Avène vs Aēsop
Avène and Aēsop are two distinct skincare lines offering thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, cleansers, and serums to support overall skin health. The French brand, founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre, formulates its gentle products with glycerin to suit oily, acne-prone, and combination skin best. Conversely, the second maker relies on botanical and scientifically validated ingredients, creating compositions that suit balanced, combination, and sensitive skin. While both offer targeted solutions for concerns like acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin, they differ fundamentally in their core philosophies and ingredient approaches.
Avène is a French skincare brand founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.
pierre-fabre.comavene.co.ukaveneusa.com
This page compares some of the most popular Avène and Aēsop products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Avène vs Aēsop products
People Say
Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “woke up with baby-soft skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
- “Savior of my winter-fueled dry skin. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
- “delivers deep hydration that really fills your skin — Aēsop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum”
- “Saves my skin in winter — Avène Cold Cream”
Texture and Application Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “absorbs very quickly — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
- “lathers really well — Avène Cleanance”
- “absorbs well into the skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
- “Skin appears to be brighter, more radiant. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
Soothing and Calming Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “Calmed my angry red skin overnight — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
- “Nothing has ever worked to soothe or heal my skin like these before. — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
- “saved my skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
- “Reduces inflammation overnight. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
Gentleness and Non-Stripping Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
- “leaves face clean but not dry — Avène Cleanance”
- “Perfect cleanser for sensitive skin. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
- “Squeaky clean but soft — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
- “Leaves my face feeling soft after cleansing. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
Anti-Aging and Skin Smoothing Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “immediate radiance boost — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
- “skin instantly felt firmer — Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Concentrated Plumping Serum”
- “I've noticed a definite improvement in the fine lines around my eyes — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
- “I used to have severe flaking... but after using this product, it's disappeared. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
Acne Clearing and Oil Control Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “Keeps me matte for hours — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
- “keeps skin matte — Avène Cleanance”
- “Intensely hydrating yet mattifying effect. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
Thick and Greasy Texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Leaves a greasy film — Avène Cold Cream”
- “too thick — Avène Hydrance+”
- “sticky kinda feeling — Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Concentrated Plumping Serum”
- “Thick, almost honey-like, and needs a moment to melt in. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
Strong Fragrance and Scent Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “The fragrance is very present. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
- “smell is too strong — Avène Cleanance”
- “smells like carrots — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
- “Nasty smell... would not buy again. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
Packaging Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
- “Tube cracked on the side — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
- “Cap leaks in bag — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
- “Good product bad packaging. — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
- “The downside is the pump. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
Questions and answers
Avène or Aēsop: which is better?
When comparing the products on this page, Aësop does better for hydration and moisture, while Avène does better for gentleness and non-stripping formulas as well as anti-aging and skin smoothing.
What is the difference between Avène and Aēsop?
Aēsop provides better hydration and moisture according to reviewers, while Avène does better with gentleness and non-stripping products as well as anti-aging and skin smoothing. Reviewers note that Avène can have a strong fragrance, whereas every product from Aēsop on this page lists no fragrance.
Avène or Aēsop: which cleanser is better?
For cleansing, Avène has a better fit on this page, with the Cleanance Cleansing Gel achieving a High Lovi fit for oily skin and oily acne-prone skin. Aēsop offers only one cleanser on this page, the Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser, which only reaches an Average fit for those skin types.
Which is more affordable, Avène or Aēsop?
Avène is generally more affordable, whereas Aēsop has a high price that is mostly mentioned by reviewers as a downside.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Avène or Aēsop?
Reviewers note that Avène does better on gentleness and non-stripping qualities, while both brands are considered equal for acne clearing and oil control.
How do the founding years and current parent companies of Avène and Aēsop compare?
Avène was founded in 1990 in France and is owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre, whereas Aēsop was founded in 1987 and has been owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2023.
Which brand has more products that list fragrance in their ingredients, Avène or Aēsop?
Avène has more products that list fragrance in their ingredients, with 7 of its 15 products containing fragrance, whereas every product on the Aēsop page lists no fragrance.
What are the main review highlights and criticisms mentioned for Aēsop skincare products?
Reviewers frequently highlight Aēsop skincare products for their non-greasy, balancing moisturizers, deep hydration, and luxurious and refreshing scents. However, a common criticism is their high price, along with occasionally noted unpleasant scents and packaging issues.
Avène or Aēsop: which moisturizer is better?
When choosing a moisturizer, Avène is Lovi-rated High to Superior for dry and sensitive skin with products like Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm, while Aēsop also offers deep hydration with non-greasy options like Damascan Rose Facial Treatment.
Research behind their key ingredients
The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Effect of Camellia japonica oil on human type I procollagen production and skin barrier function
An oil-soluble extract of Rubus idaeus cells enhances hydration and water homeostasis in skin cells
Comparative benefit of two thermal spring waters after photodynamic therapy procedure
Comparison of methods for assessing photoprotection against ultraviolet A in vivo
Design and in vivo evaluation of emulgel formulations including green tea extract and rose oil
Highly efficient and compatible shampoo for use after hair transplant
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Evolution of lipid composition in skin treated with blackcurrant seed oil
Retrospective Review of Dermal Safety Studies of Organic Sunscreens
Behind this comparison
Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated 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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