This French Anti-Aging Cream Makes Shoppers Look "Years Younger" — and It's Part of a Rare Sale

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If there's a love that can rival that between my cat and his automatic feeder, it's the one between skincare enthusiasts and retinol. In an industry that loves a gimmick, the ingredient's reliability and results are nigh-unparalleled — and while there are a variety of over-the-counter retinols available at every price, French brand Avène's range is especially shopper-loved. And now through May 22, everything is 25 percent off for the brand's spring friends and family sale.

The discount applies to all purchases $60 and over, whether you opt for multiple products to hit the benchmark or just one. At $70, the brand's RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream neatly clears the bar — and with its combination of peptides, vitamin E, thermal water, and retinaldehyde, its potency is profound. Per The Derm Review, the latter ingredient is gentler  than other forms of retinol, yet still noticeably tones down wrinkles and dark marks with ease.

"My wrinkles are remarkably less. It makes my skin look five to ten years younger," one shopper wrote of the formula; another said they can't believe the "shocking" difference a sample of the cream made in their skin, and a third person described it minimizing their previously "canyon"-sized lines. Even commenters with sensitive skin didn't see irritation, as is common with other retinol formulas.

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Shop now: $53 with code BFF25 (Originally $70); aveneusa.com

If you want to start with a gentler version, the brand's RetrinAL 0.05 Cream halves the level of retinaldehyde to let your skin more easily adjust. A fan with sensitive skin and rosacea said that while they'll never be able to use tretinoin — a common prescription version of retinol — Avène's is "so gentle," and still works to soften wrinkles. "I see such a difference in the texture of my skin," wrote a different user in the 55- to 64-year-old range. "My fine lines are definitely less noticeable."

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Shop now: $47 with code BFF25 (Originally $62); aveneusa.com

If the idea of anti-aging results without the risk of dry skin or irritation is appealing, the brand's new RetrinAL Advanced Correcting Serum is one to try. Shoppers haven't weighed in on the blend of bakuchiol and hyaluronic acid yet, but after taking it for a spin, beauty writer Tamim Alnuweiri had only good things to say about the bouncy skin and evened hyperpigmentation it left behind. Not familiar with bakuchiol? It's a botanical that mimics the effects of retinol, so you see fewer wrinkles, softer texture, and increased collagen production.

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Shop now: $59 with code BFF25 (Originally $78); aveneusa.com

That said, if you'd rather stick with tried-and-true retinaldehyde and can tolerate the side effects, reviewers reported impressive results from the RetrinAL Eyes formula. A shopper in the 65+ age range wrote it left their circles "much brighter" and fine lines reduced, thanks to the creamy, fast-absorbing texture that's a  boon for dry eyes. Others claimed it made their crow's feet "disappear instantly," and while I can't help but question that lightning fast speed, its line-minimizing effect is the common consensus.

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Shop now: $37 with code BFF25 (Originally $49); aveneusa.com

Outside of the brand's strictly retinol range, its PhysioLift line is another favorite — especially according to people who saw the Night Smoothing Balm "amazingly" minimize wrinkles within two weeks. Retinaldehyde is at work again, but this time combined with ascofillinetm, an algae-derived moisturizer that the brand says "visibly lifts" skin. It works in tandem with hyaluronic acid and hesperidin methyl chalcone, an antioxidant, to hydrate and protect skin.

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Shop now: $38 with code BFF25 (Originally $50); aveneusa.com

As ever, though, the best anti-aging advice is to wear sunscreen whenever and wherever possible.  While many sunscreens come with the tradeoff of thick, chalky textures, Avène's Solaire UV Mineral Multi-Defense Sunscreen SPF 50+ is a beautifully thin, pleasant layer of protective zinc oxide — a plus for anyone who's wary of potentially hormone-disrupting sunscreen ingredients absorbing into their blood. Older generations of mineral SPFs may have been schlocky and hard to spread, but Avène's remains an editor favorite for a reason: It's fast-absorbing, packs calming bisabolol, allantoin, and niacinamide, and comes in a tinted version.

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Shop now: $24 with code BFF25 (Originally $32); aveneusa.com