Murad Clarifying Cleanser 200ml

...tried, I came across the Murad Blemish Control range. Reading about the Murad brand and the claims of the products, I felt confident enough to give their products a try. And after much deliberation, chose 3 products which I felt, used together would most benefit my skin.

The first product I tried was the Murad Clarifying Cleanser, which cost me £18.50 for 200ml.
Now, the products in the Murad ranges come in different steps ...
...genius to work out the Murad Clarifying Cleanser comes under Step 1.
I decided rather than to start using all my products at once, I would use this alone for a while first so that I could see what actual difference the cleanser made, rather than the routine as a whole.

The cleanser comes as a 200ml tube packaged in a card box. The packaging is very simple and quite clinical looking, whilst being stylish enough to look good on ... more

As readers of many of my past ops will know, I've always suffered from greasy, spotty skin, and having just turned 21 the hope that I'll grow out of it is rapidly diminishing. In light of the fact that actually, my skin, if anything, only seems to be getting worse, I've started spending more and more on skincare products in the hope that price really does reflect quality.

So, after endless searching through website after website looking for some miracle product I'd not yet tried, I came across the Murad Blemish Control range. Reading about the Murad brand and the claims of the products, I felt confident enough to give their products a try. And after much deliberation, chose 3 products which I felt, used together would most benefit my skin.

The first product I tried was the Murad Clarifying Cleanser, which cost me £18.50 for 200ml.
Now, the products in the Murad ranges come in different steps as follows:
Step 1: Cleanse, Tone
Step 2: Treat, Repair
Step 3: Hydrate, Protect.
And it doesn't take a genius to work out the Murad Clarifying Cleanser comes under Step 1.
I decided rather than to start using all my products at once, I would use this alone for a while first so that I could see what actual difference the cleanser made, rather than the routine as a whole.

The cleanser comes as a 200ml tube packaged in a card box. The packaging is very simple and quite clinical looking, whilst being stylish enough to look good on display in your bathroom. The front of the box states the name of the product, and important information like what the product is designed to do. The directions and some more detailed information about how the product works are printed on the side of the box, and the back explains about the Murad brand, and the Murad philosophy.

The tube itself is see-through with a white label on the front, and has printed on the front all the information which is on the front of the box, and on the back it has the main information from the side and back of the box. It also states that the product is dermatologically tested, and that Murad does not test on animals.

The box's description of this cleanser and what it does reads, 'Clinically proven to reduce 99.9% of irritating surface bacteria in less than one minute, this deep cleansing gel with triclosan and salicylic acid helps to gently but effectively reduce blemishes to keep skin clear.'

The cleanser itself is a see-through yellowish gel, which is smooth in texture. It smells quite fresh and not at all strong or unpleasant.

The directions on the tube read, 'Massage small amount over dampened face and neck. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.'. Seems simple enough, but how much is a small amount? I found I had to try different amounts for the first few times I used this cleanser until I found the perfect amount. In the end I settled on using a blob just smaller than a 10 pence piece, as I found this gave just the right amount to cover my entire face and neck easily, as well as creating the right consistency when lathered up. I also tend to lather it up on my hands before applying to my face, as this seems to get the best result.

The cleanser feels very smooth as you put it on your face, and as it mixes with the water it creates a smooth, creamy, but light lather which makes my skin feel very refreshed. Using the amount suggested above, the cleanser glides smoothly and evenly to cover the entire face quickly and easily. And when it comes to washing it off, just a quick rinse seems sufficient to remove the lot without any trace of residue left at all, which surprised me.
On removing the cleanser and patting my face dry, my skin feels very cool, fresh and clean, and a fair bit smoother than normal.
The one thing that did worry me slightly was that it seemed to make any spots I had rather red, but this dies down within a few minutes. This also could just be because I have sensitive skin and may not be a problem for people who don't have sensitive skin.

After using the cleanser morning and night for a week, it had made a definite difference. My skin was less oily in general, and felt a lot cleaner and less 'clogged up'.
After using for a month, the amount of spots I got was remarkably reduced, and my skin was looking a lot healthier than before, and still less oily and cleaner than it had previously been. I did notice however, that after regular use, the cleanser had started to sometimes make my skin feel a little tight after use, so I would recommend using a moisturiser as soon as possible after using the cleanser.

I've now been using the cleanser for about a year, and my skin has never looked better. I do still get spots, but nowhere near as many or as often as I used to. My skin always feels clean and fresh, and I don't have the oily-skin problems I used to have. My skin is also a lot more smooth and even -looking than I think it ever has been.

I mentioned earlier that this cleanser tends to make any spots I have more red for a short while after use, but apart from this it caused no irritation whatsoever to my sensitive skin.

You might think £18.50 is a lot to pay for a cleanser, but the 200ml tube lasts me about 3 months used morning and night, and I'm sure anyone with problem skin would agree with me when I say that £6.16 per month is more than worth paying for such good results!

The only minor gripe with this product is that it's not readily available in the uk, so don't expect to be able to find this in your local department store. I buy mine online at beautyexpert, but there are a few other sites also sell it.

In summary, I definitely think this is a worthy investment for anyone with acne, oily or problem skin. It's no miracle cure, but it certainly has made a great deal of difference to my skin, and the cost is nothing in the grand scheme of things. I will definitely be using this cleanser for a long time to come!

 

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