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Mario Badescu Travel… vs Murad Essential-C Cl… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming Cleanser vs Murad Essential-C Cleanser

Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming Cleanser at 5.9/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.

Head to head

Mario Badescu

Travel Size Glycolic Foaming Cleanser

cleanser

5.9

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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 4 of 5 attributes.

Mario Badescu wins 0

Tied 1

Murad wins 4

16Mario Badescu

1Shared

32Murad

Only in Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming Cleanser

15 unique

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Aqua / Water / Eau Cocamide Mea Glycolic Acid Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract Hypericum Perforatum Extract Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract Althaea Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract Achillea Millefolium Extract Sodium Chloride+5 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 Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming Cleanser's 2.7. 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 8.3 for Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming 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 mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming Cleanser relies on Glycolic Acid, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, and Hypericum Perforatum Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming 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

+2.1 lead

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

5.9Mario Badescu

8.0Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming 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 Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming 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 Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming 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: Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming Cleanser→Full analysis: Murad Essential-C Cleanser→

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