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Avène vs Clarins

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Avène and Clarins are French skincare brands that offer distinct approaches to complexion care. Avène is loved for its gentle moisturizers, protective sunscreens, targeted serums, and soothing cleansers formulated with glycerin, suiting oily acne-prone and combination skin best. Clarins is loved for its luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, soothing eye products, and gentle toners enriched with nourishing shea and hydrating squalane, suiting sensitive and dry sensitive skin best. They differ primarily in their core ingredients and primary skin type matches, with the first brand relying on glycerin and the second brand utilizing shea and squalane.

Avène is a French skincare brand founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.

pierre-fabre.comavene.co.ukaveneusa.com

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

This page compares some of the most popular Avène and Clarins products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Avène vs Clarins products

People Say

AvèneClarins
  • Texture and Absorption Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
    • “melting non-oily texture — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “Thick but absorbs well eventually — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Clarins Multi-Active Nuit”
    • “Restores moisture barrier — Avène Cold Cream”
  • Gentle and Non-Stripping Cleansing Often MentionedNot 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”
  • Skin Soothing and Calmness Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “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”
    • “no irritation at all — Avène Hydrance+”
    • “calms my skin — Clarins Hydrating Toning Lotion”
  • Dewy and Glowing Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter immediately — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “Gives off the most stunning natural radiance I've ever come across. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “gives a healthy morning glow — Clarins Multi-Active Nuit”
    • “immediate radiance boost — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
  • Strong Fragrance and Scent Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “The fragrance is very present. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “smell is too strong — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Smells like grandma — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • High Price Point and Value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Its a bit pricey but so worth it!! — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “a bit pricey — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Tiny tube for the money — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Packaging and Design 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”
    • “dispenses too much product — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Formula Changes and Discontinuation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “bring it back — Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate”
    • “They have changed the formula recently, and it... is not as good. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “New formulation has been met with widespread disappointment. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “miss the old yellow toner — Clarins Hydrating Toning Lotion”

Avène vs Clarins routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Avène vs Clarins routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Avène vs Clarins routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Avène or Clarins: which is better?

Both brands offer strong options, but Avène fits oily, combination, and oily acne-prone skin better on this page. Clarins focuses well on dry sensitive skin, and both brands share equal routines for dry, sensitive, acne-prone, mature skin and skin with dark spots.

What is the difference between Avène and Clarins?

Avène and Clarins differ mainly in their formulation focus and fragrance options, as Avène features thermal water and a higher proportion of fragrance-free products on this page, while Clarins emphasizes botanical extracts and luxurious textures with widespread added fragrance. Reviewers note that Avène excels in skin soothing and gentle cleansing, whereas Clarins is better known for its hydration, smoothing, and glowing finishes.

Avène or Clarins for dry skin?

Both Avène and Clarins have a High routine fit level for dry skin. Avène features soothing thermal water and gentle cleansers, while Clarins products on this page often provide luxurious textures and deeply hydrating moisturizers like the Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream.

Avène or Clarins: which cleanser is better?

Avène cleanser products on this page help provide a gentle deep clean that is well-suited for sensitive skin, whereas Clarins cleansers tend to focus more on luxurious textures and hydration. Avène does better with gentle and non-stripping cleansing.

Which is more affordable, Avène or Clarins?

Both brands are noted for a high price point among reviewers on these pages. However, specific comparative pricing details are not provided.

Between Avène and Clarins, which brand has a higher percentage of fragrance-free products?

Avène has a significantly higher percentage of fragrance-free products, as 7 of its 15 products on this page list no fragrance compared to only 1 of the 24 Clarins products.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Avène and Clarins compare?

Avène was founded in 1990 in France and is owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre, whereas Clarins was founded earlier in 1954 in France and is owned by Famille C through Groupe Clarins.

Which brand performs better for dry sensitive skin according to the routine fit levels?

Clarins performs better for dry sensitive skin, as the routine fit on this page is High compared to an Average fit for Avène.

Avène or Clarins for oily skin?

Avène is better suited for oily skin, offering a High routine fit compared to an Average fit for Clarins on the products on this page.

Avène or Clarins: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers that achieve a High Lovi fit for dry skin, with Avène featuring options like the Hyaluron Activ B3 Concentrated Plumping Serum and Clarins offering products such as the Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream. Shoppers frequently mention that Clarins provides luxurious textures and hydrating results, while Avène is often noted for soothing irritation and offering fragrance-free alternatives.

Avène or Clarins for sensitive skin?

Both Avène and Clarins have a High routine fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Avène is often noted for its skin soothing and calmness, while Clarins is recognized for its luxurious textures.

Avène or Clarins for acne-prone skin?

Both Avène and Clarins have a High routine fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Avène may be preferred by shoppers wanting gentler cleansers and targeted blemish care, whereas Clarins is noted for its luxurious textures and moisturizing hydration.

Research behind their key ingredients

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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