Avène Milk Cleanser for oily skin
Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua
Glycerin
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Glycine Soja Oil Soybean Oil
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 to hydrate and smooth texture, while dicaprylyl carbonate offers emollient effects to support your oily shine concerns.
- The formula lacks sufficient ingredients for effective seboregulation, which could further enhance its benefits for managing excess oil.
- The product is safe for your oily skin with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
- Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
- You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsMany users report that it leaves their skin feeling soft and supple. Some users express dissatisfaction with a recent formula change and find the fragrance to be strong. Its effectiveness for removing heavy makeup is also a point of concern for some.
Highlights
Gentle on skin Mostly Mentioned
- “Perfect cleanser for sensitive skin.”
- “So gentle and non-drying on my senior skin.”
- “Works great on my sensitive skin.”
Hydrating and soothing Often Mentioned
- “Leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated.”
- “So hydrating and soothing.”
- “Leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and supple.”
Strong fragrance Often Mentioned
- “The fragrance is very present.”
- “Fragrance is so very strong.”
- “Fragrance is too overpowering and ends up burning my cheeks.”
Effective makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “Remove a all of the makeup with ease.”
- “Cleans eyes and skin well.”
- “Removes dirt and make-up, and rinses off.”
Formula change Sometimes Noted
- “They have changed the formula recently, and it... is not as good.”
- “New formula is not good.”
- “Not the same formula.”
Poor makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “It absolutely couldn't remove anything on its own.”
- “You need to cleanse two or three times.”
- “Unsuitable for makeup removal.”
Sources: lovi.care, aveneusa.com, lovelyskin.com, walmart.com, dermstore.com, hwahae.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Avène Milk Cleanser work for oily skin?
Avene Milk Cleanser works moderately well for your oily skin because glycerin hydrates and smooths texture while dicaprylyl carbonate supports oily shine concerns safely without irritation. However, a cleanser for this skin needs ingredients that effectively manage excess oil to promote a clear complexion.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Glycerin and dicaprylyl carbonate make this cleanser a fit by providing hydration and supporting oily shine concerns. It is unlikely to cause irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients. However, cleansers that fit oily skin better need ingredients that actively manage excess oil and promote a clear complexion.
What does Avene Thermal Spring Water do for oily skin?
Avène Thermal Spring Water helps calm oily skin that is undergoing acne treatments by reducing discomfort, stinging, and dryness. It is well tolerated and may improve skin hydration while supporting standard acne care.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning routine as the first step, and in your evening routine right after your makeup remover. It hydrates and smooths texture while supporting oily shine concerns, though an oily skin routine also needs ingredients that control excess oil.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying the cleanser first on your damp skin, rinsing it off, and then following with your retinol treatment once your face is dry. This cleanser is very safe and unlikely to cause irritation, though oily skin often does better with a cleanser that also helps control excess oil.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It is safe for your skin with no irritation risks, though an oily skin type needs oil-controlling ingredients to properly manage excess shine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores for oily skin since it has a very safe formula with no harsh ingredients. However, because it is only an average fit for oily skin, a product of this type needs extra ingredients that help manage and control excess oil.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this cleanser around the eyes and on your body as it has very good skin tolerance and causes no irritation. To best care for thin areas like the eyes or larger areas on the body, a product of this type needs gentle hydrating ingredients and lightweight softeners to keep skin comfortable.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). Behenyl 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, 2017Balneotherapy 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, 2012
Why other cleansers fit oily skin better
A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Combined ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate treatment significantly reduced facial sebum secretions in healthy female volunteers compared to a placebo control over 90 days.
Drug Research, 2017
Ingredients
Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua Avene Aqua, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, C14-22 Alcohols, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Parfum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycine Soja Oil Soybean Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, 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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