It’s difficult to find perfect skincare products, especially when you have a specific issue. Dry skins have problems finding non-drying cleansers. Oily skins find it near impossible to locate a moisturizer to control sebum and acne. And us with sensitive skin have issues finding anything that won’t irritate us. Avené and La Roche Posay offer products for all these conditions and more but both brands consider sensitive skin at the forefront of their formulations.
However, there are some differences between them. So, it’s important to compare Avené vs La Roche Posay to see which will be right for you. These companies are fan-favorites among staunch loyalists. But, they do tend to be expensive. That said, the price may be worth it as it’s hard to look the other way when both brands spring water facial sprays are so popular.
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Who are Avene and LA Roche Posay
Avené carries several worthwhile skincare formulations that stick to their mantra of creating skincare products that ‘innovate for the health of sensitive skin’. Their thermal spring water has a reputation for being excellent for sensitive skin and it’s silica-rich, which stimulates collagen production.
La Roche-Posay are a French skin care and cosmetics company that was founded in 1978 by pharmacist Pierre Fabre. La Roche Posay create a wide range of products for sensitive skin, including sunscreens, face creams, and cleansers, but just like Avene, Their thermal water spray is one of their most highly acclaimed skin care products.
Thermal spring water sprays
It’s only fair to start a comparison of two of the biggest French skincare brands that both make use of thermal spring water, than to take a look at their signature thermal spring water face mist sprays. Thermal mist facial sprays are great for hydrating your skin and soothing irritated skin.
I tend to use these my thermal spring water spray after cleansing my skin in the morning or before I apply a more intensive moisturiser at night. I also like to use these sprays to set makeup and to refresh and add some much needed moisture to my skin after a warm shower. If you are spraying your face before heading outdoors or for a lunchtime touch up, be sure to add some moisturiser with sun protection after using the spray. This will help to hold the moisture in your skin so it doesn’t evaporate and dry out.
Avene’s thermal spring water mist spray is very gentle, calming, and hydrating that it’s great for the most sensitive skin. However, this could be because it only contains thermal spring water so there are no nasty ingredients to irritate your skin.
La Roche Posay thermal spring water spray is refreshing, and it can be used on the face, body, and hair. It is also great for setting makeup or refreshing throughout the day. The best part about this product is that it is gentle enough for sensitive skin. All skin types can use La Roche Posay’s thermal spring water. It’s hydrating and gentle, combining various minerals and trace elements. The water is non-irritating and I’ve heard of mothers using it on infants which is always a god sign if you have sensitive skin.
Some users report that La Roche Posay’s thermal water sprays too much water onto your skin. This isn’t ideal if you’re in a rush. While others suggest Avené’s thermal water absorbs better, other people note that it doesn’t feel very refreshing.
Avene’s spray has a much finer mist spray when compared with La Roche Posay who’s spray isn’t as fine and can leave your skin feeling wetter than the Avene spray and can even drip a little bit especially if you hold the spray too close to your skin. For this reason I feel like the Avene Thermal spring water spray is a slight favourite.
Comparing ingredients
Avene and La Roche Posay both use thermal spring water in their formulas. Thermal spring water is different from regular spring water because it is heated by the earth. This makes the water rich in minerals and gases that can be beneficial for your health. Thermal spring water is supposedly good for your skin because it is rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium but it isn’t clear whether it really has much of an effect.
These minerals help to soothe and soften your skin. Thermal spring water can also in some cases help to reduce inflammation and redness. Regular tap water can also help soothe your skin but is more likely to dry out your skin unless you moisturise afterwards.
La Roche Posay use spring water that is selenium-rich and Avene use spring water that contains silica . Selenium is one of the most powerful antioxidants, improving firmness and elasticity with potential anti-cancer activity whereas Silica has natural anti-inflammatory properties.
Moisturisers
If you have normal to combination skin, Avene sell a light hydrating or extreme emulsion moisturiser. Both are long-lasting moisturisers that can absorb oil with a lightweight texture. The texture of the Avene extreme emulsion moisturiser is actually quite light and non-greasy, despite its name. It’s easily absorbed into the skin without leaving any residue behind. The scent is mild and barely noticeable. The only problem you might find with this moisturiser is that it’s difficult to dispense a small amount of product from the bottle and instead you’ll end up with way too much coming out.
Avene also formulated a moisturising serum called Hydrance Intense Rehydrating Serum which is good for combination or oily skin types. It’s lightweight and soaks into the skin more easily without being too sticky or greasy. in comparison La Roche also sell a serum worth mentioning. Although it is typical run-of-the-mill hyaluronic acid, it combines other things like serine and arginine. These ensure rehydration to provide smooth radiant skin for any skin type.
La Roche Posay Toleraine Double Repair Moisturizer is a daily moisturiser that is matifying on application but this reduces after a few hours. The thin formula absorbs oils well throughout the day which is perfect for normal or oily skin types and is the reason I like to apply it in the morning and let it absorbs some oils through the day.
Facial Cleansers
If your skin is both dry and sensitive, Avené makes a milk cleanser that’s perfect. It’s gentle and non-drying yet powerful enough to eliminate impurities without risking irritation. You can use this cleanser around your eyes and on your face. The only downside of this product is that there is a mild fragrance which could be avoided to make this milk cleanser even gentler.
A milk cleanser is a great option for those with sensitive skin. Milk contains lactic acid, which is a gentle exfoliant that helps to remove dead skin cells. It also contains proteins and vitamins A, D, and B12, which help to nourish the skin. Milk is a natural moisturiser, so it will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth after using it. However if you are lactose intolerant there is a chance that applying a milk based cleanser on your face could cause acne or irritation, so this wouldn’t be a good option for you.
On the other hand La Roche Posay sell a hydrating gentle cleanser. This isn’t a milk cleanser but instead it contains the brands thermal spring water, ceramide 3 and Niacinamide.ceramide 3 is used in skincare because it is a natural occurring molecule that helps to restore the skin’s moisture barrier.
This is important because the skin’s moisture barrier helps to protect the skin from environmental stressors and keeps the skin hydrated. Ceramide levels naturally decline as we age, which can lead to dryness, wrinkles, and other signs of aging. This hydrating gentle cleanser doesn’t dry out your skin, won’t foam and you can wash it off really easily. There’s nothing worse than struggling to wash off a cleanser.
Toleraine purifying foam cleanser
La Roche Posay offer a Toleriane purifying foaming cleanser that you can see in the table above. This is a nice choice for you if you have oily skin. This cleanser is oil free, fragrance free and has very few ingredients. Ceramide 3 is one of the main ingredients and it’s good for oily skin because it helps control sebum production.
Some users experienced overly dry skin after using this cleanser but this experience doesn’t seem to be common. As with all skincare products, especially those that try to reduce oil, there is a small chance you’ll need to moisturise afterwards to be sure your skin doesn’t dry out and naturally produce more oil to counteract this.
Effaclar cleansing gel
La Roche Posay offer the Effaclar cleansing gel that’s fabulous for oily skin. It doesn’t contain soap or other harsh detergents while regulating excess sebum production. This can have an affect on improving acne as well as reducing oil. However, this cleansing gel isn’t a good option for sensitive skin because it contains salicylic acid, which is quite strong and can cause irritation.
Salicylic acid is great for oily skin because it is a beta hydroxy acid. It helps to unclog pores and remove dead skin cells. Salicylic acid is also a good treatment for acne because it helps to kill the bacteria that cause acne lesions. It can be found in many over-the-counter and prescription acne treatments as well as this formula from La Roche Posay.
Anti-Aging Treatments
For those with crow’s feet, bags, dark circles and wrinkles around the eyes, Avené has two creams suitable for all skin types. Their Refreshing Eye Contour Care is good for daily antioxidant application and their Retrinal Eyes is ideal for anti-aging because it uses retinol. Retinol is the active form of vitamin A found in over-the-counter anti-aging products. When applied topically, retinol can help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by increasing collagen production. However be careful because Retinol is intensive and can be harsh on sensitive skin.
Eye Creams
La Roche Posay also produces a couple eye creams highly acclaimed by loyal fans. The Pigmentclar Eye Cream offers a pick-me-up for tired, puffy eyes. It gives a smoother and suppler look. The Redermic R Eye Cream contains retinol making it good for dark circles and as an anti-aging treatment. It also has caffeine, so it has the capacity to give eyes a luminous and refreshed appearance.
Final Thoughts
When comparing Avené vs La Roche Posay, these brands are similar in many ways. both brands use their own thermal spring water in their products. The main difference between the spring water they use is that Avene’s spring water contains silica whereas la Roche Posay’s contains selenium. Selenium is a great antioxidant whereas silica is good for reducing inflammation on sensitive skin.
If you are looking for a facial cleanser then La Roche Posay has facial cleansers for any skin type. The Toleriane Hydrating Gentle and Effaclar Purifying Gel cleansers are two. However, the hydrating cleanser works best for normal to dry skin whereas the purifying gel is best for acne-prone oily skin. Avene on the other hand offer their gentle milk cleanser if you are looking for a cleanser that exfoliates but can also be used on sensitive skin.
When comparing moisturisers I found that the Avene Hydrance Intense Rehydrating Serum is best for oily skin types. This formula is lightweight and soaks into your skin well. La Roche Posay Toleraine Double Repair Moisturizer also soaks up oils on your face well and is a good option for a daily moisturiser.
Whichever skin are products you use in your skin care routine, both Avene and La Roche Posay offer something for you. These are 2 brands with a similar range of luxury skincare products with a similar price tag. Let me know which products you love the most.
