I’m obsessed with beauty products.
I get suckered in by packaging, big claims, colors…really anything and everything that doesn’t matter in a product. But when it comes to my face moisturizer I am extremely picky. Hey, a girl’s gotta have some standards.
Unlike my body, I don’t care if my face smells delicious as long as my skin is clear and smooth. While wasting time on the computer I stumbled upon a page that compared the ultra expensive Crème de la Mer, ‘cream of the sea’, to Nivea Crème. A 1 oz container of Crème de la Mer will cost you $155. While 14 oz container of Nivea Crème costs only $10. What the….?
When you visit your local drug store they will most likely only sell the Nivea Crème that is made in Mexico. This crème is watered down and will not give you the true Crème de la Mer experience. There is no petroleum used in the Germany Nivea Crème making it a creamier and thicker moisturizer. I used SmallFlower to make the Nivea purchase. The major differences between the German Nivea Crème and the Crème sold in America is that the German Nivea liquefies slightly upon contact, the Nivea sold in America is harder to spread onto the skin. After a few months the Nivea sold in America will start to clump up, giving a harder texture, while the German Nivea stays creamy.
I’ve used both products and I can say that the German Nivea is so much better. I wouldn’t put the Nivea sold in America on my face because its so thick feeling but the German kind feels smooth and leaves my skin shiny. I’ve used both Crème de la Mer and the German Nivea Crème and I’d say head to head that they are so similar in texture and the way it made my skin feel and look that I can’t imagine not saving the $145 for the less expensive brand name.
And for you history buffs, some background: The makers of Crème de la Mer, Estee Lauder, claim that scientist Dr. Max Huber discovered the crème in the 1970s after he was badly injured during a routine experiment. Dr. Huber went on a mission to develop a product that would improve his scarring after. Dr. Huber discovered that Crème de la Mer made his skin dramatically smoother and miraculously improved.
Forty-three years later the astronauts formula, La Mer, is still flying off the shelves prompting beauty experts to question whether or not the astronomical (pun intended) price tag is warranted. It could just be marketing trickery, often times when a product comes with a huge price tag people assume that it is “reassuringly expensive”, confirming is worth and exclusivity.
But IMO, Nivea Crème is worth giving a shot if you want a product that is comparable to one of the most expensive moisturizers out there. Go use that extra $145 elsewhere.
By
I have really sensitive skin and I’ve found that the Nivea Crème sold in North America to be quite harsh and irritating to my skin. I’d recommend that people whose skin is a little more sensitive do a patch test on their wrist or the inside of their elbow before using the cream regularly.
Jaclyn McNeil
Hi Ally!
Try ordering the German Nivea from SmallFlower. The Nivea Creme sold in America is from Mexico and is mostly filled with petroleum!
Raven
Thank you! I loved the cosmetic cop detailed article! CASE PROVED! If you find a dupe for Prevage cream please advise for all of us shelling out big $. Thank you!
I’ve never used Nivea cream but my grandmother has been using it for years and swears by it! I know La Mer has seaweed extract, nutrient rich algae, antioxidant extracts and semi precious stones in the formula so for that reason I think it’s expensive! I don’t know if they can lie about it? But I for one would never buy a $100+ face product, and I’ve been selling cosmetic and skin care for years!
We’re Sweet On: Beauty from the Sea | Sweet Lemon Media
[…] it comes to skin care products with sea worthy ingredients, chances are that really expensive company, that has been owned by the Estee Lauder company since 1995, comes to mind. Often touted by movie […]