Nivea Body Care Products Reviewed (with Bonus Eye Care Review!)

Nivea Body Care Products

Although not officially winter, it seems to be freezing and snowing all over, even here on the west coast where our winters are traditionally blankets of grey clouds and dreary rain! With wintery weather, comes along my dry, itchy, flaky, unhappy and generally disagreeable skin. I’ve tried just about everything, and I am reviewing some of the better performing drugstore options today! Reviewed from left to right as shown above.

Nivea Firming Body Milk Q10 Plus, 473ml (white, left most bottle)

This one comes in a slightly smaller bottle than Nivea’s other lotion offerings, but is a still generous size at 473ml. It contains Q10 (Ubiquinone) which is a potent antioxidant. There are studies proving it’s effectiveness when taken internally but I can’t seem to find much about it’s effects when used topically. I do know I like antioxidants in my skin care as I know they help reduce UV damage, so I suppose that’s enough for me to appreciate it.

The lotion has a very green floral scent which does fade in time. I like fragrance and it doesn’t bother my skin but it worth mentioning in the event it does irritate yours. This one seems to take a while longer to soak in, and leaves a soft feeling with a tiny  bit of slippery residue which I think might be the macadamia nut oil. In the summer this sticky leftover feeling bothered me, now in the winter it’s more than welcome! It does help me feel moisturized for a longer period of time. Although Nivea rates this as somewhere midway between light and rich moisture, its a fairly rich moisturizer for me due to the macadamia nut oil.

Nivea claims this lotion will improve your skin’s elasticity. I cannot attest to this claim, and I don’t have such high standards for my lotions. I just don’t think it’s possible to greatly change the qualities of my skin with a non prescription body lotion. Of course I wouldn’t mind if it did however!

I would recommend this for someone who is interested in antioxidants in their skin care, likes oils and the feeling of light oil in their skin care, and likes fresh green floral scents.

Nivea Extra Nourishing Body Milk, Dry to Very Dry Skin  625ml (blue bottle in middle)

This bottle is huge! This one contains almond oil, consistently popular in hand and nail products. The formula is incredibly thick, heavy, and rich, which after careful testing and consideration I’ve determined to be due to a huge amount of the thickening agent isohexadecane in the formulation – it’s the third ingredient after water and mineral oil! Well, even if it’s just for marketing purposes, the result is a very luxurious experience when applying. It feels like a real treat for your skin going on.

The fragrance of this one needs to be mentioned. It’s not your typical light lotiony fragrance. This one is very decidedly perfumey. In fact, when it dries down, it reminds me a bit of J’adore! Clean, very fresh, somewhat sophisticated even, for a lotion.

The package doesn’t claim to do anything other than smooth and soften your dry skin, which it does, as would any decent lotion. The formula is an oilier one, which I do like. Despite being oilier, my skin seems to just drink it right up! I do notice, however, that my skin sometimes feels a bit drier a while after using it. I’m wondering if it’s an after effect of the huge amount of thickening agent, as I think I’m applying a lot of moisture when I really might not be. I’ve also just noticed that sea salt is in the ingredient list, and it might have something to do with that. This isn’t enough to stop me from liking it enough to at least finish the bottle.

I would recommend this for someone who likes a heavier oil in their body care products, seeks out very fragranced products, and has normal to dry skin. I don’t think this will be the right kind of moisture for very dry, or very sensitive skin.

Nivea Happy Time Shower Cream 500ml (white bottle on the right)

This formula contains the ever popular sweet almond oil and bamboo extract, which is intended to improve your skin’s collagen and elastin. As I don’t think a body wash can actually do that, and it doesn’t actually claim to, I will review it as just a body wash.

The fragrance is advertised to be an invigorating orange blossom scent. I personally find this to be more orange creamsicle rather than orange blossom. It’s definitely more food than floral. There is a light trail of flowers underneath the orange creamsicle. It’s nice, soft, fresh, in no way over powering and somewhat refreshing.

The formula itself is rich, smooth, creamy and lathers well, with lots of soft bubbles. It doesn’t seem to make my skin feel weird, red or itchy after a few uses like some body washes do (looking in your direction, Olay…) As a body wash, it does it’s job, and you get a generous amount for the price.

I would recommend this to someone who prefers a slightly more moisturizing body wash and likes the idea of eating orange creamsicles in a summer flower garden.

Bonus!  Nivea Visage Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Eye Care 15ml (tiny little tube at the top!)

I am not of the school of thought that a separate eye cream is necessary, and that if you have a properly formulated wrinkle/skin care system for the rest of your face, you should be able to use it around the eye area as well. This was passed along to me by my mother, who didn’t like it as it stung the skin around her eyes – pretty much a mark of failure in a product intended to be formulated specifically for that area! Well, I tried it out, and wouldn’t you know it, it stung the skin under my eyes as well. Not even retinol products do that. I couldn’t use it long enough to form an educated opinion on it’s claim to reduce dark under eye circles, but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be able to do that anyway. I might use this up as a cuticle cream.  I will be sticking with my Neutrogena Anti-Wrinkle Cream for now!

I would recommend this product for someone with very agreeable skin, impervious to any reactions or stinging from any product at all (which I usually am!) who is looking for light moisture and no miracles whatsoever.

Hope everyone is making it through their fall/winter so far! Stay warm!