| Review | Augustinus Bader The Body Lotion

This body lotion is incredibly light! In my opinion, it is too light and absorbs into the skin too quickly. It reminds me more of a creamy serum than a lotion because there is not emollience to the formula. It just sinks in immediately, so much so that I feel like I can't even spread the product out very much because my skin just drinks the lotion up. This causes an issue where I am using a lot more product that I want to in order to get my skin thoroughly covered. It has a similar texture to The Cream for the face but even The Cream has more emollience than this lotion. 

Additionally, this extremely light texture doesn't offer enough hydration. That is why I liken it to a serum because it provides treatment to the skin but it lacks in providing hydration to the skin. After applying the product, within a minute or two, you will feel the skin instantly soften. The effect is exactly like the other products in the body range but I also feel my skin still needs proper hydration. This lotion just doesn't offer enough oils to emollience to satisfy my skin. I feel like my skin is still craving hydration, which I don't feel with the body oil or body cream. 

Now, what this formula is good for is using in the very hot summertime when you just can't stand having anything on the skin because you'll start sweating. I found that this ultra-light formula kept my skin very healthy and hydrated but it didn't make me feel hot and sticky. I also think it spread better on my skin because I had all this moisture, aka sweat, on my skin. If you find that this formula absorbs too quickly on you, I recommend using a mist or some water on the skin to help it spread and retain extra moisture into the skin. 

The other time I would find myself reaching for this product is when I want some hydration but I need to get changed and go somewhere immediately. Since this formula instantly absorbs into the skin, you don't spend any time rubbing the product in and it leaves no residue or emollient layer on the skin, so you can easily slip on clothes without feeling sticky or greasy. I guess the best thing about this lotion is it leaves your skin with a very touchable feeling because it feels like you have nothing on your skin. 

This product will provide the TFC8 anti-aging treatment to the skin but it will really only hydrate your skin for only several hours. Like I stated early, I find that after application, my skin is still craving hydration. This feeling is relieved when the treatment starts to soften, smooth, and plump my skin. This treatment is just as potent as the body oil and cream but the lack of hydration makes it feel less luxurious. It also doesn't make it as worth-while cost-wise. When I purchase a lotion, I want it to hydrate my skin and this product feels more like a body serum. 

Like the other body products in his range, this body lotion is designed to help reduce the look of cellulite, which I can't confirm but I have seen some fading and lightening of those areas. I don't use this product consistently enough to provide insight on this claim but I will say that Augustinus Bader products are the few products that make my skin look and feel healthier and appear more youthful. This body lotion is no exception, it just lacks the hydrating properties that I need for my dry skin type. 

Here is the full ingredients list from the Augustinus Bader website:

AQUA (WATER), CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, GLYCERIN, GLYCERYL STEARATE CITRATE, DICAPRYLYL ETHER, PANTHENOL, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, XYLITYLGLUCOSIDE, 1, 2–HEXANEDIOL, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, SILICA, ANHYDROXYLITOL, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, XYLITOL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, XANTHAN GUM, BISABOLOL, ALCOHOL, GLUCOSE, O–CYMEN–5–OL, BIOSACCHARIDE GUM–2, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER EXTRACT, CHOLESTEROL, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, TOCOPHEROL, ALANYL GLUTAMINE, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE POWDER, ARGININE, CERAMIDE NG, CERAMIDE NP, GLYCINE, LYSINE, OLEIC ACID, PALMITIC ACID, PHENYLALANINE, PROLINE, SCENEDESMUS RUBESCENS EXTRACT, BRASSICA ALBA OIL, DISODIUM EDTA, OLIGOPEPTIDE–177, PHENOXYETHANOL, SODIUM ASCORBATE

Some ingredients in this formula to highlight are: 

TFC8 - The magical ingredient in all Augustinus Bader formulas, TFC8, is a patented amino acid complex blended with vitamins developed by Augustinus Bader. It is touted by the brand as a miracle ingredient that helps with cell renewal and even cellulite. While I can't totally confirm the cellulite claims, I have seen improvement in my cellulite. I know for a fact that their cell renewal technology is the best I've ever tried, which is why I am so dedicated to the brand. This ingredient is truly what sets this product apart from the competition and 100% justifies the very high cost. This is the ingredient that instantly softens the skin and makes your skin look incredibly healthy. 

Polysaccharide Complex - This ingredient is designed to seal in moisture in the skin and it enhances the skin's ability to retain moisture. While I don't find the formula initially hydrating, I do find that it does retain and seal in moisture. One way to increase moisture retention is to spritz the body with water or a mist prior to application. 

Vitamin B5 - This vitamin helps stabilize the skin's barrier function, which allows your skin to hold not to more water. It also helps bind water to your skin, providing a deeper a longer-lasting hydration. It is known for softening the skin, which is very apparent when you use the lotion because your skin will feel incredibly soft with a matter of hours! It also plumps our fine lines and reduces irritation and inflammatory reactions. 

Vitamin E - Vitamin E is extremely nourishing and healing by strengthening the skin's barrier function. It's also known to prevent free radical damage and it's a natural anti-inflammatory to help soothe irritated skin and skin conditions. It repairs the skin from sun damage and it is a strong antioxidant. 

Aloe Vera - Known for it's healing ability, aloe vera not only helps deeply hydrate the skin but it helps heal damage to the skin. 

Shea Butter - I'm actually quite surprised this formula has shea butter because it doesn't have the thick and rich texture that The Body Cream has. Shea butter is packed with high concentrations of fatty acids and vitamins that nourish and hydrate the skin. 

I am unfortunately a little disappointed in this formula because it really doesn't provide enough hydration for being a lotion. While I have a dry skin type, since I started taking much better care of my skin, I haven't felt like my skin was dehydrated or unhealthy. So given that my skin is in the best condition, it's disappointing that this lotion isn't enough on its own to both treat and hydrate my skin. 

While I don't think it works for me on a daily basis, I do find that it has its place in my routine. I will probably rarely repurchase this lotion but I like the idea of using it when I need a bit of hydration and I'm about to head out the door. It can be very frustrating putting on clothes when you're feeling stick or greasy from your body lotion. The quick absorption is great for getting it on and getting out the door. 

I have also been appreciating more since we've been suffering through a hot summer heatwave and the last thing I want on my skin is something heavy. This is the perfect lightly hydrating but treatment-packed body product. Since the product instantly absorbs into the skin, you don't feel sticky or wet when it's so hot around you. Also, it is still a very effective treatment. You are still receiving the anti-aging benefits of the Augustinus Bader technology, which is the purpose of this very pricey product. 

While this isn't my favorite formula, I do think it is still a very good product and it will still have its place in my collection. It still offers all other anti-aging benefits but with less hydration than the other formulas in the Augustinus Bader line. I would recommend it for someone who doesn't need as much hydration but wants some anti-aging benefits. I would consider repurchasing this lotion but I much prefer the other formulations.