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e.l.f. Cosmetics Sup… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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/e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify Cleanser
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/Murad Essential-C Cleanser

e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify Cleanser vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify Cleanser at 6.1/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

e.l.f. Cosmetics

SuperClarify Cleanser

cleanser

6.1

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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

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

e.l.f. Cosmetics wins 0

Tied 2

Murad wins 3

9.0

e.l.f. Cosmetics

Murad

Ingredient face-off

13% overlap

17e.l.f. Cosmetics

4Shared

32Murad

Only in e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify Cleanser

13 unique

Decyl Glucoside Lauryl Glucoside Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate Glycereth-7 Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate Niacinamide Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil Xanthan Gum Cocamide Mea Glycol Stearate+3 more

Shared ingredients

4 in common

Water (Aqua)Cocamidopropyl Betaine Disodium Edta Butylene Glycol

Only in Murad Essential-C Cleanser

28 unique

Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Glycerin Aminomethyl Propanol Polysorbate 20 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Panthenol Phospholipids Tocopheryl Acetate Retinyl Palmitate Ascorbyl Palmitate+18 more

Why Murad Essential-C Cleanser comes out ahead

Where Murad Essential-C Cleanser really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 8.4 compared to e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify Cleanser's 2.6. 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 3.1 for e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify 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 e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify Cleanser relies on Niacinamide. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify 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

+1.9 lead

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

6.1e.l.f. Cosmetics

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify 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 e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify 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 e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify 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: e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify Cleanser→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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