NIVEA Sun and the Introduction of Almond Oil
As a voice for the allergy community, we keep a close eye on situations and products which can unexpectedly cause worry, anxiety or an allergic reaction.
Over the past week, it has come to our attention, with thanks to many supporters of the Trust, that NIVEA has newly introduced almond oil into part of their range of sun cream for kids. For anyone with sensitivities, including allergies, we understand that finding a brand which suits your needs offers reassurance and confidence but when ingredients change, this can cause anxiety and worry.
As part of your voice for the community, the Trust swiftly contacted NIVEA by telephone who have since been supportive of our enquiry. We received the following response which we trust will be of interest.
This year we have improved the NIVEA SUN Kids Protect & Care range by adding almond oil. Almond oil is used in a wide range of formulas for babies and children, as it makes skin soft to touch and protects it from moisture loss.
We really appreciate you raising the question of allergies with us. The highest standards regarding toxicological testing and the quality of our ingredients and products are essential for Beiersdorf. Please be assured that all ingredients used in our products have been thoroughly evaluated regarding safety and skin compatibility according to the current EU legislation for cosmetics. Furthermore, the almond oil used in our products, including NIVEA SUN Kids Protect & Care, is refined in a way that there is no known food allergic potential.
Those who have concerns with regards to food and/or skin related almond allergies should seek the advice of their GP before using any product that contains almond oil. If in doubt, our NIVEA SUN Babies & Kids Sensitive Protect range may be a more suitable alternative, as it does not contain almond oil.
Following your contact, we are currently taking a number of steps to further clarify to our consumers that almond oil is included in the NIVEA SUN Kids Protect & Care range, including making it clearer on the pack. Again, we appreciate you raising this matter with us for further review.- NIVEA, April 2022
While we hope this goes some way to reassure those who have purchased or perhaps unknowingly used this sun protection on themselves or an individual with an almond allergy, the Trust would advise seeking professional guidance from your GP or to find an alternative product from a range which does not contain refined Almond oil. A graphic of alternative Nivea products can be seen below.
NIVEA has extended their help by listing the official INCI names (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient) of nut and tree nuts which will be found on the ingredients list of any cosmetic product worldwide. We have listed these below:
Almond Oil - Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis
Macadamia nut - Macadamia Ternifolia
Shea Butter - Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
Peach extracts and oils – Prunus Persica
Sunflower seed extracts and oils - Helianthus Annuus
Castor seed oil - Ricinus Communis
Anise fruit or seed extract - Pimpinella Anisum
Jojoba Oil - Simmondsia Chinensis
Avocado Oil - Persia Gratissima
Argan Nut Oil - Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
UPDATE, 29 APRIL 2020
NIVEA have today confirmed that no adults sun cream contains almond oil.