Pros:
-Great protection
-Good water resistance
Cons
-leaves a white cast
-difficult to spread and to work with: no matter how I apply it, I always end up with white streaks and small flakes on my face
- very difficult to re-apply
- after a couple of hours my skin looks very greasy (like I just rubbed oil all over it)
- comedogenic

I remember searching Makeupalley for sunscreen recommendations for my combination skin a while ago, which led me to try Vichy Capital Soleil Micro fluid Mat spf 50. I was quite happy with that but it ran out this weekend during a heatwave and I was desperate for an easy replacement so I bought this. I forgot why I didn't choose to buy this the first time around......
Despite being stated that it's an emulsion and suitable for normal to combination skin with a matte finish and sebum regulating ingredients, I didn't find this at all. The product appears more of a cream, much thicker than an emulsion (Vichy's product is very liquid and easy to spread) and this does not finish matte on my skin even when it's clean and dry before applying. It remains sticky throughout the day and leaves a considerable white cast that makes me look like I'm ill! I do dust over this with mattifying powder but it does not last long. I find that the product is not what it promises, and therefore is considerably expensive for what it is when I can find another comparable product that performs much better (I couldn't get the Vichy as quickly as I needed as I have to order this online). HIghly recommend the Vichy to anyone with oily/combination skin - still can get a bit sticky but at least does finish fairly matte and is a much thinner consistency. And almost no white cast!

I went on a shopping spree in Paris and picked up the 50+ emulsion with avo (new version). It does protect but leaves too much of a white cast on my NC40 tan skin. I have to keep looking for a decent sunscreen that does not leave a white cast that even shows through make up!

pros:
- high & stable all-day uv protection without having to re-apply
- compatible with spf make-up (heard the new formula isn't though)
- doubles as a moisturizer for me
cons:
- nasty white tint that is really obvious on my nc 25-30 skin
- streaky and tends to peel off
- make-up doesn't go on smooth when paired with this sunscreen
overall:
i use this only when i'm doing outdoor sports, as i trust the uv protection it provides. prefer something more cosmetically elegant when i'm wearing make-up. continued >>

Fabulous sunscreen. Of the Avene bunch, it is my favorite (even better than the Hydrance Optimale UV 20 Riche)! BUT, I wish it did not have avobenzone. I am uncertain about avobenzone because it is highly unstable - it would be better if they would just take it out! I cannot wear this sunscreen with so many foundations, because titanium dioxide and zinc oxide cannot be combined with avobenzone (it destabilizes it). Other than that, this sunscreen is perfect - light weight, non greasy, sheer, no bad sunscreen smell, and high SPF and UVA protection. I'll definitely get a bottle of this before any beach holidays!

i am in love with this sunscreen!, ihave been using it for 3 months now, and my skin never breaks out. sometimes i only use it as a moisturizer. my skin is oily, and this feels like im not wearing anything on my face. it leaves a white cast but it dissapears and turns matt in seconds. will def repurchase :)

My derm actually prescribed this to me as a "daily MUST", I wasn't too exited about it, I've always hated the sticky consistency of SS.
But this turned out allright, now it's very much a part of my daily routine. This is what I do:
I put a little EffaclarDuo on the acne prone parts of my face, spray a bit of Avene's thermal water and then distribute a pump of this SS evenly all over my face, wait for it to absorb & then seal it all with some of Clinique's Moisture Surge. After this I apply my foundation. It doent make me oily :)
If I'm too lazy to do all of this I just use this SS and some powder and I'm good to go. continued >>

Avene sunscreens for intolerant skin are literally the ONLY sunscreen I'm not allergic too. I am so happy they exist and was so happy when they were created. With that being said they are very different than sunscreens on the market. They do cast a tint to your skin and aren't super pretty in that way (the tinted compact is a nice colour for face). They are heavy, sitting on your skin ... but they work and I would argue are healthier because it's not going through your skin .... 100% chemical free; mineral sunscreens.

I have been using this sunscreen for a few years now so I've used both the old and new formulations. Both are great in my opinion and really protects my skin. It's leaves a bit of a white cast when first applied but it eventually settles down and turns invisible. I've also used it under makeup and it was fine. It didn't add any oiliness to my combination skin.
Actually, the SA at the store told me that the emulsion formula is for oily skin and that it tries to balance the oiliness of the skin.
For me, my skin is indeed more balanced and less oily now but I think it's not entirely because of the sunscreen. Could be age too and the other products I use with the sunscreen.
The thing I really noticed though was that my skin is now more glowing, the few pimples that I get heal faster, and the acne marks disappear faster. I attribute this to the very good protection from the sun's harmful rays.
The price is a bit steep for the amount of product in the tube but I'm more than willing to pay for a product this good. I don't think I will be switching any time soon and I think I will continue using this as long as they keep making it. Wonderful wonderful product from Avene.

This product leaves a sticky feeling on my face and takes a while to absorb. It's neither matte nor moisturizing! I feel obligated to use it because it's fairly expensive but I certainly don't enjoy using it.

good for sensitive skin! this product can last me a really long time too! would prefer the packaging to be in a tube instead of the pump though.

I used this for the first time today and i'm very impressed. It honestly didnt feel like i had sunscreen on but a light moisturiser. It sunk in and left no white cast (i am a PPP tho). I feel so protected with this on and i love that it doesnt have a strong fragrance and is water proof, non cocomedogenic and hypoallergenic.
The only con i can think of is that you get a small amount for the price. But i dont mind paying extra for a high protection suscreen that i actually enjoy wearing.
I havent written a review in a while but feel that this really deserves its 5 stars. I will update after i've used this for while longer. I've also purchased the bioderm photoderm max spf 50 plus from france, so i want to give that a try as well.

BACKGROUND: I used the old avo-free version of this for years (along with the cream) and am now on my 5th tube of this new 2010 version. My skin is very pale with lots of freckles, dry and sensitive (DSPT in Baumann terms).
CONS: Since switching, I have had to find a seperate ss for the eye area. The avo means that my skin tingles and feels very warm for about an hour after applying -- no other issues though. I find this formula shinier and stickier than the old one and it leaves a white cast even on my paler-than-NC15 skin. I can't use a lot of my foundations and powders with it (octinoxate) and because of the stickiness it doesn't work as well as a makeup base. There's also something wrong with the new pump design -- every tube I have gets clogged overnight, so the first pump always disgorges a plug of solidified sunscreen you have to throw away.
PROS: It looks like the avobenzone has improved the protection. Quite a few freckles have faded and I haven't found any new ones this summer. The new formula with all its problems is still better than the dozen or so other high PPD sunscreens I have tried since the switch.
**EDIT: as of March 2011 I've switched to Ducray Melascreen SPF50 emulsion which is a perfect avo-free dupe of the old Avene emulsion.**

Great protection. Will buy again.

I am really glad that I could get sample of this product in my local pharmacy. As I don't like Avene sunscreens, I thought it would be the same with this one - but it is really matte (the one before made my skin even more greasy) and I would really like that this one will work also in a time. Will keep you posted!:-)