General FAQ | NIVEA

We’re always really touched and inspired by the enormously important roles charities and fundraisers play. We receive many requests for charity donations every single day and whilst we may not always be able to fulfil every request that we receive, our Corporate Social Responsibility Team (CSR) always try to help wherever they can. Please send your request to Charity.RequestsUK@Beiersdorf.com. All charity requests are assessed individually and if our CSR Team are in the position to assist, they’ll get back in touch with you.

Thank you for your interest in collaborating with NIVEA. We currently already have partnerships with several organisations including Cancer Research UK, Liverpool FC and UNICEF UK. We also support multiple other charities and organisations through various brand and corporate activities. As such, our sponsorship funds and plans have already been allocated and we are not looking to expand on these at the moment.

Yes. There are several prevailing SCAMs, that show NIVEA products as the prize or sample. These SCAMs are phishing for your personal information. We recommend you do not click on them or their links. These promotions are not run by NIVEA. Any sampling promotion run by NIVEA will be promoted via our official website, Facebook page, NIVEA newsletter or myNIVEA email. These will also contain a link to our official promotion terms and conditions found on our nivea.co.uk website.

If you think you may have been the victim of fraud or cybercrime and incurred a financial loss or have been hacked as a result of responding to a phishing message, you should report this to Action Fraud. If you receive any emails which you’re not quite sure about, forward it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS): report@phishing.gov.uk Your report of a phishing email will help to protect many more people from being affected. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) will analyse the suspect email and any websites it links to.

If you are a business wishing to set up a trade account, you may wish to try contacting one of the following Wholesalers that we supply products to:

AAH Pharmaceuticals
NUMARK
Alliance Healthcare

Alternatively, if you have a new business proposal, you can contact our UK New Business Development Team on +44 (0)121 329 8800 to discuss any UK trade enquiries. Please note: As a UK Distributor, we are unable to progress any discussion in relation to export enquiries.

Cosmetic testing on animals has been banned in the EU since 2004 – and all ingredients in these products since 2013. At NIVEA, we are convinced that animal testing is unnecessary in proving how effective and tolerable our cosmetic products are on your skin. With more than 35 years of experience, we are among the global leaders in the development and application of alternative test methods. Back in 1992, our skin researchers developed one of the world’s first officially approved tests without animal testing.

NIVEA aims to abolish animal testing for cosmetic products around the globe. That is why we support various international working groups, for example, by sharing our scientific insights. We are also working to convince authorities in China and other parts of the world who still require animal testing for specific cosmetic products that it is unnecessary and are urging them to approve alternatives to animal testing officially.

For many people, animal-derived ingredients do not reflect the values of living in harmony with animals. That is why they look for alternatives, such as plant-based and vegan skincare products. We can confirm that the Glycerin used within our products is vegetable based and comes exclusively from plants (rapeseed, sunflower, certified palm oil) and we do not use any egg-based ingredients.

Whilst most ingredients used within our products are synthetic or plant derived (non-animal sources) there are a handful of ingredients that are animal derived. As such we do not claim that our products are all Halal/Vegan friendly. Our entire Naturally Good product range consists of vegan formulations, 100 percent free of animal-derived ingredients though. If you would like us to check a specific product for you, please reach out to our NIVEA Consumer Interaction Team on 00800 49 40 1911*

The term “nuts” is very broad, but we can confirm that we do not actively use ingredients such as hazelnut, walnut, or peanut in any of our cosmetic products. However, because we use high quality oils, we cannot guarantee that they will not contain traces of any of these nuts. So, although the purification during manufacture of these oils makes the risk of any nut protein in the finished product very low, it could still be a possibility.

The list of ingredients on our product packaging gives people with nut allergies the opportunity to check if the product contains substances that they may be sensitive/allergic to before they buy. This is made easier using uniform names across Europe. Ingredients of botanical origin are listed by their Latin name. A dictionary has been prepared by an International Committee (INCI: International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) that all manufacturers of cosmetic products are obliged to use. When a diagnosis has been confirmed by a medical professional, a list of these INCI names are generally given to the patient to reference against any products they are considering purchasing. Please refer to the ingredients of the product packaging or our ‘List of Ingredients’ section on each www.nivea.co.uk product page. Alternatively, contact our NIVEA Consumer Interaction Careline on 00800 49 40 1911* for further advice.

Whilst we do not actively use any gluten ingredients within our products, the absence of gluten isn't a special parameter that we investigate our raw materials on. As gluten is not excluded from our raw material specifications, it is possible that there may be slight traces of gluten in some ingredients. If you have coeliac disease or a severe gluten allergy, we’d recommend that you speak to your GP or dermatologist who’s best placed to advise on suitable products.

All our cosmetic products have been evaluated for safety and skin compatibility before they are introduced into the market, as required by company policy and European law. This evaluation considers that most cosmetic products are used by female consumers. Therefore, all our products are considered safe for pregnant/breastfeeding women.

If a cosmetic product is to be used on the breast area, we’d recommend not to use this directly before breastfeeding, but instead after breastfeeding to avoid uptake of the cosmetic product by the baby. All our cosmetic skin care products are made to care for the skin and maintain its healthy look but are not designed to be ingested by oral uptake. As such, the oral uptake of cosmetic products by babies during breast feeding should be avoided.

As personal health circumstances vary, if you have any particular concerns about the use of cosmetic and toiletry products, we recommend that you seek further guidance from your GP or Midwife who is better placed to provide individual advice.

The quality, effectiveness and compatibility of NIVEA products has been held in high regard by consumers for 100 years. All products undergo evaluation by human volunteers, which are carried out within our company's research department or by independent research institutes. The tests are overseen by a dermatologist or doctor who examines the results before a product can be approved. However, it is not possible for any manufacturer to totally prevent the possibility of an allergic reaction which can be caused by individual sensitivity to one or more of the ingredients.

Although our products comply with all safety regulations set by the European Cosmetic Directive, we’re regrettably unable to guarantee that our products will suit everyone, as everyone’s skin is unique and behaves in different ways. In the first instance we’d advise seeking medical advice from your GP/pharmacist, who will be able to diagnose an adverse reaction and suggest any appropriate medication. Only a dermatologist can accurately determine the cause of an adverse skin reaction though and your GP will be able to refer you to a dermatologist if required.

Once referred, a dermatologist would apply the finished product to the skin. If a positive reaction is experienced, a second test is done with the single ingredients of the product, to determine the specific cause (ingredient/s) for the skin reaction. Once diagnosed, you will then be able to identify if any product contains any ingredient you are sensitive to in future. This will enable you to choose compatible products and help you to avoid any further adverse reactions.

The list of ingredients is detailed on the container or packaging of all our products. If you need a list of NIVEA product ingredients, then please refer to the ‘List of Ingredients’ section on each www.nivea.co.uk product page or contact our NIVEA Consumer Interaction Careline on 00800 49 40 1911*

*Calls to this international Freephone number are free from a UK landline. Calls from a mobile phone may be subject to charges by your service provider.

The list of ingredients gives people with allergies the opportunity to check if the product contains substances that they may be sensitive to before they buy. This is made easier using uniform names across Europe. Ingredients of botanical origin are listed by their Latin name. A dictionary has been prepared by an International Committee (INCI: International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) that all manufacturers of cosmetic products are obliged to use. The highest percentage ingredient is listed first. The other ingredients are listed in descending order with colours listed last by their C.I. (colour index) number.

For all NIVEA products we guarantee an unopened shelf life of at least 30 months from the date of manufacture unless they carry a specific expiry or use by date. Although the products will not be harmful after this date of expiration, active ingredients may become less effective. For this reason, we advise you to replace any unused products after the expiration date or if the product looks or smells different than usual.

The ingredients we use must be provably effective and, at the same time, tolerable for consumers and the environment. This is checked during extensive studies and tests. Most of the ingredients in our products will biodegrade (e.g. detergents), at least slowly (such as paraffins). Silicones and inorganic compounds such as titanium dioxide or talc are of course not biodegradable. However, silicones are subject to chemical degradation.

In chemistry there is a group of substances with the general name "alcohols". Their physical states range from liquid to solid, with very different properties. When "alcohol-free" or 'no alcohol' is stated on a product, this refers to ethyl alcohol, ethanol or alcohol denat. Ethyl alcohol is also the alcohol in alcoholic drinks. In cosmetic products, ethyl alcohol has a refreshing and invigorating effect but can be over drying for certain people who are particularly sensitive. In the list of ingredients on the packaging, ethyl alcohol is listed as "alcohol" or "alcohol, denat". The aliphatic alcohols (e.g. cetearyl alcohol or lanolin alcohol) are solid substances that do not have this drying effect. They are used, for example, as emulsifying agents with a nourishing effect, which give the product the required consistency.

It is thanks to preservatives that face, and body creams do not need to be stored in the fridge. Without preservatives, products would spoil within a very short period of time. Microorganisms such as bacteria and mould, which generally get into the product through contact with our skin and spread easily in aqueous cosmetics, are the cause of this. The result: products become contaminated, they lose their effective properties, and, in a worst-case scenario, sensitive skin reactions may be experienced. Preservatives hinder the spoiling of cosmetic products so in consequence protect your skin. By using preservatives, NIVEA can ensure that the quality of its products is preserved for a longer period of time.

In accordance with the European Directive 76/211/EEC we always ensure that the quantity named on the packaging can be extracted from the packaging. If the packaging does not allow for all contents to be removed from the bottle, we overfill to some degree to ensure that you’ll receive the quantity stated on the packaging.

With pump bottles, a small space is required between the bottom of the pump and the bottle to aid dispensing. With this packaging design even more residues might remain in the pump bottle compared to regular bottles. Apart from ensuring that you can extract the quantity stated on the bottle, the cap can also be screwed off in most cases so that all contents can be taken from the bottle. The same procedure can be applied to other products in regular bottles (lotion, shower gel etc).

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WHERE CAN I GET A SAMPLE OF NIVEA PRODUCTS?

CAN I APPLY FOR A CHARITY DONATION OR CHARITY PRODUCT HAMPER?

WOULD NIVEA SPONSOR ME, MY CLUB, MY COMPANY?

ARE SOME ONLINE SAMPLING PROMOTIONS THAT SHOW NIVEA PRODUCTS A SCAM?

CAN I PURCHASE NIVEA PRODUCTS IN BULK (COMPANIES/BUSINESSES)?

WHERE CAN I SEND A MARKETING PROPOSAL TO?

DO NIVEA TEST ON ANIMALS?

WHICH PRODUCTS ARE ANIMAL DERIVED?

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS VEGAN?

DO YOUR PRODUCTS CONTAIN NUTS?

ARE NIVEA PRODUCTS GLUTEN FREE?

IS IT SAFE TO USE NIVEA PRODUCTS WHEN PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING?

HOW ARE COSMETIC PRODUCTS TESTED FOR SKIN TOLERANCE?

WHAT CAN I DO IF I EXPERIENCE AN ADVERSE REACTION OR SKIN SENSITIVITY AFTER USING ONE OF YOUR PRODUCTS?

CAN I GET A LIST OF ALL NIVEA PRODUCTS CONTAINING A PARTICULAR INGREDIENT THAT I HAVE A SENSITIVITY TO?

WHY ARE THE INGREDIENTS LISTED ON THE PRODUCTS?

WHERE IS THE USE BY/EXPIRY DATE ON NIVEA PRODUCTS?

WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE FOR NIVEA PRODUCTS?

CAN I STILL USE NIVEA PRODUCTS AFTER THEIR EXPIRATION DATE HAS PASSED?

WHAT DOES "DERMATOLOGICALLY TESTED" MEAN?

ARE NIVEA PRODUCTS BIODEGRADABLE?

WHAT DOES ALCOHOL-FREE MEAN?

WHY DO COSMETIC PRODUCTS HAVE PRESERVATIVES?

MY PRODUCT IS ALMOST FINISHED, BUT THERE IS STILL SOME PRODUCT REMAINING IN THE BOTTLE. WHY IS THIS?

WHERE DOES THE NAME “NIVEA” COME FROM?

I’D LIKE TO MODEL FOR NIVEA. HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT THIS?

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