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Differin Daily Refre… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Differin Daily Refreshing Cleanser vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs Differin Daily Refreshing Cleanser at 6.5/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

Differin

Daily Refreshing Cleanser

cleanser

6.5

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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.

Differin wins 0

Tied 1

Murad wins 4

14Differin

5Shared

32Murad

Only in Differin Daily Refreshing Cleanser

9 unique

Water Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate Sodium Laureth Sulfate Methylparaben Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Masking Fragrance

Shared ingredients

5 in common

Glycerin Butylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol Disodium Edta Panthenol

Only in Murad Essential-C Cleanser

27 unique

Water (Aqua)Cocamidopropyl Betaine Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Aminomethyl Propanol Polysorbate 20 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Phospholipids Tocopheryl Acetate Retinyl Palmitate Ascorbyl Palmitate

Why Murad Essential-C Cleanser comes out ahead

Where Murad Essential-C Cleanser really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 8.4 compared to Differin Daily Refreshing Cleanser's 5.0. 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 Differin Daily Refreshing 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

Differin Daily Refreshing 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

+1.5 lead

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

6.5Differin

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Differin Daily Refreshing 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 Differin Daily Refreshing 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 Differin Daily Refreshing 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: Differin Daily Refreshing Cleanser→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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