Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser Versus Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

See how these products line up with your preferences

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser versus Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser .

Last updated on January 29, 2024. Published on June 06, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free face cleansers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils or silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

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Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

Face Cleanser British Brand United Kingdom

Face Cleanser American Brand United States

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Face Cleanser

Price

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Buy Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser

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Starts at $31.89

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser 17 ingredients

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser 21 ingredients

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser 17 ingredients

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser 21 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

BHA

Benefits

Hydrating

Good For Oily Skin

Redness Reducing

Reduces Irritation

Reduces Large Pores

Scar Healing (2)

Acne Fighting (2)

Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)

Acne Trigger

Irritating

Rosacea (2)

Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA (2)

BHA

Vitamin C

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin (2)

Redness Reducing (2)

Reduces Irritation

Skin Texture (3)

Reduces Large Pores (3)

Anti-Aging (3)

Dark Spots (4)

Scar Healing (4)

Acne Fighting

Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying (3)

Acne Trigger

Irritating (3)

Rosacea (4)

Eczema (4)

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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser 17 ingredients

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser 21 ingredients

Water • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Decyl Glucoside • Glycerin • Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate • Salicylic Acid • Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate • Cocamide Mea • Sodium Chloride • Peg-150 Distearate • Sodium Hydroxide • Allantoin • Sodium Benzoate • Phenoxyethanol • Citric Acid • Tetrasodium EDTA • Zinc PCA

Water • Sodium Laureth Sulfate • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Jojoba Esters • Acrylates Copolymer • Glycol Stearate • Butylene Glycol • Sodium PCA • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate • Glycolic Acid • Lactic Acid • Salicylic Acid • Polyquaternium-4 • Sodium Hydroxide • Sodium Chloride • Citric Acid • Disodium EDTA • Phenoxyethanol • Methylparaben • Propylparaben

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Water

What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

What it does: Cleansing

Community Rating: Disliked

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine. Dimethylaminopropylamine is a diamine, an amine with two amino groups.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.

Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.

While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.

Learn more about Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 3.

Salicylic Acid

What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Liked

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.

Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.

In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 6.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 13.

Sodium Chloride

What it does: Masking

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.

This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 9.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 16.

Sodium Hydroxide

What it does: Buffering

Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 11.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 15.

Phenoxyethanol

What it does: Preservative

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 14.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 19.

Citric Acid

What it does: Buffering, Masking

Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Boots Ingredients Salicylic Acid Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 15.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 17.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.