Christiane Meyer has worked in different functions at Beiersdorf Research & Development since 2007. After graduating with a PhD in Organic Chemistry from University of Hamburg in 2001, Christiane Meyer worked in the CAN research institute, investigating new materials for medical diagnostics and new approaches in the field of antiperspirants. Joining Beiersdorf in 2007, she first worked as a Lab Manager in basic research and developed new technologies for sun and skin care products before she took over the responsibility for Universal Creams and Nivea Body products in Product Development at Beiersdorf AG, Hamburg in 2013.
With the new Nivea Care, Beiersdorf is adding a new product to its range of creams for face and body. What was the reason behind developing another cream in addition to the classic Nivea Creme and Nivea Soft?
Nivea Creme is the classic for all situations and the perfect cream for the whole family. Many people know it from their childhoods, as it’s often the first cream that was used on their skin. The light Nivea Soft with its refreshing formula is perfectly suited to the wishes and needs of young girls. But with advancing age, women’s skin requirements change. With new Nivea Care, we have now developed a product especially for the modern woman that is unique in the market: the formula provides intensive nourishment without leaving a greasy feeling.
And what exactly makes the new Nivea Care so special?
Compared to the market standard Nivea Care is a completely new cream based on a new formula (patent pending): a wax hydrodispersion. Light hydrowaxes melt as soon as the moisturizing cream is applied to the skin. This provides intense, long-lasting nourishment for the skin without leaving behind a greasy film. It is incredible to see how fast this rich caring cream is absorbed by the skin. I have never seen this with another nourishing cream.
What’s the difference between the formula of Nivea Care, Nivea Creme, and Nivea Soft?
Like most creams, the classic Nivea Creme and Nivea Soft are based on two technologies that are distinguished by the respective arrangement of the water and oil phases: in water-in-oil emulsions like the classic Nivea Creme, the lipid phase envelops tiny water droplets. Thus, the nourishing oil content is very high, which means that Nivea Creme offers long-lasting protection and intensive nourishment. In contrast, as the name suggests, with oil-in-water emulsions the water phase predominates and the lipids are embedded in it in the form of fine oil droplets. This gives Nivea Soft its light character – refreshing, fast-absorbing moisture. With the innovative Nivea Care formula, we are able to provide superior skin care, a creme which is intensively nourishing without feeling greasy on the skin, matching the skin requirements of modern women.
Why did you choose a wax hydrodispersion formula for Nivea Care?
What’s special about the wax hydrodispersion formula is that it’s an emulsifier-free gel cream. It is like oil-in-water emulsions inasmuch as it’s based on water but it contains miniscule nourishing hydrowaxes rather than oil droplets. When these waxes are applied to the skin, they melt instantly and therefore don’t leave an oily film on the skin. This allows Nivea Care to provide an outstanding nourishing effect while meeting all the requirements of a cream that can be used for face and body.
What exactly are the requirements of a cream that I can use on my face as well as on my body?
The challenge with a cream that I can use for my entire body is to develop a formula that can provide adequate nourishment for the face without leaving an oily film, but can also be spread easily over the body and is suitable for hand care without being oily. With Nivea Care, we perfectly fulfil all these requirements: the rich formula with a creamy consistency can be spread easily, is quickly absorbed, and leaves a pleasant skin feeling while being intensively nourished – across your face and your body.
Were there any obstacles that had to be overcome during the development of Nivea Care?
The nourishing effect of the new Nivea Care is based on light hydrowaxes. During product development, it was challenging to find a combination of wax and lipids where the melting points worked optimally together to leave a pleasant nourishing sensation when applied to the skin. Since the nourishing wax crystals are absorbed directly into the skin after melting, no oily film is left on the skin. The skin feels soft and well cared.
What kind of waxes are used in the new Nivea Care?
One of the waxes used is shea butter, a natural wax from the shea tree. The cream also contains moisturizers that ensure optimum and long-lasting moisturizing for the skin. This was proven in special studies. The complexity with the waxes was to find the optimal combination to have a direct melting effect on the skin.
Can the cream be used on every skin type?
Yes, the cream can be used on every skin type. It was developed to provide outstanding nourishment for every kind of skin. We’ve tested this through comprehensive user tests on hundreds of consumers. These tests were also carried out in various regions around the globe in order to see whether the cream still provided optimal nourishment in different climatic conditions.
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an incredibly long comment
but after I clicked submit my comment didn't show up. Grrrr...
well I'm not writing all that over again.
Regardless, just wanted to say fantastic blog!