🇫🇷France

Avène vs Simple

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

Avène and Simple are gentle skincare brands known for soothing cleansers, protective sunscreens, makeup removers, toners, and moisturizers formulated with glycerin and niacinamide. The French brand suits oily, acne-prone, and combination skin through targeted treatments like its Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm, Cleanance, and Hyaluron Activ B3 Concentrated Plumping Serum. Meanwhile, the British brand addresses acne-prone skin and dark spots using products like its Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner and Micellar Cleansing Water. They differ primarily in their founding origins, parent companies, and specific active formulations tailored to distinct skin concerns.

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

pierre-fabre.comavene.co.ukaveneusa.com

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular Avène vs Simple products

People Say

AvèneSimple
  • Soothes and calms sensitive skin Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Calmed my angry red skin overnight — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
  • Rich texture and deep hydration Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Thick but absorbs well eventually — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
  • Improves overall skin texture and radiance Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs very quickly — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “love that it's alcohol-free — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “immediate radiance boost — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
  • Gentle and non-stripping cleansers Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Best morning cleanser — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Skin feels soft not dry — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “leaves face clean but not dry — Avène Cleanance”
  • Price point and value Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Can't beat the price for the quality. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “Bottle lasts for months — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
  • Repairs and protects skin barrier Often MentionedNot noted
    • “Saves my skin in winter — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “Healed my over-exfoliated skin in days — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “This repairs my skin barrier without fail. — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
  • Formula changes and product issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “bring it back — Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate”
    • “They have changed the formula recently, and it... is not as good. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “It absolutely couldn't remove anything on its own. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “Did not remove my mascara very well at all. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Causes breakouts and skin reactions Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Woke up with tiny whiteheads all over — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Caused small bumps/texture — Avène Soothing Radiance Mask”
    • “Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “caused major breakouts — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
  • Thick or greasy residue Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Leaves a greasy film — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “too thick — Avène Hydrance+”
    • “Feels slimy on skin — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Still feeling a little bit of a film on my skin. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”

Avène vs Simple routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Avène vs Simple routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Avène vs Simple routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Avène or Simple: which is better?

Both brands are equally good, as Lovi rates their routines as an equal match across nearly every skin type. Simple tends to do better for value, hydration, and soothing sensitive skin, while Avène is stronger for repairing and protecting the skin barrier.

What is the difference between Avène and Simple?

Simple stands out for its price point and value, whereas Avène helps repair and protect the skin barrier. For dry sensitive skin, Lovi rates Simple as High and Avène as Average.

Avène or Simple for dry skin?

Both Avène and Simple reach a High fit on Lovi for dry skin. The products on this page for both brands feature glycerin, and Avène also uses thermal water while Simple relies on niacinamide.

Avène or Simple: which cleanser is better?

Avène and Simple are both great options for cleansing, as Lovi rates products from both brands as High for oily acne-prone skin and acne-prone skin. Reviewers note that Avène offers gentle deep clean cleansers, while Simple provides gentle, sensitive-skin-friendly makeup removers.

Which is more affordable, Avène or Simple?

Simple stands out for its price point and value compared to Avène. Reviewers often note its budget-friendly products.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of Avène and Simple compare?

Avène was founded in France in 1990 and is owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre, whereas Simple was founded in the United Kingdom in 1960 and has been owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

Which brand has more products containing fragrance, Avène or Simple?

Avène has more products containing fragrance than Simple, with 7 of its 15 products on this page listing fragrance. Meanwhile, every product on the Simple page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which brand performs better for dry sensitive skin according to the review themes and routine fits?

Simple performs better for dry sensitive skin because Lovi rates its routine as High while Avène is Average, and Simple wins the review theme for soothing and calming sensitive skin.

Avène or Simple for oily skin?

Both Avène and Simple fit oily skin at a High level on this page. Reviewers note that Avène provides effective oil control, while Simple offers lightweight moisturizers.

Avène or Simple: which moisturizer is better?

Both Avène and Simple offer great moisturizers with equal routine fit levels for dry skin on this page, but they rely on different key ingredients. Simple uses niacinamide and glycerin, while Avène features thermal water and glycerin across its products.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Avène or Simple for sensitive skin?

Both Avène and Simple are a High fit for sensitive skin according to Lovi. Avène features soothing thermal water and calming formulas, while Simple offers entirely fragrance-free products that gently care for sensitive skin.

Avène or Simple for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Avène has a Superior Lovi fit level, whereas Simple has a High fit level. Both brands offer products that help soothe and manage breakouts, but Avène features specialized options like Cleanance Sunscreen that suit acne-prone skin particularly well.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play