reputable indie brand.
FAQ
FAQ
Is it worth the price?
By formulation alone, no — there are well-built multi-oil face blends from Indie Lee, Kahina, and other quality brands at a fraction of the price. By experience, brand pedigree, and the genuinely thoughtful seven-oil formulation with TFC8, it can be worth it for users who specifically want that combination and can afford it. As a value purchase, it isn't one. As a luxury indulgence, it's defensible.
When should I apply it?
Either after serum and before moisturizer for richer absorption, or as the final step over moisturizer for a glowing finish — both are valid approaches. In the morning, apply before sunscreen. At night, you can use it as the last step in your routine.
Will it break me out?
Probably not, even on combination skin — the oil leans linoleic-rich in its top oils, and linoleic-rich oils are generally well-tolerated by acne-prone skin. For very oily or actively breaking-out skin, a face oil may not be the right format regardless of which one. For confirmed fungal acne, this oil isn't a fit since it contains plant oils that can feed Malassezia.
Is it safe during pregnancy?
Yes — there are no ingredients in the formula that are flagged for pregnancy avoidance, including the TFC8 components. The fragrance-free profile makes it a safer choice than most luxury face oils during pregnancy.
How is this different from Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum?
Vintner's Daughter is a more complex 22-botanical infusion with grape seed as the base — known for its cult following and herbal-medicinal scent. Augustinus Bader's Face Oil is fragrance-free, simpler in its botanical complexity, and includes the brand's TFC8 amino acid complex. Both are luxury multi-oil products; they appeal to slightly different audiences — Vintner's Daughter for users who want the spa-aromatherapy experience, Augustinus Bader for users who want the science narrative and the fragrance-free profile.
Why is it fragrance-free when most luxury oils use essential oils?
Augustinus Bader has positioned its entire line as fragrance-free since launch, which is unusual at the luxury tier. The brand's approach is to maximize tolerance and avoid sensitization, which is a legitimate philosophical choice and one of the few things that genuinely sets it apart from most luxury skincare brands.
How many drops should I use?
Three to five drops are usually enough for the full face. The oil is concentrated and a little goes a long way; over-applying just leaves a heavier finish without adding more benefit.
Community
Community
Common Praise
"instant glow effect"
"fragrance-free and well-tolerated"
"absorbs without leaving heavy slick"
"feels luxurious without being greasy"
Common Complaints
"price is steep even by luxury oil standards"
"30ml empties faster than expected"
"results not dramatically different from cheaper multi-oil blends"
Notable Endorsements
Sephora luxury exclusiveNet-A-PorterDermstore
Appears In
best luxury face oil best multi oil face blend best fragrance free face oil best anti aging face oil
Related Conditions
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