Murad Clarifying Cleanser for mature skin
Salicylic Acid
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
Menthol
Silver Citrate
Caution
- LowNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for mature skin; the cleansers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate exfoliation for wrinkles and fine lines due to salicylic acid, which promotes skin renewal, but may cause dryness and irritation for your normal skin type. Trehalose and Betaine are included to help mitigate this dryness.
- The cleansing functionality is moderate, with sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate aiding in pore decongestion.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser as part of both your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily since your skin is normal and not sensitive.
- Apply this first in your routine before using your toner, moisturizer, and SPF.
- Gently massage the cleanser onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water. Avoid rubbing your skin too hard.
- Apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin for the best fresh feeling. Make sure your face is clean of heavy makeup first.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area while washing. Do a quick patch test before your very first use to be safe.
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 5.0k+ reviewsThis gel cleanser is widely praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for its ability to significantly reduce breakouts and control excess oil using encapsulated salicylic acid. While effective for deep cleaning, it is potent and frequently cited as drying or stripping, making it less suitable for sensitive or dry skin types without careful hydration. The summary is based on a very large amount of data and should be definitely taken into account.
Highlights
Clears acne effectively Mostly Mentioned
- “significantly decreased my breakouts”
- “bumps and acne are smoothing out”
- “kills all bacteria on face”
- “cleared up my chin acne”
Controls oil and shine Often Mentioned
- “dissolves excess oil”
- “skin doesn't feel as oily”
- “keeps my face matte”
- “controls shine for hours”
Deep clean feeling Often Mentioned
- “pores feel like they are breathing”
- “feels squeaky clean”
- “removes all grime”
- “leaves skin fresh”
Drying and stripping Often Mentioned
- “dried me out like a prune”
- “skin feeling tight and dry”
- “left face flaky and red”
- “stripped my moisture barrier”
Cooling sensation Sometimes Noted
- “tingly cooling sensation”
- “cools your face”
- “feels refreshing and minty”
- “nice cooling effect”
Lathers well Sometimes Noted
- “little goes a long way”
- “lathers up really well”
- “rich foam”
- “only need a pea size”
Causes purging/breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “caused breakouts and cystic acne”
- “purging phase never stopped”
- “made things worse at first”
- “gave me huge pimples”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for a face wash”
- “waste of money”
- “price is steep”
- “not worth the cost”
Medicinal scent Rarely Noted
- “smells like pine-sol”
- “strong chemical smell”
- “medicinal scent”
- “scent is overpowering”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “paint coming off tube”
- “leaks in the shower”
- “hard to get product out”
- “packaging peels off”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, amazon.com, dermstore.com, murad.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Murad Clarifying Cleanser for mature skin?
Lovi advises caution because this cleanser may cause dryness and irritation for your normal skin type, even though Salicylic Acid helps renew the skin. A cleanser for mature skin needs to be exceptionally safe with no risk of irritation, address wrinkles with high-quality hydrating ingredients, perform cleansing excellently, and be perfectly suitable for normal skin.
Skin Research and Technology, 2003Skin Research and Technology, 2024
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for mature skin?
Salicylic Acid and Menthol make this cleanser a poor fit for mature skin, as they may cause dryness and irritation. A product for this skin needs gentle cleansing agents, high-quality hydrating ingredients, and soothing, repairing components that address fine lines without any risk of irritation or stripping moisture.
What does Salicylic Acid do for mature skin?
Salicylic acid helps smooth and firm mature skin by boosting collagen and elasticity while reducing roughness and wrinkles. It is unlikely to cause irritation when used correctly, but this skin type also needs extra hydrating ingredients to stay soft and plump.
What does Cocamidopropyl Betaine do for mature skin?
Cocamidopropyl betaine is a cleansing ingredient used in wash-off products to help remove dirt and oil. While generally safe, it may cause mild skin irritation for some people.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine as the cleansing step before your toner and moisturizer. Mature skin needs a mild cleanser paired with nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides to keep skin soft and hydrated while cleansing.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
Using this cleanser with retinol requires caution because it may dry and irritate your mature skin. To help prevent this, use the cleanser at a different time of day than your retinol, or on alternate days, and always follow up with a gentle, hydrating moisturizer.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser should be used with caution on mature skin since it may cause dryness and irritation. A product of this type for this skin needs gentle cleansing ingredients and extra hydrating components to keep the skin soft and comfortable.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
This cleanser may cause breakouts or purging for mature skin, and reviewers frequently complain about it leaving skin dry and stripped. Salicylic acid helps clear out pores, but a cleanser for mature skin needs gentle hydrating ingredients and soothing plant extracts to keep skin comfortable without causing irritation.
Skin Research and Technology, 2003Skin Research and Technology, 2024
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is not suitable for the thin skin around the eyes because harsh ingredients and strong cleansing agents may cause irritation, though body skin generally tolerates stronger cleansers better. A product for mature skin needs gentle hydrating ingredients and mild cleansers that clean without stripping natural moisture.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Skin Research and Technology, 2003
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene and parfum).
What the research says
Soaps containing betaine caused the least skin irritation compared to other tested soaps in twenty-eight healthy subjects, though irritation did not decrease with increasing concentrations of betaine.
Skin Research and Technology, 2003A combination of Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and trimethylglycine in a 1:1 mass ratio synergistically increased aquaporin 3 expression by up to 380% in keratinocytes and safely improved skin hydration in healthy volunteers.
Molecules, 2024Sodium trehalose sulfate decreased transepidermal water loss and increased stratum corneum water content in participants with low stratum corneum water content when applied for 4 weeks compared to placebo.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.
Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Coadministration of 40% topical L-menthol with 10% trans-cinnamaldehyde reduced spontaneous pain intensity, neurogenic inflammation, primary and secondary mechanical hyperalgesia, and heat hyperalgesia, but not cold hyperalgesia, in 14 healthy volunteers.
The Journal of Pain, 2016Topical application of menthol-based cooling gel decreased intramuscular temperature by 1.9 °C and increased cutaneous blood flow by 0.3 ml/min in healthy males compared to placebo gel.
International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 2018Cooling skin temperature or applying topical menthol reduced histamine-induced itch intensity and flare diameters in healthy male volunteers.
Neuroscience Letters, 1995
Ingredients
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Methyl Gluceth-20, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butylene Glycol, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Silver Citrate, Peg-150 Distearate, Menthol, Zea Mays Starch, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrolyzed Corn Octenylsuccinate Starch, Glyceryl Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Polysorbate 80, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Limonene, Citrus Reticulata Oil Leaf Tangerine Oil Leaf, Citronella Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil Mandarin Orange Peel Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Apricot Kernel Oil, Parfum, Salicylic Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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