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Johnson & Johnson De… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean at 6.2/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

Johnson & Johnson

Deep Clean

cleanser

6.2

Compare

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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 4 of 5 attributes.

Johnson & Johnson wins 0

Tied 1

Murad wins 4

17Johnson & Johnson

3Shared

32Murad

Only in Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean

14 unique

Aqua Kaolin Bentonite Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate CI 77891 Trideceth-9 Citric Acid Coconut Acid Peg-5 Ethylhexanoate Xanthan Gum+4 more

Shared ingredients

3 in common

Glycerin Disodium Edta Chlorphenesin

Only in Murad Essential-C Cleanser

29 unique

Water (Aqua)Cocamidopropyl Betaine Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Butylene Glycol Aminomethyl Propanol Polysorbate 20 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Panthenol Phospholipids Tocopheryl Acetate+19 more

Why Murad Essential-C Cleanser comes out ahead

Where Murad Essential-C Cleanser really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 8.4 compared to Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean's 3.9. 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 2.3 for Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean. 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 johnson & Johnson Deep Clean relies on Salicylic Acid. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean 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

+1.8 lead

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

6.2Johnson & Johnson

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean 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 Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean 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 Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean 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: Johnson & Johnson Deep Clean→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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