Review: Murad Prebiotic 4-In-1 Multi Cleanser

I’m a double cleanse at night with two different cleansers kind of girl. I have been for as long as I can remember (probably started about ten minutes after I found Caroline Hiron’s blog honestly). I sometimes wish I was lower maintenance and could make do with using the same cleanser twice, but ninety-nine times out of a hundred I crave the makeup/SPF/daily grime shifting abilities of one product (usually a cream, gel or butter) and then a second cleanse packed with skin-benefiting ingredients that also gets rid of any trace of the first (almost always a gel). The Murad Prebiotic 4-In-1 Multi Cleanser is one of those cleansers that does both tasks well, so in a bind, I could definitely make do with just this. It works really well at removing any trace of the day and leaves my skin feeling very clean but not at all tight or dry.

What Makes It Special:
It has a gel texture that kinda reminds me of the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser; definitely a gel but somewhat thick and gloopy that takes a little work to emulsify with water. It doesn’t foam, but a light bubble tells you it’s working to break down make-up and SPF.  The 4-in-1 line on the packaging refers to its ability to: remove makeup & grime, hydrate to ease dryness and dehydration, soften and smooth the skin and keep the skin balanced and protected with prebiotics. It’s also fragrance-free, which makes it suitable for use around my sensitive eyes and it rinses completely clean with just warm water.

Why I Like It:
A few things actually, I love that I can use this over my (very sensitive eyes) without any issues, and I do love the plastic, pump bottle packaging – bathroom friendly, durable, easy to use with one hand and recyclable. It’s also a very gentle formulation which I think would suit sensitive skin really well, and it would be a good option for people who have dry skin, but who love the feel of squeaky clean skin without the actually ‘squeaky’, parched sensation.

What I Don’t Like About It:
I’m grasping at straws here, but I try a lot of cleansers, so the little things really stand out to me. I don’t love the scent, it’s unfragranced so the scent you’re getting is the ‘natural’ aroma of the combined ingredients, but it’s not the best. And although I love a gel cleanser, the Murad Prebiotic 4-In-1 Multi Cleanser feels a bit on the thick side and doesn’t emulsify when I add water as comfortably as most of the gels I’m used to using as a second cleanse. It does however still rinse clean which is my absolute must. It’s a perfectly functional cleanser, but there’s no lush experience, no beautiful scent or luxurious emulsion or anything that makes me look forward to picking it up every day.

Application:
Apply 1-2 pumps of this to a dry face and massage gently to break down makeup/SPF/grime for a first cleanser, add water as needed. Apply to damp skin for a second cleanse. Remove with a clean washcloth or rinse with warm water.

Product Claims:
Removes dirt, excess oil & waterproof makeup – agree, but I wouldn’t use it for waterproof makeup
Nourishes with prebiotics & deeply hydrates – maybe, skin feels clean but not dry or tight

Ingredients:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, C13-C16 Isoparaffin, Hexylene Glycol, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lactobacillus, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Xylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Surfactin, Squalane, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Isohexadecane, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Maltodextrin, 1,2 Hexanediol, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA

Available From:
Adore Beauty
Murad

Details:
148ml – $58

Repurchase:
The Murad Prebiotic 4-In-1 Multi Cleanser is a perfectly functional cleanser, that does the job of first and second cleanse well. But there are so many products that spring to mind that do the exact same thing for a quarter of the price. If effective, hydrating cleansers are on your wish list I’d recommend The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser or Q+A Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleanser – much cheaper and just as good.