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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 respected skincare brands, with the American brand founded in 2005 and the French brand established in 1990. CeraVe offers dependable moisturizers, gentle cleansers, targeted serums, protective sunscreens, and other daily formulas enriched with hyaluronic acid and glycerin, while Avène provides gentle moisturizers, protective sunscreens, targeted serums, and soothing cleansers formulated with glycerin. Both lines suit different needs best, as the American brand supports mature skin and dry skin, whereas the French brand suits oily acne-prone skin and combination skin. They primarily differ in their origins, ownership, and core ingredient combinations.

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 · 98% fit

CeraVe vs Avène routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

CeraVe vs Avène routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

CeraVe or Avène: which is better?

CeraVe is better for texture, hydration, acne control, and value across the products on this page, while Avène does better for soothing redness and sensitivity. Both brands offer equal routine fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, skin with dark spots, and oily acne-prone skin, but CeraVe achieves a Superior fit level for mature skin compared to Avène's High level.

What is the difference between CeraVe and Avène?

CeraVe and Avène offer similar routine fit levels across most skin types, but CeraVe achieves a superior fit for mature skin and provides fragrance-free products on the products on this page, whereas Avène includes fragrance in several of its products on the products on this page. Ceramides help repair barrier function, and niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

CeraVe or Avène for dry skin?

CeraVe and Avene are equally matched for dry skin, as Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin as High for both brands. CeraVe offers fragrance-free moisturizers that help deliver deep hydration, while Avene also provides effective options for sensitive skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

CeraVe or Avène: which cleanser is better?

CeraVe is better for cleansing overall because the products on this page offer superior acne control and gentle, non-stripping hydration with key ingredients like ceramides and salicylic acid. Avène also provides gentle deep-cleansing options, but CeraVe scores higher for effectiveness against oil and breakouts.

Which is more affordable, CeraVe or Avène?

CeraVe does better than Avène for value and price across the products on this page.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products?

CeraVe has more fragrance-free products, as every product on the CeraVe page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas only 7 of the 15 products on the Avène page are fragrance-free.

CeraVe or Avène for oily skin?

Both CeraVe and Avène offer a High routine fit for oily skin, with CeraVe providing fragrance-free formulas across all products on this page while Avène includes fragrance in several items. Reviewers note that CeraVe helps with acne control and clearing, whereas Avène helps with effective oil control.

CeraVe or Avène: which moisturizer is better?

CeraVe is better for moisturizers on this page, as reviewers mostly mention lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and superior healing and texture, and CeraVe does better for texture, absorption, hydration, and moisture. Its products feature key ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin that help repair the skin barrier and lock in moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

CeraVe or Avène for sensitive skin?

Both CeraVe and Avène offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin. CeraVe features fragrance-free formulas across all products on this page, while Avène is frequently noted for soothing redness and sensitivity.

CeraVe or Avène: which sunscreen is better?

Both CeraVe and Avène offer good options, with CeraVe providing a High fit for dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Avène sunscreen also helps soothe irritation, though some of its products may contain fragrance.

CeraVe or Avène for acne-prone skin?

Both CeraVe and Avène offer a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, with the products on this page providing effective options for clearing and oil control. CeraVe tends to do better for acne control and clearing, while Avène provides gentle deep cleaning cleansers and soothes irritation.

CeraVe or Avène for mature skin?

CeraVe fits mature skin better because Lovi gives the brand a Superior level for this skin type, while Avène reaches a High level. CeraVe offers multiple products for mature skin on the products on this page, and ceramides help repair the skin barrier.

CeraVe or Avène for dry sensitive skin?

CeraVe fits dry sensitive skin better than Avène, as Lovi rates CeraVe High and Avène Average for this skin type. CeraVe offers fragrance-free formulas with barrier-repairing ceramides that help soothe dryness without irritation.

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

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