NIVEA Men Creme for acne-prone skin
Glycerin
Mineral Oil
Dimethicone
Tocopheryl Acetate
Alcohol Denat
Low
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for acne-prone skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 combination skin due to glycerin and dimethicone, which hydrate and smooth the skin, but lacks specialized ingredients to effectively address acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- While it provides general hydration, the formula does not offer sufficient oil control for your oily areas, potentially posing risks of worsening these conditions.
How to apply
- Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
- Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
- Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
- Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this creme as a versatile, non-greasy solution for dry skin on the face, hands, and body, noting its ability to absorb rapidly without leaving a sticky residue. It is frequently cited as effective for soothing post-shave irritation and combating winter dryness, leaving skin matte and soft.
Highlights
Versatile application Mostly Mentioned
- “Great for face, body, and hands”
- “Use it after shaving”
- “One product for everything”
- “Perfect all-rounder for travel”
Effective hydration Often Mentioned
- “Heals dry hands quickly”
- “Keeps face soft all day”
- “Prevents winter flaking”
- “Leaves skin velvety smooth”
Fast absorption Often Mentioned
- “Soaks in fully within seconds”
- “No greasy overlay”
- “Absorbs quickly without residue”
- “Disappears into skin instantly”
Masculine scent Often Mentioned
- “Smells like fresh cologne”
- “Pleasant masculine-fresh scent”
- “Clean and subtle smell”
- “Nice manly fragrance”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “Scent is too overpowering”
- “Smells too much like perfume”
- “Fragrance lingers too long”
- “Clashes with my cologne”
Insufficient moisture Rarely Noted
- “Not rich enough for very dry skin”
- “Lighter than original Nivea”
- “Need to reapply frequently”
- “Feels too thin for winter”
Packaging design Rarely Noted
- “Tin dents very easily”
- “Lid hard to open with slippery hands”
- “Container is too small for body use”
- “Screw top can be finicky”
Potential irritation Rarely Noted
- “Stung my sensitive skin”
- “Caused minor breakout”
- “Alcohol content dried me out”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, walmart.com, influenster.com, chemistwarehouse.com.au, hometesterclub.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is NIVEA Men Creme a weak match for acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer is a weak match because it only offers moderate hydration from glycerin and dimethicone while lacking specialized ingredients to target blemishes, acne, and breakouts, and it does not provide enough oil control for oily areas, which may worsen these conditions. An acne-prone skin type needs a product with effective ingredients that address blemishes, offer soothing agents or peptides, and manage oil without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for acne-prone skin?
This cream is a weak match for acne-prone skin because it contains heavy ingredients like mineral oil and paraffin that may clog pores and lack oil control or blemish-fighting benefits. An acne-friendly moisturizer needs soothing extracts, targeted blemish-fighting ingredients, and a balanced formula that hydrates without causing breakouts.
What does Glycerin do for acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep acne-prone skin hydrated and calm without clogging pores or feeling heavy. It supports the skin barrier so it stays soft and smooth while handling everyday treatments.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
What does Mineral Oil do for acne-prone skin?
Mineral oil is generally considered safe and is unlikely to clog pores for acne-prone skin, but an average or weak fit means this skin type needs lightweight, non-greasy hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid to keep skin smooth and clear without heavy layers.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2024
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cream is a poor fit for acne-prone skin because it lacks specialized ingredients for blemishes and does not control oil well, potentially worsening breakouts. An acne-prone skin routine needs a moisturizer with ingredients like niacinamide and lightweight hydration that balance oil and target breakouts.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream in your routine with retinol, applying it after your retinol treatment to help keep your skin soft and smooth. Because this moisturizer is a weak match for acne-prone skin, it may lack the oil control and specialized ingredients needed to effectively address blemishes and breakouts, which acne-prone skin requires.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream may be used twice a day, in the morning and evening, as part of your routine. While it provides general hydration, acne-prone skin needs lightweight, oil-controlling formulas with specialized ingredients to address breakouts and blemishes.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream is a weak match for acne-prone skin because it lacks specialized ingredients to clear blemishes and may not control oil well enough in oily areas, which can worsen breakouts. Acne-prone skin needs a moisturizer with oil-balancing ingredients and blemish-fighting helpers like salicylic acid or niacinamide to keep pores clear.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on your body, but it is less suited for the very thin skin around the eyes where heavier moisturizers may feel too rich. This type of product needs light, gentle hydrators and ingredients that protect delicate skin without feeling heavy.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (geraniol and parfum) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
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, 2017The 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, 2019Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Why other moisturizers fit acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Alcohol Denat, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Stearyl Alcohol, Microcristallina Cera, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Carbomer, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Oleic Acid, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Geraniol, Parfum
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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