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Avène vs Grown Alchemist

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Avène and Grown Alchemist are distinct skincare lines created to address diverse dermatological needs. The French brand, founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre, is universally loved for its versatile moisturizers, reliable sunscreens, targeted serums, and gentle cleansers, all formulated with nourishing glycerin. It suits acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin best, offering profound relief without heaviness through products like the Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm, the Cleanance, and the Hyaluron Activ B3 Concentrated Plumping Serum, where glycerin improves skin hydration and restores barrier function. Meanwhile, Grown Alchemist is loved for its cleansers and serums, as well as its formulas, suiting sensitive, dry, and combination skin best with standout products including the Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser, the Instant Smoothing Serum, and the Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser.

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 Avène and Grown Alchemist products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Avène vs Grown Alchemist products

People Say

AvèneGrown Alchemist
  • Gentle and non-stripping Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “leaves face clean but not dry — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Perfect cleanser for sensitive skin. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “Doesn't dry out my skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “Perfect for sensitive skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
  • Deeply hydrating Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Restores moisture barrier — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “Leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “Skin version of chugging water — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Pleasant scent Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Smells amazing — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “smell is divine — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Effective oil control and cleansing Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Gets everything nice and clean — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “Keeps me matte for hours — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
  • Hydrating and lightweight Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Very light weight — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
    • “absorbs very quickly — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
  • Smooths fine lines and improves texture Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “I've noticed a definite improvement in the fine lines around my eyes — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
    • “skin feels smoother — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
    • “Smooths out fine lines — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Strong fragrance Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “The fragrance is very present. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “smell is too strong — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Too perfumy notes — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “smells medicinal — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • High price Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Its a bit pricey but so worth it!! — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “Tiny tube for the money — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “Tube is quite small — Avène Soothing Radiance Mask”
    • “expensive for what it is — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Product separation and packaging issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Tube squirted water everywhere — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Tube cracked on the side — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Cap leaks in bag — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
    • “tube cracks easily — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Avène or Grown Alchemist: which is better?

Neither brand is universally better, as Avène offers a wider variety of specialized targeted treatments and sunscreens while Grown Alchemist provides entirely fragrance-free formulations on this page. Reviewers note that Avène can come with a high price point and occasional packaging issues, whereas Grown Alchemist is noted for pleasant scents and effective oil control and cleansing.

What is the difference between Avène and Grown Alchemist?

Avène and Grown Alchemist differ primarily in their product selection and skin type fit on this page, where Avène offers a wide range featuring options with a Superior fit for dry skin, sensitive skin, and oily skin, whereas Grown Alchemist provides only three products with an Average or High fit. Additionally, Grown Alchemist products on this page list no fragrance, while over half of Avène's products on this page contain fragrance.

Avène or Grown Alchemist: which cleanser is better?

When it comes to cleansers on this page, Grown Alchemist is better for effective oil control and cleansing, while Avène has products with a High fit for oily acne-prone skin such as Cleanance Cleansing Gel.

Which is more affordable, Avène or Grown Alchemist?

Avène has a high price, according to reviewers on this page.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Avène or Grown Alchemist?

For acne-prone skin, Avène has a high fit for products on this page like its Cleanance sunscreens and cleansing gel, while Grown Alchemist offers an average fit across its cleanser range.

How do the founding years and company ownership compare between Avène and Grown Alchemist?

Avène was founded in 1990 in France and is owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre, whereas Grown Alchemist was founded in 2008 and has been independently owned since 2024.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products listed, Avène or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist has more fragrance-free products listed on this page, as every Grown Alchemist product lists no fragrance, whereas 7 of 15 Avène products list no fragrance.

What are the main reviewer complaints for Grown Alchemist compared to Avène?

Reviewers of Grown Alchemist on this page mostly complain about cleanser performance and packaging issues, whereas Avène reviewers sometimes note a high price, product separation and packaging issues, and a strong fragrance.

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

How does it fit your skin?

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