NIVEA Creme for oily skin
Glycerin
Lanolin Alcohol
Mineral Oil
Panthenol
Microcrystalline Wax
Warning
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for oily skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate moisturizing for your oily skin due to glycerin and lanolin alcohol, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, but the occlusive nature of paraffinum liquidum and microcristallina cera poses risks of worsening oily shine.
- Panthenol provides soothing benefits, but the presence of occlusive ingredients like paraffinum liquidum and microcristallina cera makes the formula moderately unsuitable for oily skin by potentially exacerbating oiliness and clogging pores.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine every day to keep your face fresh.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toning, but right before your SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and let it absorb fully.
- Apply on clean, slightly dry skin to help control that oily shine.
- Avoid the eye area and do a quick patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 12.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently describe this product as a heavy-duty moisturizer that excels at healing extremely dry, flaky, and rough skin, particularly during harsh winter months. While widely praised for its ability to soften tough areas like elbows, knees, and hands, results on the face are mixed; many love the glow it provides, but those with acne-prone or oily skin frequently report clogged pores and breakouts.
Highlights
Intense deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight”
- “Relieves tightness and discomfort caused by dry skin”
- “Keeps me moisturized all winter long”
- “Heals cracked hands and rough elbows instantly”
Versatile multi-purpose use Often Mentioned
- “Use it on face, body, hands, and feet”
- “Great as a night cream and makeup primer”
- “A staple for the whole family”
- “Perfect for dry spots anywhere on the body”
Greasy/oily residue Often Mentioned
- “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away”
- “Takes forever to absorb into the skin”
- “Too oily to use during the day”
- “Leaves fingerprints on everything I touch”
Classic nostalgic scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smell brings me back to childhood”
- “Clean, fresh, and comforting scent”
- “Loves the signature Nivea fragrance”
- “Smells like clean laundry and comfort”
Unbeatable value Sometimes Noted
- “Works better than expensive luxury creams”
- “Affordable price for such high quality”
- “A little goes a long way, lasts months”
- “Best budget moisturizer on the market”
Causes breakouts (face) Sometimes Noted
- “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne”
- “Too heavy for my face, caused whiteheads”
- “Woke up with new pimples after one use”
- “Not safe for acne-prone skin types”
Thick/hard to spread Sometimes Noted
- “Consistency is like a thick paste or sunblock”
- “Have to drag it across skin to apply”
- “Needs to be warmed up in hands first”
- “Difficult to rub in completely”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “Scent is too overpowering for sensitive noses”
- “Wish they had an unscented version”
- “Fragrance irritated my sensitive skin”
- “Smell lingers too long”
Sources: lovi.care, influencer.com, walmart.com, hometesterclub.com, shespeaks.com, target.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise against NIVEA Creme for oily skin?
Lovi advises against this cream because its heavy mineral oils and waxes may clog pores and worsen oily shine. Oily skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with peptides and hydrating agents that manages shine without heavy oils.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily skin?
Paraffinum liquidum and microcristallina cera make this cream a poor fit because their heavy, sealing nature may worsen oily shine and clog pores. To work well for oily skin, a moisturizer of this type needs lightweight hydrating agents, peptides, and no heavy oils.
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
What does Lanolin Alcohol do for oily skin?
Lanolin alcohol may feel too heavy and trap excess oil on oily skin, which can lead to clogged pores and breakouts. A product for oily skin needs light, oil-free ingredients that hydrate without adding extra shine.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cream is a poor match for oily skin because heavy ingredients like mineral oil and microcrystalline wax may worsen shine and clog pores. Oily skin needs lightweight, oil-free moisturizers with hydrating ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide that add moisture without heavy oils.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
This cream is a poor match for oily skin because heavy ingredients like mineral oil and microcrystalline wax may worsen shine and clog pores. If you use it anyway, apply it after your retinol treatment to help soothe dryness, but oily skin of this type generally needs lightweight hydrators and balancing ingredients to stay clear.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream is a poor match for oily skin because heavy sealing ingredients like mineral oil and microcrystalline wax may worsen your shine and clog pores. Oily skin needs lightweight, oil-free hydrators with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide that provide moisture without heavy waxes or oils.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
Yes, this cream may clog pores and cause breakouts for oily skin because it contains heavy sealing ingredients like mineral oil and microcrystalline wax that can trap excess oil. Oily skin needs light, breathable moisturizers with water-binding ingredients like glycerin and soothing agents like panthenol instead of heavy occlusives.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This heavy cream is generally too rich for the oily skin around your eyes and may clog pores there, but it can work well to soften and hydrate dry areas on the body. Body care for oily skin types needs lightweight lotions with ingredients like glycerin and soothing plant extracts instead of heavy waxes.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene, geraniol, linalool, and citronellol).
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.
Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020
Ingredients
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Microcristallina Cera, Glycerin, Lanolin Alcohol Eucerit, Paraffin, Panthenol, Magnesium Sulfate, Decyl Oleate, Octyldodecanol, Aluminum Stearates, Citric Acid, Magnesium Stearate, Limonene, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Cinnamyl Alcohol
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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