Growing up, I spent a month in Germany every summer visiting my family. As a beauty lover, one of my highlights from these trips was frequenting Germany’s affordable drugstores, from DM to Rossmann. Between the makeup, skin care and candy, I always stocked up on all of my favorites before heading back to the U.S.
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Thankfully, I don’t have to wait for my next Germany trip to get my hands on many of these items anymore. Since my childhood, many German brands have made their way to the U.S. With each passing year, I can find more and more of my favorites stateside. German products are known internationally for their quality, and my picks hold up to the hype. Many of these companies have been around for more than 100 years and have stood the test of time.
There’s no need to book a flight. Shop my favorite German drugstore products that you can easily shop right here in the U.S. at Amazon, Walmart and more ahead. You might be surprised by which familiar brands are actually German.
Nivea’s perfectly perfumed body washes
Nivea’s body washes always smell so good, and I especially love their oil shower gel line for its moisturizing formula that doesn’t leave me feeling greasy. Nivea was founded in Germany in 1911 and is one of the country’s most iconic skin care brands. Best of all, it’s incredibly easy to find in the U.S.
Essence’s uber-affordable makeup
As a teenager, I lived to check out Essence’s limited-edition themed makeup collections at the drugstore during my German summers. I could actually afford the products with my teenage budget, and the packaging was always so cute. Essence can now be found in the U.S., and American shoppers especially love its Lash Princess mascara line, offering voluminous lashes for so much less.
Weleda’s Skin Food line
The skin care brand Weleda (since 1921) claims partial German status, as one of its founders was a chemist from Germany, and many of its products are produced in Germany. I’ve tried most of the products in Weleda’s cult-favorite Skin Food line, and stand behind them all. The products are great for sensitive skin (like mine), as they’re free from synthetic preservatives and fragrances.
One of my favorites from the line is the Repairing Serum Stick. I actually have a pretty niche use for it. I swipe it over the dry skin around my nose when I’m sick or dealing with allergies. All those tissues can leave my skin flaky and irritated, and this balm helps moisturize the area. I keep it on my nightstand to reapply throughout the day. It prevents my nose from flaking and gives comforting relief.
Persil laundry detergent for the best scent
For some reason, laundry just smells better in Germany. Maybe it’s nostalgia, but I’ve always loved the clean, fresh scent of freshly washed clothes there.
Persil, which dates back to 1907, is a German laundry detergent brand that you can now find in the U.S. I’m not the only one who loves it, either. Other HuffPosters swears by it as well.
Not your basic honey
Translucent honey in the teddy bear container has its place, but I’m partial to German raw honey. The Breitsamer Rapsflower honey (since 1927) has such an addictive, creamy texture that’s just a bit more special. It’s great on toast, croissants and more.
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Nivea’s nostalgic Soft Cream
My mom always used Nivea’s iconic Soft Cream on her face when I was growing up, so its scent instantly transports me back to childhood. It’s affordable, and you can use it on your hands and body too.
It’s exactly the kind of drugstore staple that German beauty does so well: nothing overly fancy, just a reliable product that people return to again and again.
Eucerin products for sensitive skin
Eucerin’s founding ingredient blend was first patented in 1900 and named for a Greek word meaning “beautiful wax.” It’s an affordable German sensitive-skin brand, and its products are often dermatologist-recommended. The Original Healing body lotion for extra-dry skin is fragrance-free.
Weleda’s Skin Food hydrating facial mist
I spray this addition to Weleda’s Skin Food line all over my face, chest and shoulders to moisturize my sensitive skin. This facial mist is such a great pick-me-up for your skin, moisturizing with hyaluronic acid and glycerin. I especially swear by it as a faster way to moisturize your chest and hard-to-reach parts of your back.
Haribo’s addictive gummy candy
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to open my suitcase at the airport and throw things away because it was too full of Haribo candy. Candy is not light, as it turns out, and I’m prone to overpacking. Maybe I’m biased, but I think Haribo makes some of the best gummy candies around. I’m hungry just writing about them.
It’s not a trip to the drugstore without picking up a bag of Haribo Peaches. Haribo, founded in 1920, is one of Germany’s most beloved candy brands, and I’m partial to its addictive sweet-and-sour peaches. Haribo candy is so much easier to find in the U.S. these days, but I’m still waiting for its black licorice to become as commonplace here as it is in Germany.
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Haribo for soda lovers
Another great Haribo grab is the Fizzy Cola gummies. Cola is one of my favorite candy flavors, and it’s rare to come by in the U.S. These sweet-and-sour gummies are shaped like little cola bottles, which somehow makes them taste even better. (That’s science, right?)
Dr. Barbara Sturm’s science-backed skin care
If you’re down to splurge, check out Dr. Barbara Sturm — one of Germany’s most luxe skin care brands. This bestselling Hyaluronic Serum is for deep moisture and plumping. Its proprietary formulation is tested to have the optimal concentration and viscosity to penetrate your skin. While the price is steep, know that you may be able to use HSA or FSA benefits to purchase this one.
Ritter Sport’s fun chocolate flavors
Speaking of the candy aisle, don’t sleep on the classic 3.5-ounce block of chocolate from Ritter Sport. The German candy brand has been around since 1912, and its signature square bars come in a ridiculous number of flavors.
I always grab the marzipan variety — a flavor that’s much harder to come by in the U.S. but that I’m completely obsessed with. German chocolate is a must-buy.
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