The box of this cream that we all have at home celebrates its hundred years this year. Back on a section of beauty history.
There are products that really mark spirits. Of those whom everyone knows, even without being keen on beauty and that we have probably had in our bathroom. We are not talking about Guerlain’s terracotta here or the labello lip stick, but rather a cult moisturizer. Suitable for all skin types, it has been squatting our beauty shelves for over a hundred years now, and it hides an unusual story. Indeed, it is the first cream with Eucerit, an ingredient derived from lanolin, which acts as an emulsifier and then allows to mix water and oil. This is the foundation of this product, and technology giving it its melting and silky texture.
Thus, in 1911 the cream was put on the market. In just a few years, it was a real success and then became a world reference. But at the time, it was not in the blue round box that we all know today. Yes, when invented in 1911, Nivea’s cream is far from having its iconic packaging: if the case has the same shape, it is beige with red and green ornaments. In 1925, the brand took a turning point and transformed the packaging with this timeless blue. Over the years, he then experienced some modifications without ever losing his color. A century later, we recognize among a thousand the cream in the shelves of supermarkets. A cult product for emblematic packaging.
But behind this little piece of beauty history, hides an invisible evolution: according to Nivea, the blue box is now made up of 80% recycled aluminum, in order to reduce its environmental footprint. An effort that deserves to be emphasized when you know that 360 cream sells each hour. In 2024, more than three million units have passed, evidence of its success. A craze which can also be explained by its damn economical price: € 2.99 for 150 ml in supermarkets. But also by its multiple uses: as a face and body moisturizer obviously, but also to treat dry and irritated areas, it can also be used as a post-shack, after-sun, night cream and even makeup remover.
The icing on the cake? We all have a memory linked to its smell, recognizable among a thousand. Whether it is our mother or grandmother, this scent brings back like a Madeleine de Proust.
