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Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser at 6.8/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

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Kiehl

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

cleanser

6.8

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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.

Kiehl wins 0

Tied 2

Murad wins 3

9.0

Kiehl

Murad

Ingredient face-off

9% overlap

27Kiehl

3Shared

32Murad

Only in Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

24 unique

Aqua/Water Sodium Laureth Sulfate Decyl Glucoside Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate Acrylates Copolymer Lauryl Glucoside Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate Triethanolamine Sodium Chloride Pentylene Glycol+14 more

Shared ingredients

3 in common

Glycerin Cocamidopropyl Betaine Phenoxyethanol

Only in Murad Essential-C Cleanser

29 unique

Water (Aqua)Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Butylene Glycol Aminomethyl Propanol Polysorbate 20 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Panthenol Phospholipids Tocopheryl Acetate Retinyl Palmitate+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 Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser's 5.7. 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 2.2 for Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial 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 kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser relies on Tocopherol and Ascorbyl Glucoside. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial 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

+1.2 lead

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

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6.8Kiehl

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial 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 Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial 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 Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial 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: Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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