What are the best Avene skincare products? Is this even a good brand? I get asked these questions a lot by readers who notice I rarely review French skincare brands like Avene. Simple: I don’t need it. Avene & co are for sensitive skin that throws a tantrum every time it meets retinol, any kind of exfoliant or… well, pretty much anything else you throw at it.
For Avene, simplicity is the name of the game: lots of moisturizing ingredients that can soothe skin and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier to keep it safe from cold weather, germs and co. Anything that could irritate skin, including powerful anti-aging superstars like retinol and glycolic acid, are out (but for some reason, Avene usually keeps the fragrance in, mmm).
I know it’s frustrating but if you’re dealing with rosacea, eczema, or uber sensitive skin, staying away from those actives – at least until your skin has fully healed – and focusing on moisture is the way to go. If that’s you, here are the best Avene skincare products in my humble opinion:
About The Brand: Avene
Avene’s story starts in the picturesque town of Avène, in the South of France, along the banks of the Orb River. Legend has it that, in the 18th century, the Marquis of Rocozel had a horse suffering from dermatosis. The horse regularly rolled into the waters to soothe its itching skin and healed. Hence, how people discovered the soothing properties of Avène Thermal Spring. The Marquis then built the first Avene Spring Thermal Water baths for patients with atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and burns.
Fast forward more than a century later and, in 1975, Pierre Fabre acquires Avene Hydrotherapy Center and Avene, the skincare brand, was born. It focuses on soothing products for people with the most sensitive of skin types and dry skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. You can find its precious thermal water in pretty much all of their products. Traditionally, the formulations have been basic, but with the advancement in skincare research and the discovery of gentle anti-aging actives, Avene has stepped up its game. If you want soothing and effective products that also help you slow down aging, check out the best Avene products below.
What Are The Best Avene Products?
Cleanance ACNE Medicated Clearing Treatment ($32.00)
Suffering from stubborn acne that won’t go away? This unassuming little treatment is packed with a whopping 5% Benzoyl Peroxide, a powerful active that kills the bacteria that cause acne and dries up people, helping your skin clear up faster. The catch? Like all killers, it’s harsh, so use it on active acne only. The rest of your face doesn’t need it! The creamy texture sinks in quickly into your skin and provides an extra layer of moisture that keeps skin from drying out.
Available at: Blue Mercury and Ulta
Active Ingredients: 5.5% Benzoyl Peroxide.
Benefits: Treats acne.
Cons: Can dry out skin.
Skin type: Acne-prone.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Avene RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream ($79.00)
Retinoids are the only thing that works against wrinkles (and they triple up as an acne and dark spots treatment too). But, they’re often too harsh for sensitive skin. I say often, because retinal is the exception. It’s gentler than other retinoids, still it packs an anti-aging punch that slows down wrinkles and boosts collagen. The silicone base makes the texture an absolute pleasure to apply, so that it glides oh so smoothly on. It also fills in every fine line and wrinkles, so they look smaller to the naked eye. If retinoid serums irritate your skin, give this one a go. It might just change your life.
Available at: Dermstore
Active Ingredients: Retinal.
Benefits: Fights wrinkles, acne, and dark spots.
Cons: Like all retinoids, it still has the potential to irritate very sensitive skin.
Skin type: All skin types.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Avene A-Oxitive Antioxidant Water-Cream ($50.00)
A lightweight water cream infused with a sprinkle of antioxidants, including Vitamins C and E, to fight free radicals before they give you wrinkles. Ideal for oily and combination skin, it sinks smoothly into your skin without leaving a greasy residue behind. Plus, it gives skin a luminous sheen that doesn’t make it look like a disco ball. It’s one of the best formulas for sensitive skin that can’t tolerate most anti-aging products but still don’t want to compromise on anti-aging power.
Available at: Look Fantastic and Sephora
Active Ingredients: Vitamins C & E
Benefits: Hydrates skin and prevents wrinkles.
Cons: Not hydrating enough for dry skin.
Skin type: Oily and combination.
Fragrance-free: No.
Avene RetrinAL Advanced Correcting Serum ($78.00)
Looking for a natural alternative to retinoids? This serum is enriched with Bakuchiol, a plan extract studies show boosts collagen and slows down premature aging as well as retinol. The catch? You need to use it twice a day to see the same results as retinol. But hey, it’s gentle enough you can do that. Plus, it has one of my fave skincare ingredients ever: niacinamide. This multitasker hydrates skin, soothes irritations, fights wrinkles, and brightens the complexion. All in a smooth, fast-absorbing texture that provides some light hydration.
Available at: Avene
Active Ingredients: Niacinamide and Bakuchiol.
Benefits: Hydrates skin and prevents wrinkles.
Cons: You need to use it twice a day to have similar effects to retinol.
Skin type: All skin types.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Avene Hydrance BOOST Concentrated Hydrating Serum ($39.00)
A simple, no-frills hyaluronic acid serum to deeply hydrate every skin type. Hyaluronic acid is a powerhouse that attracts and binds to your skin up to 1000 times its weight in water. The extra moisture softens skin, plumps up fine lines and wrinkles, and brightens the complexion. Plus, niacinamide to further hydrate skin and soothe any redness sensitive skin is so prone to. I could do without the fragrance, but if that doesn’t bother your skin, you’ll love how hydrated it feels. You’ll wake up in the morning looking fresh and glowy.
Available at: Avene, Beauty Bay, Boots, Look Fantastic, and Ulta
Active Ingredients: Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid.
Benefits: Hydrates skin and plumps up wrinkles.
Cons: Fragrance may irritate sensitive skin.
Skin type: All skin types.
Fragrance-free: No.
Avene Mineral Sunscreen Face & Body Lotion SPF 50 ($38.00)
The best UV filter for sensitive skin? Zinc oxide. It protects, on its own, from the entire UV range and is so gentle, it doesn’t irritate skin. The downside? It leaves a slight white cast on the skin when you first apply it, but on most skin tones, it dries to a clear finish. Still, a small price to pay for excellent sun protection that’s water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. The lightweight formula is also enriched with soothing ingredients to minimise UV-induced redness and irritation. All in all, a wonderful formula every skin type can use both on face and body.
Available at: Dermstore, Revolve and Ulta
Active Ingredients: 12% zinc oxide.
Benefits: Provides broad spectrum protection.
Cons: Leaves a slightly white cast.
Skin type: All skin types.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Avene Solaire UV Mineral Multi-Defense Tinted Sunscreen SPF 50+ ($36.00)
Do you have a darker skin tone and don’t want to put up with the white cast? This mineral sunscreen uses zinc oxide to provide broad spectrum protection against UV rays to prevent wrinkles, dark spots, and cancer. Zinc oxide has a tendency to leave a white cast behind. This sunscreen solves the problem by adding a dark tint that slightly evens out the skin tone without making you look like Caspar The Ghost. The gel texture is refreshing and glides smoothly on the skin. Did I mention it contains niacinamide and other soothing agents to counteract UV-induced redness too?
Available at: Avene, Boots, Dermstore, and Ulta
Active Ingredients: 12% zinc oxide.
Benefits: Provides broad spectrum protection.
Cons: Tint is too dark for fair skin types.
Skin type: Dry and sensitive.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Avene Tolerance Extreme Cleansing Lotion ($32.00)
Looking for a gentle cleanser that won’t irritate your super sensitive skin? Avene Tolerance Extreme Cleansing Lotion fits the bill perfectly. It uses a gentle mix of emollients that melts away all kinds of impurities: dirt, sweat, makeup… you name it, it takes it off. While it’s at it, it also moisturises and soothes skin, leaving it soft and smooth. If you have rosacea, irritations or just sensitive skin, grab yourself a tube ASAP.
Available at: Avene, Boots, and Look Fantastic
Active Ingredients: Cetearyl Alcohol and Coco-Glucoside
Benefits: Gently cleaned skin without irritation.
Cons: If you wear very heavy makeup, this may not be enough for you.
Skin type: Dry and sensitive.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: How To Choose The Best Cleanser For Your Skin Type
Don’t know which skincare products you can mix and match together and which ones deactivate each other? Download your FREE “How To Layer Actives Like A Pro” cheat sheet to get the most out of your skincare products:
Avene A-OXitive Antioxidant Water-Cream ($50.00)
A lightweight cream with a luminous finish, it provides a light touch of hydration that makes skin softer and smoother for hours. But the highlight here are the antioxidants. While most moisturisers (including from Avene) don’t have even a teeny tiny one in sight, this moisturiser contains Vitamins C and E to fight free radicals and prevent premature aging. It just leaves your skin looking fresh and healthy and prevents wrinkles to boot. I just could do without the fragrance. It’s quite strong.
Available at: Avene, Look Fantastic and Sephora
Active Ingredients: Vitamins C and E and hyaluronic acid.
Benefits: Lightly moisturises skin and prevents wrinkles.
Cons: Strong fragrance.
Skin type: Combination.
Fragrance-free: No.
What Are The Best Avene Products For Wrinkles?
- Avene RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream ($79.00): A gentle anti-aging cream with retinal to boost collagen and fight wrinkles. Delivered in a silicone base to smooth out the complexion. Available at Dermstore.
What are The Best Avene Products For Acne?
- Cleanance ACNE Medicated Clearing Treatment ($32.00): A 5% Benzoyl Peroxide treatment to reduce acne and get your clear skin back. The creamy texture sinks in quickly into your skin. Available at Blue Mercury and Ulta.
What Are The Best Avene Products For Dark Spots?
- Avene RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream ($79.00): Retinal is a gentle powerhouse that fights wrinkles and dark spots at the same time. Delivered in a silicone base to smooth out the complexion. Available at Dermstore.
What Are The Best Avene Products For Sensitive Skin?
- Avene RetrinAL Advanced Correcting Serum ($78.00): An anti-aging treatment that rivals the power of retinol and is gentle enough for sensitive skin too. Available at Avene.
- Avene Mineral Sunscreen Face & Body Lotion SPF 50 ($38.00): A gentle mineral sunscreen that provides water-resistant, broad-spectrum protection that doesn’t irritate skin. Available at Dermstore, Revolve and Ulta.
- Avene Tolerance Extreme Cleansing Lotion ($32.00): A gentle cleanser that takes everything off without drying out and irritating sensitive skin. Available at: Avene, Boots, and Look Fantastic.
Is Avene Cruelty-Free?
No, Avene is not cruelty-free. They allow their products to be tested on animals.
What Are The Pros Of Avene Skincare?
Avene skincare is very gentle. Every product is enriched with Avene Thermal Water to reduce redness and irritations and soothe sensitive skin. Plus, formulations are very gentle and avoid the harshest (if powerful, think retinol) ingredients that can aggravate dry and sensitive skin conditions. If anything you put on your skin irritates it, Avene is definitely a brand to explore.
What Are The Cons Of Avene Skincare?
Its simplicity is a double-edged sword. Avene focuses on creating products with a handful of ingredients to minimise the risk of irritations. They also leave out powerful actives like glycolic acid and retinol that can slow down premature aging. If you have sensitive skin, this approach works. For everyone else, it leaves a lot to be desired. Plus, I don’t understand why a brand made for sensitive skin would use fragrance. It’s one of the most irritating ingredients you can find in your skincare products!
The Bottom Line
If you’re struggling to find gentle products for sensitive skin that fight wrinkles, reduce acne, and moisturise skin without irritating skin, Avene offers a wide range of soothing formulas for every skin type and concern. And now, thanks to this list, you know what the best Avene products are, so you won’t waste your money on the few duds. You’re welcome.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
