Murad vs Dermalogica Skincare – Which is Best?
Here I am going to tell you about Murad vs Dermalogica skincare comparison because it has been under discussion for quite a period of time recently.
My first experience with dermalogica products was in my teens, I bought the products from a local salon and prices were too high for me while doing a part time job in my 18’s. Not only were they expensive but they also dried my skin too badly as I already have a dry skin tone.
The mistake that I made at that time was I said “I had acne’ and the aesthetician gave a range of products for oily skin range. But that doesn’t mean Dermalogica products have a bad line range but the main strategy is to choose the right products for your skin.
So here I’ll provide you with a detailed post on the Murad vs Dermalogica product range to make it easy for you to choose best fitting products.
Dr Murad vs Jane Wurwand
Murad and Dermalogica are very keen to call themselves as clinical aesthetic and actually it is a kind of marketing technique attracting people toward your business.
Dr. Howard Murad, a certified dermatologist founded this aesthetic brand named as Murad. They also announce themselves as the first modern doctor brand for dermatology.
The information provided here makes you understand medicinal grade language you might see when searching for skin products.
Medical grade is like non-comedogenic or acne free type terms used for better publicity and marketing. The true medical grade skincare are the prescribed ones, and any product that are present on OTC are simple cosmetic skincare or regular skincare products.
As for Jane Wurwand, founder of Dermalogica is not a dermatologist at all but a skin therapist. But according to the customers the brand was so good that it is used in many skin aesthetic clinics.
Is A Dermatologist-Founded Brand Important?
Being the brand founded by a dermatologist doesn’t make it actually a good brand. There are many brands out there that are not founded by any dermatologist but they have a very good and quality range of skincare products with good customer reviews.
Murad Skincare Vs Dermalogica Skincare Products For Sensitive Skin
To be honest, there is no perfect skincare product ever existing, they can provide you a quality result for example Dr Sam’s or Purito but they can never be as good as perfect.
For Murad vs Dermalogica, their products mostly contain essential oils. But if you have sensitive skin, rosacea skin, acne skin or get easily allergic to ingredients then it is recommended to strictly avoid essential oils.
Fragrances and essential oils in the skincare products are nearly the most likely to cause allergies even if it is a normal skin.
There are few ingredients that if a product contains then you should avoid.
- Essential oils
- Linalool
- Fragrance
- Limonene
- Parfum
Clean beauty
While doing a comparison on Murad vs Dermalogica, Dermalogica products provide clean beauty.
So, in medical grade language, clean beauty is used as an non-offensive and unregulated marketing term making it higher to dirty brands.
But keeping in mind, every brand defines clean beauty differently, modifying the term to suit their products.
Just like Dermalogica says;
“We have been clean since 1986. Our formulas are free of artificial colours and fragrances, mineral oil, lanolin, S.D. alcohol, parabens and microplastics.”
Dermalogica is actually making a good marketing strategy just like other products by emphasizing the clean ingredient list showcasing their brand as ultra premium.
Artificial Vs Natural Fragrance
Many products actually do not contain artificial fragrances but they do have natural fragrances and both are good at all.
A lot of brands have a label of “free from” simply pointing out the ingredients they do not have.
Another problem is that average customers are actually unaware of what is good and bad and they just trust the brand and go with the list of ingredients.
For example, Murad has a tag of “formulated without” section with gluten in it, which is actually manipulating the customers with their strategic move, where most of them are irrelevant to skincare.
Murad Vs Dermalogica – Acne-Prone Skin Products
Dermalogica vs Murad both have really a wide range for acne-prone skin and acne scars, where dermalogica has separate categories for teen acne and adult acne while Murad has only one for adults.
Murad has made it easier to choose the right one for breakouts as it gives a theme packaging with blue color.
But what is most disappointing about Murad range for acne is that fragrance and essential oils are present in 99% of the products.
These products might work well but what bothers me is why would you choose such products over something else when they are quite expensive.
Dermalogica products also contain fragrances and essential oils but it also has a range of products without them, so Dermalogica seems more promising to me.
The only product which I am too fond to use is Dermalogica retinol clearing oil, because of its minimal list of ingredients and it contains retinol, a perfect ingredient for acne-like breakouts.
Murad vs Dermalogica – Fine Lines
When it comes to treating fine lines, I think Murad is a great place to start. Their Resurgence line is easy to spot in its green packaging and is built around retinoids.
In my experience, retinoids are some of the most effective ingredients not just for fine lines, but also for acne.
While Murad’s blue-labelled acne products focus mostly on salicylic acid, I’d personally reach for a retinoid from the Resurgence line if I were dealing with breakouts again.
Retinoids do a lot more than just target acne they also help with:
- Softening fine lines and wrinkles
- Fading dark spots and age spots
- Evening out skin tone
- Brightening up dull skin
- Reducing the look of acne scars
On the other hand, Dermalogica products for fine lines lean towards ingredients like hyaluronic acid, AHAs, and vitamin C. These are great options especially glycolic acid for mature skin but I personally find retinoids to be the more versatile, all-round option.
Murad Vs Dermalogica – Best Vitamin C Serum
For me, vitamin C serums just don’t work well. They tend to irritate my skin, and with regular use I’ve found they actually make my skin feel weaker instead of stronger. I also agree with many dermatologists who suggest dealing with active acne first before adding vitamin C into your routine.
However if you enjoy vitamin C and are comparing Murad vs Dermalogica Vitamin C, there are a few things worth keeping in mind.
Murad vitamin C range is instantly recognizable with its bold orange packaging and offers several different options. One thing I’d be careful with, though, is formulas that include physical exfoliants like the Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial. Since vitamin C can already be a little harsh on the skin, combining it with abrasive exfoliants can make irritation more likely.
Both Murad vitamin C products and Dermalogica products have their own strengths, but if you’re looking to add vitamin C into your routine, I’d recommend choosing formulas that are simple, gentle, and free of unnecessary irritants.
Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50
After trying the much-hyped Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50, I have to admit it didn’t quite live up to the hype for me. While I can see why people like its thin, lightweight texture, the peachy tint made my skin look a bit unnatural and it ended up irritating my eyes. If you’re looking for alternatives, is a list of Best Sunscreens for Acne Prone Skin and Comedones.
When it comes to Murad vs Dermalogica, one of my biggest hesitations with both brands is their frequent use of fragrance and essential oils, something I personally prefer to avoid. Take their vitamin C ranges, for example: they do include effective derivatives like l-ascorbic acid and aminopropyl ascorbyl phosphate, but the added essential oils make me reluctant to recommend them.
So, is Murad a good brand? I’d say it really depends on the individual product. This SPF, for instance, offers great texture and reliable protection, but it’s probably not the best choice for sensitive or easily irritated skin. For me, it makes more sense to look at each product on its own merits rather than relying on the brand name alone.
Murad Vs Dermalogica – Ranking Best Sellers
Finishing the review, here are some comments on the Brand’s best selling products.
Murad’s Clarifying Cream Cleanser
This cream cleanser is designed for acne-prone skin and contains some popular actives like salicylic acid, silver citrate, and zinc, all known for helping to fight breakouts.
Although the ingredients are beneficial, the addition of menthol, fragrance, and tea tree oil make me question Murad’s Clarifying Cream Cleanser’s working as it could be irritating, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Honestly, I think there are gentler and more effective cleansers out there for acne-prone skin. (You can also check out my recommendations for Must-Try Water-Based Cleansers for Acne-Prone Skin.)
From my experience, acne-fighting ingredients tend to work best in leave-on products like serums. Using a face wash with exfoliating agents twice daily can put unnecessary stress on your skin’s protective barrier.
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery Spf 50 Moisturiser
This SPF doesn’t really win me over. With sensitive skin, I tend to avoid certain ingredients, and this formula seems to include quite a few of them. It’s packed with essential oils, which likely means it has a strong scent, something I usually try to steer clear of in skincare.
I haven’t tried it myself, but just looking at the formula doesn’t make me eager to. I think it might be more suitable for someone with mature skin who doesn’t mind, or even prefers, fragranced products.
To its credit, the moisturizer does offer SPF 50 protection using a mix of chemical sunscreen filters, along with some hydrating and soothing ingredients. Still, Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery Spf 50 Moisturiser is not something I’d personally reach for or recommend.
So, Murad Vs Dermalogica Skincare – Which Is Best?
When it comes to skincare, I prefer Murad more. The Murad skin care reviews and products usually make sense to me, and while some formulas do include ingredients I’d normally stay away from, I appreciate that they also have plenty of alternatives without them. That gives me more room to find what actually works for my skin.
It doesn’t mean Murad is my favourite brand. I like to judge skincare on a product-by-product basis rather than just following a brand name. After all, companies are always reformulating, rebranding, and coming out with new lines. It feels more realistic to keep an open mind instead of tying myself down to one brand.
A good example of this is T-Zone. I used to find their products too strong and harsh, but their newer Cica line completely changed my view. It just goes to show that skincare brands can surprise you, which is why I think it’s worth staying flexible and open to trying new things.
