Whether you use a plain bar of soap or a face wash infused with 24K gold (that is a real thing!), everyone uses some kind of skincare. In Scandinavia, the winter months often bring about extremely dry and sometimes wind-burnt skin; it’s important to have good moisturisers for your face, hands, and lips so that you don’t end up with painful cracking and peeling.
Combine this seasonal need with an interest in natural and organic local ingredients and you end up with a wide range of gentle skincare choices. For those less interested in the all-natural route and more invested in skincare that brightens and improves skin texture, Sweden has that too!
Here’s the best in Swedish beauty and skincare, for whatever your skin needs:
Verso Skincare
Using Vitamin A complex Retinol 8, Verso Skincare has quickly become popular around the world for its aggressive anti-aging properties as well as its gorgeous minimalist packaging. Invest in the whole line for full face-hands-lips protection.
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L:A Bruket
The height of cool-person skincare in Sweden, L:A Bruket actually delivers. With incredible scents (their Grapefruit candle is outstanding) and a focus on function-first recipes, this is a brand that transcends its brand-of-the-moment spotlight and is creating timeless skincare products.
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Estelle & Thild
With all organic ingredients, Estelle & Thild has become a darling of the natural skincare world. That’s in large part because their products work. The brand includes skincare, body care, baby care and even some Swedish beauty products like lip balms and tinted moisturizers. They’re also serious about ethical production and sustainability, with all products made in the Nordics.
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Kerstin Florian
A true spa brand, Kerstin Florian is well-known throughout Sweden as a brand that delivers a luxurious sensory experience as well as real results.
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Recipe for Men
Although we’re not wild about the “for men” addendum here (almost all skincare is for everybody!), this is a brand made for people whose skin needs some serious care. Developed for intense hydration, the line has everything from cleansers to shaving balm and beard oil.
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True Organic of Sweden
A range of hardworking unisex products makes True Organic of Sweden a great choice for any skincare needs. Their “All You Need is Me” cream has become a classic, a useful catch-all cream that’s as good on your face as hands or other rough patches (used similarly to Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream). If you’re looking for aluminium-free deodorant, check out their excellent “Undercover Agent.”
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Colekt
Stockholm-based skincare and fragrance brand Colekt has luxe packaging, but luckily their products also work and smell wonderful, so you can check all the boxes. Their skincare includes cleansers, toners, and moisturises made with natural ingredients and subtle but intriguing scents. Their products are gentle but effective, with a focus on using time-tested ingredients such as witch hazel and elderberry to create non-irritating formulations.
Mantle
Harnessing the power of “cannabeauty,” meaning products infused with cannabis, Mantle has become an instantly iconic skincare line out of Stockholm. Thanks to their playful naming (hand cream called “The High Five?” We love to see it) and excellent formulations, Mantle is poised to be a market leader in what has become a exciting area of skincare. Top recommendation? Their Rich Cream is life changing in the dry Scandinavian winter.
Gilda Liljeblad
Gilda Liljeblad believes that healthy skin boots overall health as well as self-confidence. The brand makes skincare easy with step-by-step products from 1 – 6, staring with “cleanse” and ending with “treat and improve.” Their packaging is sleek and minimalist. Most importantly, all of their products have strong, proven formulations of scientifically-backed ingredients.
ACO Skincare
Don’t overlook ACO, the Swedish skincare brand that has drugstore pricing but premium quality ingredients. With an e array of face, body, and sun-protection skincare items, ACO is a great choice for the workhorse products that you’ll be buying again and again.
For those with sensitive skin, particularly those who don’t want fragrance in their products, ACO’s Sensitive Balance line is heaven-sent. These are affordable products that really work and won’t irritate your skin: holy grail!
Fjör
When a brand only makes a few items, you know they’ve worked really hard to get them right. That’s the case with Swedish brand Fjör, which makes scientifically-driven, hydrolytic (meaning water molecules breaks other chemical bonds) skincare. They’re all about streamlining; you can basically just use their serum and an SPF in the morning, and you’ll be good to go. Their serum is hydrating, restores the skin barrier, and has both collagen and peptides. It’s gentle but hardworking; perfect skincare! Having tested this, we can attest to the fact that it radically improves skin texture and hydration.
Want more Scandinavian skincare and beauty? Read about Danish skincare, Norwegian skincare, and Scandinavian haircare.