Versus

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème - US Versus La Prairie Pure Gold Radiance Nocturnal Balm

General Moisturizer
Night Moisturizer
German Brand Germany
Swiss Brand Switzerland

Updated on February 12, 2025

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances, oils and silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Pure Gold Radiance Nocturnal Balm

Water

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon Icon

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Skin Conditioning
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Emollient
1 / 2

Jojoba Esters

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Octyldodecanol

Emollient

Isomalt

Humectant

Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil

Skin Protecting
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Emollient
2-3 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Cetearyl Glucoside

Emulsifying

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycoproteins

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Astringent

Gold

Cosmetic Colorant

Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract

Skin Conditioning

Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract

Skin Conditioning

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Masking

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Bleaching
Good for Dark Spots Icon

Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract

Skin Conditioning

Beeswax

Emulsion Stabilising
0-2 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil

Emollient
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Carnosine

Skin Conditioning

Lactobacillus Ferment

Skin Conditioning

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Cysteine

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Phytol

Emollient
Fragrance Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant Icon

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Cleansing

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Phospholipids

Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Antioxidant
2 / 0 Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Trehalose

Humectant

Soy Isoflavones

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Chloride

Masking
Can worsen Dry Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Tin Oxide

Abrasive
Exfoliant Icon

Propanediol

Solvent

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Cleansing

Calcium Sodium Borosilicate

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Polysilicone-11

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Polysilicone-15

UV Filter

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Batyl Alcohol

Emollient

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

UV Absorber
Chemical UV Filter IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Polyisobutene

Alcohol

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Parfum

Masking
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Citronellol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Geraniol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Limonene

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

CI 77891

Cosmetic Colorant

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Learn more about Dimethicone
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate
Masking, Perfuming

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum
Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.

A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.

Buffering

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

When to use

828 Routines
51% use in am
49% use in pm
98% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
1 Routine
0% use in am
100% use in pm
100% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Crème 20 ingredients

3.1 /5
from 9 ratings
Great Value (5) Hydrating (4) Works Well (3)
laila.21's avatar

Laila

9 months ago
Review

I absolutely love this moisturizer.
I know it has a bad reputation on TT especially but now i don’t trust anyone on that app lol.
I have a very sensitive acne prone skin and this didn’t do any problem to me, it makes my skin super soft and plump.
I bought the smallest one first, tested it for almost 15 days or more and now bought the biggest one.
the only downside is that it kinda makes my Show more

#great value
#hydrating
#oily
#works well
sakilogophile's avatar

Saki Logophile

1 month ago
Review

It is good, at leat for me as my skin is very dry.

#light
#absorbs well

La Prairie Pure Gold Radiance Nocturnal Balm 68 ingredients

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