Brands in Berlin - between tradition and change

November 2015

By Daniela Kaufmann, Berlin

Just as Berlin combines tradition and constant change, brands here are a colorful mix: there are some you trust since childhood, but new products and brands emerge every year.  Some of them are here to stay and become a part of your life.  For this month’s blogpost, find my top three brands for 2015:

Philips VisaPure

Try microdermabrasion at the cosmetic salon or a face brush? That was the question for me as my facial skin needed a solution for its often rough structure that I couldn’t get rid of via regular peelings or face scrubs.  As a longtime fan of the Philips brand, my first choice was the VisaPure brush (despite its quite substantial price), and I wasn’t disappointed.  Elegant and attractive, the powerful rotating brush works against damaging environmental effects and removes old skin cells.  After 20 seconds, the brush stops to signal that I need to change the facial zone.  The set contains two brushes for regular and sensitive skin.  Especially in the summer, it was a great feeling to thoroughly clean my face of sun lotion, dirt and sweat - so great, in fact, that I don’t feel the need for a professional microdermabrasion anymore.  The pleasant massaging effect for the face is a welcome addition, and once again Philips has proven its value to me - I grew up with this brand and owned its products from a night light as a child to my first epilator and now a Lumea IPL, and have never felt let down by the Philips brand.

Eucerin Hyal-Urea Creme

Since I am blessed with rather dry and sensitive skin, I feel it’s important for me to use facial creams that contain no perfumes or artificial additives, and Eucerin Hyal-Urea provides just that.  It is only available at pharmacies in Germany, and has quickly replaced my old facial cream.  Its neutral smell, and the fact that a pea-sized portion is enough to moisturize my face, makes me feel well taken care of.  Eucerin also works as a foundation for makeup for me, and I never experienced dry or burning sensations.  Eucerin is developed exclusively for sensitive skin.  It’s not heavily advertised and maybe that’s what makes me trust it more - I get the impression they invest more in product development than advertising.  My sister suffers from neurodermatitis and recommended Eucerin to me a few weeks ago.  All Eucerin products I’ve tried so far (including sun tan lotion, shower gel and now the Hyal-Urea creme) suited my skin.

Thomas Henry

My boyfriend and I like to make cocktails and long drinks at home, and some of our go-to products in recent years have become the Thomas Henry bar sodas and fillers we’ve known from many Berlin bars that use them.  A small Berlin start-up in 2010, Thomas Henry has become a serious contender in the German drinks market.  Overcoming some difficulties with law suits - with the result of their Ginger Beer being renamed to Spicy Ginger, Thomas Henry has bounced back and is now available in my local REWE supermarket.  What used to be a drinks underdog is now a serious brand with a diverse portfolio , but to be honest we mostly stick to the classics and use Tonic Water and Spicy Ginger to make G&T’s, Dark & Stormy’s and Moscow Mules.  A great brand that I personally feel has a more balanced and complex taste than Schweppes, but is priced well below the premium range of fillers such as Fever-Tree or Fentiman’s.