Nivea is launching in January 2011 the new “Pure & Natural” range of products made with 95% ingredients from natural origin.

This new range includes face care, body care, make-up, baby care and deodorants. We have here a closer look to the face care range.

It is made of 6 products :

– a Cleansing Milk

– a Toner

– a Moisturizing Day Care for Normal to Combination Skins

– a Soothing Day Care for Dry and Sensitive Skins

– an Anti-Wrinkle Day Care

– an Anti-Wrinkle Night Care

Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Cleansing Milk

Formula Structure

O/W emulsion, emulsified with Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, helped with Cetearyl Alcohol as co-surfactant / stabilizer. The association Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol is sold by Cognis under the tradename Lanette N, and claimed as being from natural origin. It is a very classical anionic self emulsifying wax suited for the preparation of O/W emulsions. Besides, no polymer has been added to the formula.

The aqueous phase contains glycols (Glycerin and Methylpropanediol), and ethanol (Alcohol Denat.)

The oil phase is made of Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil and Dicaprylyl Ether.

Preservative System

The formula is protected against microbiological growth by Methylisothiazolinone, help with Ethanol (Alcohol Denat.), Methylpropanediol, Trisodium EDTA and Citric Acid. Benzyl Alcohol is listed among the allergens, but can also be helpful in microbiological protection of the formula.

Active Ingredients

– Organic Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)

– Organic Aloe Vera Extract (Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice)

– Tocopherol

Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Toner

Formula Structure

Hydroalcoholic lotion containing a cleansing surfactant (Cocamidopropyl Betaine) and a conditioning polymer (Polyquaternium-10).

Preservative System

The formula is protected against microbiological growth with Methylisothiazolinone, helped with Ethanol (Alcohol Denat.) and Trisodium EDTA. Benzyl Alcohol is listed among the allergens, but can also be helpful in microbiological protection of the formula.

Active Ingredients

– Organic Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)

– Organic Aloe Vera Extract (Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice)

– Panthenol

Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Moisturizing Day Care for Normal to Combination Skins

Formula Structure

O/W emulsion, emulsified with two surfactants : Glyceryl Stearate Citrate and Glyceryl Stearate, helped with Cetearyl Alcohol as co-surfactant / stabilizer, and thickened and stabilized with two polymers : Carbomer and Xanthan Gum.

The aqueous phase contains glycols (Glycerin and Methylpropanediol), and ethanol (Alcohol Denat.)

The oil phase is made of a synthetic triglyceride (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride), Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Octyldodecanol and Dicaprylyl Ether

Preservative System

The formula is protected against microbiological growth by Methylisothiazolinone, helped with Ethanol (Alcohol Denat.) and Methylpropanediol. Benzyl Alcohol is listed among the allergens, but can also be helpful in microbiological protection of the formula.

Active Ingredients

– Organic Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)

– Organic Aloe Vera extract (Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice)

– Tocopherol

Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Soothing Day Care for Dry and Sensitive Skins

Formula Structure

O/W emulsion, emulsified with two surfactants : Glyceryl Stearate Citrate and Glyceryl Stearate, helped with Cetearyl Alcohol as co-surfactant / stabilizer, and thickened and stabilized with two polymers : Carbomer and Xanthan Gum.

The aqueous phase contains glycols (Glycerin and Methylpropanediol), and ethanol (Alcohol Denat.)

The oil phase is made of a synthetic triglyceride (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride), Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Octyldodecanol and Dicaprylyl Ether.

A powder has been added to the formula : Maltodextrin, with the following functions : absorbent, binding, emulsion stabilizing, film forming and skin conditionning. However, it is often used to carry an active ingredient into a formula. Specifically here, it could carry the Camomile extract.

Preservative System

The formula is protected against microbiological growth by Phenoxyethanol and Methylisothiazolinone, helped with Ethanol (Alcohol Denat.) and Methylpropanediol. Benzyl Alcohol is listed among the allergens, but can also be helpful in microbiological protection of the formula.

Active Ingredients

– Organic Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)

– Organic Chamomile Extract (Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract)

– Tocopherol

Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Anti-Wrinkle Day Care

Formula Structure

O/W emulsion, emulsified with two surfactants : Glyceryl Stearate Citrate and Glyceryl Stearate, helped with Cetearyl Alcohol as co-surfactant / stabilizer, and thickened and stabilized with two polymers : Carbomer and Xanthan Gum.

The aqueous phase contains glycols (Glycerin, Methylpropanediol and 1,2-Hexanediol), and ethanol (Alcohol Denat.)

The oil phase is made of a synthetic triglyceride (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride), Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides Octyldodecanol and Dicaprylyl Ether.

Preservative System

The formula is protected against microbiological growth by Phenoxyethanol and Methylisothiazolinone, helped with Ethanol (Alcohol Denat.), Methylpropanediol and 1,2-Hexanediol. Benzyl Alcohol is listed among the allergens, but can also be helpful in microbiological protection of the formula.

Active Ingredients

– Organic Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)

– Organic Arctium Lappa Fruit Extract

– Tocopherol

– Tocopheryl Acetate

Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Anti-Wrinkle Night Care

Formula Structure

O/W emulsion, emulsified with two surfactants : Glyceryl Stearate Citrate and Glyceryl Stearate, helped with Cetearyl Alcohol as co-surfactant / stabilizer, and thickened and stabilized with two polymers : Carbomer and Xanthan Gum.

The aqueous phase contains glycols (Glycerin, Methylpropanediol and 1,2-Hexanediol), and ethanol (Alcohol Denat.)

The oil phase is made of a synthetic triglyceride (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride), Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Cocoglycerides and Octyldodecanol.

Preservative System

The formula is protected against microbiological growth by Phenoxyethanol and Methylisothiazolinone, helped with Ethanol (Alcohol Denat.), Methylpropanediol and 1,2-Hexanediol. Benzyl Alcohol is listed among the allergens, but can also be helpful in microbiological protection of the formula.

Active Ingredients

– Organic Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil)

– Organic Arctium Lappa Fruit Extract

– Panthenol

– Tocopherol

General conclusions on Nivea Visage Pure & Natural formulas

Formula structures :

While the Cleansing Milk has a specific structure based on a anionic surfactant system – Cognis Lanette N (Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol – , the four face cares of the Pure & Natural range are based on the same structure associating two surfactants :

– Glyceryl Stearate Citrate : this surfactant can be found in AAK (AarhusKarlshamn) catalog under the tradename Akoline LC. It is an anionic emulsifier with a HLB =12. It is claimed by AAK to be able to make natural cosmetics with improved skin functionality and good skin-feel. Akoline surfactants are based on natural raw materials : the lipophilic parts are made of fatty acids and glycerides derived from vegetable oils, while hydrophilic parts are made of glycerol, lactic acid, polyglycerol or citric acid in the case of Akoline LC.

– Glyceryl Stearate : widely used in cosmetics as a surfactant, it is a glycerol ester of stearic acid that can be made from natural origin ingredients. Sold by Croda under the Cithrol brand. It has a HLB between 3 and 5.

with two thickening / stabilizing polymers :

– Carbomer : Carbomers are a family of synthetic polymers of acrylic acid widely used in cosmetic industry. One of the most famous supplier of carbomer is Lubrizol with it Carbopol range.

– Xanthan Gum : it is a natural biopolymer, more precisely a polysaccharide, produced by fermentation of sugar, dextrose, corn syrup or starch by Xanthomonas campestris. It is used in cosmetic as an emulsion stabilizer. It is supplied among others by CPKelko under the Keltrol tradename.

This stabilizing system is not natural, at least from natural origin for 3 of the 4 ingredients. One hard part in developing a natural product is to mimic the cosmeticity of synthetic polymers. Nivea formulators made the choice to keep carbomer polymer in its Pure & Natural face care formulas.

Preservative agents :

All the formulas of the Pure & Natural face care range contain the following ingredients that participate to their microbiological protection :

– Methylisothiazolinone : trademarked under the name Neolone 950 by Rohm & Haas / Dow Chemicals, claimed as being a globally approved broad-spectrum, non formaldehyde-releasing biodegradable bactericide for use in leave-on skin care.

– Ethanol : commonly used in personal care products for bringing a fresh filling to a product applied on skin, and for its solubilizing properties, it is also used to help preservative systems, since Ethanol kills organisms by denaturing their proteins and dissolving their lipids and is effective against most bacteria and fungi, and many viruses, but is ineffective against bacterial spores. One can consider that a formula does not need any other preservative agent when it contains more than 20% ethanol. Ethanol can be from natural origin (i.e. fermentation of sugar).

Except the toner, the formulas also contain Methylpropanediol. Supplied among other by Lyondell under the tradename MPDiol, this supplier has demonstrated the good antimicrobial properties of Methylpropanediol : it would have comparable antimicrobial activity to 1,3-butylene glycol and is more effective than propylene glycol.

The two anti-wrinkle care also contain :

– 1,2-Hexanediol : a synthetic diol with antimicrobial properties

– Phenoxyethanol

Communication, Active Ingredients & Claims :

The efficacy claims associated to each formula are quite basic and not risky (e. g. : “wrinkles and fine lines are replumped from the inside” for the anti-wrinkle cares, “makes the skin supple and fresh all day long” for the moisturizers). The real novelty for Nivea with this new Pure & Natural range are the “green” claims, heart of the communication on the products. Nivea tries to address with Pure & Natural several current blames made to cosmetic products :

– the impact of packagings on environment : the products of the range are claimed to be packed in “recyclable packagings”, and the four products in jars emphasize the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) logo associated with “recycled” and “packaging made with recycled materials” claims.

– the use of currently controversial chemical substances : all the Pure & Natural product claim on the front “without paraben”, and on the back of the pack “without paraben” again, and “without silicone”, “without dye”, “without mineral oil”.

– the origin of the ingredient used : Pure & Natural products are claimed to be made with “95% of ingredients from natural origin”, with a specific logo designed by Nivea. And for each product of the range, two organic ingredients are claimed. More precisely, each formula of the range contain Organic Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil) associated to another organic ingredient specific to the problems to be answered by the product :

– Organic Aloe Vera Extract (Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice) in the Normal to Combination Skin Moisturizer, claimed to be “traditionnally used for its moisturizing properties”. This ingredient is also used in the Cleansing Milk and the Toner, but without any specific claim in these two products

– Organic Chamomile Extract (Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract) in the Dry and Sensitive Skin Moisturizer, claimed to be “traditionnally used to soothe and protect skin”

– Organic Burdock Extract (Arctium Lappa Fruit Extract) in the Day and in the Night Anti-Wrinkle Creams, claimed as having a “scientifically proven anti-wrinkle efficiency”.

This last ingredient is the only of the range claiming a scientifically proven efficiency. Beiersdorf, the mother company Nivea, has recently issued a press release detailing its new strategy of R&D external collaboration, where external partners can suggest innovative concept or technologies to Beiersdorf through a dedicated website. The Burdock extract used in the Pure & Natural anti-wrinkle products is cited as an example of this new way to fuel Beiersdorf with external innovations : Dr. Klaus-Peter Wittern, head of research and development at Beiersdorf explains that the use of burdock root extract in an anti-aging product was suggested by a farmer from Saxony-Anhalt, and then developed in cooperation with the research laboratories of Beiersdorf.

According to Nivea internal website, the active molecule in this burdock extract is Arctiin, claimed to be “a highly-effective plant-based anti-wrinkle ingredient which stimulates collagen production and helps reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles”.

Beiersdorf has published an article in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Volume 7, Issue 4, pages 281–289, December 2008, untitled “Natural Arctium lappa fruit extract improves the clinical signs of aging skin”, summarized in this article from Cosmeticsdesign-europe.com. Beiersdorf’s Burdock Extract would have an anti-inflammatory efficiency coupled with a boosting effect on procollagen synthesis. The article conclude that this active ingredient would “counteract the chronic inflammation in ageing skin offering the first cosmetics treatment option that targets these subclinical processes in ageing skin”.

Almost at the same time as this article was published, Beiersdorf launched in 2008 in its Eucerin brand the DermoDENSIFYER range, with Arctiin associated with peptides as star ingredients.

In addition to these organic ingredients, the formulas of the Pure & Natural range contain unclaimed vitamins or provitamins :

– Tocopherol

– Tocopheryl Acetate

– Panthenol

Conclusion :

Within the current “green” trend, while some competitors in Mass Market decided to enrich their “classical” ranges with certified organic cosmetic products (e.g. Garnier Bio Active or Mixa Bio for the L’Oréal group), Beiersdorf worked on another approach : launch on the market formulas containing as much ingredient “from natural origin” as possible and addressing the current controversial topics of cosmetic industry (packaging, chemical substances, origin of ingredients). In a way, Beiersdorf decided to create its own “organic” label that could be summarized as follow :

– 95% minimum of ingredients from natural origin

– no silicone

– no paraben

– no dye

– no mineral oil

– recyclable and / or recycled packaging

– with some certified organic ingredients

For the trully “organic” consumers, this could be taken as a trick : why Nivea do not just follow the common certifications ? On the other way, it is quite smart from Beiersdorf, since today, there is not yet a global or at least european certification for organic cosmetic products. With its strategy, it can answer largely the needs of environment-concerned consumers.