It’s no secret that people are absolutely in love with Avène. The French skin-care brand is known for its soothing skin-care formulas and is a go-to for those traveling to France for the best beauty products. But, don’t let its sensitive skin-friendly products fool you—Avène skin care is just as potent as it is gentle, and has several coveted products that skin-care aficionados swear by for clearing acne, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and actually replenishing dehydrated skin.
The only downside is that some of the formulas aren’t the most budget-friendly—but that changes this week. From May 16 (today!) until May 22, the French skin-care brand is offering 25 percent off site-wide with any $60+ purchase, so you can stock up for a fraction of the usual cost. Without needing to book a one-way ticket to France!
With so many incredible skin-care formulas to choose from, shopping the sale can get a little overwhelming, so we went ahead and picked out our favorite best-selling Avène skin-care formulas to make shopping a little easier. The best part? Some of them are over $60 and, therefore, automatically qualify for the 25 percent off discount on their own. From anti-aging moisturizers to refreshing and multitasking creams, here are our top picks for the best Avène skincare products. Not seeing anything you love? Check out the entire sale here.
The best Avène products on sale this week
Originally $75, now $56
When it comes to Avène’s anti-aging products, the RetinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream is a customer favorite for its deeply nourishing, refreshing, and effective formula. The anti-aging skin cream is formulated with powerful ingredients, including Retinaldehyde which is more potent than retinol without the potential irritation, antioxidant-rich vitamin E for skin protection against environmental aggressors, and Relastide, which is a peptide that plumps and firms the complexion. With regular use of this face cream, Avène customers saw visible wrinkles reduce by 58 percent and skin texture improve by 54 percent.
W+G’s editorial commerce director, Gina Vaynshteyn (who is 33), swears by this cream to keep fine lines and hormonal acne at bay—and she believes it’s the reason why she wakes up in the morning to a brighter, more radiant complexion every morning.
Size: 1 ounce
Skin Type: Mature
Key Ingredients: Retinaldehyde, pre-tocopheryl, Avène thermal spring water, Relastide
Originally $18.50, now $14
It’s impossible to discuss Avène without talking about the coveted Avène Thermal Spring Water. This iconic face spray is formulated with mineral properties and post-biotic microflora to restore the skin’s moisture barrier, as well as soothe and soften the complexion. It’s also super refreshing and can provide relief to irritated, hot, or dry skin (or, all of the above).
Size: 10.1 ounces
Skin Type: All, especially dry and sensitive
Key Ingredients: Mineral properties, post-biotic microflora
Originally $42, now $32
If your skin is in need of some major R&R, we cannot recommend the Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream enough. Formulated for all skin types and safe to use on children and infants, this restorative cream features refreshing Avène thermal spring water along with C+ Restore, which is rich in proteins and designed to restore the skin’s moisture barrier. The nourishing formula also features a copper-zinc sulfate complex to support the skin’s microbiome and recovery process.
“I use this cream in conjunction with my retinol products to avoid inflammation and irritation—and when my skin just needs a boost of hydration. It leaves my complexion so dewy and radiant-looking, I love it. And you get a MASSIVE tube that will last you for a year,” says Vaynshteyn.
Size: 3.3 ounces
Skin Type: All
Key Ingredients: C+ Restore, copper-zinc sulfate complex, Avène thermal spring water
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Originally $78, now $59
Love the benefits of retinol but not the irritation that sometimes comes with it? Swap your retinol product out for the RetinAL Advanced Correcting Serum, which is formulated with bakuchiol, a retinol alternative that is just as effective as the potent anti-aging ingredient. In addition to bakuchiol, this daily face serum from Avène also features hydrating hyaluronic acid, brightening niacinamide, antioxidant-rich vitamin E (aka, pre-tocopheryl), and refreshing Avène thermal spring water to not only target fine lines and wrinkles but also deeply nourish the complexion.
Size: 1 ounce
Skin Type: Mature
Key Ingredients: Bakuchiol, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, pre-tocopheryl, Avène thermal spring water
Originally $36, now $27
If you have ultra-sensitive skin, you know how vital it is to find a skin-care product that isn’t just gentle but also refreshing and soothing. You’ll find all of the above in the Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream, which is formulated with Avène thermal spring water to soften and soothe the complexion, as well as D-Sensinose, which is a postbiotic ingredient that instantly diffuses skin discomfort. This product is also made without irritating preservatives, parabens, and fragrances.
Size: 1.3 ounces
Skin Type: Hypersensitive skin
Key Ingredients: D-sensinose, Avène thermal spring water
Originally $38, now 29
The Avène Hydrance Aqua Gel is the ultimate skin multi-tasker, as it can be used as a day cream, overnight mask, or eye cream. The lightweight gel moisturizer is designed to replenish dehydrated skin with moisture and features a powerful ingredient lineup to get the job done. In addition to refreshing hyaluronic acid and Avène thermal spring water, the formula also features hydration-boosting microspheres that have time-release hydration, Cohederm (which is a patented lipidic trio) for restoring the moisture barrier and protecting against further moisture loss, and dextran sulfate + pre-tocopheryl to support detoxification and protect against pollution.
Size: 1.6 ounces
Skin Type: Dehydrated skin
Key Ingredients: Cohederm, microspheres, dextran sulfate + pre-tocopheryl, hyaluronic acid, Avène thermal spring water
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Originally $52, now $37
If you’re looking for one of the best anti-aging eye creams, you’ll find it in Avène’s RetrinAL EYES. The cream is enhanced with retinaldehyde to reduce signs of aging on the eyes (including those crow’s feet, aka the fine lines at the creases of the eyes). Plus, it also features hyaluronic acid for its hydrating, plumping, and firming benefits, as well as dextran sulfate to reduce dark circles and puffiness around the eyes. The anti-aging eye cream is also elevated with Avène thermal spring water for its lightweight hydration and softening, cooling, and refreshing properties.
Size: 0.5 ounces
Skin Type: Mature
Key Ingredients: Retinaldehyde, hyaluronic acid, dextran sulfate, Avène thermal spring water
Originally $30, now $23
For those with acne-prone skin, cleansing is super important, and the type of cleanser you use can make a difference. The Cleanance Cleansing Gel is formulated with lots of amazing and potent ingredients that can thoroughly cleanse the skin while also addressing acne concerns—this includes, Comedoclastin which is designed to visibly reduce breakouts, zinc gluconate, and Avène thermal spring water to calm and soothe the skin while also targeting redness, and gentle surfactants that give a good, deep cleanse without causing irritation.
Size: 13.5 ounces
Skin Type: Acne-prone
Key Ingredients: Comedoclastin, surfactants, zinc gluconate, Avène thermal spring water
Originally $48, now $36
Those with acne-prone skin need a night cream that is specifically formulated with their skin type in mind. The Cleanance NIGHT Blemish Correcting & Age Renewing Cream is specifically formulated with blemish-prone and mature skin types in mind and features Synovea HR, which is a potent ingredient that helps ban sebum oxidation and reduce blemishes. Its luxe formula also features Avène thermal spring water to calm and refresh the skin, as well as retinal, which, according to clinical trials, is more effective than retinol at reducing fine lines and wrinkles (and it doesn’t cause irritation like retinol does).
Size: 1 ounce
Skin Type: Acne-prone and mature
Key Ingredients: Retinal, Synovea HR, X-pressin, Avène thermal spring water
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Originally $34, now $26
Sunscreen is one of the most important steps in any skin-care routine, and Avène makes an elevated SPF formula that not only protects the complexion from the sun’s harmful UV rays but also delivers skin-benefiting ingredients to the complexion. Formulated with niacinamide, bisabolol, and allantoin, the Solair UV Mineral Multi-Defence Sunscreen works to calm the skin, promote a more even texture, and reduce redness all while protecting with SPF 50+. As with most Avène products, the sunscreen also features the brand’s amazing thermal spring water, which soothes and softens the skin while promoting refreshing hydration to parched skin.
Size: 1.7 ounces
Skin Type: All
Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, niacinamide, bisabolol + allantoin, Avène thermal spring water