Essential Care For Sensitive Skins, Part One

This is a two-part blog featuring four new products from the Avène range, aimed at anyone with a sensitive skin. This first blog checks out the Cleansing Foam and Gentle Milk Cleanser. I’ve found that using cleansers is a very personal choice; some like their cleansers to foam up, and to use them in the shower, while others prefer to use a milk or cream on their skin without water. Often people with dry or sensitive skin will avoid using foaming cleansers overall as they can be a bit harsh and leave the skin irritated or tight, but this new Avène Cleansing Foam has been specially formulated to suit normal to combination and sensitives skin, containing moisturising agents to restore the skin’s suppleness, along with glutamic acid to help rebalance the skin’s sebum production. It’s also soap free and gentle, washing off impurities including excess sebum, while tightening pores at the same time, and it is rich in Avène Thermal Spring Water, which is soothing and anti-irritating. You can use it morning or evening on wet or dry skin, massaging a little into the skin with your fingertips before rinsing off. On the road, or at home, I found it great for gently removing sunscreen or zinc products as well as makeup and daily grime. 

If a milk is more to your liking when it comes to cleansers, however, Avène Gentle Milk Cleanser is also a lovely, non-drying product which gently removes makeup and other impurities without the risk of irritation. It has a non-drying formula enriched with rich moisturisers, leaving your skin feeling comfortable after cleansing, and it also contains Avène Thermal Spring Water which is soothing and softening. It also has the bonus of being suitable for removing makeup from lips and eyes. Using it is easy; morning and night, apply with fingertips or a cotton ball and massage in, then rinse with Avène’s Gentle Toning Lotion (I’ll be reviewing that next time). This would be my day-to-day choice for a variety of reasons, including a preference for a cream cleanser. Avène Cleansing Foam is rrp $29.95 for 150mls, while the Avène Gentle Cleansing Milk is rrp $34.99 for 200mls. Along with other Avène products they are available from a variety of retailers nationally including Chemist Warehouse and Priceline (www.avene.com.au).