You’ve probably seen the simple blue jar on your grandma or mom’s vanity or tucked away on the bottom shelf at a drugstore. It looks bland, feels bland, has a bland ingredient list, but its impact on my skin is anything but. Spoiler alert, it’s fantastic.
- What is it
- A creamy rich moisturizer that really locks in hydration and smoothes and softens the skin. The formula dates back to 1911 (it has changed since then, though not by much) and was the first stable oil-and-Water based on cream on the market!
- Packaging
- A plain blue tub or jar or tin, depending on what size you get. Seriously the packaging is a snooze-fest.
- Scent
- It does contain artificial fragrance, and it smells exactly what you’d expect a 100+ year-old (the recipe, not the cream itself) cream to smell like. Flowery, not overwhelming, and a bit like grandma.
- Texture
- Thick, like butter thick. You need to warm it up before applying it on your face, which I do by rubbing it between my fingers.
- Finish
- Depending on how much you use, this can leave a dewy finish. Otherwise it doesn’t pill, doesn’t leave a white cast, and plays well under makeup.
- Available At
- $0.99 for 1oz at Ulta and Target; 13.5 oz at Amazon ($6.25), Target ($7.29), and Ulta ($9.99)
The bland ingredient list
Water, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Glycerin, Microcrystalline Wax, Lanolin Alcohol, Paraffin, Panthenol, Magnesium Sulfate, Decyl Oleate, Octyldodecanol, Aluminum Stearates, Fragrance, Citric Acid, Magnesium Stearate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Full ingredient analysis here.
We can all agree that there’s truly nothing sexy about these ingredients, right? Some of them may actually raise a few eyebrows:
- Mineral Oil – There’s so much misconception about mineral oil that I need to say this loud and clear: MINERAL OIL IS NOT EVIL. Cosmetic grade mineral oil is actually one of the safest and non-irritating ingredients available. All the toxic substances from crude oil (from which mineral oil is derived) are removed during the purification process, and the quality is regulated in the US and EU (source). It’s also non-comedogenic, but because it’s such an awesome occlusive, any comedogenic or irritating ingredient you apply under mineral oil will get trapped and possibly cause acne.
- Petrolatum – Aka. Vaseline, it’s also derived from crude oil and gets the same bad rep as mineral oil, so I’ll say this as well: PETROLATUM IS NOT EVIL. Like Mineral Oil, it’s gentle on the skin and an excellent occlusive.
- Microcrystalline Wax – a thickener derived from crude oil and safe to use in skincare.
- Lanolin Alcohol – a fatty alcohol derived from sheep that makes an excellent emollient. Can be comedogenic for some people.
- Paraffin – A thickener derived from crude oil.
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MIT) & Methylisothiazolinone – Interestingly they’re the same preservatives used in the $170 Creme de La Mer (more on that below), but they’re also potential skin sensitizers and irritants. Personally I haven’t had any reactions yet, but if you want to avoid them, try the German Nivea Creme.
Yes, there are a lot of petroleum/crude oil derived ingredients in the Nivea Creme, but now you know they’re perfectly safe to use on the skin, and Paula Begoun and Beauty Brains both agree.
Now the Nivea Creme does contain panthenol which is great for soothing the skin, but by and large this product does one thing and one thing only – keep your skin moisturized by preventing trans-epedimermal water loss (TEWL) and keeping the hydration locked in your skin.
But don’t all moisturizers do that, and more?
Yes. Nowadays moisturizers not only include occlusive ingredients that keep hydration in, but they also include antioxidants, brightening ingredients, anti-aging ingredients, and all that beautiful stuff we love seeing. BUT!
When it comes to occlusiveness, petrolatum’s abilities are second to none. (source)
Mineral oil, lanolin alcohol, and paraffin are all excellent occlusives as well, making the Nivea Creme more occlusive than your typical moisturizer. The latter usually rely on less “heavy” feeling oils like jojoba and shea butter, or dimethicones to give that smooth silky feeling we associate with good skin. For normal/oily skin you can definitely get by with any regular moisturizer, but for those with perpetually thirsty skin or a compromised moisture barrier, you may need something more. *cue the Nivea Creme*
It’s bland but oh so good.
Why and how I use the Nivea
My poor exfoliation habits have left my moisture barrier damaged and me wondering why no sleeping mask or moisturizer I used was ever quite enough. Then I stumbled upon this thread on /r/SkincareAddcition singing Nivea Creme’s praises, and since it’s only $1, I figured “why not?” 🤷🏻♀️
Holy shit best $1 I’ve ever spent on my skin I shit you not (and you know it’s serious when I use shit twice in one sentence).
I apply this as the last step in my routine, after my moisturizer/sleeping mask, in order to prevent moisture loss. I’ll scoop up a pea sized amount, rub it between my fingers, and apply that under my eyes and on my cheeks where my skin is driest. After massaging for a bit the white cast disappears, and I go to sleep. I wake up, and my skin looks as if I had just sheet masked – the overall brightness and the invisible pores & lines – all signs associated with hydrated skin.
I thought this was a fluke, and knowing my luck I was probably going to break out in a few days, but nope. I’ve been using my Nivea Creme day and night for the past 2-3 weeks and the only thing it’s given me is juicy skin. I’ve stopped wearing foundation now because I’m at a point where I can be comfortable in my bare skin (except for those pesky dark spots that refuse to go away) and I love the glow that the cream gives me. All this for $1.
Despite my success with it, I don’t think everyone necessarily needs it or would benefit from it. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- This shouldn’t replace anything in your current routine. Rather this helps seal everything in and prevent moisture from escaping, that’s it.
- You could get similar occlusive effects with Vaseline, but that will definitely leave your skin greasy.
- Only apply to areas that are prone to dryness. If you have super dry skin, you can get away with using it all over, just make sure to patch test first!
- If it doesn’t work out for your face, use it on your hand or feet! I love layering this over my regular hand cream before bed. Hello baby soft hands!
Possible La Mer Dupe?
Of Faces And Fingers has a great post analyzing the ingredients between La Mer and Nivea Creme, and they use pretty much the same occlusives, but with an outrageous price difference – $170 vs $1 for 1oz – all because La Mer’s ingredients listens to friggin’ Mozart (ok not actually Mozart, but they do play music for it!) 🙄
The key ingredient in La Mer is their fermented algae extract (ie. lactobacillus/kelp ferment filtrate), which is not a rare ingredient by any means. If you want to replicate the effects of La Mer, I suggest getting the Nivea and layering it over one of the following products:
- Holy Snails Shark Sauce (30ml for $29) – A hydrating serum with fermented algae extract, 5% niacinamide, licorice root extract, green tea extract, and all these other great ingredients to soothe and brighten the skin!
- Skin Actives Sea Kelp Coral (2oz for $20) – Fermented algae extract in a jar, with a few additional antioxidants like astaxanthin thrown in. Apparently this also makes a great hair mask!
Final verdict
Nivea Creme
-
Packaging
7.5/10
-
Ingredients
9/10
-
Texture/Application
8.5/10
-
Performance
10/10
-
Price
10/10
For $1, you have little to lose and a lot to gain. If you find your skin perpetually dehydrated and nothing seems to work, I highly recommend picking up the travel sized jar and giving this a try. I've already repurchased a backup, and this will be a staple in my routine until I win the fucking lottery (then I'll splurge on La Mer because why not) or kingdom come.
Have you guys tried this old school cream before, or anything similar? Love to hear your thoughts!
Also, this is the last week to enter my worldwide Skin Activist giveaway, where you can win a customized Hyaluronic Acid Serum and Precious Oils Serum! Details are on Instagram if you’re interested!
I am sold! Will pick this up to try in the future! I have a huge tub of Cerave Moisturizing Cream to try first but will definitely get this later. There is always a good reason why some ‘grandma’ creams have been around forever. 😊
Amazing! I bought one of these $1 pots to use as an emergency moisturizer when I was camping but have yet to actually try it! Must remedy that asap!
Camilla // Gracefulface.com
I am going to try this :)
$1?! You really can’t beat that price, I have to pick it up the next time I’m at Target. I’m traveling to Iceland soon too, so I feel like this would be a great moisturizer to try since it’s going to be so much colder than I’m used to!
Sam / My Beauty Cloud
Great post Jenny! I tried it a couple of years ago and really liked it too, except that it does smell like a grandma, but in a kind of nice reassuring way though? Thanks so much for going in-depth and looking at the ingredients, so useful!
Brilliant post! I have tried this actually on my hands but never on my face. Now your post makes me think of trying it again. I surely go to the chemist soon to pick up a tub or two.
http://www.busyandfab.com
And now we will say it all together: “Mineral Oil is not evil!” It is indeed a great occlusive.
Anne|Linda, Libra, Loca
Its so weird to see this cream making such a scene now because its one that we’ve had in our lives forever. But I am happy to see it getting attention because its an absolute classic! My mum used to use it on us and I now use the Soft version on my girls during the winter after an oil. You’re right…it locks everything in and soothes like nothing else. xxx
I don’t even get what’s with all the backlash with Mineral Oil. Anyway, that product sounds A-MA-ZING! It’s so easy to find and sooooo affordable!
xx Alyssa | STYLE VANITY
I have really oily skin so prefer lighter creams and lotions compared to the thicker ones. A very thorough & detailed review. Thanks!
http://www.glitsxgrace.com/2018/02/21/get-to-know-me-all-your-questions-answered/
I love love love how you break this down girl! Your reviews are bomb! And definitely going to have to look into this given it’s price :)
xx, mel
http://melinspired.com/inspired-in-mexico/
Ooh my Gosh, seriously???. I have dry/combo skin, drier in the winter and I am so buying this asap.
This sounds amazing though. I must admit, I was scared when I saw the mineral oil but that has never stopped me from purchasing something because of that ingredient. xx
Ann-Marie | http://facetocurls.com/
Wow! I didn’t expect that! Usually the cheap products are terrible. I hear amazing things about Nivea though! So I’m not surprised!
Raindrops of Sapphire
Happy Tuesday!
Raindrops of Sapphire
I’ve never tried this before, but I love the moisturizers from Lush!
Beauty & Colour | Vegan Lifestyle Blog
Wow it’s amazing how this cream has done such wonders for your skin. I’m pretty sure I had a tin of this around a few years ago but I think I ended up using it on my hands/body more than my face. It’s good to know that it works so well to deeply moisturize. You can’t beat that $1 price tag and the tin looks travel friendly too ;p I ended up going off creams and moisturizing with oils this winter and I haven’t seen one flake.
This sounds really interesting given it’s such a simple product. I’ve seen it a thousand times but never thought to try it. But one thing came to mind, over there was a news article recently about all the people who have literally set themselves on fire from using daily skincare containing paraffin for something like eczema. Crazy! It had seeped into their clothes though so we’re talking large quantities. I’m going to pick this up the next time I’m at the chemist to see if it can help my dry patches!
Amy – ambeautyedit.com
It is a great product for a lot of people, I am glad you like it. I compared them, La Mer and Nivea, for a post (in Spanish http://blog.lindisima.com/2012/02/creme-de-la-mer-y-nivea-son-lo-mismo-o.html ) years ago. Both of them gave me pimples. So I stopped the experiment. I really dislike Nivea’s fragrance. The German Nivea is the one that is almost identical to La Mer. A lot of people love Nivea and it is great for hands and feet. It is always nice to read your posts.
Hm sounds like an interesting product! I mean it’s stood the test of time and still around so it must be a favourite for some – actually I think the packaging is pretty nice and simple. I like that it’s so minimal. Great review!
http://www.sustainablysavvy.ca
This is so interesting! I mean, for $1 I guess it doesn’t hurt to try it – my skin does get so dry this time of year. I’d be nervous that it would break me out though if used on my face. Either way, thanks for sharing this!
Kathryn • simplykk.com
I’ve been waiting for this post, because Nivea is such a “childhood” brand for me. I am familiar with the scent 100%, it is one of those things you never forget. My dad used to use this same cream religiously. I actually have a small jar of it in my gym bag; I am a swimmer and a combination of chlorine and dry skin is never a good idea! So I always (always) carry my cheap Nivea with me, pop it on right after my training and my skin feels baby smooth. Yes, the scent is not very luxurious, but the stuff works and with your very detailed ingredients’ list breakdown (THANK YOU!) it makes perfect sense why. I now feel like getting an extra one to use on my drier areas overnight, what a genius idea! I love algae too, so I will check out both Snails & Sea Kelp Coral serums now. I laughed so much at the Mozart comment – is that true?? I did not know they played music to plants or skincare ingredients, but now I am eye-rolling so hard – I practically see the back of my brain! xx
Oh wow, I’m so curious about this now! The price point is definitely an incentive to at least give it a go haha, and how incredible it’s working so well for your skin – even after 2-3 weeks! You’ve also reminded me not to go overboard with exfoliating to avoid damaging the moisture barrier (thank you!). Hope you’re having a lovely weekend so far Jenny :)
Gabrielle | A Glass Of Ice x
My mum used to use this for hand cream, and I’ve been having issues with dry hands lately, maybe I need to give this a go! I am wondering a little if it’s quite so cheap here, I can’t think of anything that’s a $1, but I will hunt it out and see! :)
Hope you had a great weekend. We had a quiet one with all the wet weather!
Away From The Blue Blog
Ok now I’m really considering trying this. Actually, I don’t know if it’s this exact product but my grandma has used the same Nivea face cream for years and she has really lovely soft skin.
Julia // The Sunday Mode
I know this cream from the times when I was a child, I always had a German version at home and even my grandma uses some packaging of big Nivea jars for needles and crafts :D I haven’t use it for a while but I might try it on my legs since nothing works on my legs like vaseline and sometimes I would prefer to use a moisturizer instead of vaseline.
Jen, the proof is definitely in the pudding. My grandmother SWORE by Nivea. She kept a bottle of it and her skin remained soft, supple with very little wrinkles. I kept telling her I thought it was so heavy. HaHaHa Now I need to get a bottle.
http://www.averysweetblog.com/
This cream is such a staple in many household, and even I need to make sure I have a tin at home at all times or when I travel. I’ve read a lot about the la mer and nivea dupe and with tests dermatologists found that the nivea creme was actually better for your skin in the long term. I personally hate the feeling of this creme on my face though and only use it for emergencies when it’s feeling extra dry and I have nothing else, but perhaps it’s finally time to properly give this a try as a moisturiser.
Sam Hodgett || Beauty & Lifestyle Bits
I’ve been searching high and low for a hand cream and I can’t believe I overlooked this classic product! Running out to the drugstore to grab a tin now! Not sure I can use this on my face as I’m already quite oily and in a humid climate – my skin is quite happily moisturised with little effort in this environment haha
A xx
alexisadrienne.net
So fascinating! I remember when this was so hot last year. I love that you did this test and compared it to La Mer. I know a lot of girls were raving about this as a makeup primer. And thank you for clearing up the issue with mineral oil! I have stayed about from it myself, but that was really eye opening. Love that I always learn something form you lady!!
-Emily http://www.coatandcoffee.com
I have never seen my mother use anything other than Nivea..
Thanks for sharing so much information about it.
http://www.henatayeb.blogspot.com
Omg!!! Okay I definitely need to pick one of these up. Keep believe it did such wonders for your skin!
Enclothed Cognition
I’ve never thought anything of Nivea and had the same stereotypes about mineral oil and petroleum. It sounds really great as a last step to lock everything in. Definitely worth $1!!!
I guess skin types are different, I do love nivea products and I actually have this particular one, unfortunately i reacted badly to it as I’ve got really sensitive skin and perfumed products are a bit of a problem, but I can attest to the fact that it’s a great moisturizer and long lasting as well
I will have to look into this for like my hands and feet and maybe some parts of my face, too! Hope the smell doesn’t turn me off, though. Your description made me laugh, btw XD
Thanks for writing this review. It’s helpful and it’s great that something so cheap worked for you!!!
It is one of my favorite winter moisturizers – simple and budget-friendly ;)
Lots of love ♥ Janury Girl
I just discovered your blog and this is the best review I have ever read. Nothing has ever been so well explained and kept me locked in so much! As for this Nivea Creme, I have been using it solely as moisturizer for my hand but never thought to try on my face. Now guess whose going to try it?? Me!
Thank you for sharing!
Ash | http://www.theashtreejournal.com
I’ve never tried it on my face as I thought it might be too rich but I’m tempted to give it a try as I love a nicely hydrating moisturiser xx
Gemma • Gemma Etc . ❤️
What a fab review – This sounds like a good product for travelling and packing light and you can be assured you can just use it all over!
Helpless Whilst Drying
I love my Nivea. I’ve been using Korean Shin Care for 7 years and although wonderfully successful for my skin something was lacking. I watch a lot of vintage make-up tutorials on YouTube and one day while watching a historical account of Marylin Monroe’s routine Nivea and Vaseline were mentioned as her Holy Grail combo moisturizers. So, who am I to doubt the Queen? I ordered the German tin from Amazon and use Nivea as my final step of my skin care routine. My skin glows! Holy Grail for life.