Nivea Faces Lawsuit Over “Natural” Ingredient Claims

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit alleges Nivea (Beiersdorf, Inc.) misled consumers by marketing its "Natural Moisturizing Factors Enriched" lotions as natural, despite containing synthetic ingredients.

Consumers Affected: U.S. consumers who purchased Nivea “Nourish by Nature” or “Naturally Good” body lotions, moisturizers, and related skincare products.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Beiersdorf, the parent company of skincare brand Nivea, is being sued by a group of California consumers who say they were duped into buying lotions and creams based on misleading claims about their natural content. 

The proposed class action targets products from Nivea’s “Nourish by Nature” and “Naturally Good” lines, which prominently advertise that they contain “98%” or “99%” naturally derived or natural origin ingredients.

According to the lawsuit, those numbers are wildly inflated and based on industry standards that don’t match consumer expectations. While the product labels suggest that nearly all ingredients come straight from nature, the plaintiffs argue that most are actually synthetic compounds manufactured through industrial chemical processes.

Consumers Say They Paid Premium for Falsely Advertised Products

The five plaintiffs—Aisley Davis, Julius Yarbough, Valerie Robins, Marisol Scharon, and Kathryn Bowman—say they bought Nivea products specifically because of the prominent natural claims on the packaging. 

They believed they were getting safer, eco-friendly, plant-based skincare options. Instead, they say they paid a premium for products loaded with synthetic chemicals, falsely presented as “natural” through vague definitions and obscure labeling.

Some plaintiffs didn’t even notice the asterisks on the front labels, which referred to fine-print disclaimers hidden on the back or bottom of the packaging. Even when found, the definitions did little to clarify that many of the “naturally derived” ingredients were chemically processed. The lawsuit claims this amounted to a bait-and-switch, luring in health-conscious consumers with claims that don’t hold up to scrutiny.

Lawsuit Details Lab-Made Ingredients in Popular Lotions

At the center of the issue is how Beiersdorf calculates those high “natural” percentages. The company relies on a little-known and hard-to-access standard called ISO 16128, developed by the British Standards Institute. 

According to the complaint, this technical guideline allows synthetic chemicals to be labeled “naturally derived” if they originate from natural sources, like a molecule once found in a plant, even if they’re heavily altered through lab processes.

Critics argue this method gives brands cover to “greenwash” their products, appealing to consumers’ desire for cleaner, safer skincare while still relying on industrial ingredients. The lawsuit says ingredients like citric acid, glycerin, and various emulsifiers—common in both Nivea products and conventional skincare—are made through synthetic processes and should not be considered “natural” by any everyday definition.

The plaintiffs allege that if shoppers knew the true makeup of the products, they would have either passed or paid less.

Beauty Brands Face Increased Legal Challenges Over Ingredient Claims

Nivea isn’t the only brand under fire for its so-called “natural” claims. Unilever is facing a similar lawsuit over its Dove and Love Beauty & Planet products, which also boast high percentages of “naturally derived” ingredients that may not live up to the billing.

Meanwhile, e.l.f. Cosmetics has been accused of selling underfilled products in oversized packaging, and RoC Skincare is being challenged over its retinol cleanser, which allegedly rinses off too quickly to be effective. Maëlys Cosmetics is also in hot water for allegedly using misleading before-and-after photos to sell body creams.

In the Nivea false advertising class action lawsuit, the plaintiffs want to represent California consumers who purchased the products in their claims of fraud, deceit, false advertising, violation of the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, and more. They are seeking damages, restitution, fees, costs, and interest.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Davis, et al. v. Beiersdorf, Inc.
• Case Number: 3:25-cv-03661-TSH  
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Anthony J. Patek and Seth A. Safier (Gutride Safier LLP)

Do you use Nivea 'Nourish by Nature' or 'Naturally Good' products? What are your thoughts on these allegations? Share your opinion below.