Everything You Need To Know About Avène: Dermatological Skincare For Your Face And Body

Two women with clear skin

Creating thermal spring water-enriched skincare for sensitive skin, Avène is renowned for its skin-soothing formulations that restore and replenish skin prone to eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. Committed to dermatological research, Avène’s innovative skin products for sensitive skin are gentle and effective, providing relief for a range of conditions while nurturing dry, damaged, and irritated skin, leaving your complexion calm, radiant, and healthy. Speaking with Melanie, Avene's Medical Expert, we discovered more about the brand. 

With a rich history dating all the way back to the 18th century, Avène skincare was founded completely by accident, when a horse suffering from pruritus took a few swims in the thermal spring water in Avène, miraculously healing its skin condition, which led to the discovery that the spring water had unique soothing and restorative properties.

Melanie shares: "In 1743 the first thermal pool was built and people travelled from miles around to discover the benefits of the Avène Thermal Spring water which flows from the Sainte-Odile Spring. After the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871, America discovered the virtues of the water as it was exported across the Atlantic to help soothe the burns. It was declared of ‘Public Benefit’ in 1874 when the French National Academy of Medicine officially validated the therapeutic properties, and in 1975 Pierre Fabre purchased the Avène Thermal Spa and set up a programme to look into fundamental clinical research into the Avène Thermal Spring Water and the Avène Hydrotherapy Centre to help people with their skin. To make it more accessible, in 1990 the skincare brand Avène was launched, a brand dedicated to sensitive skin. Over 30 years of innovation since then, Avène creates incredible products based on scientific and dermatological experts, and has been published in over 150 clinical papers. Avène Thermal Spring water has been soothing sensitive skin for 30 years and for a long time to come."

Since this discovery, Avène has continued to research the properties of its thermal spring water, developing a range of skin care products for sensitive skin that includes moisturiser for sensitive skin as well as cleansers, serums, sunscreens, and serums that calm and hydrate your skin while reducing redness and irritation.

Melanie explains: "Avène Thermal Spring Water is a multipurpose product that not only hydrates, calms, and soothes the skin, but also helps to reduce sensitivity by 31% after 5 minutes of use and by 65% during the first week of use. Avène Thermal Spring Water It is bacteriologically pure and has a unique biological signature, Aqua Dolomiae, to help make it a completely unique ingredient that is in every single Avène product."

High Efficacy Skincare That’s Safe

Formulating all their skincare products with just the right amount of ingredients, Avène ensure the safety and effectiveness of their skin products for sensitive skin, reducing the risk of sensitivity and respecting your skin’s delicate microbiome by keeping their range free from fragrances and preservatives.

Tested under dermatologic control, Avène’s skincare range is developed to minimise the risk of allergic reactions, ensuring that every time you use their products, you’re safe in the knowledge that your skin is protected, nurtured, and calm.

Melanie shares: "As a brand dedicated to sensitive skin we believe that getting the foundations right is the best thing for your skin. Consistency is key, so starting your routine with a mild and gentle cleanser that will effectively clean your skin and without stripping is essential, the Avène Thermal Spring Water hydrating, soothing, and refreshing your skin. Next up, choose a moisturiser suitable for your skin type that will hydrate and protect, and finally opt for a daily SPF suited to your skin type, for example, a rich cream and consistency for dry skin, or an ultra-light fluid for normal to combination. These are the basic non negotiables. If you want to add in any actives and serums you can, but one at a time and then use it consistently for two to three weeks before introducing anything else. This way it gives your skin time to adjust without overloading."

Committed To Advancing Dermatology

Always striving to further their knowledge of dermatology to enhance the quality of life of people with sensitive skin, Avène works alongside universities, health professionals, and patient associations to create skin-soothing active ingredients that effectively relieve sensitive, tolerant, and allergy-prone skin.

Working closely with the Eczema Foundation, Avène is committed to developing skincare that eases the burden of eczema on patients, designing and financing education projects to boost the knowledge of the disease while providing strategies to manage eczema effectively.

lady applying Avène skincare to her hand before using

Sustainable Skincare That Soothes

Melanie Explains: "Avène is a French Dermo Cosmetic Pharmacy brand that is dedicated to sensitive skin. The range is for all skin types, including dry skin, eczema-prone skin, oily skin, and skin prone to acne."

Building their brand with the utmost respect for nature, Avène strive for continuous improvement in their approach to sustainability, their primary ingredient, Avène thermal spring water is sourced naturally to soothe sensitive skin without impacting the longevity of our planet.

Carrying out over 40,000 checks a year on their Thermal Spring Water, Avène can attest to the quality and safety of their products.

Reducing the impact of their products on the environment, Avène guarantees that 90% of their rinse-off formulas are biodegradable, packing 93% of their products in recyclable containers to keep the planet safe.  

Five Of Our Favourite Avène Sensitive Skin Calming Products

Avène Intense Protect 50+ Sun Cream for Very Sensitive Skin

Tested to shield sensitive skin through the most intense conditions, this Avène Intense Protect 50+ Sun Cream for Very Sensitive Skin is perfect for using at high altitudes, during tropical weather, and in high humidity, the ultra-lightweight, water-resistant formula permeating your skin in just three seconds to keep your skin hydrated for up to eight hours.

Formulated with TRIASORB™, the first organic sun filter that absorbs and reflects UV rays, and visible blue light back into the atmosphere and away from your skin.

Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream for Sensitive Skin

Restoring and hydrating very dry, sensitive skin, this calming, 98% natural Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream for Sensitive Skin is formulated with D-Sensinose™, a patented post-biotic active that relieves your skin, soothing sensations of heating, tightness, tingling, and discomfort to calm your skin in just 48 hours.

Free from fragrances and preservatives, this high-tolerance moisturiser for dry sensitive skin is packaged in a new Sterile CosmeticsÂŽ tube that preserves the product from air and bacteria, ensuring its safety on delicate, reactive skins.

Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray for Sensitive Skin

Calming, soothing, and softening sensitive skin, this Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray for Sensitive Skin is perfect for alleviating sunburn, nappy rash, dry skin, tightness, and itching, the thermal water enriched formula hydrating to leave your skin free from irritation and inflammation.

Bottled directly at the source of Avène’s Thermal Spring Water and packaged in a sterile environment, this spray is perfectly pure, the low mineral, neutral pH formula reducing skin sensitivity by 31% after just five minutes of use.

lady with Avène skincare on her face

Avène XeraCalm A.D. Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil for Dry, Itchy Skin

Hydrating as it cleanses, this sensitive skin friendly Avène XeraCalm A.D. Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil for Dry, Itchy Skin is perfect for reducing skin dryness and itching sensations, leaving your skin comfortable, soft, and free from irritation for 24 hours.

Formulated with Avène’s XeraCalm A.D. this oil cleanser locks moisture into your skin, shielding against the drying effects of water when cleansing. Perfect for eczema-prone skin, this gentle and effective cleansing oil is free from fragrance, its kind to skin formulation minimising the risk of irritation or allergy.  

Avène Hydrance Boost Serum

Intensely hydrating your skin for up to 48 hours, this Avène Hydrance Boost Serum is infused with skin-quenching hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3, nourishing your skin while enhancing your natural skin barrier.

Respecting your skin’s pH balance, this hydration serum is ultra-light and nourishing, the non-greasy formula leaving your complexion smooth, supple, soft, and healthy.

Shop Avene's Sensitive Skin Range

Dermatologist Recommended
Avène Intense Protect 50+ Sun Cream for Very Sensitive Skin 150mlAvène Intense Protect 50+ Sun Cream for Very Sensitive Skin 150ml
Dermatologist Recommended
Avène XeraCalm A.D. Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil for Dry, Itchy SkinAvène XeraCalm A.D. Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil for Dry, Itchy Skin
Avène XeraCalm A.D. Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil for Dry, Itchy Skin

Suitable for very dry skin prone to itching, Avene’s XeraCalm A.D. Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil for Dry, Itchy Skin gently cleanses and hydrates the skin for up to 24 hours, helping to reduce skin dryness and...

ÂŁ19.75
Dermatologist Recommended
Avène Hydrance Boost Serum 30mlAvène Hydrance Boost Serum 30ml
Avène Hydrance Boost Serum 30ml

ÂŁ26.50

Enjoyed discovering ways to soothe and restore sensitive skin with Avène’s thermal spring water-enriched skincare range? Why not stick around a little longer and read our latest blog post where we share the Top 5 Natural Ingredients To Add To Your Skincare Routine?


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