Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel for oily skin
Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua
Zinc Coceth Sulfate
Lauryl Betaine
Decyl Glucoside
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers high suitability for your oily skin due to the presence of zinc gluconate for seboregulation and citric acid for mild exfoliation, effectively addressing oily shine.
- Lauryl betaine provides gentle cleansing, and Avene Thermal Spring Water offers soothing benefits, ensuring comfort for your skin.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
- Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
- You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 6.5k+ reviewsThis gel cleanser is widely praised by users with oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin for its ability to deeply cleanse and regulate sebum without disrupting the skin barrier. While the majority report clearer, matte skin, a minority of users with drier skin types found it too stripping or experienced initial purging. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should definitely be taken into account.
Highlights
Effective oil control Mostly Mentioned
- “Keeps me matte for hours”
- “Drastically reduced my oiliness”
- “Best face wash for greasy skin”
- “Controls sebum perfectly.”
Gentle deep clean Often Mentioned
- “Squeaky clean but soft”
- “Removes makeup easily”
- “Gentle on my sensitive skin”
- “Doesn't strip my barrier.”
Helps clear acne Often Mentioned
- “Cleared my cystic acne”
- “Keeps pimples at bay”
- “My skin is finally clear”
- “Great for hormonal breakouts.”
High value Sometimes Noted
- “Bottle lasts for months”
- “A little goes a long way”
- “Worth the price”
- “One drop is enough.”
Refreshing feel Sometimes Noted
- “Feels so refreshing”
- “Love the clean smell”
- “Leaves face feeling fresh”
- “Cooling effect is nice.”
Drying for some Sometimes Noted
- “Left my face tight”
- “Too drying for winter”
- “Caused dry patches”
- “Stripped my skin.”
Initial breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Broke me out initially”
- “Caused tiny bumps”
- “Skin got worse before better”
- “Gave me cystic spots.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Cap leaks in bag”
- “Lid is hard to close”
- “Dispenses too much product”
- “Messy bottle design.”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “Scent is too strong”
- “Smells like perfume”
- “Fragrance irritated my nose”
- “Wish it was unscented.”
Sources: lovi.care, aveneusa.com, dermstore.com, ulta.com, lovelyskin.com, lookfantastic.ie, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel a great fit for oily skin?
Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel is a great fit for oily skin because it uses zinc gluconate to control shine and citric acid to mildly exfoliate. It also features gentle cleansers and soothing thermal spring water to keep your skin comfortable and calm without any irritation.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Zinc gluconate helps control excess oil and shine, while citric acid provides gentle exfoliation for oily skin. Additionally, lauryl betaine cleanses gently and Avene Thermal Spring Water helps soothe the skin.
What does Avene Thermal Spring Water do for oily skin?
Avène Thermal Spring Water helps calm oily skin that is undergoing acne treatments by reducing discomfort, stinging, and dryness. It is well tolerated and may improve skin hydration while supporting standard acne care.
What does Zinc Coceth Sulfate do for oily skin?
Zinc coceth sulfate cleanses excess oil and impurities from oily skin, but this specific ingredient is not evaluated in the referenced studies.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser is used as the first step in the morning and as the second step in the evening after your makeup remover, helping to control shine while keeping your skin calm and comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first on your damp face and rinsing it off before putting on your retinol. Using a gentle cleanser helps keep your skin calm while managing breakouts, and it is unlikely to cause irritation when paired with your routine.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day in your morning and evening routines as part of a regular daily skincare regimen. It provides gentle cleansing and helps control oily shine without the risk of irritation.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for oily skin and is unlikely to clog pores, though initial breakouts may happen in rare cases. It helps control shiny skin and gently cleanses without harsh ingredients, keeping your face calm and comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is safe to use on your body and around the eyes, as it is very gentle on your skin. Its soothing components and lack of harsh ingredients mean it is unlikely to cause any irritation.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum) and drying alcohol (isopropyl alcohol).
What the research says
Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Daily use of a deep cleansing gel containing salicylic acid 2%, zinc gluconate 0.2% and lipohydroxy acid 0.05% significantly reduced total lesion count by 56.3% after 84 days in 35 subjects with mild to moderate truncal acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023Balneotherapy with thermal water altered specific skin microbiota at genus and species levels in healthy female volunteers compared to tap water, which produced no significant microbiome changes.
Life, 2023Malaysian thermal spring water as an adjunct to standard acne therapy improved skin hydration, reduced dryness and stinging, enhanced overall tolerability, and improved the acne disability index in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024A 2% Sphingomonas xenophaga ferment extract cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks significantly decreased facial vascular disorder scores compared to vehicle in 86 Caucasian female subjects, alongside dose-dependent inhibition of pre-kallikrein activity in vitro.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Silybum marianum flower extract increased human hair follicle dermal papilla cell proliferation and VEGF production while suppressing cellular senescence, and in a clinical study using hair shampoo, it significantly increased hair density and total hair count at 16 and 24 weeks compared with a placebo group.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 0.5% silymarin-loaded antioxidant serum applied twice daily significantly reduced clinical acne severity, lesion counts, and melanin pigmentation in 22 Korean acne patients over 4 weeks without associated adverse events.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Topical silymarin cream 1.4% showed comparable results to salicylic acid 30% peels in reducing acne severity in 30 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 2024
Ingredients
Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua Avene Aqua, Water, Zinc Coceth Sulphate, Lauryl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Parfum, Green 5 Ci 61570, Isopropyl Alcohol, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Peg-6, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Yellow 5 Ci 19140, Zinc Gluconate
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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