What is Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream?

A thick, fragrance-free barrier repair cream containing copper and zinc, designed to soothe and support irritated or compromised skin.

Is Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream worth it?

Mostly yes. 11 of the 14 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 87%.

What is Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream's Guru Score?

Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream holds a Guru Score of 87%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 14 expert reviewers we have collected. It is also Guru Certified, our mark for products that hold broad approval across many expert reviewers.

Who is Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream best for?

Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream is generally suited to sensitive skin.

Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream: Guru Score 87%

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

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Dr. Jenny Liu

323k subs

✓Yay

"If you need that extra like zinc benefit, then of course Cicalfate Restorative Protective Cream. I even will use this on my patients post microneedling and laser and it's great. I use it if my skin barrier is damaged or post procedure for myself."

All 4 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu

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"Because of the much thicker texture, it is my preferred post procedure just because I feel like it does a better job at healing the skin when I break skin with a procedure like laser or microneedling. And also with the zinc and copper, I do find it to expedite skin healing a little bit better, which is why I prefer it when post procedure or say if my skin barrier is extra compromised because of the texture and the added ingredients."

Winter Skin Survival Guide from a Derm | Dr. Jenny Liu

"I use this, I love it post procedure. I love it when I get irritated like from my retinoids or my skin gets really sensitive. I will occasionally use it as just my moisturizer on my rest days if my skin is not happy. [...] It's great for wounds, it's great for shaving, diaper rashes. [...] It is a thicker balm, [...] nourishing and creamy and occlusive."

Dermatologist's Favorite Avène Skincare Products

"This is an ultra rich balm that contains [...] healing thermal spring water, a combination of zinc, magnesium, and copper. All of these ingredients have skin healing properties. Copper has been shown to help with wound healing, zinc itself is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. In addition to the complex of zinc and copper, it also contains postbiotic ingredients that work together to help support a healthy microbiome and support skin healing."

A Dermatologist’s Prime Day Cart: Skin + Hair Edition | Dr. Jenny Liu

Sincerely Miss Ash

195k subs

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"I'm telling you, I feel like everybody needs to have this in their collection because you just never know when you will need to reach for something like this. Sometimes our skin freaks out no matter what we're using on our skin. Sometimes our skin is sensitive for whatever reason. It's compromised, it's dry. This will bring your skin back to life within a couple of uses. This performs way better in my opinion than the La Roche Posay Seal Plast Bomb B5. [...] This is more repairing."

All 7 takes from Sincerely Miss Ash

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"This really is one of the thickest, richest creams I have ever used. If you are truly looking for something that is thick like toothpaste, something that really repairs the skin and repairs the skin quite quickly when your skin is burning and it has that itchy, dry feel, you are going to really love this. It does have copper and zinc to help replenish your skin's moisture. This one is honestly suited for your nighttime routine."

TOP BEAUTY PRODUCTS I'VE REPURCHASED OVER AND OVER AGAIN | SKINCARE & HAIRCARE WORTH EVERY PENNY

"I have purchased this over and over for the last several years. I use it more in the fall winter months but I will sometimes use this in the summer especially if my skin is feeling tight from being outside for a long period of time or if you have a little bit of a sunburn to your skin or you're using a lot of active ingredients that are irritating your skin. It's a great recovery repairing moisturizer that does perform and it works really quickly to relieve that irritation."

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"This is now a staple in my routine. [...] This is the Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream and this is amazing. [...] I am just so impressed with this formulation. This is hands down way better and performs better than the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Balm B5 in my opinion. This is richer, it's more moisturizing, it's more satisfying to use when your skin is uncomfortable, dry, and flaky and tight. This is more repairing and your skin just looks and feels incredible."

HOW TO REPAIR YOUR SKIN BARRIER - BEST SKIN BARRIER REPAIR PRODUCTS FOR HEALTHY, GLOWING SKIN!

"If you're looking for a cream that repairs the heck out of your skin, this is very thick, almost like toothpaste, but surprisingly once you apply it to your skin it doesn't feel heavy on the skin and you don't have this white look to your skin either. It actually absorbs quite nicely into the skin, but it is a little greasy and you will have this glow to your skin as well. I strictly keep this for my nighttime routine when my skin needs some TLC."

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"I really love the Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream. That one's thicker, a little bit greasier, though."

8 SKINCARE HEROS THAT ACTUALLY SAVED MY SKIN | SKIN REPAIR, BREAKOUTS, GLOWING COMPLEXION AND MORE!

"If they ever discontinued this, I truly don't know what I would do. This has copper and zinc to help repair the skin. It's thick like toothpaste and very emollient. I only use this at night time because this is a little bit too rich to use in the morning alongside sunscreen and makeup, but if your skin is just super red and inflamed, this will calm everything down. I really really love this and this is a non-negotiable, this is a must have. This just always needs to be in my collection."

5 BEST MOISTURIZERS FOR DRY, AGING SKIN TO USE WITH TRETINOIN & RETINOIDS - Skin Barrier Saviours

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

151k subs

✓Yay

"Think targeted repair treatment, not your everyday moisturizer. I love it for perioral fissures. If you're using or you've overused your tretinoin, just putting a little bit in the corners where your tretinoin starts irritating you before your perioral derm breaks out is pure chef's kiss. The key ingredients are the copper zinc sulfate complex and thermal spring water. It's [...] my personal go-to, and for my daughter, because we get perioral derm pretty frequently."

Top Pick: barrier repair cream

All 5 takes from Dr. Aleksandra Brown

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"I love this for any sort of irritated barrier. This is my [...] go-to. It's a really rich, somewhat occlusive repair cream that helps soothe irritation, reduce redness, and support skin recovery. It was originally actually formulated for post-procedure care. So it's perfect when your skin barrier needs complete reset. I have recommended it for overexfoliated skin, irritated, flaky skin, retinol irritation. We've even used it on shingles in the family when that became an issue."

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"The Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream is a really rich restorative cream that helps protect and heal irritated or compromised skin. It will soothe the redness and inflammation while supporting skin barrier repair. It is suitable for extremely sensitive skin including rosacea and post-procedure care. The key ingredients are the C+ restore postbiotic restorative ingredient, which is super rich in proteins to help restore the skin barrier."

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"I love it. It's a really rich occlusive repair cream to help soothe irritation, reduce redness, and support skin recovery. It was originally formulated as like a post-procedure care. So it's perfect when your skin barrier really needs to be reset. If you've done microneedling or something like that or you've irritated the hell out of your skin and the area around your nose is so irritated, it will fix it."

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"This is a more rich breathable formula that helps restore compromised skin. It's calming because of its C++ restore postbiotic which will promote the barrier repair and of course the Avène thermal spring water which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. The copper zinc and sulfate complex in here helps maintain that skin balance and reduces irritation."

Which French Skincare Brand Is Best for Your Skin? Avène vs La Roche-Posay

Kelly Driscoll

90k subs

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"It's very light, refreshing, and non-sticky, and any skin type would appreciate it. It's a good option for highly reactive skin that reacts to ingredients like fragrance or plant extracts, because the ingredients list [...] is minimal, just the humectant content and the 4-t-butylcyclohexanol. [...] Avene is the best for highly reactive skin looking for minimal formulas in a lightweight hydrating gel texture."

Top Pick: highly reactive skin serum

Dr. Daniel Sugai

722k subs

✓Yay

"Another alternative to this would be Avène Cicalfate Restorative Protective Cream, another great rescue versatile cream that is meant for babies and adults."

All 8 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai

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"Avène has just done a great job with their Cicalfate. That's one of my favorite essentials in my skin care. I will use that to sandwich in my retinol, or I will have in the wintertime more sensitive skin. I'll have more peeling around the eyes, around the mouth. I'm going to use Avène Cicalfate before my tretinoin or my retinol. So, after washing my face, I do a layer of Cicalfate, then my pea-sized amount of my retinoid, and then another layer of Avène Cicalfate. It is an extra step."

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"I'm using Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream right now. I'm putting a layer of moisturizer [...] first, and then I apply my retinoid, and then I follow up with another layer of Avène. That's what I'm doing just to tolerate tretinoin this time of year."

This Is Why Your Moisturizer Isn't Working

"This restorative protective cream, use it for kids and adults. It has Avène's famous thermal spring water. And it's just so gentle. I've never had it burn my skin even in the most desperate times when I've really messed up my skin barrier by going too hard with a chemical peel or trying it for the first time on my face and causing dryness there. They are thicker, more protective, but just a thin film goes a long way. [...] Just a thin film. Small amount goes a long way."

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"Another nice barrier supporting cream you can put on at bedtime would be Avène Cicalfate+. That's just so soothing when my skin is a wreck, it's cold and dry out and I've gone outside and played some football and then I've used too many actives at once. I've had irritation on the cheekbones, and Avène has come through like secoplast, and you can go ahead and apply a thin film over your retinoid to help soothe and buffer that potential irritation you can get from your retinoid."

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"This is such a gentle product. It's meant for kids and adults. It has zinc and copper which does work on the skin's microbiome. It's antimicrobial. It brings down the bad bacteria and it upregulates good bacteria. It's calming. Minimal ingredients and even with the name, it doesn't have secika in it or [madecassoside] or tigerass. It just has nourishing minerals in it and also their famous French thermal spring water. Avène is known to be a gentle skincare company."

Five Ways You Are Destroying Your Skin Barrier!

"Another great one that you can consider would be Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream. It has French thermal spring water and it's also good for kids as well."

If Your Skin Looks Dull, Do This Drugstore Routine

"If your skin is feeling very dry and sensitive and actually painful like it stings when you apply CeraVe or Cetaphil, consider two rescue creams. One would be Avène Cicalfate Restorative Protective Cream. I have never had that sting my face and I've been in some rough situations where my retinoid really dried out and irritated the skin around my eyes during the winter time and that came through. It has nice thermal spring water. It has soothing minerals in there and is great for kids and adults."

Dermatologist’s Newborn Skincare Essentials: What I’d Buy Before Baby Arrives

"Another alternative to this would be Avène Cicalfate Restorative Protective Cream, another great rescue versatile cream that is meant for babies and adults."

Doctorly

3.59M subs

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"Something that's sort of a hybrid between the pure petrolatum world and the zinc based barrier butt pastes is something like a Cicalfate from Avene. [...] I actually think the Avene one must have zinc in it. [...] It feels very zincy when you rub it in. And I've used it in the past like when I've had laser done for example during the healing process."

CYoung

95k subs

✓Mixed

"Some of my subscribers shared a hack of warming it in warm water and mixing it back together. Compared to other dry skin products this one isn't that heavy, and I've seen so many people love it because whenever you apply it after popping a pimple, it just heals a lot more quickly. It's also kind of an all rounder. If you have oily combo skin with a lot of breakouts, try this after you pop one, it can heal a lot better."

208SkinDoc

2.10M subs

✓Yay

"Then you layer on top of that the Cicalfate+. This is a really thick moisturizing cream. It is fragrance-free. It is about as gentle as you can get, with the exception of plain Vaseline. It almost feels like Desitin, like diaper rash ointment, to me, but it is a miracle worker for sensitive skin."

All 4 takes from 208SkinDoc

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"This is the Avène Cicalfate+, one of my favorite healing balms. Avène is made for sensitive skin, and this is a thick cream, almost like a diaper rash ointment, white and thick. I put this on my patients several days after their laser procedures, transitioning onto something a little lighter but still thick to help repair the skin barrier. It's free from most common allergens, there's no fragrance in it, and it contains thermal spring water which helps promote a healthy microbiome on the skin."

CO2 Laser Treatment: My Recovery Journey & Dermatologist-Approved Healing Tips

"This is part of the SOS kit that I give patients after they have a laser procedure. When you've had a couple of days of Dr. Rogers restore and you want to move on to a cream, this is the one that I have my patients use. It's very similar to the Cicaplast from La Roche-Posay, a very thick cream, almost even more so, looks like a diaper rash ointment."

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"This is called Cicalfate. It's a really thick moisturizer, and it has that thermal spring water in it, and the ingredients are excellent for building and repairing the skin barrier. I use this on my face after laser procedures as well. We put it on the hands and they're feeling nice and hydrated just from that."

The Style and Beauty Doctor

222k subs

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"They also have things that can help with um like uh the secoflate uh restorative protective cream."

Dr. Shereene Idriss

1.73M subs

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"The Avène Cicalfate+ Cream is a nourishing barrier cream with copper zinc sulfate complex as well as the Avène thermal water. [...] The texture [...] is thick and creamy with no fragrance, but it is a little bit grainy, so this is one that you're going to have to put your back into getting into your skin, but your face will thank you the next day for it."

All 4 takes from Dr. Shereene Idriss

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"Avène has their Cicalfate+ cream, the Exera Calm, that you guys can definitely try."

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"Avène also has Cicalfate Plus Creme Restoration, which is a protective cream for very delicate skin. This one is also mineral oil based very thick to minimize any sort of trans epidermal water loss. If you have a cut, a scrape, a burn, it helps with wound healing, not in the same way as Biafine does, but it is nice with minor scrapes and cuts, especially around your cuticles and fingers if you're very very dry. I do keep this guy around."

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"The Avène Cicalfate Restorative Protective Cream [...] is a great one for any cuts, nicks, or scrapes that you may have and one that you should probably keep on the go. Also, if you have wind burn, it's one that I like to use around my mouth."

Dr Sam Bunting

240k subs

✓Mixed

"This is the large size of Cicalfate, it does come in a 40 ml size just like the La Roche-Posay product, they're around the same price, [...] around the 10 pound mark. I think of them as being the kind of thing that's great to have in the bathroom cabinet for sore chapped skin, and they're suitable for use on just about any part of the body, [...] on the face, [...] in the private areas, [...] on your baby's bottom if they've got nappy rash."

Mad About Skin

731k subs

✓Yay

"If you are sad that the La Roche-Posay is gone and you want like an equivalent to the original formulation, you can reach for this, the Avène Cicalfate+. Very similar ingredient profile to the original, same texture and same finish, just as good at repairing the barrier function. I would say buy this instead. The Avène Cicalfate+ works just as well as the original, so it's definitely easy to just make that switch."

All 2 takes from Mad About Skin

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"If you're looking for a more affordable option, Aesop Cicalfate+ will work in a similar way. It's not quite as good, but it's almost there, and it's much more affordable, so you've got a couple of options to meet your budget."

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Dr Dray

2.69M subs

✓Mixed

"Recently they have had an issue. People on TikTok and in Reddit threads are complaining that their Cicalfate cream [...] is arriving in orders completely separated out, where they go to squeeze it and this clear blue liquid shoots out and it's all messed up. Avene claims it's because the product was exposed to freezing temperatures. [...] It seems to be happening a lot, so [...] there's some kind of quality control issue going on with the shipping."