Maelove is a young startup brand with a mission to end the confusion around skincare. They believe skincare can be simple and effective, and that the best skincare doesn’t require you to sacrifice your precious time or money.
OUR TOP SKINCARE PICKS
| Rank | Brand | Link | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrot & Stick | Review | |||||
| 2 | Formulyst | Review | |||||
| 3 | Skinceuticals | Review | |||||
| - | Maelove |
Here’s how Maelove approaches product formulation: The brand evaluates proven clinical research in peer-reviewed journals and collaborates with chemists, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and medical researchers to create their skincare formulations. In addition, Maelove has collected and analyzed over 3 million online skincare product reviews to better understand what customers want in their skincare products.
And it turns out that this approach really works. How do we know? Well, the Maelove Glow Maker serum has sold out not once but five times since it first launched. And did we mention this serum has more than 5,000 five-star reviews?
What’s so special about Maelove Glow Maker? We’re glad you asked because that’s exactly what we’re getting into below. We’ll cover the formulation details for this product, as well as the other best selling products in the collection. We’ll also share some Maelove reviews so that you can get an idea of what customers really think of these products.
Is Maelove Skincare Worth The Money?
A common question about this brand is if the products are worth the cost.
In our opinion, Maelove Skincare products deliver value for money, but take a look at other brands that don’t require you to sacrifice your precious money.
We recommend brands that are committed to developing clean yet effective products.
One brand is Carrot & Stick, a clean skincare brand that perfectly balances the gentle nurturing of plants with the powerful results of innovative science.
Carrot & Stick intro bundles deliver great value for money because you can bundle 3 full-size products worth up to $240 for $88.
What’s Inside Maelove Skin Care?
After evaluating the Maelove product formulations, we noticed that the brand uses a few key ingredients throughout their product line, and those include:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Squalane
- Hyaluronic acid
Below we’ll talk about each of these key Maelove skincare ingredients in detail so you’ll know how they may benefit your skin.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is the star ingredient in Maelove Glow Maker and can also be found in the Maelove sunscreen. The brand uses L-ascorbic acid, also known as pure vitamin C.
L-ascorbic acid is a potent antioxidant, which means it helps to protect the skin against free radical damage. This is important because the harmful effects of free radicals occur as direct chemical alterations of the cellular DNA, the cell membrane, and proteins, including collagen. Damaged collagen manifests as signs of premature skin aging, including wrinkles, lines, and sagging skin.
L-ascorbic acid not only protects collagen from free radical damage, but also stimulates the synthesis of new collagen in the skin.
According to the Indian Dermatology Online Journal, clinical studies have shown that the topical use of vitamin C increases collagen production in both young and aged human skin. By increasing the amount of collagen in the skin, signs of aging will be diminished and the skin will appear more firm.
Lastly, L-ascorbic acid has the ability to reduce the appearance of dark spots and improve uneven skin tone by inhibiting melanin synthesis. The result? A brighter complexion and more even skin tone.
But our favorite Vitamin C serum is Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum. It contains 3 distinct types of Vitamin C that work together to help fight free radical damage. We recommend using it every morning.
Vitamin E
Another antioxidant that you’ll find in Maelove skincare products is vitamin E. What’s interesting is that the antioxidant activity of vitamin E can actually become more powerful when combined with vitamin C. For this reason, vitamins C and E are referred to as “network antioxidants”.
A publication in the journal Dermatologic Therapy explains, “because vitamin C regenerates oxidized vitamin E, the combination in a cosmeceutical formulation is synergistic – particularly in UV protection.”
We recommend Carrot & Stick The Repair Cream for dry skin because it combines vitamin E with probiotics and soothing plant extracts to keep the microbiome balanced and skin looking hydrated.
Squalane
Squalane is super-light, non-greasy, and sinks into the skin fast, yet it helps the skin to instantly feel soft and moisturized. It’s great for replenishing the natural squalene (note the e) that’s present in your skin.
Squalane is used in both the Maelove One Cream and The Night Renewer.
We recommend Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer because it combines squalane with sodium hyaluronate and plant-based ingredients that are gentle on skin, leaving it softer and smoother.
Hyaluronic Acid
Maelove The Hydrator features hyaluronic acid as the key ingredient. Hyaluronic acid is a type of glycosaminoglycan (sugar molecule) that attracts moisture from the environment and draws that moisture into the skin’s upper layers.
In fact, hyaluronic acid has the ability to attract and hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. By improving the skin’s moisture retention, hyaluronic acid promotes a plumped up, bouncy complexion.
What Are The Top 10 Best Maelove Skincare Products?
Maelove currently offers four types of products — cleansers, serums, creams, and oils — because remember, this brand is all about keeping things simple. The products can be purchased in kits or separately. The brand has created a kit for acne, dark spots and scars, and dry skin. But if you’re not ready to invest in a kit, here’s a breakdown of the top 10 best Maelove skincare products.
Maelove Glow Maker
One reason that the word about Maelove Glow Maker spread so quickly is because this serum contains many of the same ingredients as the cult-favorite SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum — but for a fraction of the cost. Basically, you can pay $166 for the C E Ferulic Serum or $28 for Maelove Glow Maker to get the same key ingredients: vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, and hyaluronic acid. We’ll discuss these ingredients more in the next section, but for now just know they really pack a punch (think antioxidant protection, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, fading dark spots, brightening skin tone, and more).
Maelove The Hydrator
The Hydrator is a lightweight gel serum that provides instant hydration without feeling greasy or heavy. The formula contains two moisture magnets: hyaluronic acid and panthenol (provitamin B5). These are two of the best ingredients for drawing moisture into the skin, giving you a plumped up, dewy complexion. Plus, the formula also contains the potent antioxidant resveratrol to protect against free radical damage.
Maelove The Sun Protector
The Maelove sunscreen has a silky, “light-as-air” texture, which isn’t very common for a 100% mineral sunscreen. The non-nano zinc oxide in this formula provides broad spectrum SPF 30 protection. Plus, the inclusion of antioxidant vitamins C and E further protects skin from the sun’s UV rays. Many of the Maelove reviews mention that this sunscreen applies smoothly without leavy a white cast or greasy residue.
Maelove NIA 10 Calming Serum
Maelove NIA 10 Calming Serum is a 10% niacinamide serum that is ideal for sensitive, inflamed, dry, or acne-prone skin. But the truth is, everyone can benefit from a niacinamide serum! Niacinamide is an amazing, multi-tasking skincare ingredient. A publication in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, states that niacinamide can repair the skin barrier and improve skin moisture, as well as reduce inflammation, blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, acne, and wrinkling. Pretty impressive, right?
Maelove The One Cream
We all need an everyday moisturizer — the one cream that you can rely on to nourish and moisturize your skin without clogging pores or causing sensitivity. And that’s exactly what Maelove The One Cream is formulated to do. It has a velvety soft touch and lightweight texture that absorbs quickly without feeling greasy or heavy. The formula includes coconut-derived emollients, squalane, and glycerin as key ingredients.
Maelove The Night Renewer
Glycolic acid is one of the best ingredients to incorporate into your skincare routine. It’s an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that mildly exfoliates the skin, clears pores, increases hydration, and stimulates collagen synthesis. The only problem? Glycolic acid is often too strong for those with sensitive skin. Until now. Maelove The Night Renewer is a high potency glycolic acid cream specifically formulated for those with sensitive skin. A proprietary blend of soothing ingredients (vitamin E, squalane, shea butter, arnica flower, and aloe) calm your skin while hyaluronic acid maintains proper hydration in your skin.
Maelove The Refresher
An infusion of peppermint and spearmint oil give Maelove The Refresher it’s cooling, refreshing feel, while a triple blend of AHAs (lactic, malic and tartaric) thoroughly clean and exfoliate your skin. It’s formulated for all skin types (including sensitive skin) and is gentle enough to use both in the morning and evening.
Maelove The Eye Enhancer
This amber-colored gel is an all-around eye treatment that is said to help improve the texture, tone, and radiance around your eyes. The formula includes a triple blend of peptides to promote increased firmness and a smoother texture. You’ll also find cold-pressed Robusta Coffee seed extract, a rich source of beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols that help relieve water retention and reduce puffiness. Lastly, a comprehensive botanical complex (Rose, Aloe, Kiwi, Lily, Ginseng, Geranium, Chamomile, Evening Primrose and Lavender) soothes the skin to keep dryness at bay.
Maelove Stargaze Enhanced Retinol Serum
If you’re trying to prevent or reduce signs of skin aging, then you’ve probably heard that it’s a good idea to add a retinol serum into your nightly routine. Retinol is clinically proven to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve uneven skin tone, restore skin firmness, and shrink the appearance of enlarged pores. If you want to reap these benefits, then the Maelove Stargaze Enhanced Retinol Serum may be a good option for you. The formula not only contains retinol, but also a complex of hydrating and calming boosters, including hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, aloe, myrtle leaf, ginseng, grape, and white tea extracts.
Maelove Pure Marula Oil
Wish you could try the Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Oil, but you’ve been held back by the cost? Well, you’re in luck because Maelove offers their Pure Marula Oil for a fraction of the cost of Drunk Elephant’s. Maelove’s product is 100% organic, ultra-lightweight, pure Marula oil that is sustainably sourced, wild harvested, and cold pressed to retain its integrity. Marulia oil absorbs into the skin quickly, strengthens the skin barrier, and helps other ingredients absorb better.
Is Maelove Glow Maker Right For Me?
By now you know that Maelove Glow Maker is the brand’s most buzzed-about product. But before hitting “Add to Cart”, check out our summary of the most important factors to consider:
- Key ingredients? 15% L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), vitamin E, ferulic acid, hyaluronic acid
- Skin type? Recommended for all skin types
- Texture? Lightweight liquid
- Fragrance? No
- Cruelty free? Yes
- Cost? $27.95 USD
Where to Buy Maelove Skincare Products?
Maelove skincare products are sold on the brand’s website, as well as on Amazon.
What is The Maelove Return Policy?
The Maelove return policy states that you may submit a return request “within 100 calendar days from your order arrival. Full packaging (anything that has barcode including product boxes) along with products must be returned within 21 calendar days from the initiation of a return request.”
Is Maelove Cruelty Free?
Yes, Maelove is cruelty free.
Maelove Reviews
Maelove reviews on the brand’s website are overall very positive. The product with the most reviews (more than 9,000) is Maelove Glow Maker. The majority of the reviews for this serum are 5-star, raving reviews. Many customers report that they see results with this serum in a pretty short amount of time.
For example, one Maelove Glow Maker review says, “I have had this product for a little over a month and so far I love the results. I have gotten so many compliments that my skin is glowing. With it being so affordable, I don’t feel like I can only use a little bit everyday, so I really lather it on. Will definitely buy it again.”
And another very positive Maelove Glow Maker review says, “I’m extremely skeptical about buying things advertised on Instagram but took a chance with and am blown away. I’ve tried Vitamin C serums in the past and have seen minimal effect. This one makes me legit glow. My skin looks healthy, awake, and bright. I love it!”
The negative Maelove reviews for the Glow Maker are mostly concerning the oxidation of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). While ascorbic acid is the most active form of vitamin C, it is difficult to include in formulations and it has a very short shelf life. Once vitamin C oxidizes, the product is essentially useless, which can unfortunately mean that quite a bit of product is wasted.
One reviewer acknowledges this in her Maelove review: “I loved the Glow Maker – my skin felt incredibly soft and bright every morning when I used it. The only issue is that after less than two months of use, it has completely turned brown and oxidized. I have more than half of the bottle left and am so disappointed that I won’t be able to use it. Maybe I’ll give it another try during the summer to make sure my skin is extra protected.”
Our Verdict
Overall, we think that Maelove skincare products are formulated very well, and we like that the brand offers many “dupes” to more expensive skincare products on the market.
Pros
- Affordable
- Products formulated with evidence-based ingredients (vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, hyaluronic acid, squalane, etc)
- Products are free of fragrance, parabens, SLS, and dyes
- Many positive Maelove reviews
- Maelove is cruelty free
Cons
- The form of vitamin C is Maelove Glow Maker oxidizes easily
What Are Some Alternatives to Maelove Skincare Products?
There’s no need to compromise when it comes to finding skincare that’s effective and safe.
If you’re looking for effective skincare products that skip harmful toxins, one brand we recommend is Carrot & Stick.
Carrot & Stick is committed to creating plant-derived formulas that deliver extraordinary results without relying on toxic chemicals or standard preservatives.
Carrot & Stick takes a tough love approach to skincare, perfectly balancing the gentle nurturing of plants with innovative science.
References:
J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2010 Feb; 3(2): 22–41
Indian Dermatol Online J. 2013 Apr-Jun; 4(2): 143–146.
Dermatol Ther Sep-Oct 2007;20(5):314-21.
