SKIN WIN
I’m a skincare whizz and took £300 Creme de la Mer and Nivea face cream to the lab – one offered 70% more hydration
Going under the microscope the two appear to be more similar than different
UNLESS you're a scientist or do hours of research - it's difficult to know exactly what's inside our skincare products and whether they are worth the money.
But one cosmetic chemist decided to put two popular moisturisers to the test from very different price points to see which one came out on top.
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Carly Musleh stitched a video where one woman said she thought the pricey £300 Creme de la Mer facial cream was basically the same as Nivea's soft moisturiser which costs £5.
She said: "I swear to God I think Nivea is actually Creme de la Mer but in a different box."
Carly, did what she does best and took both to the lab to get tested.
The cosmetic chemist first applied both of the products to her forearm in little squares and let them both sit for 45 minutes to absorb into the skin.
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She then used a moisture meter tool to test both patches and see which one really kept the skin hydrated.
"So the question is which cream work best?" she added.
And the results were shocking.
"In the hydration test, Creme de la Mer had an increase of 23% whereas Nivea Soft had a 95% increase (in hydration), she explaiend.
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Carly noted that this could be down to the high water content in the Nivea cream.
The beauty expert also tested both products for trans epidermal water loss (TEWL).
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This is the measurement that represents the amount of water that escapes from the stratum corneum per area of skin - in basic terms it means how much water is being lost through the skin.
The results found that the pricier cream reduced TEWL by 8% whereas Nivea's face cream reduced it by 15%.
Carly then took both creams under the microscope to see how the formulas compared on a molecular level.
The expert said both had a tightly packed matrix (which is a good sign a product is stable and won't go off quickly).
For ingredients, Carly said both had very similar ingredient lists but Nivea had a higher water content.
I am 63, all I ever used is Nivea, my skin is excellent.
The posh cream also contain algae - which is a great ingredient for soft skin which Nivea does not.
Overall, she said the pair were definitely similar but not exactly the same.
The clip posted to her TikTok account @carlymusleh has since gone viral with over 4million views and 163k likes.
People were quick to take to the comments and many raved about Nivea.
One person wrote: "I'm buying Nivea soft."
Another commented: "I had a patient of 70 years old and she used to practically pack her face in the blue top Nivea. She was looking like 30. I couldn't believe it."
"Nivea is outstanding!! That’s all I have ever used and I’m 50. Forget the serums and fancy stuff," penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: "I am 63, all I ever used is Nivea, my skin is excellent."
"For the money, Creme de la Mer is not worth the extra compared to Nivea,” claimed a fifth.
"Someone else asked: "Soooo…the same or not."
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"Similar not the same," said Carly.
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