NIVEA Soft Moisturizing Cream for sensitive skin
Glycerin
Mineral Oil
Jojoba Seed Oil
Tocopheryl Acetate
DimethiconeAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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
- Suitable for normal skin, this cream offers moderate moisturizing with glycerin and jojoba seed oil to hydrate and smooth texture, though it lacks specialized ingredients to directly address your redness and irritation.
- The formula provides general skincare benefits and is highly compatible with normal skin types due to its humectant and emollient properties.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like jojoba seed oil and tocopheryl acetate.
How to apply
- Use this soothing AM and PM routine every day to keep your normal skin calm. Always remember to apply SPF in the morning after your moisturizer.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner in the morning, and after your serum in the evening. This step locks in hydration and protects your skin.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer evenly across your face. Avoid rubbing to keep your sensitive skin happy and calm.
- You can apply this gentle formula on dry or slightly damp skin for the best comfort. It works wonderfully on clean skin to soothe redness and irritation.
- Do a patch test before your very first use to check your skin's reaction. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 5.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, Nivea Soft Moisturizing Cream is a highly praised lightweight and fast-absorbing daily moisturizer that effectively hydrates normal to dry skin on the face, hands, and body, leaving it smooth and supple. A recent formula change has caused frustration among long-time users, and those with acne-prone or highly sensitive skin report occasional issues with breakouts and irritation.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “My skin stays soft all day, even in air conditioned rooms.”
- “Provides long-lasting nourishment to the skin.”
- “It definitely moisturizes your skin and makes it look better.”
- “Leaves skin feeling smooth and refreshed.”
Lightweight and fast-absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “The texture feels light and smooth. It absorbs fast and never feels sticky.”
- “Absorbs easily and quickly into skin without residue.”
- “It's a soft cream that is very lightweight and spreads with ease.”
- “A small dab melts into the skin instantly without feeling greasy or heavy.”
Versatile all-over use Often Mentioned
- “It works well for my face, hands and body.”
- “I use it for literally my face, my body, my hands.”
- “Great work desk companion to keep your hands from feeling dry... but also at home.”
- “I just use it at night, primarily on my feet, legs and hands.”
Disliked new formula Often Mentioned
- “Changed formula to CHEAP water base and greasy.”
- “This replacement is cheap, tacky and totally different from the original one.”
- “The new formula is sticky and awful.”
- “Since the new formula has come out I now don't buy it... It sits on the skin and does nothing.”
Good under makeup Sometimes Noted
- “Makeup looks great on top of this cream.”
- “I love all Nivea creams for underneath makeup, this one in particular.”
- “It does make my foundation apply properly on my skin.”
- “You don't really have to wait a lot before applying makeup with this one.”
Causes acne breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “This cream has a couple of comedogenic ingredients... I definitely wouldn't recommend this cream to anyone who is acne prone.”
- “Most face creams causes me to have zits.”
- “If you're acne prone just skip on this one altogether.”
- “It has one highly comedogenic ingredient.”
Irritates sensitive skin Rarely Noted
- “The new formula BURNS my sensitive, chapped skin.”
- “I wouldn't recommend it for really dry skin or those sensitive to scented skin care.”
- “The new formula burns... It's terrible.”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, niveausa.com, reddit.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Nivea Soft work for sensitive skin?
This cream is an average fit for your sensitive skin because, while it hydrates and smooths with glycerin and jojoba seed oil, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly calm redness and irritation. A moisturizer for this skin needs soothing ingredients like fermented Centella Asiatica and cica ceramide to comfort redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for sensitive skin?
Glycerin, jojoba seed oil, and tocopheryl acetate make this cream a safe and comforting fit for sensitive skin by helping to hydrate and soothe. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients to directly address redness and irritation, a sensitive skin type needs a product with fermented Centella Asiatica, Cica Ceramide, and nourishing oils to truly thrive.
What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999
What does Mineral Oil do for sensitive skin?
Mineral oil helps calm sensitive skin by trapping moisture and protecting the outer barrier from irritation. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause allergic reactions, making it safe for daily use on delicate skin.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cream goes at the end of your evening routine as your moisturizer to keep your skin soft and smooth. Because it is gentle and lacks harsh ingredients, it is unlikely to irritate sensitive skin, though this skin type needs extra soothing components to calm redness.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help keep your skin calm and hydrated. Because your sensitive skin needs extra care, a moisturizer for this skin type also needs soothing ingredients and barrier-strengthening components to better handle the effects of retinol.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing cream daily as part of your morning and evening routine. Regular application helps keep your skin hydrated and smooth, though sensitive skin also needs specialized ingredients to actively calm redness and irritation.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cream may cause acne breakouts, as reviewers moderately complain about this issue. Sensitive skin needing a better fit usually requires non-comedogenic ingredients that hydrate without clogging pores.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cream on your body and around your eyes because it is very safe and unlikely to irritate sensitive skin. The skin around your eyes and in other body areas can safely benefit from its moisturizing ingredients.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains 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, 2017Vitamin E in O/W and W/O emulsions significantly increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced water-binding capacity, with an optimum concentration of 5%.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024The 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, 2019Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025Nanolipidgel formulations with argan or jojoba oil and humectants demonstrate good sensory attributes, instrumental properties, and moisturizing efficacy for cosmetic application.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014Topical 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, 2024Wearing 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, 2024Treatment 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, 2007Externally applied substances such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, licorice extracts, dimethicone, petrolatum, and paraffin wax treat skin disease resulting from damage to the skin barrier.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2012
Why other moisturizers fit sensitive skin better
A 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, 2024Topical 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 dexpanthenol-containing cream accelerated skin barrier repair, increased stratum corneum hydration, reduced skin roughness, and decreased skin redness compared to vehicle and untreated controls in sodium lauryl sulphate-irritated skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2002
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Myristyl Alcohol, Mineral Oil, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, Stearic Acid, Petrolatum, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Dimethicone, Jojoba Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lanolin Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
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
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