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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid versus Murad Clarifying Water Gel .

Last updated on March 07, 2024. Published on October 14, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain exfoliants

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens and fragrances

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

General Moisturizer French Brand France
General Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

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Buy Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid

Starts at $38.00
Shop

Buy Clarifying Water Gel

Starts at $44.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant 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

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Anti-Aging
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Exfoliators
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (4)
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Ingredients Compared

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

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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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.

1
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

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 1.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 2.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 36.

3
What it does: Abrasive, Absorbent
Community Rating: Disliked

Silica is a mineral naturally found in our skin. It helps to thicken and smooth the texture of a product. It also acts as an agent for other ingredients by increasing the absorption of other ingredients into the skin.

Silica is often used for absorption and can help reduce shine when products are applied. Silica occurs in naturally in materials like clay and sandstone, and it can also be produced synthetically.

Silica is present naturally within the skin during collagen production and when reducing inflammation.

Learn more about Silica

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 5.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 42.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 7.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 3.

5
What it does:
Community Rating: Mixed

We don't have a description for Tapioca Starch.

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 8.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 9.

6
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 14.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 48.

7
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 15.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 30.

8
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 17.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 34.

9
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

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 23.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 51.

10
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

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 25.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 50.

11
What it does: Perfuming, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.

Learn more about Limonene

Caudalie Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid contains this as ingredient number 41.

Murad Clarifying Water Gel contains this as ingredient number 52.

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

20% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
44% are disliked or very disliked
27% have no rating yet
36% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
30% are disliked or very disliked
23% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

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Alternatives

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Our Dupe Finder has found 18 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Murad Clarifying Water Gel.

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