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The newer Nivea aftershave balms not as good as the old ones?

I've been using pretty much the same aftershave Nivea sensitive cool balm from the first picture on the left since I started DE shaving and i'm very familiar with its properties and the scent.

I still own a few of the old ones, but last year i've bought a few of the newer version quite cheap and I was expecting the quality to be the same as the older version. I've been using the newer version for around a month now and i'm very disappointed. The scent is different, the cooling effect is nowhere to be found and it vaporizes pretty fast and leaves no trace or smoothes the skin whatsoever.

I would take a while before I finish all my current stock of both old and new Nivea balms, but once they are gone, i'm not going to buy this or any other Nivea balm anymore. Does anyone else finds the newer version to be as disappointing as I do?

Here's some pictures of the old one on the left side compared to the newer version on the right. I think the newer version is on the market for at least 3 years now.

Nivea Men Sensitive.png
nivea men cool balm.png
 
Sorry, can't compare, haven't used nivea ASB for quite a while. I do like L'Oreal Express Men very much, that is my favorite until now. Budgetwise, I also use Balea Q10 and Sensitive ASB, which I also like. They are a bit greasier than L'Oreal, but I quite like them too.
 
I've only tried the cooling stuff once a couple years ago and didn't notice any cooling from it at all so I never tried it again. I still use their regular stuff pretty consistently and have for at least 5 years. It seems about the same as it always has. Just a slightly different bottle.
 
I've been using pretty much the same aftershave Nivea sensitive cool balm from the first picture on the left since I started DE shaving and i'm very familiar with its properties and the scent.

I still own a few of the old ones, but last year i've bought a few of the newer version quite cheap and I was expecting the quality to be the same as the older version. I've been using the newer version for around a month now and i'm very disappointed. The scent is different, the cooling effect is nowhere to be found and it vaporizes pretty fast and leaves no trace or smoothes the skin whatsoever.

I would take a while before I finish all my current stock of both old and new Nivea balms, but once they are gone, i'm not going to buy this or any other Nivea balm anymore. Does anyone else finds the newer version to be as disappointing as I do?

Here's some pictures of the old one on the left side compared to the newer version on the right. I think the newer version is on the market for at least 3 years now.

View attachment 1371010View attachment 1371011
Nivea lovers can bash me all they want, but something is definitely wrong at that outfit. I have thought for some time now, maybe two years, that Nivea is not worth purchasing, after a good amount of time, maybe fifteen years of being a devoted fan of the brand. My recent experiences with the regular balm, the sensitive balm, the mentholated balm and the energizing lotion have gone from being satisfied in the past to now being disgusted. Every version has left my skin crying foul, and my nose revolting from the scent. Two balms became hand lotion, the mentholated balm and energizing lotion found the trash can after a few uses. I have noticed less space and product devoted to Nivea shaving items in stores. Walmart has only one SKU of Nivea after shaving product now. Perhaps more people have caught on to the Nivea nonsense. I used to buy two/three bottles a year of Nivea--those days are over.
 
Nivea lovers can bash me all they want, but something is definitely wrong at that outfit. I have thought for some time now, maybe two years, that Nivea is not worth purchasing, after a good amount of time, maybe fifteen years of being a devoted fan of the brand. My recent experiences with the regular balm, the sensitive balm, the mentholated balm and the energizing lotion have gone from being satisfied in the past to now being disgusted. Every version has left my skin crying foul, and my nose revolting from the scent. Two balms became hand lotion, the mentholated balm and energizing lotion found the trash can after a few uses. I have noticed less space and product devoted to Nivea shaving items in stores. Walmart has only one SKU of Nivea after shaving product now. Perhaps more people have caught on to the Nivea nonsense. I used to buy two/three bottles a year of Nivea--those days are over.

This balm is all is use and the quality is definitely not the same. The other thing that comes to mind is the lesser known fact that cosmetic products made in Western Europe are not the same as those for the Eastern Europe, which is where I am.

I've bought my older versions from Germany a few years ago and thew newer ones although are not terrible and are kinda still usable, once they are all finished I will most definitely seek something else. Perhaps the Proraso sensitive balms are going to be a nice replacement.
 
the stuff here is fairly close to the old stuff there is a slight change in feel but it’s not enough to really go it’s a bad change …for me and maybe it’s just me but I found Nivea soft moisturiser cream in a tub to be 1. Cheap and 2. pretty damn good as a aftershave balm but ymmv there.. p.s also Stirling aftershave balms are not half bad either (still not as good as nivea soft but pretty good… but they cost a bit more there )
 
The Proraso White balm is a good one.
That it is but it's 2-3 times the price of the Nivea balm

I am still using older stock of the balm so when it runs out I will try the newer formulation here in Canada and see. Would be sad if the change is indeed drastic, my Mitchell's Wool Fat shaves always end with the Nivea balm they go together like ketchup and mustard
 

Dave himself

Wee Words of Wisdom
The L'Oréal ASB with birch sap is a nice light cream which absorbs quickly and leaves my skin moisturised once again its the YMMV + there no real scent to speak of so it doesn't really interferes with my AS splash
 
This balm is all is use and the quality is definitely not the same. The other thing that comes to mind is the lesser known fact that cosmetic products made in Western Europe are not the same as those for the Eastern Europe, which is where I am.

I've bought my older versions from Germany a few years ago and thew newer ones although are not terrible and are kinda still usable, once they are all finished I will most definitely seek something else. Perhaps the Proraso sensitive balms are going to be a nice replacement.
as my colleague said when I complained about Nivea products to him. "What did you expect, it is a bottom shelf product after all".
He is 100% right.

p.s.: I used to use their shower gels long time ago, I stopped using them when the feel changed from one day to another.
 
Sigh. I still have several Nivea bottles left from years ago. Too bad about the drop in quality. Soon I'll be cracking open my last bottle of Proraso white ASB, which is still around but much more costly than it used to be. Anyway, these are unnecessary luxury items for me. Plain old unscented Aveeno works fine.
 
I've been using pretty much the same aftershave Nivea sensitive cool balm from the first picture on the left since I started DE shaving and i'm very familiar with its properties and the scent.

I still own a few of the old ones, but last year i've bought a few of the newer version quite cheap and I was expecting the quality to be the same as the older version. I've been using the newer version for around a month now and i'm very disappointed. The scent is different, the cooling effect is nowhere to be found and it vaporizes pretty fast and leaves no trace or smoothes the skin whatsoever.

I would take a while before I finish all my current stock of both old and new Nivea balms, but once they are gone, i'm not going to buy this or any other Nivea balm anymore. Does anyone else finds the newer version to be as disappointing as I do?

Here's some pictures of the old one on the left side compared to the newer version on the right. I think the newer version is on the market for at least 3 years now.
At first, I was okay with the new formula Nivea, but my enthusiasm has faded over time and with further use.

I'm curious if your old bottles of Nivea indicate they were manufactured in Germany and/or if the new bottles indicate they were manufactured in Mexico. As you can see from an older post of mine, the formula was changed:

Old Nivea Sensitive (Made in Germany):
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Panthenol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Tapioca starch, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Chamomilla Recutita, Glycine Soja Oil, Triceteareth-4 phosphate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Fragrance

New Nivea Sensitive (Made in Mexico):
Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Bark/Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tapioca Starch, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Maltodextrin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Piroctone Olamine, Fragrance

Quite a difference. The newer formula is "missing" six ingredients that were present in the old formula and contains four ingredients not present in the old formula. Here's an alphabetized list of ingredients (where [A] = Added, [R] = Removed):

View attachment 1175336
 
At first, I was okay with the new formula Nivea, but my enthusiasm has faded over time and with further use.

I'm curious if your old bottles of Nivea indicate they were manufactured in Germany and/or if the new bottles indicate they were manufactured in Mexico. As you can see from an older post of mine, the formula was changed:

Both were made in Germany and I just checked to see how many old ones I have left, since I had the impression that I have at least one bottle left, but it seems that i've used all of them and I just have only of the new ones :(.

The balm is not terrible, but it's not as good or the same as before and I have one opened and 3 full bottles that I have to use over time. It's not that bad, but I wish I stocked up with the old formula when I had the chance.

It would take a few years before I finish all the bottles and after that i'm going to try the Proraso white balm and see if it's any better.
 
I would not miss Paraben from the old ingredient list. Hamamelis Virginiana is witch hazel, that is an addition in the new one, so that is a plus too. I cannot comment on the rest.
The EU is (in the process of) banning parabens. If you ask me, they cannot do it fast enough.

P.s.: if carbomer would be replaced too, the new ingredients list would be almost decent.
 
I would not miss Paraben from the old ingredient list. Hamamelis Virginiana is witch hazel, that is an addition in the new one, so that is a plus too. I cannot comment on the rest.
The EU is (in the process of) banning parabens. If you ask me, they cannot do it fast enough.

Which ingredients of the old formula are considered to be parabanes? I honestly don't know much about these things and i'm genuinely curious.
 
I can‘t work up too much excitement about balms. The Nivea one seems ok and I like the way the cap works. I’m a simple man with simple needs. I don’t ask for much out of life.
 
Which ingredients of the old formula are considered to be parabanes? I honestly don't know much about these things and i'm genuinely curious.
Methylparaben :letterk1:

p.s.: this is a controversial topic, there is little evidence against some ingredients, but there is some nontheless. everyone can decide for themselves, but I personally don't put anything on my skin that has: parabens, carbomers, any kind of microplastic (this can come with various names, so you have to do some research), and pure mineral oil (aka liquid petroleum, this one has many names as well)
 
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Methylparaben :letterk1:

p.s.: this is a controversial topic, there is little evidence against some ingredients, but there is some nontheless. everyone can decide for themselves, but I personally don't put anything on my skin that has: parabens, carbomers, any kind of microplastic (this can come with various names, so you have to reasearch some).

Oh damn, it even has the word paraben in it.
 
At first, I was okay with the new formula Nivea, but my enthusiasm has faded over time and with further use.

I'm curious if your old bottles of Nivea indicate they were manufactured in Germany and/or if the new bottles indicate they were manufactured in Mexico. As you can see from an older post of mine, the formula was changed:
The odd thing is, I stocked up on Nivea PSB at a good price at least four years ago, and it has what you call the "new" formula. And even before that, I've been using it for seven years, and for that entire time, it has been made in Mexico and AFAIK has had the same ingredients. Recently, the packaging has changed, but I have not checked to see if the ingredients have changed.
 
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