While grocery shopping in Copenhagen, I was browsing the beauty aisle (I love to snoop on European beauty products) and almost screamed when I saw they had the authentic German Nivea in stock!
TikTok has been going feral the past few months over the German Nivea creme, with claims that it’s 100000% better than the one sold in the United States. But, is this narrative just another “Europe is better than America” trope, or is the German version actually better?
And, is German Nivea just La Mer, but a fraction of the price?
I did the research and tried the creme for a few weeks to bring you my honest German Nivea review!
American vs German Nivea Ingredients
I’ve seen so much TikTok content documenting the American/Mexico Nivea compared to the German one, with claims that the German formula is not only “cleaner” but also the same forumal as La Mer, just at the fraction of the price.
Really, this all comes down to formula. Both have Petrolatum, an emollient and occlusive that creates a water-resistant barrier on top of your skin that seals in moisture, helping to prevent transepidermal water loss. Both the German and USA creams also have Glycerin, which is a humectant aka something that helps draw water closer to the skin. And they both have Lanolin Alcohol, which is helpful for dry skin.
The Nivea cream made in Germany contains ONE fewer ingredient than the American one, and that’s Sodium Anisate which is a natural preservative due to its antimicrobial properties. Sodium Anisate is favored in beauty products since it prevents molds, fungus, etc from growing while also not impacting the actual integrity of the active ingredients.
Below is a comparison – please note that ingredients are sometimes named or categorized differently here based on the country they are produced in, and that doesn’t mean ingredients are different. To prove this, here is a source video on TikTok by beauty expert Charlotte Palermino who documented her interaction with Nivea customer service about the formula differences.
German Nivea Ingredients (sourced by the Nivea website)
- Aqua
- Paraffinum Liquidum
- Cera Microcristallina
- Glycerin
- Lanolin Alcohol
- Paraffin
- Panthenol
- Magnesium Sulfate
- Decyl Oleate
- Octyldodecanol
- Aluminum Stearates
- Citric Acid
- Magnesium Stearate
- Limonene, Geraniol
- Hydroxycitronellal
- Linalool
- Citronellol
- Benzyl Benzoate,
- Cinnamyl Alcohol
- Parfum
United States Nivea (sourced by the Nivea website)
- Water
- Mineral Oil
- Petrolatum
- Glycerin
- Microcrystalline Wax
- Lanolin Alcohol
- Paraffin
- Magnesium Sulfate
- Decyl Oleate
- Octyldodecanol
- Aluminum Stearates
- Fragrance
- Panthenol
- Citric Acid
- Magnesium Stearate,
- Sodium Anisate
American Nivea Has One Extra Preservative
With that in mind, there is only one ingredient difference between the two. There is such a thing as a Sodium Anisate allergy, which is why some people feel that the German Nivea is better for their skin while the US Nivea irritates it.
Sodium Anisate allergies aren’t the most common but they do happen. Both tins also do have a fair amount of fragrance, which can impact the results of other skincare times such as retinols.
This is why there’s the narrative that German Nivea is better than the North American Nivea. Otherwise, they are completely the same thing and unless you have an allergy or using very strong retinols, you should be fine using either. I personally do skin cycling (acid – retinol – rest) and it hasn’t bothered my skin. But that’s just me.
Dermatologically tested and approved to resort moisturize to skin (face, hands, body!) This went viral on TikTok after claims it's a La Mer alternative, at a fraction of the price.
Where To Buy German Nivea Creme
The German Nivea ends with Cinnamyl Alcohol and Parfum, and will also be noted that it is made in Hamburg, Germany. The US one is made in Mexico. If you are traveling Europe, most likely the Nivea you find in stores will be the German version, as that was the case for me here in Denmark.
If you live in the US, sometimes the German tin is imported but usually you have to buy it online on Amazon or other sellers who will ship it over for you. Because of this, the German formula tends to be a more expensive purchase which goes against the concept of this product: it’s extremely affordable when purchased on the shelf.
Dermatologically tested and approved to resort moisturize to skin (face, hands, body!) This went viral on TikTok after claims it's a La Mer alternative, at a fraction of the price.
Is Nivea An Alternative To La Mer?
So, how about German Nivea Creme vs La Mer — are they the same as everyone claims? Here’s the ingredients of Le Mer creme:
Creme de la Mer
• Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum): emollient
• Petrolatum: occlusive
• Glycerin: humectant
• Isohexadecane: thickening agent and emulsifier
• Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina): commonly used thickening agent
• Lanolin Alcohol: emollient, very closely resembles your skin’s natural oils
• Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil: emollient, can be irritating to those with very sensitive skin
• Magnesium Sulfate
• Paraffin: occlusive
• Decyl Oleate: emollient
• Aluminum Distearate: emulsifier
• Octyldodecanol: emulsifier with emollient properties
• Citric Acid: used to adjust the pH
• Magnesium Stearate: thickening agent
• Panthenol: humectant
• 6 Fragrances are listed individually here
• Methylchloroisothiazolinone: preservative
• Methylisothiazolinone: preservative
• Alcohol Denat: Denaturized alcohol
• Fragrance
As you can see, there’s overlapping. They both feel very similar since they use almost the same emollients but it’s not the same formula.
An ultrarich cream that instantly immerses skin in healing moisture for a firmer feel and more lifted, rejuvenated look over time. Fancy, luxurious and similar to the German Nivea formula (but not the same)
Is The German Nivea Worth It?
Maybe? If you have highly sensitive skin, it doesn’t hurt to use the German one as it does omit Sodium Anisate. But, at the end of the day, both creams are incredibly moisturizing, thick and affordable.
Some people have a hard time getting used to Nivea since it starts thick – you just have to melt it in your hands and then it easily glides all over your skin to make you extra glowy and dewy!
If you live in Europe, it’s probably easy to get the German formal, but if you are an American like I am, it’s far more expensive to track it down and ship it over, even if you find someone on Amazon selling it. The American version is close enough that it doesn’t really make a big difference.
Both have tremendous value and are handy cremes to use on your skin and face, especially in the cold winter months. I’ll absolutely be using the rest of my German Nivea tin I bought over here in Europe, but I’ve been vocal about my love to a simple Cetaphil for years and when my Nivea tin is gone, I won’t be buying it again.
It’s not special enough to replace my affordable Cetaphil, but if I happen to find Nivea out and about in stores or while traveling, I wouldn’t be opposed to buying it again.
Dermatologically tested and approved to resort moisturize to skin (face, hands, body!) This went viral on TikTok after claims it's a La Mer alternative, at a fraction of the price.
Do you have your own Nivea reviews to add? Add your thoughts in the comments below!
4 comments
Using Nivea is quite reasonable because it is a benign product that does not cause irritation to users.
Yes, they’re could be a SCAM. Using Paypal offers no protection or refund of your purchase
it is scam! I ordered 2 month ago but support team keep saying that this items that i choose on a far warehouse and i have to wait longer. they don’t give ay time frame and on website i don’t see my order status anymore it despair!
Nivea is a well-known global skincare brand, originally from Germany. It is produced by Beiersdorf AG, a German company founded in 1882. Nivea has a wide range of products that include facial and body moisturizers, sunscreens, lip care, and more.