Introduction: Luxury skincare brand Augustinus Bader has launched The Eyebrow and Lash Enhancing Serum across travel retail and domestic markets globally today, 21 September.
The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Editor & Digital Marketing Manager Hannah Tan-Gillies caught up with Founder Professor Augustinus Bader and CEO Charles Rosier in an exclusive interview to discuss the new launch and the brand’s big travel retail push this year.
For a brand founded on innovation, Augustinus Bader’s The Eyebrow and Lash Enhancing Serum, represents both a continuation of that tradition and an ushering in of a new chapter.
The Eyebrow and Lash Serum takes Augustinus Bader’s patented TFC8 (Trigger Factor Complex), to visibly boost eyelash and eyebrow hair growth and density. TFC8 comprises natural amino-acids, vitamins and synthesised molecules to offer adaptive skincare solutions.
Travel retail will play a key role in the new line’s roll-out. As reported exclusively by The Moodie Davitt Report, Augustinus Bader made its travel retail debut with DFS Group in 2021. This year the beauty house is expanding its footprint in the channel by leveraging the brand’s super-premium positioning.
Augustinus Bader CEO Charles Rosier says: “We have been speaking with a lot of travel retail operators these past few weeks. As brand awareness and interest has grown, so has the interest from travel retailer. A lot of airports are experiencing a huge resurgence in passengers and we are looking forward to leveraging this channel to engage with our community and recruit new customers to our brand. I think it’s going to be a key pillar for our growth in the years to come.”
While Augustinus Bader currently has a modest travel retail presence, Rosier says early brand performance has been very positive. “Retailers such as DFS Group, who trusted us from the beginning, understood that they were investing early in our brand journey. So, while Augustinus Bader wasn’t a household name in certain markets, particularly in Asia, those retailers believed in our potential. They believed that eventually, when our growth would kick in, that it would grow exponentially.
“Very early on, our ranking in terms of overall sales has already outperformed expectations,” he adds. “We always aim for a win-win situation and so finding the right moment for our launch was crucial. Right now, DFS Group is already very happy with our partnership. When we first launched, we initially believed that it would take two years to reach where we are now, and yet we have already justified our presence in their stores.”
Augustinus Bader plans to launch with Dufry, Gebr. Heinemann, Qatar Duty Free and Dubai Duty Free over the next 12 months. It has also revealed a new logo which it hopes will appeal to more travel retail consumers, specifically in the Asia Pacific region.
In total, Augustinus Bader plans to open 20 travel retail doors this year, but according to Rosier this is just the beginning. He says, “We’re speaking with several major retailers to open in various high-profile locations globally. There is a lot of interest across a lot of retailers these past six months. What we are as a company today will be different in the next quarter, and the next year. 20 doors in 2022 could mean 75 doors in 2023 depending on how our brand awareness grows.
“We’re really taking travel retail seriously,” he adds. “We’ve recruited someone who will be wholly focused on our Asia Pacific expansion based in Singapore and we now have a local team in China based in Shanghai. Those local teams will have travel retail-dedicated people too.”
Rosier once referred to Hainan, China as ‘the Everest’ of travel retail. Since our last conversation, Augustinus Bader has scaled that peak and opened its first counter on the island. “We’ve been approached by other retailers in Hainan and are now set to open more locations there. Our first counter there is performing well. As travel reopens in China, we can expect that hub to grow exponentially. We want to be more present in the region.”
Commenting on Augustinus Bader’s expansion plans, Rosier says: “We don’t want to be everywhere nor have an overwhelming presence which could compromise good partnerships and performance. We need to have constructive dialogues with every partner to ensure that everyone can be happy.”
Augustinus Bader started with just two star products; a range which has been extended to incorporate a complete skincare and haircare routine.
Commenting on the new lash and brow serum, Rosier says: “This Eyebrow and Lash serum follows the same philosophy as the launch of our haircare line. Our goal remains the same. We want to bring solutions, using our technology platform, where we feel there is a need and no real clean, efficient and clinically-proven product available. The clinical trials for this launch are very impressive and there is no compromise on how clean the formulation is.”
Speaking about Augustinus Bader’s innovation pipeline, Rosier adds: “We only launch products when we feel there is a gap in the market to fill. Rather than just adding a product among many other products, we are very solution driven. Sometimes it comes from dialogue. A lot of our innovation pipeline is driven by reverse inquiries or comments by people in our community.”
Professor Augustinus Bader adds, “We are a technology platform which addresses the point of self-healing whether that’s in the skin or hair. Food supplements will be the next frontier for us. We have eight products in preparation, stemming from the original wound treatment, but the clinical trials are still ongoing. Hopefully in one to two years, those products will be launched to help people with different medical needs. In terms of products, we’ve only explored about 5% of what we can do with this technology.”
For a relatively young brand, Augustinus Bader is experiencing tremendous growth each year. And while travel retail’s contribution to the bottom line may still be marginal, Rosier sees the channel as a key pillar for growth. “Our current travel retail presence is four, five doors, some in places which are still in lockdown. The real P&L contribution isn’t there yet, but our upward slope in terms of performance and growth will coincide with the reopening of the market.
“That’s why, while it is small today, I think travel retail will see massive growth. All our markets are growing at +100% rates, and I see travel retail following that curve. For us, travel retail is a new way for consumers to discover our brand and reinforces our local efforts.”
Rosier believes that based on its current growth trajectory, Augustinus Bader can become a real disruptor in the beauty world. “We are the only emerging brand that has a real chance to disrupt the hierarchy of the big established groups,” he claims.
“We live in a world where established hierarchies are constantly being disrupted by newcomers. In the world of beauty this disruption hasn’t really happened yet. We have a shot to take a seat at the table with the big guys. If you look at our growth, we are on a trajectory where we have detached from emerging brands but don’t have yet the presence of the big guys. In five years, we’re going to be a big animal.”
