Cetaphil vs Nivea:Which is more popular?
In October 2026, Cetaphil had more branded searches than Nivea among moisturizer brands worldwide. Cetaphil had about 736,000 branded searches, while Nivea had 214,000. Cetaphil made up 40.8% of all moisturizer brand searches we track, and Nivea accounted for 11.8%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about moisturizer brands, Cetaphil appeared in two of the four answers and Nivea in none.
Who do people search for more?
Cetaphil, about 3 searches for every 1 for Nivea
Who does AI mention more?
Cetaphil, mentioned in 2 of 4 answers, Nivea in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Cetaphil, the only one of the two named
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Top moisturizer brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Cetaphil was mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Nivea did not appear in any of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
CeraVe1st
La Roche-Posay2nd- Cetaphil3rd
Neutrogena4th
Vanicream5th
Kiehl's6th
Clinique7th
Nivea–
Aveeno–
Drunk Elephant–- +1 more
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- CeraVe4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- La Roche-Posay4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Cetaphil2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Vanicream2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Neutrogena2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Clinique1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Kiehl's1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Nivea0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Aveeno0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Drunk Elephant0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about moisturizer brands
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which moisturizer brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best moisturizer brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best moisturizer brand for dry skin?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“face moisturizer”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“moisturizer for dry skin”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 19, 2026.
Is Cetaphil or Nivea more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Cetaphil and Nivea by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 11 moisturizer brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Cetaphil, Nivea. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Cetaphil | CeraVe | La Roche-Posay | Nivea | Aveeno | Vanicream | Neutrogena | Clinique | Kiehl's | Drunk Elephant | Dermalogica |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 34.4% | 16.7% | 11.7% | 12.2% | 5.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.7% | 3.5% | 2.6% | 0.77% |
| Dec 2025 | 34.4% | 16.9% | 11.8% | 12.2% | 5.1% | 4.9% | 3.2% | 4.7% | 3.5% | 2.6% | 0.64% |
| Jan 2026 | 35.2% | 17.6% | 12.5% | 10.9% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 1.8% | 0.77% |
| Feb 2026 | 34% | 19.7% | 12.1% | 10.5% | 5.4% | 5.2% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 3% | 1.7% | 0.76% |
| Mar 2026 | 32.6% | 19.6% | 13.6% | 10.1% | 5.3% | 4.8% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 3% | 1.7% | 0.74% |
| Apr 2026 | 34.5% | 17.4% | 12.7% | 10.7% | 5.5% | 5.1% | 4.5% | 4.6% | 2.7% | 1.5% | 0.77% |
| May 2026 | 31.9% | 19.2% | 13.5% | 10.3% | 5.3% | 4.8% | 5% | 5.1% | 2.5% | 1.6% | 0.85% |
| Jun 2026 | 32.8% | 19.8% | 12% | 10.1% | 5.4% | 5.9% | 5.2% | 4.4% | 2.3% | 1.4% | 0.74% |
| Jul 2026 | 33.6% | 17.3% | 12.9% | 11% | 5.8% | 6% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 2.2% | 1.4% | 0.76% |
| Aug 2026 | 36.6% | 15.8% | 13.4% | 11.1% | 5.3% | 5.6% | 3.9% | 4% | 2.2% | 1.3% | 0.81% |
| Sep 2026 | 35.7% | 17.8% | 13.1% | 11% | 5.2% | 5.3% | 3.8% | 4% | 2.3% | 1.2% | 0.66% |
| Oct 2026 | 40.8% | 13.8% | 11.9% | 11.8% | 5.1% | 5% | 4.4% | 3.8% | 1.8% | 0.95% | 0.61% |
Cetaphil and Nivea sell other things too, so only their searches that name this product count here, like “cetaphil face cream”.
How has branded search for Cetaphil and Nivea changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Cetaphil was ahead of Nivea in every measured month of the 12 months ending October 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Cetaphil’s share of searches among moisturizer brands worldwide moved from 34.4% to 40.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 501K to 736K.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Nivea’s share of searches among moisturizer brands worldwide moved from 12.2% to 11.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 178K to 214K.
How did search popularity change for moisturizer brands worldwide in October 2026?
2 changes
In October 2026, Cetaphil gained share of searches among moisturizer brands worldwide, from 35.7% to 40.8%.
In October 2026, Nivea gained share of searches among moisturizer brands worldwide, from 11% to 11.8%.
How are Cetaphil’s and Nivea’s branded searches counted?
6 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Cetaphil’s and Nivea’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among moisturizer brands
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