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Clinique Take the Da… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm at 6.0/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

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Clinique

Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm

cleansermid-range

6.0

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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

Murad Essential-C Cleanser takes this one, winning 3 of 5 attributes.

Clinique wins 0

Tied 2

Murad wins 3

9.0

Clinique

Murad

Ingredient face-off

6% overlap

7Clinique

2Shared

32Murad

Only in Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm

5 unique

Ethylhexyl Palmitate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate Polyethylene Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil

Shared ingredients

2 in common

Tocopheryl Acetate Phenoxyethanol

Only in Murad Essential-C Cleanser

30 unique

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

Why Murad Essential-C Cleanser comes out ahead

Where Murad Essential-C Cleanser really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 8.4 compared to Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm's 4.0. With Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, and Panthenol in its top ingredients, Murad Essential-C Cleanser delivers stronger moisture-binding capability.

Ingredient Transparency is another area of separation. Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.5 here versus 6.0 for Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. 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 clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm relies on Tocopheryl Acetate. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm 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

At mid-range pricing with a score of 6.0, Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm is a decent pick. Murad Essential-C Cleanser sits at the premium level with a 8.0 score — the higher investment pays off in formulation quality.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+2.0 lead

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

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6.0Clinique

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm 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 Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm 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 Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm 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: Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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