Suprises at Dollar Tree!

Since living in America, I've gotten used to using lotions that come in plastic bottles with lids and pumps - brands like Suave and Aveeno and Vaseline or their generic forms.  But today while browsing our local Dollar tree for school supplies, I came across a little round tin that brought back a soothing childhood memory:  Nivea creme!  Nivea creme has broken into the American market - they advertise on TV and in magazines; there is even a men's line; and the brand is familiar now.   Nivea is branded by Beiersdorf AG of Hamburg, Germany, and for America, it is often made in Mexico and distributed through a Wilton, Connecticut supplier.   HOWEVER, what struck me today at Dollar Tree was the container - the little round tin, in this case a 30mL sized one.  

Nivea is great for kids and adults, for hands and your face.  I was always told to use the creme sparingly as it is very thick - hence it is a creme and not a lotion - and if you apply too much, your skin might feel greasy for a long time.  However, I applied the lotion tonight, and even now as I type, my skin doesn't feel greasy at all.  This creme is great for my rough elbows; it can be put on the feet with socks overnight to alleviate callouses.  It is gentle enough for the face, if you tend to have dry - not oily - skin.  The smell to me is my childhood ... not strong scent - just clean.  

Another creme that I remember from my childhood summers spent in Germany is Penaten creme:

This medicated creme also comes in a tin.  Penaten is owned by Johnson & Johnson and is named after a house of deity from ancient Rome.  Penaten is best known - at least to me - as a diaper creme.  It contains zinc oxide and lanolin.  It is a great barrier creme - it can also be useful to prevent chafing and to sooth sunburns.  I have seen it used for rashes, eczema, burns, and small, irritated areas.  It is a very thick creme, and we always just kind of dabbed it on the area to heal or help ... and did not rub it in completely; the skin just kind of absorbs it over time.  It isn't really meant for full coverage of skin, like a lotion.  According to my mom and Oma, Penaten creme was the solution for almost all skin irritations, injuries, and itchy spots!  

These are just some of the remedies of my childhood.  I was tickled to find the Nivea tin at Dollar Tree today --- the price is right, the size is convenient --- and I plan to go back and stock up!