Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream for oily acne-prone skin
Avène Thermal Spring Water
Zinc Oxide
Glycerin
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Beeswax
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 moderate moisturizing and barrier repair for your oily skin, as glycerin and zinc oxide hydrate and protect without causing irritation. While supportive for general skincare, the formula's concentrations of zinc oxide and copper sulfate are not specifically targeted for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The presence of glycerin provides humectant action, offering some benefit to oily skin, but the product lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like Avene Thermal Spring Water.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.1Overall rating based on 15.7k+ reviewsIt is also praised for its versatility in healing various skin concerns and its rich, protective texture. However, a significant number of recent reviews mention issues with the product separating into oil and water, and some users with oily or acne-prone skin report clogged pores.
Highlights
Soothes irritation Mostly Mentioned
- “Calmed my angry red skin overnight”
- “The only thing that doesn't sting my sensitive face”
- “Took the heat out of my sunburn.”
Repairs skin barrier Often Mentioned
- “Healed my over-exfoliated skin in days”
- “Saved my barrier after a bad reaction”
- “Restored my skin texture completely”
- “Magic for dry, cracking patches.”
Rich texture Often Mentioned
- “Thick but absorbs well eventually”
- “Creates a perfect seal for the night”
- “Love using this for slugging in winter”
- “Feels like a protective blanket on my face.”
Product separation Often Mentioned
- “Tube squirted water everywhere”
- “Separates into oil and solid chunks”
- “Have to shake it violently every time”
- “A watery mess despite being new.”
Versatile healing Sometimes Noted
- “Used it on my stitches and they healed beautifully”
- “Great for my baby's diaper rash”
- “Healed my chemical peel peeling faster”
- “Put it on a kitchen burn and it didn't blister.”
Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “Woke up with tiny whiteheads all over”
- “Too heavy, caused deep cystic acne”
- “Triggered a bad breakout on my chin”
- “Not safe for fungal acne.”
Leaves white cast Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves a ghost-like cast”
- “Takes forever to rub in”
- “Looked pale and chalky after applying”
- “Can't wear this during the day due to the white cast.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Tube cracked on the side”
- “Impossible to get the last bit out”
- “Metal tube splits and leaks product”
- “Cap broke off easily.”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, aveneusa.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Avène Cicalfate+ Cream work for oily acne-prone skin?
Avène Cicalfate+ Cream works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as glycerin and zinc oxide hydrate and protect without causing irritation, though it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts and oil control. To truly fit oily and acne-prone skin, a moisturizing treatment needs powerful ingredients for blemishes, oil control, and lightweight hydration that does not clog pores.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin and zinc oxide make this cream a good fit for your oily skin because they hydrate and protect without causing irritation. However, because it lacks sufficient ingredients for oil control and blemish targeting, an oily acne-prone skin type needs a moisturizing treatment with oil-balancing agents, lightweight hydrators, and blemish-fighting components.
What does Avène Thermal Spring Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Avène Thermal Spring Water helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing dryness and stinging when used alongside standard acne treatments. It also has a very safe profile that makes it comfortable for sensitive skin.
What does Zinc Oxide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Zinc oxide helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing redness and targeting blemish-causing bacteria. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may help decrease excess oil while supporting clearer skin.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream goes as your moisturizer step in the morning and evening, after your cleanser and toner. Oily acne-prone skin needs a moisturizer with ingredients like niacinamide, salicylic acid, or lightweight hydration and oil-controlling elements to properly manage blemishes while keeping the skin balanced.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream alongside retinol to help keep your skin calm and moisturized. Apply your retinol first to clean, dry skin, and then smooth on this cream to protect your skin barrier without causing irritation. For oily acne-prone skin, this type of product also needs targeted oil-control ingredients and acne-fighting components.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment daily to keep your oily skin hydrated and protected, though this type of skin needs targeted oil control and blemish-fighting ingredients to fit better.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
Yes, this cream may cause breakouts for your oily acne-prone skin, as reviewers note moderate concerns and the formula lacks targeted blemish-fighting ingredients. It is unlikely to cause irritation due to soothing thermal water and gentle protectants. Oily skin prone to breakouts needs ingredients that balance oil production and help clear pores.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this moisturizing treatment on your body and around the eyes, as its soothing ingredients and gentle formula are very well tolerated by sensitive areas. However, because skin thickness varies across the body, a richer product containing targeted hydrators and barrier-repairing ingredients is typically needed for optimal results on very thin areas.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Balneotherapy 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, 2025Topical 0.5% hyaluronic-ZnO nanogel applied twice daily reduced inflammatory-lesion counts by 58% at week four in human subjects compared to baseline without causing erythema.
Biomedicines, 2025Nels cream achieved a similar reduction in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts compared to 5% benzoyl peroxide in acne vulgaris patients, but caused significantly fewer side-effects such as peeling and dryness.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2000Topically applied coated and uncoated zinc oxide nanoparticles under flexing and massage are retained in the stratum corneum with no significant penetration into the viable epidermis and no cellular toxicity in human skin.
Nanomedicine, 2016The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023Topical application of a honey, olive oil, and beeswax mixture three times daily for up to 4 weeks resulted in clinical responses in 86% of patients with pityriasis versicolor, 78% with tinea cruris, and 75% with tinea corporis.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2004A prototype body cream containing bee venom, propolis, honey, beeswax, and royal jelly demonstrated stability for 90 days, high antioxidant capacity of 85.45%, lack of cytotoxicity with over 70% cell viability, and no irritation or allergic reaction in dermatological analysis, while improving skin parameters in a panel test.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022MUD1 protected human dermal fibroblasts against AAPH-induced oxidative stress by increasing cell viability, reducing oxidative damage, improving mitochondrial functionality, and enhancing wound healing capacities.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua Avene Aqua, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Paraffinum Liquidum Mineral Oil, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Oil, Zinc Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquiisostearate, Peg-22 Dodecyl Glycol Copolymer, Aluminum Stearate, Aquaphilus Dolomiae Ferment Filtrate, Arginine, Beeswax Cera Alba Cera, Copper Sulfate, Magnesium Stearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Microcrystalline Wax Cera Microcristallina Wax Cera, Tromethamine, Zinc Sulfate
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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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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