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CeraVe vs Avène

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

CeraVe and Avène are skincare brands that offer nourishing moisturizers, cleansers, serums, and sunscreens. The American brand is universally loved for harnessing hyaluronic acid and glycerin, suiting mature skin and oily acne-prone skin best with standout solutions like the Foaming Facial Cleanser and Skin Renewing Night Cream. Meanwhile, the French brand is loved for soothing cleansers and moisturizers formulated with glycerin, suiting oily acne-prone skin and combination skin best with standout options like the Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm. They differ in their founding origins and specific key ingredients, as both brands utilize glycerin while only the former incorporates hyaluronic acid.

CeraVe is an American skincare brand founded in 2005 and owned by L'Oréal since 2017.

en.wikipedia.orghappi.comloreal-finance.comcerave.com

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 CeraVe and Avène products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular CeraVe vs Avène products

People Say

CeraVeAvène
  • Fragrance-Free and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “no burning sensation — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
    • “No scent, no irritation — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “leaves face clean but not dry — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Perfect cleanser for sensitive skin. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Sinks right into your skin — CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “difference in my skin's texture is noticeable — CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser”
    • “Thick but absorbs well eventually — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “woke up with plump skin — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “cured my dry patches — CeraVe Eye Repair Cream”
    • “Restores moisture barrier — Avène Cold Cream”
  • Redness and Sensitivity Soothing Rarely NotedOften 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”
    • “Calms angry, red skin — Avène Soothing Radiance Mask”
    • “no stinging or redness — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
  • Acne Control and Clearing Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “dialed back oiliness — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “Never breaks me out — CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “helped to stop my breakout in its tracks — CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser”
    • “Keeps me matte for hours — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
  • Value and Price Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “reasonably priced — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “Huge tub lasts forever — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “Great everyday moisturizer — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Bottle lasts for months — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
  • Texture and Residue Complications Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like washing with conditioner — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “too sticky — CeraVe Healing Ointment”
    • “hard to spread — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “leaves a white layer — Avène Hydrance+”
  • Breakouts and Purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Gave me cystic acne — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “gave me closed comedones — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “Woke up with tiny whiteheads all over — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Caused small bumps/texture — Avène Soothing Radiance Mask”
  • Packaging and Sizing Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “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”
    • “no safety seal included — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”

CeraVe vs Avène routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

CeraVe vs Avène routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

CeraVe vs Avène routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

CeraVe or Avène: which is better?

CeraVe is better for texture, hydration, value, and acne control, while Avène is better for soothing redness and sensitivity, though both brands offer high fit levels for most skin types.

What is the difference between CeraVe and Avène?

CeraVe has a High routine fit for dry sensitive skin while Avène has an Average routine fit. CeraVe offers better texture and absorption as well as acne control, whereas Avène is better at soothing redness and sensitivity.

CeraVe or Avène for dry skin?

CeraVe has a High routine fit for dry skin, whereas Avène has an Average fit, making CeraVe better suited for this skin type.

CeraVe or Avène: which cleanser is better?

For cleansers, CeraVe is generally better because the products on this page offer superior effectiveness for acne and oil as well as gentle, non-stripping hydration, whereas Avène cleansers sometimes feature added fragrance. Lovi rates CeraVe's cleansers as a High to Superior fit for oily, acne-prone, and dry skin.

Which is more affordable, CeraVe or Avène?

CeraVe is more affordable and does better for value and price compared to Avène.

CeraVe or Avène: which brand has fragrance-free options?

Both brands offer fragrance-free options, as every single product on the CeraVe page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, while 7 of the 15 products on the Avene page are also fragrance-free.

CeraVe or Avène for soothing redness and sensitivity?

Avene is better for soothing redness and sensitivity, as Avene outperforms CeraVe on redness and sensitivity soothing. Lovi gives Avene a High fit level for sensitive skin.

CeraVe or Avène: which brand is better for mature skin?

CeraVe has a High fit level for mature skin, whereas Avène has an Average fit level for the products on this page. CeraVe also does better for texture and absorption, hydration and moisture, and value and price.

CeraVe or Avène for oily skin?

Both brands are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers find that CeraVe helps control acne and oil effectively with gentle, non-stripping cleansers, while Avène is noted for its gentle oil control.

CeraVe or Avène: which moisturizer is better?

CeraVe offers better moisturizers on this page, with Lovi fit levels reaching Superior for dry skin compared to Avène's High level. CeraVe formulas help deliver deep hydration with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides while being fragrance-free across all products.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

CeraVe or Avène for sensitive skin?

CeraVe has High routine fit for sensitive skin, whereas Avène has High fit. Every product on the CeraVe page lists no fragrance, while several Avène products contain fragrance.

CeraVe or Avène: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreens on this page, CeraVe is a better option with a High fit for dry, sensitive, and combination skin, while Avène's sunscreens may be less fitting for certain skin types like dry skin.

CeraVe or Avène for acne-prone skin?

Both CeraVe and Avène offer a High routine fit for acne-prone skin. The products on this page help manage breakouts with gentle cleansing and targeted care.

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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