My favorite German skincare & cosmetics (+Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Foaming Wash Dupe!)

Although this blog has been very focused on Asian skincare lately, with me moving back to Europe I also want to shift the focus a bit from time to time. I do use a lot of Asian skincare products because of their great price/quality balance but there is also a good amount of German skincare in my daily routine. The thing is, German skincare and cosmetics have a big image issue: They aren’t sexy enough. They aren’t even pretty to look at in most cases, they are -very German after all, to ride on some stereotypes- more practical than pretty. This is very sad because most German brands are actually very good and most of the times even reasonably priced! So today I want to introduce you to my favorite German skincare and cosmetic products and brands that you should def. check out if you ever come to visit 🙂

My most favorite German brand is Weleda, a pretty brand devoted to natural cosmetics. I have tried some of their moisturizing products, especially with almond oil and they all have been very nice and gentle – they have different versions for dry and oily skin which I love. Their hair product are also fabulous with a different range for volume, hair loss and other issues you might be dealing with. They also sell face masks with rose extract that are very nice too. Weleda can be found in almost all major German drugstores, their prices range from 5-15€.

Runner-up is Sebamed, a brand that is often mistaken for being American – a lot of my American friends thought that it is in fact a US brand. Sebamed was the first brand I ever used when I started to get my first pimple at the age of 12 or 13. My mom bought me their products as they are all at a PH-level of 5,5 in order to not disrupt the balance of the skin. Their products are very clean and look almost like medication but I love their no frills „you get what you pay for“ strategy. They also have a self-foaming cleanser at a PH-level of 5,5 which is a very good dupe for the famous Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid face wash in my opinion! I have used this foaming wash and really liked it – it even smells very similar to the one from Hada Labo. Also, their deodorants without aluminium are fabulous. Some items from Sebamed can be found in drugstores, but pharmacies in general have a better selection of their product range. Around 8-20€.

A brand very similar to Sebamed is Eucerin; their packaging is really similar, being mostly white with green and red accents. Eucerin is a brand that is often recommended by dermatologists because it is a no-frills, quite clinical looking brand that is widely available in Germany in every pharmacy and some bigger drugstores too. I have not used much by them, but my boyfriend has and really liked the brand. They do have an ampoule with actives such as lactic acid in their range (the Eucerin Dermo Purifyer Aktiv Konzentrat, shown in picture above) which I haven’t tried yet but am very interested in doing so. Price ranges around 10-20€.

Quite new on the market is the natural cosmetics line Lavera which is now famous for being an all-natural skincare and cosmetics brand. I haven’t used much by them as they are only sold in organic grocery stores (Germany’s famous Bio-Laden) which I don’t frequent very often (poor student and all) but I love that they are selling face masks! Still so hard to get face good masks in Germany :/ Prices from 5-20€.

A brand that is very unknown even to most Germans are the products from Dr. med, Christine Schrammek. She was the first to invent the BB cream (originally a cream designed for patients after skin operations to make it easier for them and cover scars etc.) but it never really took off until BB creams became a thing in Korea (which also had very little to do with the original invention). I have only tried her Clear Skin Silver Fluid which was a very good moisturizer but didn’t magically clear my skin up like it promised 😉 Products from 15-40€, available online.

Speaking of doctors, the most widely known German skincare brand is probably Dr Hauschka, being extremely popular in the US. Dr. Hauschka’s products are also all-natural (see a theme in German skincare..?) and a bit prettier than the average. I haven’t really used much but I really liked their face oil for my slightly oily skin 🙂 Prices from 18 – 60€.

Last but def. not least I want to share one of my most beloved German make-up brand with you: Zoeva. Again, most people don’t even know that Zoeva is a German brand and it def. is on par with big American brands such as Urban Decay in my opinion. Their packaging is to die for, their brushes are fabulous (I own three and need more, especially those rosegold ones!!), I am using their eyeliner for about 3 years straight (I usually order like 3 once a year) and I can’t recommend this brand enough. The prices are very fair for the amazing quality they provide and since they’re a German brand they have low shipping that arrives within 2-3 days! And the best part: They ship worldwide too! They don’t have physical stores in Germany (yet?) but some of their brushes are available at Douglas. Prices range from 5 – 70€.

So as you can see, there’s a lot Germany has to offer too in terms of skincare and cosmetics! The majority might not be as sparkly and exciting-looking as some Asian brands but I appreciate the transparency regarding ingredients with most German brands as well as their no-frills all-natural approach. If you ever come to visit Germany, definitely try something out! 🙂 

Have you ever tried German skincare brands? How did you like it?

I wish you all a very happy Tuesday!

Lots of love,