Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel for sensitive skin
Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua
Zinc Coceth Sulfate
Lauryl Betaine
Decyl Glucoside
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 cleansing for your normal skin with sensitivity, as zinc gluconate helps regulate sebum production and reduce inflammation, while Avene Thermal Spring Water provides soothing properties.
- The formulation provides general cleansing benefits for redness and irritation due to the mild astringent properties of zinc gluconate.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser in the AM and PM routines every day. Start using it daily since your sensitive skin needs gentle care.
- Apply this first in your morning and evening skincare routine before toner and moisturizer. This clears away dirt without upsetting your skin.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using soft circles. Avoid any rough rubbing to keep redness away.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it wash away impurities softly. Clean skin feels fresh and comfortable afterwards.
- Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes and do a quick patch test before first use. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 6.5k+ reviewsThis gel cleanser is widely praised by users with oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin for its ability to deeply cleanse and regulate sebum without disrupting the skin barrier. While the majority report clearer, matte skin, a minority of users with drier skin types found it too stripping or experienced initial purging. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should definitely be taken into account.
Highlights
Effective oil control Mostly Mentioned
- “Keeps me matte for hours”
- “Drastically reduced my oiliness”
- “Best face wash for greasy skin”
- “Controls sebum perfectly.”
Gentle deep clean Often Mentioned
- “Squeaky clean but soft”
- “Removes makeup easily”
- “Gentle on my sensitive skin”
- “Doesn't strip my barrier.”
Helps clear acne Often Mentioned
- “Cleared my cystic acne”
- “Keeps pimples at bay”
- “My skin is finally clear”
- “Great for hormonal breakouts.”
High value Sometimes Noted
- “Bottle lasts for months”
- “A little goes a long way”
- “Worth the price”
- “One drop is enough.”
Refreshing feel Sometimes Noted
- “Feels so refreshing”
- “Love the clean smell”
- “Leaves face feeling fresh”
- “Cooling effect is nice.”
Drying for some Sometimes Noted
- “Left my face tight”
- “Too drying for winter”
- “Caused dry patches”
- “Stripped my skin.”
Initial breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Broke me out initially”
- “Caused tiny bumps”
- “Skin got worse before better”
- “Gave me cystic spots.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Cap leaks in bag”
- “Lid is hard to close”
- “Dispenses too much product”
- “Messy bottle design.”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “Scent is too strong”
- “Smells like perfume”
- “Fragrance irritated my nose”
- “Wish it was unscented.”
Sources: lovi.care, aveneusa.com, dermstore.com, ulta.com, lovelyskin.com, lookfantastic.ie, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel work for sensitive skin?
This cleanser works for sensitive skin by helping calm redness and irritation with zinc gluconate and Avene Thermal Spring Water. A cleanser for this skin needs hydrating and soothing ingredients like niacinamide and ceramide-3 to keep it feeling soft and comfortable.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
Zinc gluconate helps regulate oil and calm redness, while Avene Thermal Spring Water helps soothe sensitive skin. Cleansers of this type that fit this skin best need hydrating and soothing ingredients like Niacinamide and Ceramide-3.
What does Avene Thermal Spring Water do for sensitive skin?
Avène Thermal Spring Water helps calm sensitive skin by significantly reducing stinging, burning, and redness. It is unlikely to cause irritation and is well-suited for keeping dry or easily upset skin feeling soft and comfortable.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Zinc Coceth Sulfate do for sensitive skin?
Zinc coceth sulfate helps cleanse sensitive skin without stripping away essential moisture, though it may cause mild dryness if not rinsed thoroughly. This ingredient works best when balanced with soothing agents that keep skin soft and calm.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is used both morning and evening as part of a daily skincare routine for sensitive skin. A consistent routine featuring a mild cleanser helps improve skin comfort and reduces the likelihood of irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine when using retinol, applying the cleanser first and following with your retinol treatment and a moisturizer. Cleansers for this skin need gentle, calming ingredients like ceramides and soothing plant extracts to protect the skin barrier while you use strong treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. A gentle cleanser like this helps improve skin condition while keeping it calm and clean.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause breakouts, as initial breakouts happen only occasionally with this formula. However, because it can be somewhat drying for sensitive skin, a cleanser for this skin type needs extra hydrating ingredients to keep it soft and comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is unlikely to irritate the thin skin around your eyes or on your body because it is free of harsh ingredients. However, because skin is very thin around the eyes and varies in thickness across the body, a cleanser for this skin needs extra soothing and hydrating ingredients to keep it soft and comfortable.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum) and drying alcohol (isopropyl alcohol).
What the research says
Balneotherapy 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, 2025Silybum marianum flower extract increased human hair follicle dermal papilla cell proliferation and VEGF production while suppressing cellular senescence, and in a clinical study using hair shampoo, it significantly increased hair density and total hair count at 16 and 24 weeks compared with a placebo group.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 0.5% silymarin-loaded antioxidant serum applied twice daily significantly reduced clinical acne severity, lesion counts, and melanin pigmentation in 22 Korean acne patients over 4 weeks without associated adverse events.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Topical silymarin cream 1.4% showed comparable results to salicylic acid 30% peels in reducing acne severity in 30 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 2024
Ingredients
Avene Thermal Spring Water Avene Aqua Avene Aqua, Water, Zinc Coceth Sulphate, Lauryl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Parfum, Green 5 Ci 61570, Isopropyl Alcohol, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Peg-6, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Yellow 5 Ci 19140, Zinc Gluconate
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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How does it fit your skin?
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