Avène is a skincare brand derived from the small village of Avène in the South of France. Pulling influence from the rich vegetation and climate of their natural environment, and the thermal spring water which holds the soothing and anti-irritating properties that Avène skin care is oh-so famous for, this skincare company promotes luxury and comfort.
Our Verve Beauty Crew were sent their 4 new Sun Care products to put to the test (Avène Face Emulsion, Avène Face Lotion, Avène Face Spry and Avène Face Spray for Children).
Christine // age: 69
“As I have mature skin I was very keen to ensure I had the best protection available. The Face Emulsion is effective and just glides on with no residue or “sticky” feeling. This is important to me as I do not want to feel clogged up.
I spend a lot of time outdoors walking, swimming and gardening. I have found the Body Spray protects me well as moisturising my skin. The moisturising and nourishing aspect is a big plus for me.”
Shari // age: 34
“I have long heard amazing things about this brand and boy, were they true.
This sunscreen is extremely lightweight – non sticky and dries super quick. This makes it perfect to wear under makeup daily. The smell is delicate and does not have the usual strong sunscreen smell if that’s not your thing . A few of my family members battle with sensitive skin and found it to have zero reaction with this product – wins all round. The Avène products left my skin feeling moisturised and unlike the dry feeling some other sunscreens have the tendency to do. This will definitely be a staple in my personal and professional makeup kit.”
Felicity, 58
“My fave find this summer is Avène’s new range of suncare products. Made by those clever French people who know a thing or two about hypoallergenic skincare, all products are suitable for sensitive skin, have an SPF of 50+ and are water resistant.
The face lotion is non-greasy and glides on easily under make-up, plus there are face and body emulsions (in lotion and spray formats) which are moisturising and have a lovely subtle fragrance. There’s also a kiddie’s spray version, easy to apply to wriggling toddlers.
Summer’s half way through, and there’s been no sunburn in this bach. Instead I’ve found products which have allowed me to look ‘sun-kissed’ without harming my skin. Even the 20 somethings have been raiding my beach-bag.”
Geraldine, 30
Avène Very High Protection Broad Spectrum Sunscreen products are amazing. It is so hard to find a sunscreen product that is light on skin and not greasy. And aside from that, Avène Sunscreen smells so nice and has a high SPF protection (50+ UVB/UVA)!
I love that it comes in different forms – emulsion, lotion and spray! My favourite is the Avène Emulsion for Face as our face has different needs than the rest of our body. Because it is in emulsion form, I think my face absorbs it much quicker compared to my previous sunscreen wherein my face can be seen as covered with pure white make up.
In addition to that, the Avène Emulsion for Face does not give me that “stingy” feeling around my eyes when I sweat (during an activity, under the sun or whatnot). I can say that it is a must-have especially during summer time in NZ and if you have a very sensitive skin.
I will absolutely be recommending the Avène Sun Care Range to my mum, to my sister and her daughter (Avène Spray for Children)as well as to my friends/colleagues.
Alice, 28
Sunscreen Face Emulsion SPF50+
My favourite of the Avène Sun Care Range is definitely the Sunscreen Face Emulsion. Super high SPF for a face product, however doesn’t give the usual shine or flashback that high SPF sunscreens can often leave on the face. Feels like a primer and wears beautifully under makeup. It’s non-greasy and keeps the skin soft and doesn’t have a heavy ‘sunscreen’ fragrance to it – so is good for sensitive skin and great for anyone with hyper sensitive allergies.
Gabrielle, 25
Before we put on our anti-aging, pigmentation serums and face moisturisers tonight, we really should ask ourselves “Do we use sunscreen every day?”. An SPF50 Sunscreen is the only product that will slow down the aging process, without the expensive price tag. Now that summer is here, it’s more important than ever to make sure that we are wearing sunscreen underneath the harsh New Zealand sun. Avène’s sunscreen promises 98% skin protection.
Avène’s newest sunscreen is a new favourite because it’s a dry touch sunscreen without the Casper the Ghost white cast! Avène offers all of the essentials you need from a sunscreen. It’s broad-spectrum, which means it protects your skin from UVA (ageing rays) and UVB (burning rays). For the more sensitive skin types, Avène uses fewer chemical filters to prevent breakouts and skin flare ups. It’s water-resistant for up to 40 minutes, so it’s fantastic for a day at the beach. Now, let’s get to the texture and smell; my problem with sunscreen is the thickness, the nasty smell and that awful white cast that makes me look whiter than I already am. The Avène sunscreens are non-greasy, not sticky, and leaves a slight matte dry-to-touch finish on the skin, which makes it ideal for wearing under makeup.
Francesca, 26
Avène is one of the oldest skincare brands in the world and after 270 years, you’d hope that they’ve perfected the art of skin care. It’s only fitting that I put their sun care range to the test in one of the most brutal UV conditions in the world – the Kiwi summer.
Donned in the face and body lotion, I took to my friend’s pool for the first bombs of the season (elegant, I know). Initial thoughts: Pleasant fragrance, easy application, non-greasy finish.
But how does it hold up in the ocean?
The Face and Body spray is supposedly 40 minutes water resistant. But after losing track of time in the surf, my skin remained unburnt after an hour of wave catching – phew!
Now, sunscreen and makeup are a very delicate pairing that can be messed up as easy as a food and wine match. Where better to test both than a long lunch on Waiheke Island. I opted to sit umbrella-free, basking in the island sun with a full face of foundation layered over my ultra-sensitive acne prone skin. Primed in the emulsion face SPF 50, it did not ball up or pill one little bit. No flair ups, no redness and no acne was formed – a massive win in my book.
In lieu of children, I tested the kids face/body on my boyfriend who arguably has the skin of a child (bastard). Safe to say, he loved it and with its striking orange tube, he dubbed it the Cliquot of sunscreen.
Overall, my experience with Avène has been spectacular. My little team of orange bottles have followed me around all summer, helping achieve an even tan and keeping my combination and acne prone skin, calm and wrinkle free!
Natalie, 53
By strictly following the guidelines to apply at least 20mins before exposure to the sun and reapplying as directed, I saw absolutely no sunburn whatsoever from this brilliant range!
Avène SPF 50+ Face & Body – Spray For Sensitive Skin
The sunscreen spreads very easily across the skin, absorbs quickly and has a pleasant subtle scent. I sprayed it into my hand for difficult-to-reach places like the upper / lower back, and elsewhere applied it directly onto the skin very methodically, a section at a time to ensure total coverage. The clear plastic cap was great for protecting the spray nozzle from sand, grass, etc.
Avène SPF 50+ Face & Body – Lotion For Sensitive Skin
The 100ml lotion tube has a very smart satin matt surface for easy grip with slippery hands. A broad spectrum UVA & UVB sunscreen for Adults, it shares the same properties as the Spray – spreads easily, absorbs quickly, subtle scent.
Avène SPF 50+ Face – Emulsion For Sensitive Skin
This is an absolute gem and my favourite in the range! With the clear plastic cap over the nozzle and satin matt tube, I used this lightly scented sunscreen on the face, neck and back of the hands when cycling around Mission Bay. Not only did it protect beautifully against sunburn, but my face still felt soft and hydrated 2-3 hours after application. I smoothed it easily without dragging delicate facial skin, and the quantity was easy to regulate with the pump dispenser.
Avène SPF 50+ Face & Body – Spray for Children
Non-scented, this spray spread easily across tender young skin and absorbed quickly to ensure that the kids were quickly and efficiently protected before sun exposure. The 200ml bottle also provides additional information on the peel-back label which was great for extra parental peace of mind.
Sandie // age: 44
Avène is a French pharmaceutical brand developing skincare products using Avène thermal water that is especially well tolerated by sensitive skins. I tested their high protection sun care range (4 products) over the holidays.
Avène Face Emulsion
An easy, convenient applicator pump delivers the product. I applied 2 to 3 pumps worth to my face and neck. It has a nice texture, not too runny, spreading easily and almost no fragrance.
Avène Face and Body Spray Lotion (1 for adults and 1 for kids)
The detectable difference between the 2 is that the kids spray lotion has no fragrance added. Whilst it is better from a parent perspective for young sensitive skins, my kids preferred the lightly scented adult version as they said they could “smell the chemical”. It’s really easy to apply and rub fast with no residue.
The face and body lotion in a tube is a great “one does it all” product for when you are on the go. It is presented in a compact 100ml tube size that is convenient for the car or sport bag/handbag. The texture is light, it spreads easily when used on the body and it is neither too thick or too runny to work well for the face as well.
Finally an important consideration for sunscreen products, they do protect well from the sun and resist a moderate sweat.
I loved that the smell and the visual effect on the skin were discreet so you can go about in the city not looking like you have sunscreen but be fully protected. My pick of the Avène Sun Care Range is the Adult Face and Body Spray Lotion.
