What To Expect At The First IBE Berlin

The first Indie Beauty Expo Berlin will take place at Station Berlin in the center of the German capital city today and tomorrow.

The show will feature over 60 brands from a dozen countries, including Ghana, Australia and Italy. It is the second international show premiere for IBE operator Indie Beauty Media Group in the past six months, preceded by the first IBE London in October.

IBE Berlin is a departure in form for IBMG. Unlike most of the company’s trade shows, which are held on Wednesday and Thursday, the Berlin edition will occur on Friday and Saturday, as dictated by preferences of the German market. “We are guests in their country,” explains IBMG co-founder Jillian Wright. “You have to abide by what each market prefers, and let them enjoy the show on their own schedule. That’s the way we can service as many indie brands and meet as many buyers as possible. ”

In part, the impetus for the Berlin show was the size of the German speaking market. “As we looked at the second show on continental Europe, Germany was what I considered a ‘must-win market,’ meaning that, if you’re an independent brand or any kind of a brand, unless you have a strategy for German-speaking markets — Germany, Austria and Switzerland — you’re not going to win in Europe,” says IBMG co-founder Nader Naeymi-Rad, who notes London is an easy initial foray into the European market for the American company due to the common language. “German-speaking markets represent over a hundred million consumers. They are the most successful economies of Europe.” The cosmetics market in Germany alone is estimated at $6.77 billion.

IBMG’s expansion into Europe has been buttressed by the group’s multifaceted partnership with Douglas, one of Europe’s largest beauty retailers. The main objective of the partnership is for IBMG to assist Douglas in sourcing and onboarding independent beauty brands across a wide range of categories to be carried in Douglas’s 2,400 European stores and on its website. Douglas is also sponsoring the launch of the German language version of Beauty Independent.

Douglas has taken an active role in IBE Berlin as well and is the event’s official retail sponsor. The retailer will have a large space on the show floor featuring a curated selection of global independent brands, including Innersense Organic Beauty, Herbal Dynamics Beauty, Eleni & Chris, Milu, The Tonik, Kiss the Moon, Kokie Color Cosmetics, Ere Perez, Venn, Patchology, Klarskin, Bears with Benefits and SkinMade. The participating brands, most of which have exhibited at previous IBE shows, have been onboarded by Douglas as part of its partnership with IBMG.

“Independent beauty is a strategically important area for Douglas, and we want to earn our place as the instinctive retailer of choice for independent brands entering or expanding in Europe,” says Tina Mueller, CEO of Douglas Group. “We also recognize that beauty entrepreneurs are the real driving force behind independent beauty, which is why we also want to directly connect with innovators, so that we can earn their trust and respect.”

Every edition of the expo contains brands launching exclusively on the show floor. At IBE Berlin, there are four such brands: water-based nail polish brand Gitti, Swiss body-care specialist Nooii, advanced skincare range Goldheit and the super-luxe single product brand Christian Karl. Christian Karl’s Cream 63/1, which will retail for approximately $475, excludes parabens, paraffins, silicones, PEGs, mineral oils, aluminum and more potentially harmful ingredients. 

“We have spent more than five years from development to manufacturing and packaging,” says Karl. “Gatuline Expression is an active ingredient of acmella olerea, so a natural ingredient. It acts as a muscle relaxant, softens the fine lines of expression around the eyes and mouth. It reduces the emergence of new lines and wrinkles. The sensational active ingredient is already used in many recognized beauty clinics as a natural Botox alternative.”