Personal care products are some of my favorite things to bring back after traveling abroad.
When Jeff and I went to The Hague to go to art museums, I needed to find saline solution for my contact lenses. I guess saline isn’t popular in Holland because I went to so many different stores trying to find it. At the train station in The Hague, I ran into a store called Etos that must be the Dutch version of Boots, the UK drugstore: the logo looks exactly the same except for the letters, and the type of products they carry was the same. I didn’t find saline solution there, but I came away with some other things.
Looking around Etos, I was tempted by Kneipp bath and body products because I hadn’t used the brand since my last trip to Europe. Are you familiar with Kneipp? It’s a German brand named for Sebastian Kneipp, a Bavarian priest in the 19th century who is known as one of the forefathers of naturopathic medicine. He had tuberculosis, and he putatively healed his disease by bathing in the Danube and using local herbs. Afterwards, he devoted his life to studying the healing properties of water and medicinal plants.
Today, Kneipp is a brand of plant-based, natural bath and body products. Kneipp is usually a fairly pricey brand in the U.S. In fact, Kneipp has been opening free-standing stores in the U.S. I haven’t had a chance to go to it yet, but there’s a new Kneipp store in the Burlington Mall in Burlington MA, and I know it’s not a discount store.
When I was at Etos two weeks ago, there was a Mother’s Day sale of 30% off on Kneipp products. In Europe, Kneipp is already affordably priced. The sale made Kneipp super affordable!
I bought a bottle of Kneipp Body Wash in the Almond Blossom scent. I think it was priced around 5 or 6 euros. With 30% off, I paid around 4 euros and change, about $5.50. In the U.S., the same product is $14. Why didn’t I buy a dozen? I wish I had. But because of the limits of liquids and gels that we can bring back in a carry on, I was afraid to buy too many things that could end up leaking all over my clothes in my checked luggage. Fortunately, the body wash made it back without spilling.
Kneipp Body Wash Almond Blossom is quite delightful. The Almond Blossom scent is more blossom and less almond, but it’s a light, pleasant, floral scent. The body wash itself is a pearlized white thick liquid. It creates a delicate foam in my hands and more foam with a pouf. Kneipp Body Wash Almond Blossom was created to “hydrate sensitive skin”. In spite of not being able to read the packaging, I chose the right one for my dry, somewhat sensitive skin. It is very gentle, and it leaves my skin feeling lightly hydrated.
The featured ingredient in the Almond Blossom body wash is almond oil, and it also contains jojoba oil. It is soap-free and pH-balanced. In addition to being a natural product, it’s vegan too.
The plastic bottle contains 200 ml/6.76 oz. In the U.S., it’s available at Kneipp stores, Dermstore.com and on the Kneipp website. In addition to Almond Blossom, Kneipp Body Wash is available in a number of other scents/types/key ingredients: lavender, orange blossom, mint & eucalyptus, and evening primrose. The American version comes in a tube rather than the flip-top bottle I bought in Holland, but it contains the same amount of product.
For $5.50 that I paid in The Hague, Kneipp Body Wash is a steal. It’s also a drugstore brand. Will I buy it again for $14 here in the U.S. where it’s positioned as a semi-prestige brand? I guess I’ll have to see how I feel when I finish the bottle.
Have you tried Kneipp bath and body products?
15 Comments
This really does sound delightful, and you know how much that I love Kneipp products!
Yes, I remember that you’re a Kneipp fan. I wish I could have brought home a cart load! What a bargain shopping Kneipp in Europe!
I have a body scrub in this scent and while I wish it had more almond I still really like it. It’s interesting that some items are so much less in other countries while others are sky high.
I wish Almond Blossom had more almond in it as well. But the scent must be nice and light since you like it too! The 30% off an already lower price definitely made Kneipp an absolute steal. But it’s interesting that Kneipp is a drugstore brand in Europe but a step-up brand here!
I love Kneipp – I have some in my bathtub as we speak!
Yay!!
This sounds lovely!
I know Kneipp from way back! Isn’t it wonderful to visit stores unknown to us? I enjoy that feeling!
Yes, I was so surprised to see the Dutch version of a Boots store! Now, I need to find out what Etos means in Dutch
This sounds so great and you really can’t beat that price.
I wish I could’ve bought more!
This sounds really good and I’m loving the scent description. $14 does sound like a higher price for drugstore, but I’m more than willing to pay more for quality and something I like
It’s interesting how Kneipp is a drugstore brand in Europe, but it’s a semi-premium brand here. If I hadn’t gotten such a deal on Kneipp in Holland, I probably wouldn’t hesitate to pay $14, but now I’m spoiled 😉
I can’t believe how much cheaper it is in Europe, they really racked up the prices in the US didn’t they? That said, I love all things almond and I bet it smells delightful!
Unfortunately, the Kneipp Almond Blossom body wash is more blossom than almond. It’s a nice light floral scent. The price difference is big: 5 euros vs. $14. I wonder if the U.S. product is manufactured in Germany and shipped to the U.S.? – in which case I understand the price difference. But if they manufacture in the US, then I don’t get it.