Maelove Moonlight Retinal Super Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Retinal Retinaldehyde
Niacinamide
Squalane
Ceramide Np
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 suitability for your oily skin, as niacinamide helps regulate sebum and gluconolactone provides mild exfoliation, but it lacks potent ingredients for optimal oil control.
- The retinaldehyde effectively targets fine lines and wrinkles, while aloe and bisabolol offer soothing benefits, supporting your skin's general hydration and calming needs.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risk of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on clean, dry skin to help manage your blemishes safely.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 1.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this retinal serum is highly regarded for improving uneven skin tone and smoothing rough texture, with very high frequency of positive mentions. It is frequently noted for being gentle and non-irritating, even for sensitive skin types. Users also report moderate success with hydration and nourishment. Some users experienced low frequency issues such as temporary yellow staining or initial dryness, and negligible reports of slow wrinkle improvement.
Highlights
Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly Mentioned
- “I have sensitive skin and it hasn't given me any bad or intense reactions.”
- “Moonlight is one of the few retinal serums that didn't irritate my skin.”
- “Yes it's that good and no skin irritation at all.”
- “Many users who can't tolerate tretinoin or retinol experience no irritation.”
Evens skin tone Often Mentioned
- “My skin tone looked way more even.”
- “Has helped with hyperpigmentation.”
- “My freckles were slightly fainter.”
- “Reduces dullness, dark spots, and acne scars.”
Smoothes skin texture Often Mentioned
- “Any rough spots were significantly smoother.”
- “It kept me very smooth and bright with no irritation!”
- “Helped with resurfacing my acne scars.”
- “Reports of smoother texture, smaller pores, reduced fine lines.”
Hydrating and nourishing Sometimes Noted
- “It honestly feels so light and luxurious on the skin.”
- “Feels nourishing rather than harsh; pairs well with moisturizers.”
- “Absorbs into skin quickly and layers well with other products.”
- “Woke up the next morning with baby-like skin.”
Initial dryness or flaking Rarely Noted
- “Occasional reports of dryness or flaking, suggesting a need to ease into use.”
- “Can cause some irritation so ease into it slowly.”
- “Suffer through some dryness and irritation while my skin gets used to it.”
Slow wrinkle improvement Rarely Noted
- “A few didn't see major changes or improvement in wrinkles even after weeks.”
- “Didn't notice too much of a difference in terms of my existing fine lines.”
- “Haven't seen any noticeable improvements.”
Temporary yellow staining Rarely Noted
- “Some users notice temporary yellow staining if not fully rubbed in.”
- “Taken aback by the radioactive yellow hue of the product.”
- “If you notice leftover yellowing of the skin, use less product.”
Sources: lovi.care, maelove.com, reddit.com, businessinsider.com, whowhatwear.com, gopicky.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Maelove Moonlight Retinal work for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment offers moderate suitability for oily skin, as niacinamide helps regulate sebum and gluconolactone provides mild exfoliation, but it lacks potent ingredients for optimal oil control. A product of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide and propolis or vitamin C that provide excellent oil control, blemish reduction, and a healthy glow without irritation.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum works reasonably well for oily skin because niacinamide helps balance oil and gluconolactone gently exfoliates, while aloe and bisabolol help calm the skin. However, an oily acne-prone skin type needs a treatment with stronger oil-controlling ingredients, along with soothing components like propolis or blemish-fighting vitamins that provide deeper care without causing breakouts.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
What does Retinal do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinal helps clear clogged pores, reduces bumps and pimples, and helps balance oil production for oily, acne-prone skin. It is generally well tolerated when used regularly as part of an acne skincare routine.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1999European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2014
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. This product of this type needs strong oil-controlling ingredients to properly fit oily skin.
Can I use this serum with AHA, and in what order?
You can use this serum with AHAs, but to avoid irritation, use them on alternating nights rather than at the same time. This product type works best for oily acne-prone skin when it includes stronger oil-controlling ingredients and dedicated blemish-fighting acids.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum works well in your evening routine, and you can start using it once a week to see how your skin adjusts. Oily acne-prone skin needs stronger oil-controlling ingredients for an ideal fit.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin, as it has a safe formula with soothing ingredients that keep irritation low. However, because it is an average fit, oily skin generally needs stronger oil-controlling ingredients to best prevent breakouts.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol and alcohol denat).
What the research says
Combining 10% gluconolactone chemical peeling with oxybrasion or microneedle mesotherapy increased skin hydration and decreased sebum, pH, and TEWL in twenty-one Caucasian women, with no significant differences between the two methods.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Gluconolactone 14% solution significantly improved mild to moderate acne by reducing inflamed and non-inflamed lesions similarly to 5% benzoyl peroxide, but with fewer side-effects in 150 patients.
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology, 1992A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.
Dermatology, 2002Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.
Dermatology, 1999Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Formulations containing 0.10%, 0.25%, and 0.50% freeze-dried Aloe vera extract increased stratum corneum water content compared with the vehicle in 20 female subjects, while transepidermal water loss was not modified.
Skin Research and Technology, 2006
Why other serums fit oily acne-prone skin better
Niacinamide and ferulic acid incorporated in a stable multiple emulsion successfully reduced melanin, sebum, and skin erythema while improving skin elasticity and hydration in human skin compared to a placebo.
BioMed Research International, 2022
Ingredients
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Niacinamide, Cyclodextrin, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Gluconolactone, Squalane, Bisabolol L-Alpha, Ceramide Np, Michelia Alba Oil Flower Magnolia Grandiflora Oil Flower, Witch Hazel Water, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Berry Seed Oil Cloud Berry Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate D-Alpha, Cranberry Fruit Extract, Retinal Retinaldehyde, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract Giant Knotweed Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Gluconate, Polysorbate 20, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Bergamot Oil Fruit, Alcohol, Alcohol Denat
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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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
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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