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Avène RetrinAL EYES for oily acne-prone skin

Average

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other eye cares 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 exfoliation for your oily skin due to retinol and retinal, which can help with fine lines and wrinkles but are not primarily targeted for acne or oil control.
  • While the formula includes soothing Avène Thermal Spring Water and hydrating Sodium Hyaluronate, it lacks specific ingredients to manage excess oil or actively combat blemishes.
  • The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risk of irritation from harsh ingredients and the inclusion of beneficial soothing agents.

People Say

★4.3Overall rating based on 400+ reviews

This product is highly praised for its gentle formulation, making it suitable for sensitive skin and effective at smoothing fine lines and improving skin texture. It is also noted for being hydrating and lightweight. However, some users found it less effective for reducing dark circles and puffiness.

Highlights

  • Gentle formulation Often Mentioned
    • “No irritation at all, even though it contains retinal - perfect for sensitive skin”
    • “I really appreciate how gentle this cream is – I haven't experienced any irritation”
    • “It doesn't irritate, even on sensitive skin.”
    • “What really stands out is how gentle it is for a product that contains retinaldehyde.”
  • Smooths fine lines Often Mentioned
    • “I've noticed a definite improvement in the fine lines around my eyes”
    • “The retinoid genuinely smooths fine lines and crepiness”
    • “it also improved the fine lines under my eyes”
    • “helps reduce fine lines, puffiness and dark circles.”
  • Hydrating and lightweight Sometimes Noted
    • “The texture is rich but not greasy—it melts into the skin”
    • “It feels super lightweight but still hydrating”
    • “The eye cream effectively hydrates the under-eye area”
    • “It moisturized but didn't feel heavy at all.”
  • Quick absorption Sometimes Noted
    • “It absorbs quickly and leaves the delicate eye area feeling hydrated”
    • “The texture is really nice, it goes on smoothly and absorbs quickly.”
    • “This is a nice light eye cream that applies easily and absorbs fully.”
    • “The formula is fragrance-free and absorbs quickly.”
  • Dark circles Sometimes Noted
    • “it didn't do anything for my dark circles”
    • “The dark-circle claim is the weakest leg of its 3-in-1 promise”
    • “No help for dark circles”
    • “didn't do anything for my dark circles or puffiness”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “Good product bad packaging.”
    • “the dispenser could use some work.”
    • “The dispenser is very sensitive”
    • “tends to squeeze out more”
  • Puffiness reduction Rarely Noted
    • “haven't seen a dramatic change in puffiness.”
    • “didn't do anything for my dark circles or puffiness.”
    • “eyes are puffy in the morning”
    • “puffiness and dark circles claim is the weakest”

Sources: lovi.care, aveneusa.com, walmart.com, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, dermapproved.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Avene RetrinAL EYES work for oily acne-prone skin?

Avene RetrinAL EYES works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, offering fine line smoothing from retinol and retinal while lacking targeted oil control. An eye care product for this skin type needs ingredients that effectively manage excess sebum alongside soothing and hydrating agents without clogging pores.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?

This eye care product works for your oily acne-prone skin because it contains retinal and retinol, which provide moderate exfoliation to help with fine lines. To be a better fit for this skin type, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients, oil-managing agents, and blemish-fighting components.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019

What does Retinal do for oily acne-prone skin?

Retinal helps clear clogged pores, reduces bumps and pimples, and helps balance oil production for oily, acne-prone skin. It is generally well tolerated when used regularly as part of an acne skincare routine.

Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1999European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2014

What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?

Hyaluronic acid helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing sebum production and lipid synthesis in sebaceous glands. It also supports skin barrier function and improves hydration while helping deliver treatments without causing irritation.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022

Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?

This eye care product goes into the evening treatment step of your routine, as it helps with fine lines and wrinkles. Because it lacks specific ingredients to manage excess oil or blemishes, an oily acne-prone routine also needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-control agents.

Can I use this cream with vitamin C, and in what order?

You can use this cream with vitamin C, but it is best to apply vitamin C in the morning and this cream at night to avoid overwhelming your skin. Using both at the same time may cause irritation, so spacing them out helps keep your skin calm and smooth.

How often should I use it?

This eye care product works for your oily acne-prone skin, though other products fit it better. It provides moderate exfoliation with retinol and retinal that helps with fine lines and wrinkles. To care for this skin type properly, a product also needs ingredients that manage excess oil and actively combat blemishes.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?

This eye cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as it has a safe formula with soothing ingredients. However, because it lacks specific ingredients to manage excess oil or actively combat blemishes, oily acne-prone skin needs a product that also includes oil-controlling and blemish-fighting ingredients.

The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024

Is it 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

  • Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.

    The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
  • Malaysian 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, 2024
  • Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.

    Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021
  • Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018
  • Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.

    Dermatology, 2002
  • Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.

    Dermatology, 1999
  • Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
  • Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.

    Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022
  • Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.

    BMC Oral Health, 2019
  • 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, 2023
  • A 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, 2025
  • A formulation containing vitamin C, biopeptides, hyaluronic acid, and mineralizing water accelerated cell turnover to 17.1 days versus 19.2 days for untreated skin, and reduced crow's-feet, forehead, and nasolabial folds by 9%, 11%, and 5% respectively after 28 days in female subjects.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2021
  • 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, 2017
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
  • Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022

Why other eye cares fit oily acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Microcrystalline Wax, Triethanolamine, Ceteareth-33, Bht, Butylparaben, Carbomer, Dextran Sulfate, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Red 33, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Avène Thermal Spring Water, Aluminum Octenylsuccinate Starch, Glycerin, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Edta, Retinal, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, 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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How does it fit your skin?

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