Aid from Avene

So my boyfriend Duane Reade had a major makeover. It is worthy of a reality TV series. Inside and out, he looks completely different, and its only now that I realize he was previously a major eye sore. Along with a change in terms of layout and design, a few select Duane Reades have skincare centers (similar to the kind you find at CVS) that carry French skincare lines such Avene and Vichy.

A few months back, I made a few adjustments to my skincare routine, and used the help of a "specialist" at one of these centers to sample products from Avene. The line features products for sensitive, oily, irritated, and aging skin types. As a line of dermocosmetic products (cool word - read more here) that falls somewhere between the usual drugstore and high-end suspects, I decided Avene might be worth a try. I chose the Gentle Cleanser for Intolerant Skin and loved it at hello. It is a light, non-greasy, and non-irritating gel that can be wiped off with a cotton ball or washed off with water.

It took me a few months for my rather sluggish brain to realize that this is sort of a glorified Cetaphil. But if I remember my Cetaphil experience correctly, than the Avene formula is much lighter and leaves absolutely no residue whatsoever. At $17.00, it is pricier than any cleanser I have ever used, and although I think it is worth it, I'm not sure if I'm going to re-buy. I may experiment a little bit more first - I had a decent experience with the samples of the Ystheal Lotion and Cream, and would like to try another cleanser before settling on one. I'll admit that I'm already a sucker for the no nonsense, simple packaging that makes me feel like I'm really not doing much. Might be good enough reason to purchase again.

If you are drugstore obsessed like me, you'll definitely want to explore Duane's latest offerings, especially when a specialist is present and can give you samples. It's about time drugstore loyalists received some high-end treatment!