IBE Berlin 2020 Was Cancelled, But You Shouldn’t Miss These Products From It That Make Staying At Home Better

Due to the growing COVID-19 health crisis, Indie Beauty Media Group co-founders Nader Naeymi-Rad and Jillian Wright made the very difficult decision last month to cancel the second Indie Beauty Expo Berlin that would’ve taken place from March 25 to 26 at event venue Station Berlin. The nearly 70 brands from around the world that were slated to exhibit at the trade show operated by Beauty Independent’s parent company are navigating the new reality for emerging beauty businesses selling to consumers stuck at home as they comply with government-mandated shelter-in-place orders. We’ve rounded up standout products from them that make sheltering in place a little less stifling.

VitaJuwel: German company VitaJuwel’s water bottles are designed to vitalize water with gemstones. Now, the brand has two-gallon dispensers to serve as handsome reminders to stay hydrated. “People over the last 500 years have always used crystal elixirs to benefit from the gems’ natural energy,” says Jan Eisen, CEO of VitaJuwel USA. “There are stones that have traditionally been used to support open-mindedness, clarity and protection like in our Guardian blend. Others are said to be calming, balancing and relaxing like in our Wellness blend. And, most importantly, optimism like in our Happiness blend. All of that is tremendously helpful in uncertain times like these.” Constructed with colorful crystals, Vitajuwel’s water bottles, decanters and dispensers are pieces of art. Quarantined consumers may appreciate something pleasing to glance at during their 20 daily trips—or more—to the kitchen.

Bears With Benefits: Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin because human skin produces it in response to sunlight. With people spending hours upon hours indoors, they may be considering increasing their vitamin D supplementation, especially because the benefits of the nutrient increase increased immunity and decreased depression, very apropos amid the pandemic. Launched in Germany is 2018, Bears With Benefits has a range of tasty gummy vitamins, including Hey Sunshine Vitamin D. Its gummy bears are packed with 2,000 international units or 50 micrograms of vitamin D and don’t have to be taken daily.

Onedaybaby: In case you haven’t heard, everyone is supposed to be washing their hands a ton and for at least 20 seconds. Onedaybaby has elegant, organic and vegan Softsoap alternatives to turn to pandemic or not, and hand creams to soothe hand washing-induced skin irritation. Sabine Enders launched the lifestyle brand last October with four personal care products: The Mild & Mellow One Hand Wash, The Mild & Mellow One Hand Cream, The Fresh & Funny One Hand Wash and The Fresh & Funny One Hand Cream. The Mild & Mellow scent is infused with pink peony and white musk, and The Fresh & Funny scent is a zesty mix of apple blossom and cedar wood. The items can be purchased separately or in scent duos on Onedaybaby’s website, which also features pop-art prints from graphic artist Silvie Bomhard.

Smile Makers: During the pandemic, there’s been a spike in sex toy sales, and Smile Makers is one of the brands that’s benefited. In February, the brand’s marketing manager Cecile Gasnault reports it started to experience climbing sales in Singapore as the country was seeing COVID-19 cases and implementing measures to stop the spread of the virus. When measures extended to North America and Europe, sales rose there, too. Gasnault posits that, faced with the prospect of remaining at home for an unknown period of time, many people are looking for ways to cater to their sexual wellbeing. She says, “This illustrates very pragmatically a fact that some longstanding taboos would have us forget: Sex is an essential part of life, and it has a documented impact on our physical and mental health.”

For first-time vibrator buyers, Gasnault recommends a Smile Makers vibrator that provides clitoral stimulation because “70% of women need clitoral stimulation to climax, but we tend to think of penetrative products when it comes to vibrators.” The brand’s bestseller in the clitoral stimulation category is Fireman, and she suggests the Millionaire for those curious to try both external and internal stimulation. For nearly a decade, Smile Makers has been creating vibrators priced under $100 made from food-grade, cryogenically-polished silicone.

ION-Sei: With consumers paying attention to their hygiene during the coronavirus crisis, oral hygiene may get a closer examination. The brand ION-Sei is responsible for one of the most innovative toothbrushes on the market. Powered by bacteria-killing technology, the electric toothbrush melds Japanese and German design and harnesses patented LED light technology to generate negatively-charged ions that draw plaque away from teeth. The toothbrush’s price tag of 150 euros or roughly $162 at the current exchange rate isn’t cheap, but ION-Sei promises a clinically-proven clean that leads to less plaque, gum disease and bad breath, and it has a history of delivering results. ION-Sei was launched in 2018, but its manufacturing pedigree goes back decades. The Japanese company Sanyei, which has been producing household goods since 1946, is behind the brand.

Sleep.ink: The tectonic shifts in life that are currently happening can leave people stressed and unable to sleep. To help them snooze, consumers are hunting for drug-free sleep remedies. Launched in 2017, Sleep.ink’s natural Sleepdrink is formulated with a blend of melatonin, calming herbs like lemon balm and hops, and tart cherry juice to work quickly. “Our mission is to create high quality and functional sleep aids without adverse effects,” says co-founder Malte J. Gützlaff. “We’ve seen a rising demand for the last few weeks. It seems that people’s sleep is getting worse these days.” Sleep.ink had planned to introduce new sleep teas Relax and Gute Nacht at IBE Berlin, but it’s postponed the launches for later in the year. For now, it’s focused on online sales to get its sleep products in the hands of exhausted consumers.

To learn about more IBE Berlin 2020 exhibitors, join IBMG co-founder Jillian Wright on IBE’s Instagram Live spotlighting brand founders on April 14 at 1pm ET.