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Follain Balancing Cl… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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/Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control
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Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control at 6.4/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

Follain

Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control

cleanser

6.4

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Murad

Essential-C Cleanser

cleanserpremium

8.0

Score comparison

Murad Essential-C Cleanser takes this one, winning 2 of 5 attributes.

Follain wins 0

Tied 3

Murad wins 2

6.4Follain

+1.6vs

8.0Murad

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

Murad WINS

3.7

8.4

Follain

Murad

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

Follain

Murad

Active Ingredient Strength

Murad WINS

2.0

4.4

Follain

Murad

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.5

Follain

Murad

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

Follain

Murad

Ingredient face-off

3% overlap

20Follain

1Shared

32Murad

Only in Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control

19 unique

Water/Aqua/Eau Lauramidopropyl Betaine Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate Acrylates Copolymer Cocamide Mipa Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract 2-Hexanediol Rosa Damascena Flower Water Charcoal Powder+9 more

Shared ingredients

1 in common

Glycerin

Only in Murad Essential-C Cleanser

31 unique

Water (Aqua)Cocamidopropyl Betaine Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Butylene Glycol Aminomethyl Propanol Polysorbate 20 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Panthenol Phospholipids Tocopheryl Acetate+21 more

Why Murad Essential-C Cleanser comes out ahead

Where Murad Essential-C Cleanser really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 8.4 compared to Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control's 3.7. 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 Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control. 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 follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control relies on Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Charcoal Powder, and Arginine. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control 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

+1.6 lead

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

6.4Follain

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control 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 Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control 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 Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control 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: Follain Balancing Cleanser: Oil Control→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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