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Avène: the buyer's guide
Avène is the French pharmacy brand for skin that reacts to everything. The whole range is built around the thermal spring water from the village of Avène in the Cévennes mountains, and every line is designed to be as unreactive as possible.
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What the brand is known for
Avène (part of Pierre Fabre, the same group as Klorane and René Furterer) runs an actual hydrotherapy centre where people with severe eczema and psoriasis are treated with the spring water. The skincare line is the pharmacy version of that: minimal ingredient lists, sterile packaging on the most sensitive products, and no fragrance on the core lines.
The thermal water spray
The product that made the brand. It is spring water in a pressurized can, used to calm redness, set makeup, cool sunburn and soothe skin after shaving or procedures. It comes in 50 ml, 150 ml and 300 ml. The 300 ml can is the best value per ounce; the 50 ml is the gym-bag and plane size.
Cicalfate+ repair cream
Avène's answer to Cicaplast: a zinc- and copper-based repair cream for scrapes, chapped skin, post-laser and post-peel care, and the "I overdid the retinol" week. It is thicker than Cicaplast and slightly more drying, which some people prefer on oozing or irritated skin.
Tolérance Extrême and the sterile cosmetics
The Tolérance Extrême cream and cleansing lotion come in Avène's sterile packaging: a one-way pump that keeps air out so the formula needs no preservatives. These are the products for people who have reacted to every other moisturizer. The ingredient list is about ten items long.
XeraCalm A.D for eczema-prone skin
A lipid-replenishing balm and cleansing oil for atopic, itchy skin, for adults and children. It is the line French pharmacists hand to parents of children with eczema.
What to buy
| Product | Why |
|---|---|
| Avène Thermal Spring Water 300 ml | The best-value size of the classic spray. |
| Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream | Repair cream for irritated, post-procedure or chapped skin. |
| Tolérance Extrême Emulsion | Preservative-free moisturizer for extremely reactive skin. |
| XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Balm | Body balm for eczema-prone skin, all ages. |
| Cleanance Comedomed | Lightweight treatment for oily, blemish-prone sensitive skin. |
| Avène Ultra-Fluid sunscreen | Fragrance-free mineral and chemical sunscreen options for sensitive skin. |
Questions people ask
Avène or La Roche-Posay?
Both are excellent and the lines overlap. Choose Avène if your skin is reactive to the point of stinging; choose La Roche-Posay for acne, sun care and a wider range of textures.
Does the thermal water actually do anything?
It is water with a specific mineral balance that has been shown in Pierre Fabre's own studies to reduce irritation; independent dermatologists mostly agree it is soothing, if not miraculous. The real value is that it is a clean, sterile spray with nothing in it to react to.
Is Avène cruelty-free?
Avène does not test on animals in the EU, where it is banned, but it is sold in mainland China and is not certified cruelty-free.
More pharmacy beauty guides: La Roche-Posay · Caudalie · Bioderma · Klorane · Phyto · René Furterer · all brands