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cerave Hydrating Fac… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser scores 7.8/9.8 and Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 — a near-tie where your skin type decides the winner.

Head to head

cerave

Hydrating Facial Cleanser

cleanser

7.8

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

Murad

Essential-C Cleanser

cleanserpremium

8.0

Score comparison

These two are neck and neck — just 0.2 points apart.

cerave wins 1

Tied 3

Murad wins 1

7.8cerave

8.0Murad

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

Murad WINS

6.7

8.4

cerave

Murad

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

cerave

Murad

Active Ingredient Strength

cerave WINS

5.7

4.4

cerave

Murad

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.5

cerave

Murad

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

cerave

Murad

Ingredient face-off

13% overlap

24cerave

4Shared

32Murad

Only in cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser

20 unique

Aqua/Water/Eau Cetearyl Alcohol Peg-40 Stearate Stearyl Alcohol Potassium Phosphate Ceramide Np Ceramide Ap Ceramide Eop Carbomer Glyceryl Stearate+10 more

Shared ingredients

4 in common

Glycerin Phenoxyethanol Disodium Edta Polysorbate 20

Only in Murad Essential-C Cleanser

28 unique

Water (Aqua)Cocamidopropyl Betaine Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Butylene Glycol Aminomethyl Propanol Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Panthenol Phospholipids Tocopheryl Acetate Retinyl Palmitate+18 more

Why these two are neck and neck

These two cleansers take different paths to a similar destination. Both formulas include solid hydrating ingredients, and the overall scores reflect that — the gap here is genuinely slim.

Active Ingredient Strength is another area of separation. cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser scores 5.7 here versus 4.4 for Murad Essential-C Cleanser. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

Murad Essential-C Cleanser brings Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, and Ascorbyl Palmitate as actives, while cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser relies on Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, and Ceramide Eop. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Murad Essential-C Cleanser is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Value comparison

Murad Essential-C Cleanser comes in at premium pricing with a 8.0 score, which is solid value at that tier.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

It's a close call — both products score within 0.3 points of each other. Your choice depends on your specific skin concerns.

7.8cerave

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser or Murad Essential-C Cleanser?

Based on ingredient analysis, Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser and Murad Essential-C Cleanser share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser and Murad Essential-C Cleanser?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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