Avène Cold Cream for dry sensitive skin
Paraffinum Liquidum Mineral Oil
Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua Avene Aqua
Beeswax Cera Alba Cera
Glyceryl Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 benefits for your dry and flaky skin, as mineral oil and beeswax provide emollient and occlusive actions to smooth intercellular lipids and reduce water loss.
- The formula is highly suitable for dry skin, with these ingredients enhancing barrier resilience and providing excellent moisturization.
- The product is safe for your dry and sensitive skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using this moisturizer 3 times a week and move to daily use if your dry skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toner in the morning, or after your serum in the evening. Always pair it with SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it harshly to protect your sensitive skin.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help with hydration absorption. This also works well for dry and flaky skin types.
- Do a patch test before your first use. Avoid the eye area to prevent any irritation.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, users find this cream to be a winter essential, deeply nourishing and protecting very dry, sensitive skin. It is highly effective for restoring the moisture barrier and soothing irritation, though some users report a heavy or greasy texture that they prefer for nighttime use.
Highlights
Intense winter protection Mostly Mentioned
- “Saves my skin in winter”
- “creates a protective mask”
- “essential for skiing”
- “blocks the sharp wind”
Deeply moisturizing Often Mentioned
- “Restores moisture barrier”
- “healed my dry patches”
- “skin feels supple again”
- “no more flaking”
Greasy finish Often Mentioned
- “Leaves a greasy film”
- “too shiny for day use”
- “feels heavy on face”
- “pillow gets oily”
Rich and economical Sometimes Noted
- “A little goes a long way”
- “tube lasts for months”
- “very rich texture”
- “thick and creamy”
Soothing for sensitivity Sometimes Noted
- “Relieved itching immediately”
- “calms my redness”
- “perfect for sensitive skin”
- “doesn't sting”
Old-fashioned scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells like grandma”
- “strong herbal scent”
- “perfumey smell”
- “wish it was unscented”
Potential breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused closed comedones”
- “clogged my pores”
- “too rich for my T-zone”
- “gave me spots”
Price vs. size Rarely Noted
- “Tiny tube for the money”
- “expensive for the amount”
- “wish it came in a bigger tub”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, influenster.com, makeup.uk, boots.com, sweetcare.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Avène Cold Cream a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
Avène Cold Cream is a great fit because mineral oil and beeswax help smooth dry, flaky patches and lock in moisture to protect your skin barrier. The formula is very safe for sensitive skin because it avoids harsh or irritating ingredients.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Mineral oil and beeswax make this cream a great fit because they smooth dry, flaky skin and lock in moisture by reducing water loss. These ingredients help strengthen the skin barrier while being gentle enough to avoid irritation on sensitive skin.
What does Mineral Oil do for dry sensitive skin?
Mineral oil helps keep dry sensitive skin soft and supports the skin barrier by holding in moisture and shielding it from irritation. It is unlikely to cause issues and works well to improve overall skin comfort.
What does Avene Thermal Spring Water do for dry sensitive skin?
Avène Thermal Spring Water helps calm dry sensitive skin by easing redness, stinging, and burning sensations. It features a very safe profile and soothing properties that make skin feel comfortable, supported by studies showing it reduces skin discomfort and sensitivity.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
Avène Cold Cream goes in your evening routine as the final moisturizing step after your treatment, and it can also be used any time your skin feels dry. Daily use of a moisturizer significantly improves visual dryness and clinical scores in dry skin.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the cream after your retinol treatment in the evening routine to help lock in hydration and reduce dryness. This product is a great fit for your dry sensitive skin, as mineral oil and beeswax help smooth rough patches and keep moisture locked in without causing irritation.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizer daily as part of your morning and evening routines to keep your skin hydrated and protected. Regular daily application helps smooth dry areas, locks in moisture, and supports a resilient skin barrier.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
Avène Cold Cream is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin, as reviewers report a low risk of potential blemishes. The mineral oil and beeswax in the formula help lock in moisture to protect dry skin without harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this moisturizer around the eyes and on the body because it is gentle and well-tolerated by dry, sensitive skin. Its mineral oil and beeswax help lock in moisture and protect delicate areas like the eyelids without causing irritation.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A soap-free cleansing lotion containing cetyl alcohol and sodium cocoyl apple amino acids reduced skin surface impurities and improved skin hydration, barrier function, and skin tone in 27 healthy adult subjects over 30 days.
Cureus, 2025Both US- and Tanzanian-sourced beeswax-pine resin mixtures produced equivalent short-term skin irritation compared to a hydrocolloid active comparator in 35 healthy volunteers over 7 days.
Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing, 2026Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019Balneotherapy 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, 2025Topical application of a honey, olive oil, and beeswax mixture three times daily for up to 4 weeks resulted in clinical responses in 86% of patients with pityriasis versicolor, 78% with tinea cruris, and 75% with tinea corporis.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2004A prototype body cream containing bee venom, propolis, honey, beeswax, and royal jelly demonstrated stability for 90 days, high antioxidant capacity of 85.45%, lack of cytotoxicity with over 70% cell viability, and no irritation or allergic reaction in dermatological analysis, while improving skin parameters in a panel test.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022MUD1 protected human dermal fibroblasts against AAPH-induced oxidative stress by increasing cell viability, reducing oxidative damage, improving mitochondrial functionality, and enhancing wound healing capacities.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018
Ingredients
Paraffinum Liquidum Mineral Oil, Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua Avene Aqua, Beeswax Cera Alba Cera, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Bht, C20-40 Pareth-10, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Phosphate, Parfum, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Triethanolamine, Water
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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