Avène: Natural Skin Health, No Irritation

Every health and nutrition expert tells us to read the label before we eat anything, and that same advice pops up everywhere. Clearly, it’s important to know what you’re putting into your body so you can make healthier choices and balance your diet throughout the day.

Have you ever applied that wisdom to your skin care products? There might not be any macros and micros to balance, but you still need to know what’s going into your body. And yes, skin care products get into your body because they don’t just sit on your skin, they’re absorbed by your skin.

For most skin care products, a glance at the complex list of ingredients will make you wonder if you’ll become radioactive after a few uses. Unfortunately, those flurries of chemicals often do have an unpleasant side effect: skin irritation.

In honor of Clean Beauty Month this April, we’re highlighting a brand that’s all about natural skin health: Avène.

The Clean Beauty Secrets of Avène

Avène has a unique backstory that transports us to 18th-century France. In a village called Avène, there’s a natural thermal spring. According to the legends, in 1736, the horse of a French Marquis was suffering from a condition that caused skin irritation and hair loss. The horse continuously rolled in the thermal spring in Avène to soothe his skin, and eventually, his skin healed and his beautiful coat returned.

It wasn’t long before people picked up on the stories and started to use the thermal spring’s healing and soothing powers for themselves. Something unique about the natural composition of the water seemed to calm sensitive skin and enhance healing, so people began bathing in it for this purpose and it eventually became a hydrotherapy center. The water from this special spring was even sent to the US in 1871 to help victims of the Chicago fire.

Today, the Avène skin care brand specializes in using that unique spring water to offer soothing restoration for sensitive, irritated skin. It also combines the soothing nature of Avène’s thermal spring water with other effective ingredients to comfort your skin while fighting aging, acne, and other issues.

Top Avène Products You Should Try

Avène has truly mastered the art of clean beauty and natural skin care, but don’t take my word for it. Put these top products on your shopping list to enjoy them for yourself.

Thermal Spring Water

We have to start with the ultimate classic: no frills, no tricks, just the soothing thermal spring water itself. Avène’s Thermal Spring Water is perfect for a quick spritz a few times throughout the day to refresh your skin and calm any dryness and irritation that might be trying to invade your day.

Cleanance HYDRA Soothing Cleansing Cream

For people with sensitive skin, finding a good cleanser or body wash can be a nightmare. So many cleansers and washes go overboard by getting rid of debris and impurities but also drying out all your natural and healthy oils in the process. The HYDRA Soothing Cleansing Cream is Avène’s answer to this problem.

This facial cleansing cream does an expert job of cleaning and refreshing your skin, but it’s designed to keep your skin’s moisture barrier intact at the same time. If you already have dry and irritated skin, the Avène thermal spring water within the cleanser can soothe it with each use too.

RetinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream

Retinol is one of those skin care ingredients that has both a positive and negative reputation. It does amazing things for rejuvenating your skin and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. At the same time, it can irritate and dry out your skin if you’re not careful.

That’s why Avène’s RetinAL 1.0 Intensive Cream is such a popular choice. You get the youth-giving benefits of retinol without the dryness or inflammation that often comes from retinol. In fact, this product also has everyone’s favorite thermal spring water to keep sensitivity at bay.

Revitalizing RICH Nourishing Cream

A great moisturizer is everyone’s best friend but finding the best gem out there for your skin can be a tricky process of trial and error. If you’re hunting for the right fit, make sure Avène’s Revitalizing RICH Nourishing Cream is on your to-try list. This cream hydrates your skin and replenishes your moisture-protecting lipids, all while also giving you the soothing benefits of the Avène thermal spring water.

All the Results, None of the Chemicals

Every skin care brand has its philosophies and priorities, and don’t get me wrong: plenty of brands that use chemicals have safe, effective products. But there’s something comforting about harnessing the power of nature instead, and that’s what you get from clean beauty products. As one of the top talents in the natural beauty scene, Avène knows this as well as anyone.

If you haven’t dipped your toe into the clean beauty pool yet, start with the Avène products above or check out Skin Elite’s selection of other paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free, fragrance-free products.