You’re probably familiar with the marvels of German engineering. You might shave with a Braun. You might microwave leftovers with a Bosch. You might drive a Porsche. (Okay, you might dream of driving a Porsche). Products stamped “Made in Germany” tend to be synonymous with top of the line design and quality.
What you might not know, however, is that Germany is also a hotbed of innovation when it comes to skincare. For over a century now, Nivea, the global skincare juggernaut headquartered in Hamburg, has been churning out affordable grooming products sold in drugstores around the world. (There’s almost definitely a shelf or two dedicated to them in your local CVS.) But here’s the thing: according to grooming experts—and a vocal cohort of extremely online devotees—the company’s home-market offerings hit just a little bit different than their American counterparts. Case in point: German Nivea’s standout product, a specially-formulated cold cream moisturizer.
Amazon
In the U.S., German Nivea's existence still feels like a poorly-kept secret, though Sofie Pavitt, the New York-based aesthetician, assures me there’s no whisper-network of skincare gurus hoarding all the best hard-to-find European products. Pavitt is a staunch Nivea advocate whose mother used the brand when she was growing up in the U.K. “The scent is incredibly nostalgic for me—I’ve been using the original German formula Nivea since I was a kid,” Pavitt says via email. She remembers buying it in the US for the first time when she moved here in her 20s and being puzzled by the difference. The German formula doesn’t contain mineral oil, microcrystalline wax, or petroleum. Its texture, as Pavitt points out, is also heavier and more matte than the American one, making it slightly harder to rub in. “The texture is way thinner in the States and you look very shiny after putting it on," she says. "I always bring back a tin or two of the good stuff when I’m back in Europe.”
For particularly attentive skincare heads, this might be old news. But recently, it seems like German market Nivea might cross into mainstream popularity thanks to the proliferation of memes celebrating its hard-to-beat value. There's a lot of good-natured banter in certain corners of the internet about the merits of the moisturizer, especially compared to La Mer's (significantly pricier) counterpart. Ingredients-wise, they're similar, but not identical; Nivea’s doesn’t have the antioxidants La Mer’s does—but it also costs roughly 20 times less.
As for whether Nivea is actually a better buy? That comes down to your own budget—but moisturizer might be a decent place to save some money. Pavitt recommends splurging on serums and exfoliants and then spending the money you save on a really good cleanser. “Moisturizer to me is the blanket that just tucks in the rest of your skincare,” Pavitt says. And German Nivea option is a perfect example of a reasonably priced, deeply hydrating cream that will keep your skin soothed and happy. Best of all? Right now, it’s available for ten bucks on All-American Amazon.
Read MoreI Impulse-Bought This $9 Face Scrubber and So Should YouThe best part of my skincare routine is also the cheapest.
By Gerald Ortiz
