Augustinus Bader's Vitamin C Serum in India: Ascorbyl Glucoside at a Luxury Price

Augustinus Bader launched The Vitamin C Serum in September 2025, and Indian shoppers can now find it on Tira. Outlook Luxe, in a September 2026 roundup of post-monsoon vitamin C picks, put its Tira price at about Rs 33,700 for 30 ml, which makes it one of the most expensive vitamin C serums sold in the country. We could not open the Tira listing ourselves, so treat that figure as reported rather than checked.

What do you get for that money? The brand's own page names the vitamin C as ascorbyl glucoside. That is a water-soluble, comparatively mild derivative that the skin converts into ascorbic acid, and it is generally better tolerated than pure L-ascorbic acid, though it is usually considered less potent at the same percentage. Augustinus Bader does not publish the concentration.

The rest of the formula leans on supporting ingredients: ergothioneine (an antioxidant), niacinamide, green tea polyphenols, an algae-based 'evening' complex and the brand's signature TFC8, a proprietary blend it says helps deliver the other ingredients. The brand describes the serum as vegan and fragrance-free.

Two sets of results are quoted on the brand site. In an 8-week clinical test on 31 adults aged 35 to 70, radiance is said to have improved by 39%, uneven tone by 72% and texture by 45%. In a separate 109-person consumer survey that included many people with sensitive skin, 90% said their skin looked brighter and all reported no visible redness or irritation. Both studies were commissioned by the brand.

The practical takeaway: this is a gentle, well-supported formula with an ultra-luxury price that mostly reflects the brand. If your main goal is brightening on a budget, a well-reviewed 10 to 15% vitamin C serum from an Indian brand costs a small fraction of this. We have not added it to our product rankings because we could not confirm the price and a customer rating from the same Indian page.