I receive so many skincare products for review purposes, I honestly can’t remember where this one came from! Yet Murad’s Environmental Shield Essential-C Cleanser has been sat patiently in my bathroom waiting for me to give it a go for over two months now. Now I’ve come to the end of my ARK Skincare trial, which I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend, I figured it’s the perfect time to introduce my face to Murad.

If you’re not sure who these guys are, then it’s worth noting that many of their skincare products regularly feature on beauty journalist’s Top Tens. Whilst we’re all bombarded by adverts from the big boys, these guys have been patiently trawling behind the scenes and gathering a bit of a cult following. They’ve picked up a number of awards, and won a ton of exposure in high-end beauty publications. For some reason, they just aren’t shouting about it.

Yet their claims are none too insignificant…

… Only Murad combines advanced scientific research and practical clinical experience to create high performance skincare products… As America’s first authentic doctor developed brand, Murad remains true to the scientific principles of its founder, world renowned dermatologist Howard Murad, M.D. Shaped by his Inclusive Health philosophy and inspired by the real problems of the more than 50,000 patients and clients who have visited his Los Angeles dermatology practice and Inclusive Health Spa

That’s put us all in our place then!

So what is the Environmental Shield Essential-C Cleanser?

It promises to cleanse environmentally damaged skin by removing impurities and potential irritants, restoring moisture and preparing skin for repair.

The science behind the results points to Vitamins A, C and E, Sodium PCA and Allantoin (soothing and moisturising ingredient which rejuvenates skin, promoting a healthy and beautiful complexion) - and of course, Murad’s Cellular Water technology. I’ll let you read through this on your own as it’s incredibly neat in theory, but there’s no real science to dissect.

I was therefore expecting this to power through my make-up, get right into my pores and clear greasy areas of clogged make-up and dirt.

What’s in it?

Well as it’s a scientific formulation I was expected quite the shopping list of ingredients. Yet surprisingly, it’s free of many of the nasties I expected. Ingredients include:

Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate: De-greasing, emulsifier, and foaming agent. Milder and considered far safer than genetically modified Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) as the molecules are larger and cannot penetrate the skin the way other surfactants do.

Butylene Glycol: Derived from petroleum, this is a chemical compound typically used as a solvent and viscosity-decreasing agent. When placed on the skin or ingested, butylene glycol is absorbed and broken down into “gamma-hydroxybutryic acid”. It’s not without its haters but is considered the safest of all the glycols.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer: non-toxic thickener known to enhance the appearance & clarity of gels, with recognised suspending and stabilising properties. It delivers effective performance across a broad pH range, with greatest viscosity efficiency at pH 5.0.

Tocopheryl Acetate: A form of vitamin E, hailed for its natural skin-conditioning and antioxidant properties. It is the ester of acetic acid and tocopherol and is often used as an alternative to pure tocopherol (or undiluted vitamin E) as it’s considered more stable and less acidic.

Retinyl Palmitate: The ester of retinol (vitamin A) combined with palmitic acid (a saturated fatty acid and a major component of palm oil). It’s considered a less irritating form of retinol, and a gentler ingredient on sensitive skin. However, because it converts to retinol in the skin, it is important to note that retinol, (along with tretinoin) can cause severe skin reactions, including peeling, redness, scaling, itching, and burning, as well as thinning of the skin.

As well as the above are also some goodies that you’ll typically find in high-end quality skincare products such as panthenol and phospholipids. So, from a cursory glance, ingredients-wise, they’ve plumped for quality compounds and switched out many of the real baddies so often shouted about in the press.

What did I make of it?

It’s a foaming cleanser which isn’t usually my bag to be honest. I tend to be quite naughty with my cleansers and opt for harsh lotions and cotton wool instead (I know, I know) - this is purely for ease of getting my make-up off and avoiding a face full of water in the mornings / before bed.

It’s a gel consistency with tiny orange micro beads that aren’t gritty to touch and dissolve on contact with water. If I’m honest, I’m not entirely sure what these are and wonder if they’re just a gimmick - they do lend themselves well to the whole vitamin c, orange-burst theme so could be just-for-show as it were.

It’s incredibly mild and safe to use on delicate eye areas, but I wonder if it’s too mild to shift eyeliner and mascara in its entirety. In my opinion it could use some exfoliant properties to really make you feel clean and refreshed after use. I can’t deny that my skin does feel softer and has less dry patches upon cleansing, but I suspect this is more a result of a few days grace from my usual cheap high-street lotion. I experienced no irritation though which is good as my post-baby skin is prone to a bit of sensitivity.

Of course, Murad have popped in the obligatory parfum and it’s a citrusy smell (what else did we expect?) - yet it’s pleasant enough and bolstered by real mandarin orange, basil and grapefruit essential oils. It’s a very adequate foaming cleanser, but just nothing to get too excited about.

This cleanser is best for acne prone, oily-combination skin types and I can see it having some benefit as a secondary cleanser after my usual lotion. I’ll let my cheapo cleanser do all the hard work with my make-up, then let Murad cleanse away any leftover traces of it.

Do I think it’s worth its £44 price tag? Nope, but I’ll let you know if my opinion changes.

To find out more and check out some of their award-winners, head to murad.co.uk, or head to Twitter and Facebook for more information. It hasn’t put me off the range as a whole and I’m hankering after the highly recommended Intensive Resurfacing Peel with Durian Cell Reform.