Avene is a brand rich in sensitive skincare history, dealing with patients with their undeniable properties of their water dating back to 1743. Aveeno is the leading giant in the Eczema industry, widely accessible to those who need a solution to their dry sensitive skin. Their leading product Eczema line has been accepted and certified by the National Eczema Association. Out of the two, Aveeno vs Avene, which is a better option when it comes to dealing with sensitive skin?
The short answer: for Eczema, use Aveeno.
Who are Aveeno and Avene?
Aveeno is a brand of skin care and hair care products founded by Albert and Sidney Musher in 1945. It was purchased by Johnson & Johnson in 1999 with the brand expanding into baby care and body wash in 2001.
Avene’s story starts back in 1736 along the banks of the Orb River, where a horse came to the waters to soothe its itching skin, restoring back to its shiny and health condition. The first modern products we see, Eau Thermale Avene, were brought in 1990. For a further insight of their detailed history, you can visit their history timeline here.
Aveeno vs Avene: Product Descriptions
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion
This nourishing lotion is clinically proven to improve the health of dry skin in 1 day with significant improvement in 2 weeks. Formulated with Active Naturals Colloidal Oatmeal and rich emollients, it helps prevent and protect dry skin for a full 24 hours. This lotion leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth and naturally healthy looking and is gentle enough for everyday use. It’s also fragrance free, nongreasy and noncomedogenic.
Reference: Aveeno
Avene Antirougeurs Redness Relief Refreshing Cleansing Lotion
Refreshing, no-rinse face wash for redness prone-skin gently removes make-up, dirt and oil while providing immediate comfort. Micro-gels release large doses of Thermal Spring Water to intensely soothe and refresh skin.
Reference: Avene
Aveeno vs Avene: Ingredient Comparison
Both products are generally safe in terms of their ingredients, however it must be noted that there are differences that can influence your decision.
Aveeno Alarming ingredients
Aveeno uses a key ingredient called Avena Sativa (Oats) which is one of their unique selling points. Petrolatum is another which is an emollient that soften and soothes skin by preventing moisture loss from the skin. Although it sounds like a good function, it does have the possibility of causing skin irritation. It is a prohibited substance in cosmetic products in the European Union.
The damaging ingredient in the Aveeno moisturizing lotion is Benzyl Alcohol. It is an ingredient used in skin lotions due its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It is quite common in moisturizing creams for Eczema but should be noted that it has potential health concerns for dermatitis as an irritant and can be harmful if in contact with skin.
Another concerning ingredient in Aveeno that should be brought up is Petrolatum. It can be used as an emollient, to soften and soothe skin, and as an occlusive to form a protective layer to retain skin hydration. Despite this, it can cause skin irritation so be wary.
Avene Alarming Ingredients
Avene uses an array of generally safe ingredients that are not seen in other product lines. There is one unique ingredient that needs to be highlighted for Eczema sufferers in Benzoic Acid as it can be harmful to us. Benzoic acid occurs naturally in many plants and is widely used as a food preservative.
Interestingly, it is a restricted ingredient in South Korea and Japan. Though the most important information from research is that Benzoic acid has potential health concerns for dermatitis for both contact and as an irritant. It can also cause serious eye irritation.
Another ingredient that is not harmful but should be highlighted is Octyldodecanol. It’s function can be as an emollient, softening and soothing skin, or as a fragrance component. It can cause serious skin and eye irritation, so be wary of this.
Their unique selling point is the Avene Thermal Spring Water, which is deep rooted in their history. Now you can take their information of their history however you want it, though it can be assumed that it is a generally safe ingredient.
It should be noted a fair few products from Avene uses fragrance, so be sure to check the ingredients list.
Aveeno vs Avene: EWG Rating
EWG is a highly reputable site for verifying the safety of ingredients in a product. The lower the rating number, the safer the product is. The moisturizing lotion for Aveeno scored a 2 while there is not much information on Avene on the site. Avene’s products do range, but average out at 4. So according to EWG, Aveeno is safer to use.
Aveeno vs Avene: Risk Comparison
If we look at the ingredients from both products, which one poses more safety hazard risks?
Aveeno: Ingredient Concerns
| Ingredient | Safety Hazards | Potential Health Concerns |
| Benzyl Alcohol | 5 | 5 |
| Petrolatum | 4 | 1 |
Avene: Ingredient Concerns
| Ingredient | Safety Hazards | Potential Health Concerns |
| Benzoic Acid | 9 | 5 |
| Octyldodecanol | 3 | 0 |
Despite both products having an overall generally safe ingredient list, Aveeno comes out on top in terms of the risk assessment. That is not saying Avene is a product to avoid, as it boasts a unique ingredient list that is generally safe.
Aveeno vs Avene: Which is the better lotion?
Both are excellent moisturizing lotions, but both intended for two different markets. Aveeno is a better choice for sensitive skin users like us Eczema sufferers, and Avene for those who just have dry skin. Aveeno boasts the stamp of approval from the National Eczema Association and has been used by millions across the globe. Do be mindful that their unique ingredient is Salvia Oats, so be sure to test out your compatibility with it.
If you compare the two products on ingredients alone, Aveeno still comes out on top as it has less ingredients that can cause skin irritation. Avene does have a unique selling point with their formulation and worth a try if you have used Aveeno in the past to no avail.
References
- 1Source.com: Ingredient Decoder
- PubChem
- EWG