Fall is here. Winter’s just around the corner. It’s time.
Time to up your moisturising game so your skin won’t look like a dishevelled, red prune all the cold season long.
It’s a job that calls for a rich cream that gives it all the moisture it needs without turning your face into a sticky, greasy mess.
It’s a tough balance to walk but Avene Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream does it perfectly. Here’s why:
What’s In Avene Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream?
MINERAL OIL TO MOISTURISE SKIN
Let’s start with the “bad.” I know a lot of you don’t like mineral oil, but it has its uses in skincare.
Mineral oil is super moisturising. It creates a barrier on the skin that prevents water loss. Now moisture has no choice. It has to stay into the skin, hydrating it from within.
And nope, it’s not toxic. It may be derived from oil, but it undergoes a strict purifying process that gets rid of all its toxic impurities. At the end of this process, the chemical structure of mineral oil doesn’t resemble that of oil anymore.
They’re two different things. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t understand the science behind it. Not being rude. Just honest.
I totally get it if you don’t want to use Avene Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream because of it. Mineral oil is just moisturising. It doesn’t have other superpowers, like fighting free radicals or lightening dark spots.
It’s an one-trick pony. But it does that one trick really well.
Related: Is Mineral Oil Bad For Skin?
GLYCERIN TO HYDRATE SKIN
Glycerin is everywhere. For a reason: it’s a moisture magnet.
Glycerin acts like a magnet, attracting water from the air into the skin. This excess moisture plumps up your skin, so your fine lines and wrinkles look smaller; it makes your skin soft and smooth; and gives the complexion a dewy glow.
Just a warning: when there’s not enough moisture in the air, glycerin will steal it from the deeper layers of your skin. That has the opposite effect. Hello, dehydration!
Related: What The Heck Is Glycerin And Why Is It In All My Skincare Products?
A BASIC FORMULA
Avene Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream has a basic formula. Glycerin and mineral oil aside, the rest of the formula is made of:
- Avene Thermal Water: It has soothing properties that can reduce irritations.
- Silicones: Dimethicone gives the texture slip and fills in fine lines and wrinkles so they look smaller
- Oils: Safflower seed oil is very moisturizing
- Thickeners & emulfsifiers: They give the texture its consistency and help oils mix up with water so the formula doesn’t separate.
- Fragrance: Why the heck is it here? Fragrance is irritating and the last thing dry/sensitive skin needs!!!
As you can see, the formula is very basic. No antioxidants. No exfoliants. Not that many skin-soothers.
Avene Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream is designed for one purpose only: hydrate dry, thirsty skin. It’s a job it does well. Just don’t expect anything more for it.
P.S. Avene swears this cream is suitable for sensitive skin too. But for your skin type, fragrance is always a risk. If you want to try it, do a patch test first.
Related: Is Thermal Water Just Fancy Water?
Struggling to put together a skincare routine that banishes dryness, flakiness, and irritation? Download your FREE “Best Skincare Routine For Dry Skin” cheatsheet:
Texture
I admit it: given the name, I expected Avene Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream to be 10x thicker than it is. It feels more like a thick lotion than a thick cream, is not greasy and absorbs quickly.
Fragrance
Subtle and floral.
How To Use It
It’s the last step of your skincare routine at night.
Performance & Personal Opinion
If you’ve got oily skin, you’ll find Avene Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream as rich and greasy and greasy as the name implies, but this cream isn’t for you. My dry skin laps it up with pleasure.
I prefer to use this at night, but if you need an extra dose of moisture during the day, the cream’s a good base for your makeup. It won’t make it slide off.
The cream does a great job at keeping my skin hydrated at night. When I wake up in the morning, it looks plumper, smoother and a little glowy.
The combo of moisture + silicones makes my fine lines look smaller, too (but the effect is only temporary. Boo hoo!).
What really impressed me is how quickly it fixes dry, flaky skin. I had a cold a few weeks ago and my nose was all red and flaky. It kept itching all the time and was just so uncomfortable.
I slathered on a little cream and… instant relief. The itchiness stopped. My skin started to heal. Finally.
If you’re looking for a no-frills cream to soothe and hydrate dry/itching skin and don’t mind using a separate antioxidant serum, this is worth checking out. I just wish Avene did away with the fragrance (yes, I’m still banging on about it!!).
Who Is This For?
Dry skin.
Who Is This Nor For?
Oily skin.
Packaging
A white tube that releases just the right amount of product you need.
Does Avene Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Rich, softening daily moisturiser. | True. |
| Its creamy nourishing texture and smooth finish, leaves the skin feeling refreshed upon application and provides comfort, suppleness and luminosity all-day-long. | True. |
Price & Availability
£14.50 at Dermstore
Do You Need It?
If you have dry skin, this is a good option to consider.
Dupes & Alternatives
- Bioderma Sensibio AR (£13.66)
Ingredients
Avene Thermal Spring Water (Avene Aqua), Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Triethylhexanoin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cetearyl Glucoside, Benzoic Acid, Beta-Sitosterol, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Water (Aqua), Xanthan Gum
When my skin was rebelling last winter with dryness like I never have experienced before or since (I think a bad reaction to medication I’m no longer taking), I read an article about “resetting” your skin to reintroduce products, and Avene’s Cicalfate was recommended. I found it very soothing but not too heavy, and it did improve my skin. From the ingredient list, it doesn’t look like it’s as moisturizing as the Hydrance, but Cicalfate might be a good alternative for someone with irritated skin who doesn’t want to use mineral oil.
Rebecca, thanks for your recommendation. It sounds like a great alternative!
This is the best moisturizer I’ve ever used. My dry sensitive skin loves it. My dermatologist recommended Avene products and thermal water and it completely changed my skin! The Riche moisturizer is amazing for nighttime use.
Emily, it’s wonderful, isn’t it? Avene is a good brand for dry and sensitive skin that needs a little TLC.
I love the Avene XeraCalm A.D. because it contains no fragrance and is the only thing I can use on my over sensitive neck, it’s similar to this one, just better value for money.
Beatrice, thanks for the recommendation. 🙂