Denmark Average Prices – Beauty
In my last post, I shared Danish grocery prices. Today, I’m going to show you Denmark average prices of cosmetics and toiletries at Matas, which is like CVS, but without the medicine, cleaning stuff, and groceries.
I’ll also show you the prices of day spa/salon treatments, which are pretty much the same anywhere you go in Aarhus. I didn’t include haircuts on the list because there’s a huge variation from Cost Cutters type places to luxury salons and a lot in between.
The prices given in USD are based on the average exchange rate from when I arrived in Denmark in 2010, through 2014, which is 5.60 Danish Kroner to 1 US Dollar.
Denmark Average Prices: Cosmetics & Toiletries
| Item | Size | Price (DKK) | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Perspirant (Dove) | 50ml/1.69oz | 34.50 | $6.16 |
| Aussie Volume Shampoo | 300ml/10oz | 79.95 | $14.27 |
| Aussie Volume Conditioner | 250ml/8.5oz | 79.95 | $14.27 |
| Colgate MaxFresh Toothpaste | 2 x 75ml/2.5oz | 34.75 | $6.19 |
| Dove Bar Soap | 2 x 100g/3.5oz | 24.95 | $4.45 |
| Garnier Make-Up Remover Gel | 200ml/3.3oz | 70.00 | $12.50 |
| Garnier Nutrisse Hair Color | each | 114.95 | $20.52 |
| Hydrogen Peroxide | 250ml/8oz | 29.00 | $5.17 |
| L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick | each | 99.95 | $17.84 |
| L'Oreal True Match Foundation | each | 144.95 | $25.88 |
| L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara | each | 99.95 | $17.84 |
| Nail Polish Remover (generic) | 100ml/3.38oz | 27.95 | $4.99 |
| Nivea Nourishing Milk Lotion | 250ml/8oz | 50.00 | $8.92 |
| OPI Nail Polish | each | 125.00 | $22.32 |
| SmashBox Studio Skin Foundation | 30ml/1oz | 270.00 | $48.21 |
| Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Polish | 14.7ml/0.5oz | 89.95 | $16.06 |
| Tampax | 30 | 44.50 | $7.94 |
Denmark Average Prices: Spas & Salons
| Item | Price (DKK) | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Facial (glycolic) | 595.00 | $106.25 |
| Manicure | 450.00 | $80.35 |
| Massage (1 hour) | 485.00 | $86.60 |
| Pedicure | 625.00 | $111.60 |
| Wax - Eyebrows | 125.00 | $22.32 |
| Wax - Bikini | 160.00 | $28.57 |
| Wax - Brazilian | 485.00 | $86.60 |
Managing My Beauty Budget in Denmark
Skincare and beautiful brows are a priority for me, so monthly facials and brow waxes are non-negotiable. I stretch my beauty budget by having my treatments done by beauty school students for half price. I splurge a few times a year for manis/pedis, but mostly do my nails myself.
Aside from emergency situations, I buy all of my cosmetics and anti-aging products when traveling outside of Denmark. I love going to Boots when we’re in England, and Kiko in Italy, or whenever I stumble across one.
On the bright side, this has forced me to use up my US cosmetics stash. Gone are the days of having drawers full of languishing beauty products from failed experiments. If I buy something I don’t like, I use it anyway… ’til it’s gone.
Denmark has very hard water, so regardless of which products I use, I’ve gotten used to my hair looking like crap on most days ;-) There’s no sense in prioritizing premium hair products, but I do prioritize good haircuts. I was getting my hair cut on my lunch hour for 355kr/$63, but it’s worth it to me to spend 515kr/$92 with a junior stylist at a better salon in the city.
How do these prices compare to prices where you live? Tell me in the comments :)
Next, we’ll take a look at the prices of liquor, dining out, and recreation in Denmark… you can now find that post here.
P.S. Check out my monthly feature where I post an itemized list of my grocery spending for the past month. Read first post here.
coolukgurl says
Are the Danish name brands cheaper?
Sage says
Denmark is a small market of 5 million people (the population of NYC is almost 8.5 million), so most of the products available are generics and multi-national name brands. In terms of mass market drugstore products like the examples I’ve given, I can’t think of any Danish name brands. I chose globally recognizable brands that represented the average (give or take) price of the product, regardless of brand.
There are European brands, but the those would be unfamiliar to most of my US readers, and the price is about the same as the examples I’ve given. Unilever has a huge international reach these days.
There are also Nordic niche and luxury brands, but those are more expensive and would be in line with department store brands like Clinique, Estee Lauder, etc. and salon brands like Paul Mitchell, Tigi, etc.
Colleen says
A lot of the cosmetics prices are about twice what I’m paying in PA. OPI Nail polish is about $9, for example.
Sage says
That’s what I thought… I remember thinking OPI was a splurge when I lived in the States, now look at what I’m paying for Sally Hansen! Sometimes, I can find a 2 for 3 offer, but I’ve yet to find a BOGO here.
Elizabeth Caroline says
An $80 manicure! Where I live (in Florida), I feel like a $35 manicure is a bit pricey and I save it for special occasions. If I’m shelling out $80 for a manicure…it better be a super special occasion.
I have been looking forward to this post, because cosmetics are my most favorite thing to buy – I will make room in my budget for them. I feel pretty lucky that I can buy a $7 lipstick at the drugstore.
Sage says
I know, right? I used to get lunchtime manicures in CT, and paying $12 was going to the spendy place. A mani/pedi with a generous tip wasn’t more than $40.
I almost died of shock the first time I had a manicure in Denmark and they informed me that there was an up-charge for polish! What’s the point of a no-polish manicure?
And oh, how I miss those $7 lipsticks and the BOGO deals that knocked the price down to $3.50! Now I’ve pretty much got two lipsticks… a red one, and a neutral one. I miss browsing CVS & Walgreens at lunchtime :(
Willow says
Yikes! Your food prices were on par (or a little cheaper) than what I pay, but these prices are very high. A few are about the same (Dove soap, Nivea lotion, bikini wax) but most are close to double. Guess I’m cheap, but I cannot imagine a universe where I could justify spending $111 US on a flippin’ pedicure!
Sage says
Thank goodness for the beauty school and city breaks in other countries! The cost of staying beautiful here kills me ;-)
Eva says
Hi Sage! I enjoyed these price comparisons. I would be really interested what the high taxes that folks in Denmark are paying are used for? I am assuming a pretty good infrastructure of goods and services that are deemed to benefit society as a whole, such as public transport, higher education, child care, …. Could you elaborate on that, maybe in a future post? :)
Sage says
Thanks for your comment, Eva :)
I’d like to know too! This is not the land of milk and honey depicted in the Scandi Love articles published by Huffington Post, etc. Childcare for one child for an average middle class couple can cost up to $700/month. Public transportation outside of the 3 major cities is expensive and inconvenient… where I used to live, there was one bus an hour to and from my home and office and it cost me approx. $12 round trip if I bought a 10 clip pass, double if I bought a single fare. Higher education is mostly free, but students are still graduating in debt.
A couple of years ago, I dissected a Huffington Post article point by point. Here’s the link: http://www.sageandsimple.com/2013/05/what-have-i-learned-from-denmark/
There’s no poverty in Denmark like I saw back home, but the standard of living for the middle and upper middle class is definitely below what it is in the States. The countries are two extremes and I think the ideal scenario is somewhere in the middle. Denmark is definitely a better place to be poor, and average people can have a very comfortable life here, but it’s not a place for tall poppies.
Eva says
Thanks for your long response, Sage! That’s really interesting, but still leaves the question: Where does the money go?! haha.
I’ve only been to Copenhagen on a couple of brief occasions (transit), but was assuming that tax money would go towards the things I mentioned, like in many European countries.
BTW, I still find $700 for full time child care a steal. It’s about twice as much where I live, and it’s not a high cost of living area in the Midwest.
Sage says
I’m sure some of it does, but the services are still lacking and very expensive, especially when you look at the tax burden of people living here. When people pay such high taxes, I expect better services and lower prices. After 75% of everything I earn and spend here goes to tax… what’s leftover?
$700 for childcare in the States might be a steal, but your take home pay is likely higher than what you would get here, and your overall cost of living is probably much lower than it would be here.
I find articles like the one I linked to in that post very irresponsible. When I read those types of articles, I want to jump on the first flight to THAT Denmark. Unfortunately, that Denmark is unrecognisable to me.
barbaradintex says
Wow! I thought I was splurging when I paid $100 for a mani/pedi – tip included!
Chloe says
Hi Sage, I would like to get make up for a wedding photoshoot in CPH in June. You have any recommendations?
Sage says
I’m in Aarhus, which is nowhere near Copenhagen, so I have no idea. Sorry :(
swati says
Hi Sage,
i would like to know the details about students doing eyebrows in cheap. i am from india where getting eyebrows done is very cheap. It approximately cost Rs 50(this is the maximum price) which is 5Krone. but the parlour here in aarhus are so damm costly. so would like to know from where can i get my eyebrows done in budget.
Regards
Swati
Sage says
Hi Swati,
You can book online at beautyandstyle.dk. Brows are 50kr, which is cheap for Denmark :)
The beauty school is in the main shopping street, across from Lilly, very close to the green grocer that sells flowers outside, and above the fur shop. You have to ring the bell at the door and buzz you in, then you walk up the stairs to the first floor and you can’t miss it.
I hope this helps you :)
Sage