Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream for dry sensitive skin
Avène Thermal Spring Water
Zinc Oxide
Glycerin
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Beeswax
Average
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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
- Highly suitable for your dry skin, this product utilizes glycerin and caprylic/capric triglyceride to provide essential humectant and emollient actions, effectively hydrating and smoothing your skin. The presence of zinc oxide and beeswax further supports barrier repair and protection, offering general skincare benefits that align with your needs.
- While it offers moderate moisturizing and barrier repair, the formulation's benefits are primarily supportive rather than targeted for your specific dry or flaky skin concerns.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry and sensitive skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using this moisturizer 3 times a week and move to daily use if your dry skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toner in the morning, or after your serum in the evening. Always pair it with SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it harshly to protect your sensitive skin.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help with hydration absorption. This also works well for dry and flaky skin types.
- Do a patch test before your first use. Avoid the eye area to prevent any irritation.
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 dry sensitive skin?
Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream works reasonably well for dry sensitive skin, though other options fit it better. It helps hydrate and smooth your skin while supporting the barrier, but a product of this type needs richer nourishing ingredients, hyaluronic acid, and intense moisturizers to truly meet the deep hydration needs of dry skin.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin and caprylic/capric triglyceride make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin by holding in moisture and smoothing the surface, while zinc oxide and beeswax help protect the skin. It is very unlikely to cause irritation. A product of this type needs richer nourishing and soothing ingredients that deeply target dry or flaky skin to be the best fit.
What does Avène Thermal Spring Water do for dry sensitive skin?
Avène Thermal Spring Water helps calm red, irritated skin and reduces stinging and burning while keeping it soft and comfortable. It has a very safe profile for sensitive skin and supports moisture balance to relieve dryness.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2020
What does Zinc Oxide do for dry sensitive skin?
Zinc oxide helps calm dry, sensitive skin by reducing redness and soothing irritation while protecting a delicate skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and is commonly used to keep skin comfortable.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This cream goes in the evening routine after toner and before moisturizer, and in the weekly routine after a nourishing mask and before moisturizer. It is unlikely to cause irritation for your dry and sensitive skin because it lacks harsh ingredients. However, dry skin of this type needs targeted treatments with rich hydrators and soothing plant oils to fully address dryness and flakiness.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream alongside retinol by applying the treatment first and following with your moisturizer at night. Using a barrier-enhancing moisturizing cream like this helps your skin tolerate retinol better and is unlikely to cause irritation.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream works best when used in your evening routine and weekly routine. It is unlikely to cause irritation for your dry and sensitive skin, providing supportive hydration and barrier protection.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cream may cause breakouts for some people with dry sensitive skin, as reviewers moderately report this issue. However, it is unlikely to cause irritation due to its very safe ingredients.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this cream around your eyes and on your body to help keep those areas soft and protected. It is unlikely to cause irritation on sensitive areas because it lacks harsh ingredients, though a product for dry skin may need richer oils and ceramides to fully comfort very thin skin.
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, 2017Topical 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, 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, 2024Balneotherapy 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, 2023A 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, 2025A formulation containing vitamin C, biopeptides, hyaluronic acid, and mineralizing water accelerated cell turnover to 17.1 days versus 19.2 days for untreated skin, and reduced crow's-feet, forehead, and nasolabial folds by 9%, 11%, and 5% respectively after 28 days in female subjects.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2021Topical 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 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 dry sensitive skin better
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Nanoemulsions containing Macadamia integrifolia seed oil successfully enhanced skin hydration and reduced wrinkles in human volunteers, outperforming conventional emulsions in skin hydration enhancement.
Nanomaterials, 2024
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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