Regular readers of my reviews will know that I am a huge fan of Nivea when it comes to skincare. Granted, it's mainly because of the smell of Nivea products, but I also feel like the ones I buy do a good job and it's definitely a brand a I trust. One constant in my ever-expanding Nivea collection is a pot of Nivea Soft face, body and hand cream. For me it's a much loved, much used and much trusted cream that I turn to over and over again and I am never without a pot of it on my dressing table.

THE PACKAGING AND COST

You can buy Nivea Soft in two formats, either the squeezy tube shown above or a small, squat plastic tub. I have only ever bought it in the tub for 2 reasons a) the tubs are much better value for money - they usually retail around £3.99 for 200ml meaning it's roughly £2.00 per 100ml, whilst the tubes usually retail for £2.50 for 75ml making it approximately £3.33 per 100ml and b) I use so much of it that a tube wouldn't last me very long and so I always buy it in the largest form possible.

Having talked about the price of this cream, I have to say that I almost never buy it when it's at full price (unless I've completely run out and am desperate, which almost never happens as I tend to buy a tub whenever I see it on offer so usually have 3 or 4 lurking in my cupboard at any one time) and you can generally always find it on offer somewhere so it's worth shopping around. For example, the tube is currently on sale in Tesco for £1.56 and the tub for £2.56, which is ever so slightly annoying as I bought some only last week for £2.99!

The tub that the Nivea Soft comes in is very substantial and feels of good quality rather than feeling thin and flimsy like some others do. It is completely white with the typical blue Nivea branding on it and has a screw top lid. The pot is just the right size to make unscrewing the lid very easy as it fits nicely into your hand so you can get a good grip. Having said that, my main - in fact my only - gripe with this product in the tub is that it's in a tub! I generally prefer products like this to have flip top lids as when you use it your hands obviously get covered in cream and it means the lid then gets covered in cream when you try to put it back on again. So a flip top lid makes it much easier to use, but, being a Yorkshire lass, I'm not going to pay more than £1 more per 100ml just for the privilege of a flip top lid!

The tub claims that it is a "refreshingly soft moisturising cream" containing jojoba oil and vitamin E. On the bottom of the pot is a very basic label with barcode and the name of the manufacturing company (Beiersdorf in Germany, in case you're interested). Unusally, and perhaps a little unnecessarily, you then have to peel that bottom label back to reveal further information regarding ingredients and more descriptions of what the cream can do (absorbs quickly into your skin, leaves skin "sensationally" soft and smooth, revitalises and gives long-lasting moisturising).

When you first unscrew the lid the pot is covered with an additional sealed foil lid, reassuring you that it hasn't been tampered with or used as a tester previous to you buying it. As soon as you peel back this foil lid (which has a little flap to make this an easy task) you are immediately hit with the traditional fragrance, which is one of my most favouritest fragrances ever! It is such a lovely, refreshing, clean smell. I have been reliably informed that it is down to the presence of lily of the valley in their products but whether this is true or not I can't confirm. What I can confirm, however, is that if you like clean, fresh smelling products generally (if you're a Clean Cotton fan!) you'll love this too.

THE CREAM ITSELF

Usually there is a small amount of the cream stuck to the underside of the foil lid so this is what I use first before throwing the foil in the bin. The cream itself is nice and thick and, well, creamy! It's pure white and has a lovely consistency. It's not runny like a lotion, it really is like whipped cream, although not quite as light and fluffy. Using it is easy, you just scoop a small amount out onto your fingers and rub it into your skin. Because it's quite thick, a little goes a long way and I tend to find that a blob arond the size of 3 fifty pence pieces is enough to cover my legs, arms and torso.

I find this cream to be quite intensive so only use it a couple of times a week as I generally prefer something a bit lighter for day to day use. But I wouldn't be without my Nivea Soft at least twice a week to make me feel like I'm really treating my skin well and pampering it. I don't have any particular problems with my skin other than the occasional dry patch on ankles and elbows and I don't suffer from sensitive skin either so when I use a moisturiser I'm really just after something that will treat my skin kindly, soften it and just generally make it look and feel better. Because this one is so rich and intensive I don't use it on my face or as an every day hand cream like the tub suggests and use lighter lotions and potions for these tasks.

If I want to give my hands and feet an extra deep moisturisation I often (well, about once a month anyway) layer this on quite thickly last thing at night and then put on a pair of cotton socks - on my feet, obviously! - and a pair of cotton gloves that have been heated on a radiator for a while and leave them on overnight. The next morning my hands feel unbelievably soft and in amazing condition and the skin on my feet is greatly improved and not nearly as dry.

MY OPINION

Unusually, I agree with all the claims that the Nivea Soft labelling makes, which almost never happens! Yes I find it refreching to use, mainly because of the fragrance. Yes it absorbs into my skin quickly. It's not the fastest absorbed moisturiser I've ever used, but I don't have to wait around for ages waiting until I can put my clothes back on. Yes it really does leave my skin feeling soft and looking noticably smoother. I can really tell the difference when I've used this cream and even the following day my skin still looks smoother than when I haven't used it for a while. Yes it gives long-lasting moisturisation. I never feel like I have to reapply this cream at any point for at least 24 hours after using it and that is why, generally, I use it twice a week, as I feel that it is only after 2 or 3 days that the effects of it start to fade noticably.

In case you couldn't tell, I really love this moisturising cream. It is one of the few products that I will never be without and I think it makes a real difference to my skin leaving it soft, smooth and smelling delicious. The fragrance lingers for quite a few hours after use and the visible effects on my skin last for a couple of days normally. It is one of the few products I've ever found that really does live up to all it's claims and for me that makes it excellent value for money as a tub will usually last me around 6-8 weeks and, as I never pay more then £3.00 for it it works out to be very economical. The only downside for me is the screw top lid which means that my tub is usually coated in a thin layer of the cream around the lid and I frequently have to give it a quick wipe with a tissue.

Because I'm quite easily swayed into trying new things if I see them on offer I've tried numerous body lotions and moisturising creams but never have I come back to one as religiously as I come back to this one. I would highly recommend it if you want to give your skin a treat and it gets a fabulous 5 stars from me because even the slight issue with the tub doesn't make me love this cream any less.

INGREDIENTS (for those interested)

Aqua, glycerin, paraffinum liquidum, myristyl alcohol, butylene glycol, alcohol denat, stearic acid, myristyl myristate, cera microcristillina, glyceryl stearate, hydrogenated coc-glycerides, simmondsia chinensis oil, tocopheryl acetate, lanolin alcohol (eucerit), polyglyceryl-2 caprate, dimethicone, sodium carbomer, phenoxyethanol, linalool, cintronellol, alpha-isomethyl ionone, butylphenyl mehtylpropional, limonene, benzyl salicylate, benzyl alcohol, parfum.

I'm sure there are people out there to whom those ingredients actually mean something but to me they're all gobbledegook!