Avène Hydrance+ for sensitive skin
Glycerin
Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other sunscreens fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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
- Suitable for normal skin, this product contains glycerin and tocopheryl acetate to provide humectant action and antioxidant benefits, though these do not directly address your redness and irritation.
- The formula offers moderate moisturizing and sun protection, but its benefits are mostly supportive and not targeted for your specific concerns.
How to apply
- Apply this moisturizing sunscreen AM daily as the final step of your morning routine. Always reapply every two hours when exposed to the sun.
- Apply after your regular moisturizer and before makeup. This product combines hydration and sun protection in one easy step.
- Gently smooth a nickel-sized amount evenly across your face and neck. Avoid rubbing harshly to keep sensitive skin calm.
- Apply the moisturizing sunscreen to clean , dry skin for the best protection. Let it absorb ⏱ fully before stepping outside.
- Avoid direct contact with your eyes. Do a patch test before your first use since your skin is sensitive.
People Say
★4.1Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis product is praised as a gentle, hydrating mineral sunscreen and moisturizer suitable for dry and sensitive skin. A significant number of users with medium to darker skin tones report a noticeable white cast, and some find the texture too thick or difficult to blend.
Highlights
Leaves white cast Mostly Mentioned
- “leaves a white layer”
- “ghostly look”
- “not for dark skin”
Gentle, non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “no irritation at all”
- “soothes my skin”
Deeply hydrating Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels soft”
- “intense hydration”
- “healed my dry patches”
Dewy finish Sometimes Noted
- “nice dewy finish”
- “good makeup base”
- “leaves a glow”
Mineral formula Sometimes Noted
- “love that it's mineral”
- “no chemical filters”
- “doesn't sting eyes”
Thick texture Sometimes Noted
- “too thick”
- “hard to rub in”
- “feels heavy”
Can be greasy Rarely Noted
- “too shiny”
- “greasy finish”
- “face looks oily”
Pills easily Rarely Noted
- “pills under makeup”
- “balls up”
- “weird graininess”
Sources: lovi.care, aveneusa.com, ulta.com, lovelyskin.com, walgreens.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Avène Hydrance+ SPF work for sensitive skin?
This product works adequately for sensitive skin by offering moderate moisture and sun protection, though it is not specifically targeted to calm your redness and irritation. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients to calm irritation and redness, along with ceramides and effective hydrators to keep sensitive skin comfortable and healthy.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for sensitive skin?
Glycerin and tocopheryl acetate make this cream a fit by helping keep skin hydrated and protected, though they do not directly calm redness and irritation. Sensitive skin needs moisturizing sunscreens that offer excellent hydration and sun protection without irritation risks, while also soothing redness and irritation.
What does Water do for sensitive skin?
Using cool water for facial cleansing preserves skin barrier integrity and lowers skin surface pH in healthy adults. This helps keep skin calm and hydrated without causing the irritation associated with warmer water.
What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cream goes in the morning routine as the final step after a soothing toner. A product for sensitive skin needs calming ingredients and extra moisture to soothe redness and irritation.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream in the morning after applying your retinol treatment to help protect your skin from the sun. When caring for sensitive skin, this product needs to include soothing ingredients that directly calm redness and irritation.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing spf every morning to protect your skin from the sun and keep it feeling soft. A product of this type for sensitive skin needs calming ingredients and soothing plant extracts to directly target redness and irritation.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause purging since it does not contain exfoliating active ingredients that speed up skin turnover. However, because it has a thick texture and can feel greasy, it may occasionally clog pores or lead to breakouts on sensitive skin.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
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, 2017Vitamin E in O/W and W/O emulsions significantly increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced water-binding capacity, with an optimum concentration of 5%.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998Parsol 1789 and Eusolex 8020 provided slightly better photoprotection than oxybenzone in both normal and sensitized human skin when assessed using pigmentation end points, whereas all three sunscreens performed similarly against UVA-induced erythema.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1987Incorporation of avobenzone and oxybenzone into ordered mesoporous silica SBA-15 significantly reduced their cutaneous penetration and transdermal permeation in porcine skin compared to free filters, while enhancing the sun protection factor by 94%.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019The 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, 2012Encapsulation of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane in lipid microparticles significantly reduced their in vivo human skin penetration compared to nonencapsulated filters.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011Microencapsulation of the BMDBM/HP-beta-CD complex in lipid microparticles significantly decreased the percutaneous penetration of the UV filter into the stratum corneum of human volunteers compared to the non-encapsulated sunscreen agent.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 2011Following human skin application of an O/W emulsion containing 2% BMDBM loaded in lipospheres, 15% of the sunscreen accumulated in the uppermost layers of the stratum corneum without remarkably modifying skin permeation compared to unencapsulated sunscreen.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2008
Why other sunscreens fit 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, 2016
Ingredients
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Benzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum
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
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.