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Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores 8.0/9.8 vs neutrogena Skin Balancing Gel Cleanser at 6.1/9.8. Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins for hydration.
Murad Essential-C Cleanser takes this one, winning 4 of 5 attributes.
Scores last verified: April 2026
30 unique
10 unique
Where Murad Essential-C Cleanser really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 8.4 compared to neutrogena Skin Balancing Gel Cleanser's 3.5. 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 neutrogena Skin Balancing Gel 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 neutrogena Skin Balancing Gel Cleanser relies on Gluconolactone. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.
Murad Essential-C Cleanser is better if you have
neutrogena Skin Balancing Gel Cleanser is better if you have
Murad Essential-C Cleanser comes in at premium pricing with a 8.0 score, which is solid value at that tier.
Murad Essential-C Cleanser wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.
Based on ingredient analysis, Murad Essential-C Cleanser scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.
Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.
The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.
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© 2026 Gracie. All rights reserved. Data sourced from Open Beauty Facts (ODbL) and EU CosIng.