Top 15 Nivea Competitors & Alternatives in 2025

The top Nivea Competitors are Vaseline, Ponds, Clinique, Johnson and Johnson, Lakme, Dove, Olay and others. A famous skin care brand, Nivea was established in the year 1882 by a pharmacist of German by name Carl Paul Beiersdorf. It has risen into an international skin care company with many brands. Nivea’s success in the personal care brand was acknowledged when it introduced the skin-lightening products like whitening paste which was a huge hit across Asia.

Even in the current scenario, Nivea products which contain whitening ingredients are the brand’s biggest sellers. Over the years Nivea extended its product lines with many products.

As of 2023, the Nivea brand was valued at approximately 6.6 billion U.S. dollars.  NIVEA India has been recognized as India’s No. 1 Trusted Brand 2022 in the category of Skin Care by the prestigious brand intelligence firm TRA research. This is the second time that NIVEA India has been declared India’s Most Trusted Brand in the skin care category. In addition, NIVEA has also managed to secure the 78th rank among the overall 1000 Most Trusted Brands in India.

Through this article, let us discuss top Nivea competitors.

Top Nivea competitors

1) Vaseline

• Product Type: Skincare, lip care, and personal care.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1870, London, England
• Founder: Robert Augustus Chesebrough
• Headquarters: London, England
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Alan Jope

A well-known brand of personal care, Vaseline is a petroleum jelly body lotion which is owned by Unilever.  Having more than 140 years of existence, this brand is the largest consumer products companies. The various products of Vaseline are plain petroleum jelly, soaps, cleansers, skin creams, lotions, and deodorants.

Vaseline produces products that meet the specific requirements of consumers. This brand contains about six ranges of products like Vaseline Petroleum Jelly, Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer, Vaseline Intensive Rescue, and Vaseline Lip Therapy, Vaseline MEN, and Vaseline Total Moisture. Vaseline products are available in all drug, and food retail shops.

The global Vaseline market size was valued at USD 528.57 million in 2022.

This brand is present in almost 70 countries. Being a famous skin care brand, its production mainly focuses on the skin. When Vaseline products are purchased by a customer, the person will tend to use it always. Due to their high brand value and its strong distribution, Vaseline is considered as one of the top Nivea competitors.

2) Ponds

• Product Type:  Skincare, lip care, and personal care.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1846, Brooklyn, New York, United States
• Founders: Henry Pond and James Pond
• Headquarters: East Hanover, New Jersey, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Niharika Prasad

A famous brand of beauty and healthcare products, Ponds is owned by Unilever. Established in the year 1846, Ponds manufactures and deals with a wide range of personal care products. Their main products are talcum powder, petroleum jelly, face wash, cold cream, and soap, Ponds moisturizers, Ponds Cleansers, Ponds Oil, and Face Wipes.

Ponds cream was introduced as a medicine by scientist Theron T Pond in the United States. Over the years, this brand was a well-accepted brand among Americans and concentrated on producing vanishing cream. The main target customer for this brand is the women ever since its formation.

This brand has a good product line and the products launched by the company have always enhanced the brand value. Due to their affordable prices and strong distribution, Ponds is considered as one of the top Nivea competitors.

3) Clinique

• Product Type: Skin care, cosmetics, and fragrances.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1968, New York City, United States
• Founders: Estée Lauder Companies and Carol Phillips
• Headquarters: New York City, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Scott Weiss

Clinique is a private company who manufactures fragrances, cosmetics, and various beauty products. Established in the year 1967, this company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of The Estee Lauder Companies.

It offers moisturizers, cleansers, exfoliators, makeup removers, eye and lip care, skin toners, body care products, hair care products, anti-aging products and many more. It also produces skin care, shaving products, and grooming products for men. Their products are available through retail shops in Canada and United States and also through online. The company has a good marketing campaign which creates a strong awareness among people and the brand is recognized. In 2023, the Clinique brand was valued at approximately 4.8 billion U.S. dollars. When it comes to face care users, brand awareness of Clinique is at 74% in the United States.

The main strength of this brand is, the products are customized and chemical free. Due to their high-quality product that is available across various locations, Clinique is regarded as one of the top Nivea competitors.

4) Johnson and Johnson

• Product Type: Skin care, cosmetics, and fragrances.
• Industry: Healthcare
• Founded date: 1886, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
• Founders: Robert Wood Johnson I, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson
• Headquarters: New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Joaquin Duato
• Revenue: $25.530B (June 30, 2023)
• Market cap: $422.75B (September 11, 2023)
• Number of employees: 155,800 (2022)

An American multinational company, Johnson & Johnson is a manufacturer of pharmaceutical, medical equipment, and consumer goods. Established in the year 1886, Johnson & Johnson Company is headquartered in New Jersey, United States.

The company teamed with its subsidiaries, researches and develops various products related to health and personal care which are available worldwide. The consumer products offered by this brand are baby care products, oral care products, and beauty products. The pharmaceutical products offered by this brand are in the areas of infectious diseases and vaccines, neuroscience, immunology, oncology and many more.

Johnson & Johnson net income for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $5.144B. Johnson & Johnson gross profit for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $17.318B. Johnson & Johnson operating income for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $6.762B.

This brand has a strong presence within each category of product. It is a most trusted brand by many medical practitioners. As it is regarded as one of the largest healthcare providers, Johnson & Johnson is regarded as one of the top Nivea competitors.

5) Lakme

• Product Type: Cosmetics, skincare, and hair care products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1952, Mumbai, India
• Founders: Tata Oil Mills Company
• Headquarters: Mumbai, India
• Area served: India
• Current CEO: Prabha Narsimhan
• Revenue: Rs 328 crore (FY2023)

An Indian cosmetic brand, Lakme is owned by Hindustan Unilever. It was established in the year 1952 by JRD Tata on request from the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who observed that Indian women spend on foreign exchange for beauty products.

This brand is considered as the first cosmetic brand in the country and is proud of their achievements in the Indian Beauty sector. It is a comprehensive brand of beauty which spans color cosmetics, skin care products, and offering beauty services through Lakme Beauty Salons. Its great bond in the fashion and beauty industry is demonstrated through their well-known event, Lakme Fashion Week, which is now regarded as the largest event in fashion across the country. Lakme Lever has over 450 owned/managed and franchisee salons. In the last year’s annual report, the number of saloons was 400.

Lakme is a well-known brand and it has high visibility in the Indian market through their products and beauty salons. The famous Indian actress, Kareena Kapoor is the brand ambassador for Lakme. Due to the great product line and its visibility, Lakme is a top Nivea competitor.

6) Dove

• Product Type:  Cosmetics, skincare, and hair care products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1957, United States
• Founders: Lever Brothers Company
• Headquarters: London, England
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Erin Power

A well-known personal care brand, Dove was introduced in the year 1955 and headquartered in the United Kingdom. Dove manufactures many products for women and men which are sold in more than 80 countries. Dove is a personal care brand owned by the London-Rotterdam consumer goods company Unilever. It is the strongest brand of Unilever. The products are sold in more than 150 countries and are offered for both women and men, and babies and kids.

Dove products are mainly prepared using salts of animal fats, vegetable oils, and synthetic surfactants. Due to these ingredients, these products are not considered vegan. The Dove has a great advantage in its design where it has a mix of both soap and cream thereby providing a cleansing and smoothing product. It is recognized well in the market due to its advertising and marketing strategies.

They have already reached over 60+ million young people across 150+countries and are committed to reaching 250 million by 2030.

In August 2023, a survey and research done by Kantar’s Brand Inclusion Index conducted in UK showed that Dove was considered one of the Most Inclusive Brands for consumers among other skincare brands.

In 2023, the Dove brand was valued at approximately 6.5 billion U.S. dollars.

Their products are available through offline and online stores. Due to their various distribution channels, Dove is considered as one of the top Nivea competitors.

7) Olay

• Product Type:  Cosmetics, skincare, and hair care products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1952, United States
• Founders: Graham Wulff
• Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Satyan Gajwani

An American beauty product company, Olay was introduced in the year 1952. It is a brand of Procter & Gamble. It manufactures and sells various skin care products.

Earlier originated in South Africa with the name Oil of Olay, the products were unique with a pink fluid instead of cream. It marketed its product without much describing it. Over the years, the company began to market the products at the international level and the name was altered at each country. It has found its recognition in the beauty market.

When it comes to face care users, brand awareness of Olay is at 90% in the United States. The Olay brand valuation has featured in 28 brand rankings, including the strongest and most valuable US brands, the biggest Cosmetics brands and the best Global brands.Olay.com is ranked #126 in the Lifestyle > Beauty and Cosmetics category and #63,051  globally in September 2023.

The brand has a high value and customers get connected with the brand well.  The qualities of Olay products are very good. They have specific product from anti-aging and to prevent dark spots on the skin. Due to their strong brand and distribution channel, Olay is considered as one of the top Nivea competitors.

8) Garnier

• Product Type: Hair care, skin care, and deodorant products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1904, France
• Founder: Alfred Amour Garnier
• Headquarters: Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Thibault Bazin

Garnier is a French cosmetic company which is a part of L’Oreal. Founded in the year 1904 this company produces hair and skin care products. The first product launched by Garnier is a hair tonic prepared by Alfred Garnier in the year 1904. Over the year, the company flourished as a hair care product with organic ingredients. All the products are prepared from natural ingredients. In the year 1965, L’Oreal group owned the company.

Garnier currently takes care of 27 professional and consumer products which include cosmetics and beauty products.

The brand value of Garnier was estimated at over nine billion U.S. dollars as of September 2023.

The main strength of the Garnier brand is its association with the market leader of cosmetics, L’Oreal. Garnier’s products solution is centric to a specific issue like dry skin, hair fall etc.  Due to their wide distribution network and its strong association with L’Oreal, Garnier is considered as one of the top Nivea competitors.

9) Estee Lauder

• Product Type: Hair care, skin care, and deodorant products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1946, New York City, United States
• Founders: Estée Lauder and Joseph Lauder
• Headquarters: New York City, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Fabrizio Freda
• Revenue: $3.609B (June 30, 2023)
• Market cap: $54.12B (September 13, 2023)
• Number of employees: 62,000 (2023)

American manufacturer of cosmetic products, Estee Lauder was established in the year 1946. The company is headquartered in New York, United States. It is a manufacturer of products related to makeup, hair care, and skin care products. The various products of the company are sold in almost 150 countries under various brand names like Origins, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Prescriptives, and many more.

During the initial years, this company started entry in the cosmetic industry in the manufacturing of products such as skin lotion, all-purpose crème, and cleansing oil. Over the years it expanded its production into other products like fragrances, hair care, and cosmetics.

Estee Lauder net income for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $-0.033B. Estee Lauder gross profit for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $2.446B. Estee Lauder operating income for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $-0.005B.

The main strength of this brand is its strong focus on Research & Development in identifying various customer requirements, its preferences, and new products formation. It has a good and attractive marketing strategy like providing a free gift with every purchase, organizing events etc. Due to their strong brand reputation, Estee Lauder is indeed a top Nivea competitor.

10) Shiseido

• Product Type: Cosmetics, skin care, hair care, and fragrance.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1872, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
• Founder: Arinobu Fukuhara
• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Masahiko Uotani
• Revenue: $1,824 (March 2023)
• Number of employees: 33,414 (2022)

Shiseido is a personal care company based in Japan. Founded in the year 1872, this company produces many products various products like cosmetics, fragrance, skin and hair care.  It is one of the oldest companies in the cosmetic world.

This company operates through two main segments of Japan and Global business. The Japan business segment focuses on production and sales of cosmetics, toiletries, and health and beauty products. The Global business focuses on the foreign cosmetic business which includes production and sales of cosmetics, toiletries, and beauty salon products.

Shiseido Quarterly Net Income as of March 2023 is $66 million. Shiseido Quarterly Gross Profit as of March 2023 is $1,288 million.

The company also produces raw materials for cosmetics, medical drugs, and many more. The company has a great customer relationship department to achieve a great level of customer satisfaction. Due to its great performance in the market and strong brand portfolio, Shiseido is considered as one of the top Nivea competitors.

11) Neutrogena

• Product Type: Skin care and hair care products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1930, Los Angeles, California, United States
• Founder: Emanuel Stolaroff
• Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Robert M. DiRomualdo

Neutrogena is an American brand of personal care products headquartered in Los Angeles, United States. It produces various hair care, skin care, and cosmetic products. Established in the year 1930, the Neutrogena products are sold in almost 70 countries.

Started as an independent company, it was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in the year 1994. The company is famous for its topmost products and its innovative marketing strategies.

This company has a great product portfolio and their products cater to all the beauty requirements linked to hair care, skin care, and cosmetics. This is a very innovative brand which takes care of problems related to beauty and skin care. Due to their association with Johnson & Johnson, Neutrogena is considered as one of the top Nivea competitors.

12) Ulta Beauty Inc.

• Product Type:  Skin care and hair care products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1990, Bolingbrook, Illinois, United States
• Founders: Dick George and Terry Hanson
• Headquarters: Bolingbrook, Illinois, United States
• Area served: United States
• Current CEO: David C. Kimbell
• Revenue: $2.530B (July 31, 2023)
• Number of employees: 53,000 (2023)
• Market cap: $20.4B (September 12, 2023)

Ulta Beauty Inc. is a beauty retailer that provides a wide range of cosmetics, fragrance, skin care, and hair care products. It is the largest beauty retailer in the United States and offers both prestige and mass products. The company operates through retail segments and has over 25,000 products in its portfolio. Ulta Beauty Inc. was founded in 1990 by Richard George and has since become a premier beauty destination for beauty lovers. The company offers a mix of high and low products, a range of shades and looks for all, and a variety of makeup, skin, hair, fragrance, and accessories. Ulta Beauty Inc. is headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois, and has a strong presence in the beauty industry.

Ulta Beauty net income for the quarter ending July 31, 2023 was $0.300B. Ulta Beauty operating income for the quarter ending July 31, 2023 was $0.392B. Ulta Beauty gross profit for the quarter ending July 31, 2023 was $0.994B

13) StriVectin

• Product Type:  Skin care and hair care products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 2002, United States
• Founders: Ned Seely and Jim Ramsey
• Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Ned Seely

StriVectin is a skincare brand that was launched in 2002 as a stretch mark cream sold in health food stores. It later gained popularity when women started using it on their faces and claimed it helped reduce wrinkles. StriVectin capitalized on this by running ads that asked, “Better than Botox?” Today, StriVectin is a leader in the anti-aging skincare market with a wide range of products to treat the face, neck, and body.

The StriVectin line includes moisturizers, serums, cleansers, and masks, as well as hand and body creams. Some of the most popular products are the StriVectin SD Advanced Plus Intensive Moisturizing Concentrate, StriVectin-TL Tightening Neck Cream Plus, and StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles. The brand is known for its use of NIA-114, a patented form of niacin that is said to boost the skin’s natural regenerating abilities. StriVectin was acquired by Crown Laboratories in 2021 and is based in New York City.

14) Beach Organics Skincare

• Product Type:  Skin care and hair care products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 2017, United States
• Founders: Michael and Ashley Johnson
• Headquarters: Cocoa, Florida, United States
• Area served: United States
• Current CEO: Michael Johnson

Beach Organics Skincare is a skin, hair, pet and sun care product manufacturer and distributor. Beach Organics Skincare is a brand that offers natural and organic beauty products. The brand focuses on creating safe skincare products that are free of any phthalates, parabens, sulfates, synthetic compounds, and other harmful chemicals. Beach Organics Skincare offers a range of certified organic bath and body products that are formulated with natural ingredients. The brand is committed to using sustainable and eco-friendly practices in its production process. Beach Organics Skincare products are widely available online and in-store, including Target and Whole Foods stores, Amazon, iHerb, and Thrive.

15) Kiehl’s

• Product Type:  Skin care and hair care products.
• Industry: Personal care
• Founded date: 1851, New York City, United States
• Founder: John Kiehl
• Headquarters: New York City, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Chris Salgardo

Kiehl’s is an American cosmetics brand retailer that specializes in skin, hair, and body care products. It started as a single pharmacy in Manhattan at Third Avenue and East 13th Street in 1851. Kiehl’s skincare products combine cosmetic, pharmaceutical, herbal, and medicinal knowledge to target various skin concerns. The brand is committed to using natural and efficacious ingredients in its products.

Kiehl’s offers a range of skincare, body care, and hair care products that are powered by nature and science. The brand is known for its apothecary-style packaging and personalized customer service. Kiehl’s products are widely available online and in-store, including Sephora stores. Kiehl’s is owned by L’Oréal, and the brand is not considered cruelty-free.

Conclusion

The cosmetic industries are a much need industry to meet all the beauty requirement of people of all age groups. Nivea is making use of the expertise and considering the current trend in cosmetic, it tries its best to the cosmetic world to a better tomorrow.

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