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Herbal Essences Hair… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash at 5.3/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

Herbal Essences

Hair & Body Wash

cleanser

5.3

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Retinol
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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.

Herbal Essences wins 1

Murad wins 4

5.3Herbal Essences

+2.7vs

8.0Murad

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

Murad WINS

2.6

8.4

Herbal Essences

Murad

Irritation Risk

Murad WINS

6.4

9.5

Herbal Essences

Murad

Active Ingredient Strength

Murad WINS

2.0

4.4

Herbal Essences

Murad

Ingredient Transparency

Herbal Essences WINS

8.8

8.5

Herbal Essences

Murad

Formulation Safety

Murad WINS

8.0

9.0

Herbal Essences

Murad

Ingredient face-off

3% overlap

22Herbal Essences

1Shared

32Murad

Only in Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash

21 unique

Water Sodium Laureth Sulfate Sodium Citrate Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Glycol Distearate Sodium Chloride Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract Zea Mays (Corn) Silk Extract Orchis Mascula Flower Extract Fragrance+11 more

Shared ingredients

1 in common

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Only in Murad Essential-C Cleanser

31 unique

Water (Aqua)Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Glycerin 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 Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash's 2.6. With Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, and Panthenol in its top ingredients, Murad Essential-C Cleanser delivers stronger moisture-binding capability.

Irritation Risk is another area of separation. Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 9.5 here versus 6.4 for Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash. 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 herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash relies on Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Zea Mays (Corn) Silk Extract, and Orchis Mascula Flower Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash is better if you have

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

+2.7 lead

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

5.3Herbal Essences

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash 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 Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash 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 Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash 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: Herbal Essences Hair & Body Wash→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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