Skincare Memories - Beauty Addict

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Skincare Memories

The scent of original Nivea Creme is so very nostalgic for me. I remember winter vacations in Vermont with my family when, before going out skiing (or sledding, for me...I was a little bitty kid), my mother would slather Nivea on my face. I loved the way it felt and the way it smelled...and I never got windburn, dryness, or chapped skin.

I've recently rediscovered Nivea and have fallen in love with it all over again. It is quite thick, so I find that it's best to use as a night cream - I put a little on before bed and when I wake up, my skin feels phenomenal. It also works wonders on hands, feet, cuticles, knees and elbows.

Now here's where things get a little contentious. I've heard some complaints from users of Nivea (and its luxury cousin, La Mer) that the creme just "sits on top of their skin." This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you're using it at night.


According to The Beauty Brains, the best moisturizers form a barrier layer on top of the skin, preventing water loss (read their great post here). The ingredients that do this best are petroleum jelly, lanolin, mineral oil, dimethicone, and coconut oil. Nivea contains petrolatum, mineral oil, and lanolin alcohol. You do the math. It works. It's just not formulated to be "light" and "fast-absorbing." And honestly, with December already around the corner, that's probably not what you want (or need) anyway.

These ingredients may make the Creme too rich for daytime use (except for winter sports and spot treatments), but it's one of the most effective night creams I've ever used. I won't go without it during the winter months!

And at the price point - only a few dollars for quite a bit of product - I don't have to.


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