NIVEA Creme

What it is

NIVEA Creme is an all-purpose skin cream made by Beiersdorf of Hamburg. It was developed in 1911 by Oscar Troplowitz, who owned the company, and the dermatologist Paul Gerson Unna. Since 1925 the cream has been sold in a blue tin with white lettering.

How it works

Creams are emulsions of oil and water, two substances that do not mix by themselves. The breakthrough behind NIVEA was an emulsifier called Eucerit, which Unna recommended to Troplowitz. It made it possible to create a stable water-in-oil emulsion that did not separate, which was new at the time. The resulting cream forms a film on the skin that helps reduce moisture loss.

Why it stands out

NIVEA Creme brought a scientifically grounded formula to the mass market, and its stable emulsion was a technical advance. The brand grew into one of the largest skin care brands in the world, with a wide range of products for face, body, sun protection and men's care. The blue tin, unchanged in its essentials for a century, is one of the best-known examples of consistent brand design. It also marks the beginning of Beiersdorf's development from a pharmaceutical laboratory into a global consumer goods company.

Where you meet it

The blue tin is found in bathroom cabinets, handbags and travel bags around the world and is sold in supermarkets, drugstores and pharmacies. Many people associate its scent with childhood.