Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm for oily acne-prone skin
Avène Thermal Spring Water
Glycerin
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Squalane
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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
- Offers moderate suitability for your oily skin, as glycerin provides humectant action, but lacks sufficient seboregulating components for optimal oil control.
- The product provides excellent moisturizing due to shea butter and squalane, enhancing barrier resilience, though it lacks targeted ingredients for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing Avene Thermal Spring Water.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 4.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this product is highly effective at calming and hydrating hypersensitive, reactive, and allergy-prone skin, with users frequently reporting relief from redness, tightness, and irritation. It is also often praised for its ability to restore the skin barrier and for being fragrance-free and gentle. A moderate number of users note that it absorbs quickly without greasiness, while some find the price to be high. A low number of reviews mention breakouts or insufficient hydration.
Highlights
Soothes irritated skin Mostly Mentioned
- “Nothing has ever worked to soothe or heal my skin like these before.”
- “My skin immediately feels soothed and settled.”
- “This balm is very soothing to irritated red skin.”
Fragrance-free and gentle Often Mentioned
- “Love that there is no scent at all!”
- “I have no irritation from this product.”
- “Fragrance-free and contains minimal, gentle ingredients.”
- “No burning, itching, or tight feeling!”
Restores skin barrier Often Mentioned
- “This repairs my skin barrier without fail.”
- “The only moisturiser that my skin tolerates when my skin barrier is compromised or absolutely destroyed.”
- “Great for post peel or winter time also.”
- “It makes a good barrier for the skin and protects the skin.”
Absorbs quickly Sometimes Noted
- “Absorbs into skin without residue.”
- “Provides a non-greasy texture that absorbs well into skin.”
- “Lightweight yet nourishing texture that absorbs well.”
- “Hydrates with a mess free application bonus.”
High price Sometimes Noted
- “Its a bit pricey but so worth it!!”
- “But it's soooo expensive for an ounce of product.”
- “It's a bit pricey for the amount of product.”
- “This Tolerance Skin Recovery Cream is pricey, but it's a life saver.”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “When I first tried it, I woke up to two pimples on my 58-year-old dry skin.”
- “After using it twice... the next day i had 5 new BIG pimples, small bumps around my jaw.”
- “Leaves bumps and redness.”
- “It stings my face upon application... and leaves bumps and redness.”
Not hydrating enough Rarely Noted
- “Not hydrating enough and my skin feels so dry even right after applying the cream.”
- “This lotion dried out my skin.”
- “I think the consistency is not very rich... not enough to hydrate dry skin in my opinion.”
- “It will not fix the fundamental problems that dry skin has.”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, aveneusa.com, dermstore.com, boots.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Avène Tolerance Control Balm work for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as glycerin provides helpful hydration while soothing Avène Thermal Spring Water keeps irritation risks low. However, it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts and oil control, meaning this skin type needs a product with oil-balancing components and ingredients that specifically address blemishes.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin, squalane, and shea butter make this cream a good fit by providing hydration and keeping skin soft. Because it lacks ingredients to control oil and breakouts, an oily acne-prone skin type needs a moisturizer with oil-balancing and blemish-clearing ingredients.
What does Avène Thermal Spring Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Avène Thermal Spring Water helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing dryness and stinging when used alongside standard acne treatments. It also has a very safe profile that makes it comfortable for sensitive skin.
What does Glycerin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily acne-prone skin hydrated without feeling heavy. It draws moisture into the skin while supporting the skin barrier so it stays soft and balanced.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer goes near the end of your routine, after your hydrating toner in the morning and after your treatment in the evening. It provides good hydration and a safe, soothing feel for your oily skin, but this skin type also needs oil-controlling and blemish-clearing ingredients to get the best fit.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, applying the retinol first and following with the moisturizer. This helps keep your oily skin soft and calm while reducing dryness and irritation from the retinol. To work best for acne-prone skin, this type of product also needs ingredients that balance oil and target breakouts.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. It provides soothing moisture for your skin, though oily skin of this type also needs ingredients that help control excess oil and target breakouts.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, but because it lacks ingredients to manage oil and breakouts, oily acne-prone skin needs a moisturizer with oil-controlling ingredients to stay clear.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on your body and around your eyes, as the skin on your body and eyelids is thin and benefits from rich moisturizers. This product is unlikely to irritate your skin due to its gentle formula and soothing spring water, though oily acne-prone skin needs ingredients that control oil and target breakouts.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
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, 2017A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025Balneotherapy 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, 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, 2024A 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, 2025The 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 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, 2023Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua Avene Aqua, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Squalane, Beeswax Cera Alba Cera, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetyl Esters, Aquaphilus Dolomiae Extract Filtrate, Arginine, Citric Acid, Tromethamine, Water, 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?
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