Kryolan: The Professional Makeup Brand Behind Film, TV, and Theatre
Kryolan is a professional makeup company founded in Berlin, Germany – and it’s been at the heart of the global makeup industry for over 80 years. From blockbuster films to theatre stages around the world, Kryolan products show up wherever serious makeup artistry happens.
Unlike many cosmetics brands that outsource manufacturing, Kryolan develops and manufactures much of its makeup in-house. That hands-on approach to research and development is what sets it apart from virtually every other brand in the world.
Long before social media beauty culture existed, Kryolan built its reputation supplying theatre performers, opera houses, television studios, and film productions across Europe.
Despite its enormous influence in professional makeup, Kryolan remains relatively unknown to many everyday consumers because the company traditionally focused on industry professionals rather than mass-market retail advertising.
There is only one real professional make-up maker. There is only one Kryolan.
Kryolan Makeup
Kryolan’s Origins: Born in the Rubble of Post-War Berlin
Kryolan was founded on August 14, 1945 – just three months after the end of World War II – by Arnold Langer, a trained chemist with a passion for theatre. In a small Berlin laboratory, Langer mixed creams and pigments by hand to supply Berlin’s reopening theatre stages with the makeup they desperately needed.
Kryolan emerged during the rebuilding of Berlin’s cultural scene after World War II, supplying makeup to theatres eager to reopen despite severe shortages and war damage.
Langer’s background as a chemical laboratory apprentice gave him a unique edge. He understood formulation at a scientific level, and he built Kryolan on that foundation. The company delivered its first products to Berlin theatre stages in 1945 and expanded into East Berlin by 1947.
In 1950, communist authorities seized the East Berlin branch, which continued independently under the new name Coloran. Rather than being derailed, Kryolan doubled down on West Berlin and kept growing.
By 1962, Kryolan had acquired a competing makeup firm, Brändel GmbH, strengthening its production capacity and market position. In 1971, the company moved into its own purpose-built facility in Papierstrasse, Berlin – where it remains headquartered today.
A Hollywood Breakthrough: Planet of the Apes (1968)
Kryolan’s international breakthrough came with its involvement in the groundbreaking makeup work for Planet of the Apes (1968), designed by John Chambers. Chambers went on to receive an Honorary Academy Award for his work, as the Oscars didn’t yet have a Best Makeup category.
That film put Kryolan on Hollywood’s radar and opened the door to decades of major productions.
Kryolan in Modern Hollywood
Kryolan’s products have since appeared in some of the biggest films ever made. Their makeup helped turn Taylor Lautner into a werewolf for Twilight: New Moon, created Elizabeth Banks’ elaborate Effie Trinket look for The Hunger Games, and transformed actors for Cloud Atlas. Major productions rely on Kryolan because the brand manufactures to exacting, consistent standards.
“Make-Up Is a Science” – Kryolan’s Core Philosophy
After an intensive rebranding process, Kryolan launched its now-iconic “Make-Up Is a Science” campaign, which the company continues to this day. The slogan reflects a genuine commitment: Kryolan operates dedicated R&D labs – the primary one in Berlin and a second in Chennai, India, and they describes itself as one of the first cosmetics brands to manufacture using its own proprietary formulas.
That scientific edge has produced real industry firsts. Kryolan was an early pioneer of HD makeup for high-definition television, using micronisation technology borrowed from the pharmaceutical industry. More recently, the company developed its Digital Complexion range specifically for ultra-high-definition film and television production.
Kryolan TV Paint Stick
One of Kryolan’s most famous products is the TV Paint Stick – a highly pigmented cream foundation originally developed for television performers under intense studio lighting. It became a staple among drag artists, theatre performers, and professional makeup artists worldwide.
A Family Business, Still Family-Owned
Kryolan remains a family company after 80+ years. Arnold Langer’s son Wolfram and grandsons Sebastian and Dominik now lead the business. Around 90% of production still takes place in Germany, keeping quality control close to home.
The German trade association Die Familienunternehmer (The Family Entrepreneurs) has honored Arnold Langer as Family Entrepreneur of the Year.
Kryolan has stated that archived shades can often be reproduced for productions needing continuity. This is a huge advantage for productions that need to match a look from a previous season or film.
What Does Kryolan Make?
Kryolan produces a remarkably broad range of professional makeup and effects products, including:
- Stage and theatre makeup – the original core of the business
- Film and TV makeup – foundations, TV Paint Sticks, and colour-matched products for camera
- HD and 4K/8K makeup – their Digital Complexion range for ultra-high-definition productions
- Special effects (SFX) – fake blood (reportedly around 8 tons produced annually), wound simulation, prosthetics materials, and body parts
- Dermacolor camouflage – a clinically developed range for covering skin discolorations and scars
- Fashion and editorial makeup – used by artists worldwide for print and runway
- Halloween and theatrical costume makeup – accessible for both professionals and enthusiasts
Their product catalogue runs to hundreds of SKUs, including approximately 700 shades of lip colour alone.
How Big Is Kryolan?
By some estimates, Kryolan accounts for roughly two-thirds of global professional makeup production for film, TV, and theatre. That’s a striking figure for a family-owned company most consumers have never heard of. The brand operates Kryolan City stores in cities including Berlin, London, Paris, São Paulo, Johannesburg, Milan, Mumbai, Chennai, San Francisco, and Chicago, and has distribution across dozens of countries.
They were also featured as a prize sponsor on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 3, where thirteen drag queens competed for a lifetime supply of Kryolan makeup – introducing the brand to a new generation of makeup lovers.
Why Professional Makeup Is Different
Professional makeup brands like Kryolan are designed for conditions ordinary cosmetics are not built to handle:
- hot stage lights
- long filming days
- sweat and movement
- heavy pigmentation requirements
- extreme colour correction
- camera compatibility
That durability is why professional artists often choose brands like Kryolan over mainstream beauty products.
Why Professional Makeup Artists Trust Kryolan
What makes Kryolan different from mainstream cosmetics brands comes down to a few things:
- In-house R&D and manufacturing – they develop and produce their own formulas, unlike most brands that outsource
- Consistency – critical for film and TV, where a single colour mismatch between shoot days can ruin continuity
- Range – from natural-looking skin makeup to theatrical greasepaint to stage blood, it’s all under one roof
- Heritage – 80+ years of real-world use by working professionals
Because Kryolan manufactures in Germany under strict European cosmetic regulations, the company places heavy emphasis on ingredient control, testing, and product consistency.
Whether you’re a professional makeup artist, a film student, or someone building a serious Halloween look, Kryolan is worth knowing.
From post-war Berlin theatre stages to modern Hollywood productions, Kryolan has remained one of the defining brands in professional makeup history. While casual consumers may not always recognize the name, generations of makeup artists already know it well.
Recommended posts –
Sources-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kryolan
https://global.kryolan.com/
http://www.onmakeupmagazine.com/spring-2018/memoriam-arnold-langer/