Is it true that Nivea cream is more effective than expensive, state-of-the-art creams?
[ My mother, many years ago, used to swear by Nivea cream. She smeared it over her cheeks and forehead as if it were a miracle salve or rejuvenation. It may have been. In her 70s, she still had wrinkle free skin of a woman decades younger. I have a jar in our bathroom cabinet but don’t use it as much as she did. I’m in my 80s, maybe I should.]
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Source: Quora Digest
I am a cosmetic chemist who formulates skincare products for both individuals and companies… I know how the industry works very well.
A major misconception in the world of skincare is that expensive products are better than cheap drugstore ones. This simply isn’t true, and the reasons are :
-When you buy luxury skincare, you’re not just paying for the product itself (ingredients, research, manufacturing, etc.) but also for all the advertising, rent, packaging, retail locations, etc.
Many high-end brands use the same ingredients as drugstore brands , but then add what are called “marketing ingredients.” These marketing ingredients are indeed expensive, but they’re added in such small quantities that they can’t justify the price. As a general rule, remember that even the most expensive product doesn’t cost more than $6. It’s also important to note that marketing ingredients found in such small quantities make no difference to the product’s performance . They only affect the price.
In this particular case, Nivea cream contains many inexpensive ingredients such as mineral oil, paraffin, waxes, water, and octyldodecanol. While it’s true that these ingredients are “old school” and low-cost, it’s also true that they work very well when it comes to moisturizing the skin. There’s no point in having a long list of expensive ingredients if they’re added at a concentration of just 0.01%. Such a minuscule amount is definitely insufficient to produce any measurable benefit.
