Grüß Gott! That's how Bavarians say Hello. It's almost time for Oktoberfest (it's in September not October) so I thought I'd reminisce about my time in Germany and all the great German skin care products I've known and loved.


I grew up seeing Nivea products in every drugstore so naturally I thought it was an American brand—not. Not only is Nivea a German company, but it has been in existence since 1911. Now, you may be underwhelmed by Nivea, but you need to know that the German line of Nivea products is completely different from the American line. The best way I can describe it is to say the German line is almost medicinal in nature.

Another difference is the shear number of prodcts. In the States we mainly see a few different kinds of lotion. In Germany, Nivea has lotions, soaps, deoderants, shampoos, conditioners, wipes, body sprays . . . you get the picture. When I lived there I was mainly concerned with finding some kind of moisturizer to get me through the winter. My skin was bone dry and German winters are brutal. That's how I found Nivea's Creme. This is not a creme for the faint of heart. You have to muscle this stuff out of the tin, but it sticks to you and makes that tight, dry winter skin go away.



My other favorite Nivea product is the bath oil. It has this light herbal scent to it. It's different from other bath oils because it doesn't sit on top of the water. It blends with the water, and my skin seems to absorb it better. These two products are staples for me from September through April.


Another German favorite is Fa. I prefer showers to baths, and in my opinion Fa makes the best shower gel. What do I base this opinion on you may ask? Thousands of showers of course Seriously, I know of no other company that makes so many different flavors as I like to call them. I highly recommend the Be Happy Shower Gel because, well, I dare you shower with it and not be. Great way to start the day. Every now and then I'll see Fa in a drugstore somewhere, but never on a consistent basis, and never with the full complement of flavors.


I used to have to depend on people visiting Germany to get this stuff for me, but since discovering Smallflower I can get it for myself. Maybe you took a trip to Italy or France and found this great lotion or shampoo and haven't been able to find it anywhere in the States. Perhaps you have a family member from the old country and you know they would appreciate that special something that's hard to find. Check out Smallflower. They have products from Africa, Japan, Australia—literally from all over the world.