According to the company, KRYOLAN products are utilised in more than 80 countries, and its catalogue comprises over 16,000 make-up products and accessories, ranking it among the world’s largest specialist professional make-up ranges.[2]

Foundation in Berlin

KRYOLAN originated in the immediate post-war period in Germany. Arnold Langer, a chemist with a keen interest in theatre, established the company in Berlin on 14 August 1945.[1][3] His initial objective was to manufacture make-up and related cosmetic products for theatres that were reopening following the Second World War.[1]

Langer began developing creams, colours, and theatrical cosmetics in a small laboratory. Rather than treating make-up solely as a beauty product, his methodology emphasised formulation, durability, and the practical requirements of performers.[1] This professional orientation became a defining characteristic of the brand.

In 1947, KRYOLAN expanded into East Berlin. Following the political division of Germany, the company’s East Berlin operation was renamed Coloran in 1950.[1]

Expansion during the 1960s and 1970s

During the 1960s, KRYOLAN expanded beyond its original Berlin market. The company acquired Brändel GmbH, relocated its headquarters to Papierstraße in Berlin, and commenced exporting products to the United States.[1]

Subsequent decades saw an increased focus on the needs of professional make-up artists, including product development for stage performers, photographic applications, and film and television production. A significant milestone was the creation of Dermacolor, a line designed for high-coverage camouflage. KRYOLAN describes Dermacolor as a response to the needs of individuals with various skin conditions, noting that the range attracted attention from clinical dermatologists.[1][2]

Unlike many conventional consumer cosmetics companies, KRYOLAN developed around the specific requirements of professional make-up artists and performers rather than emerging primarily as a fashion or beauty brand. This distinction remains central to its identity.

The company states that its products are formulated to meet rigorous professional standards, including:

• High pigmentation
• Long wear
• Colour consistency
• Performance under stage lighting
• Compatibility with high-definition and camera environments
• Skin compatibility
• Repeatability of results
• Professional reliability

KRYOLAN positions itself as a manufacturer that develops proprietary formulations rather than functioning merely as a conventional cosmetics retailer.[1][2]

KRYOLAN maintains an unusually broad product portfolio to serve multiple branches of professional make-up. Current categories include complexion, eyes, lips, face and body, special effects, airbrush, make-up setting, removal and care, brushes, accessories, professional equipment, and hair effects.[1]

Major product lines

Dermacolor

Dermacolor is one of KRYOLAN’s most recognised product families, specialising in camouflage and high-coverage cosmetics intended to conceal visible skin differences. Key products include:

• Dermacolor Camouflage Creme
• Dermacolor Camouflage Stick
• Dermacolor Body Camouflage
• Dermacolor Fixing Powder
• Dermacolor Fixing Spray

This range exemplifies the brand’s philosophy of combining cosmetic appearance with professional performance.[1]

Supracolor

Supracolor is a classic cream make-up system widely associated with theatrical and professional applications. Designed for film, television, stage, and photography, it provides coverage ranging from subtle to heavy theatrical opacity.[1] It is particularly valued by artists requiring a versatile cream base that can be blended, layered, and set.

Ultra Foundation

Ultra Foundation is a professional foundation range intended for applications requiring a polished complexion and reliable performance. It forms part of KRYOLAN’s core complexion portfolio and is available in numerous shades and sizes.[1]

TV Paint Stick

The TV Paint Stick is an iconic complexion product within the KRYOLAN range. Its stick format and highly pigmented formulation make it suitable for professional applications where efficient coverage and portability are essential.[1]

Aquacolor

Aquacolor is a water-activated colour make-up system used for artistic and theatrical applications, particularly face and body painting.[1]

Digital Complexion

The Digital Complexion line addresses modern high-definition and digital imaging requirements. The range includes foundations and concealers specifically designed for contemporary camera environments.[1]

Special Effects

KRYOLAN operates a substantial special-effects (SFX) make-up division. Its SFX portfolio includes materials and tools for creating wounds, ageing effects, prosthetics, blood effects, character transformations, hair effects, texture and skin effects, and fantasy or creature make-up. Professional kits often combine conventional cosmetics with materials such as liquid latex, Cine-Wax, artificial blood, spirit gum, and other SFX supplies.[1]

A defining characteristic of KRYOLAN is its relationship with the entertainment industry. Its products are engineered for environments where ordinary consumer make-up may lack sufficient performance. Theatre, film, television, photography, and live performance require cosmetics that remain stable under strong lighting, heat, long production days, close-up cameras, high-definition imaging, repeated performances, physical movement, and environmental stress.[2]

KRYOLAN explicitly positions its professional products as capable of performing under these demanding stage and camera conditions, including HD filming. Consequently, the brand is particularly recognisable among professional make-up artists rather than solely among general beauty consumers.[2]

KRYOLAN has historically positioned itself as part of the professional make-up community, providing education, workshops, technical information, and professional resources alongside its products. Its global platform includes professional events and the KRYOLAN PRO CARD, a programme aimed at industry professionals.[1]

This educational orientation acknowledges that professional make-up requires knowledge extending beyond product selection. Artists must understand colour theory, skin preparation, lighting, face shapes, camera requirements, product compatibility, application techniques, prosthetics, special effects, and skin care. Thus, KRYOLAN operates as part of the broader professional make-up education ecosystem.[1]

Although originating in Berlin, KRYOLAN has developed into an international company. Its history includes expansion into the United States, United Kingdom, Poland, Latin America, Asia, South Africa, and other markets. The company has established locations and operations in cities including Berlin, London, Paris, São Paulo, Chennai, San Francisco, Johannesburg, and Milan.[1]

Its production and distribution network supports a global professional customer base, with the company stating that its products are currently used in over 80 countries across every continent.[2]

KRYOLAN presents itself as both a cosmetics brand and a manufacturer. The company develops its own formulas and recipes, maintaining this approach for over eight decades. Chemists based in Berlin handle professional formulations and raw-material selection.[1][2]

This manufacturing capability distinguishes KRYOLAN from mainstream beauty brands that often emphasise fashion, lifestyle, and consumer trends. Instead, KRYOLAN emphasises chemistry, performance, professional artistry, and technical reliability.[2]

KRYOLAN’s corporate philosophy encompasses several interconnected principles:

Make-up as a professional tool

The company treats make-up as a functional product that must perform reliably, rather than merely looking attractive in a retail environment.

Make-up as science

The long-running slogan, “Make-up Is a Science,” reflects the company’s emphasis on chemistry and formulation.[2]

Artist-first development

Product development is strongly influenced by the practical needs of professional make-up artists.

Colour diversity

Recognising that professional artists frequently require colours unavailable from conventional consumer brands, KRYOLAN has developed an extensive shade portfolio. The company states that its products encompass approximately 750 colour-intense shades across its broader range.[2]

Performance

Durability, pigmentation, colour accuracy, and repeatability are fundamental components of the brand proposition.

KRYOLAN occupies a distinct position within the cosmetics sector, being simultaneously associated with professional make-up, theatre, film and television, fashion, photography, special effects, body painting, camouflage cosmetics, beauty artistry, cosplay, and everyday make-up. This broad application range has allowed the brand to expand beyond its original theatrical market while retaining its professional identity.

The current catalogue explicitly includes categories for cosplay, LARP, FX Design Color, high-definition make-up, airbrush, special effects, and professional equipment, alongside conventional beauty products.[1]

Comparison with mainstream beauty brands

Due to these distinctions, KRYOLAN is frequently regarded as a professional artist’s brand rather than a standard premium cosmetics label.

KRYOLAN remains a family-owned company. According to its corporate history, the business is currently led by the second and third generations of the Langer family. Arnold Langer’s son, Wolfram Langer, and grandsons, Sebastian and Dominik, are identified as continuing the family business.[1]

This continuity is integral to the company’s identity; KRYOLAN presents itself as an independent, family-owned professional cosmetics manufacturer rather than a subsidiary of a multinational beauty conglomerate.

The year 2025 marked 80 years of KRYOLAN. This anniversary was significant as the company had remained active for eight decades while retaining its original connection to professional make-up. KRYOLAN characterised this milestone as representing 80 years and three generations of family involvement.[3]

From a historical perspective, the company’s longevity is notable given its origins in the difficult economic and social circumstances of post-war Berlin before developing into a worldwide professional cosmetics business.[3]

KRYOLAN’s significance in the cosmetics industry derives primarily from its technical and professional heritage rather than celebrity-driven marketing. The brand helped establish the concept of professional make-up as a specialised technical discipline involving chemistry, colour theory, performance, artistry, photography, and theatrical technique.

Its products serve as tools for transforming performers and models into characters, a distinction particularly relevant in film, theatre, and special-effects make-up where objectives may include altering perceived age, simulating injury, or creating fantastical and non-human appearances.

Among make-up artists, KRYOLAN is particularly recognisable for products such as Dermacolor, Supracolor, TV Paint Stick, Ultra Foundation, Aquacolor, and its special-effects materials. The breadth of the professional catalogue allows artists to construct complete working kits centred on KRYOLAN, spanning complexion products, colour cosmetics, setting agents, brushes, prosthetic materials, and SFX supplies. For example, the Supracolor professional kit combines cream make-up with brushes, powders, removers, and special-effects materials.[1]

1. Our Story | Kryolan – Professional Make-up
2. About – KRYOLAN PROFESSIONAL MAKE-UP
3. 80 Years of Make-up Mastery: Honouring Kryolan’s Past, Celebrating the Present & Creating the Future | Kryolan – Professional Make-up