Known worldwide for its footwear, Birkenstock has been steadily expanding into a category where it was less expected: beauty care. In October 2024, as part of its 250th anniversary celebrations, the German brand launched Birkenstock Care Essentials, a skincare line initially focused on foot care. A year later, it expanded into body care, followed by a nail care collection in May 2026.
“The launch of Birkenstock Care Essentials is a natural extension of our brand. We saw an opportunity to innovate and bring real expertise to an underserved category by offering natural, responsibly developed, highly sensory and effective products,” says Quentin Ojeda, Head of Birkenstock Cosmetics.
In less than two years, the brand has built a portfolio of around 20 products, now available through about 100 physical and online retail outlets across several European markets.
A Cosmos-certified care range
All products in the range are Cosmos Natural or Cosmos Organic certified. “This label is a guarantee of trust for our community. It reflects our commitment to offering high-quality organic and natural cosmetics,” explains Quentin Ojeda.
With feet at the core of its DNA, Birkenstock initially launched eight foot care products, before expanding with six body essentials — including cleansers and creams — and, ahead of summer 2026, a nail care line featuring five nail polish shades, a top and base coat, and a gentle nail polish remover.
“Our nail polish formulas are 23-free, meaning they are formulated without 23 potentially harmful substances. They are also vegan and incorporate naturally derived ingredients, including beet and sugar cane, wherever possible,” the brand manager adds.
Just like Birkenstock’s footwear, the cosmetics are manufactured in Germany or elsewhere in Europe, with the packaging also sourced from Europe.
International expansion
What may have seemed like a bold bet is already paying off. “The early results are very encouraging. Our care business is delivering strong double- or even triple-digit growth, depending on the market, confirming the potential of our brand in this category,” highlights Ojeda.
As far as France is concerned, Birkenstock Care Essentials is now available through Merci, Le Bon Marché, Smallable, and, more recently, Oh My Cream, which also carries the brand in the UK. Elsewhere in Europe, the range is stocked by Big Beauty and Asos Beauty in the UK, Niche Beauty in Germany, Urbanstar in Italy, Calico Club in the Netherlands, as well as across Birkenstock’s own retail stores.
“Our distribution strategy is built on a selective approach. We want to partner with retailers that can deliver meaningful brand experiences, as Le Bon Marché does with our signature foot massage, or more recently Oh My Cream, where customers enjoyed a month-long foot care and nail beauty activation featuring our nail polish range,” says Quentin Ojeda.
Looking ahead, Birkenstock Cosmetics plans to keep expanding its beauty and personal care portfolio by focusing on product categories where it believes it can bring genuine added value to consumers.
The brand is also stepping up its international expansion, starting with Asia through its recent launches in China and South Korea, while continuing to strengthen its network of retail partnerships across Europe. The strategy underscores Birkenstock’s ambition to establish itself as a long-term player in personal care market.
