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Cetaphil Daily Facia… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser at 5.9/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

Cetaphil

Daily Facial Cleanser

cleanser

5.9

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Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic 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

Murad Essential-C Cleanser takes this one, winning 4 of 5 attributes.

Cetaphil wins 0

Tied 1

Murad wins 4

8Cetaphil

0Shared

32Murad

Only in Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser

8 unique

Water Cetyl Alcohol Propylene Glycol Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Stearyl Alcohol Methylparaben Propylparaben Butylparaben

Shared ingredients

0 in common

Only in Murad Essential-C Cleanser

32 unique

Water (Aqua)Cocamidopropyl Betaine Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Glycerin Butylene Glycol Aminomethyl Propanol Polysorbate 20 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Panthenol Phospholipids+22 more

Why Murad Essential-C Cleanser comes out ahead

Where Murad Essential-C Cleanser really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 8.4 compared to Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser's 4.2. With Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, and Panthenol in its top ingredients, Murad Essential-C Cleanser delivers stronger moisture-binding capability.

Active Ingredient Strength is another area of separation. Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 4.4 here versus 2.0 for Cetaphil Daily Facial 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, giving it an edge in targeted skincare benefits.

Best for your skin type

Cetaphil Daily 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

+2.1 lead

Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

5.9Cetaphil

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Cetaphil Daily 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 Cetaphil Daily 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 Cetaphil Daily 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: Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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