Kiehl's Ultra Facial 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 Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser versus Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on December 03, 2020

Overview

What they are

These products are both face cleansers. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin C

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for brightening skin

Free From

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

What's Inside

They both contain sulfates

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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Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

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

Shop

Buy Ultra Facial Cleanser

Starts at $15.00

Shop

Buy AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

Starts at $31.89

Ingredient Info

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

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser 27 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

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser 27 ingredients

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser 21 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (2)

Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (3)

Acne Trigger

Rosacea

Eczema

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.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser 27 ingredients

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser 21 ingredients

Water • Sodium Laureth Sulfate • Decyl Glucoside • Glycerin • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate • Acrylates Copolymer • Lauryl Glucoside • Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate • Triethanolamine • Sodium Chloride • Pentylene Glycol • Phenoxyethanol • Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate • Sodium Hydroxide • Citric Acid • Hexylene Glycol • Behenyl Alcohol • Distearyl Ether • Sodium Benzoate • Laureth-2 • Squalane • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil • Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil • Tocopherol • Ascorbyl Glucoside • Persea Gratissima Oil

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

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

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

Sodium Laureth Sulfate

What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foaming

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.

SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.

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

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 5.

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

Acrylates Copolymer

What it does:

Community Rating: Disliked

Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.

After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.

It is also used to make a product more thick.

Learn more about Acrylates Copolymer

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 7.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 5.

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

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 11.

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

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.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 13.

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

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

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 15.

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

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

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 16.

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

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