Maelove Moonlight Retinal Super Serum for combination skin
Retinal Retinaldehyde
Niacinamide
Squalane
Ceramide Np
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 combination skin, as niacinamide helps regulate oil in your T-zone while squalane provides emollient action for drier areas, though it lacks stronger humectants for optimal hydration.
- Retinaldehyde effectively targets fine lines and wrinkles, but the formula's general soothing ingredients like Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Bisabolol L-Alpha do not specifically address your oily shine concerns.
- The product is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing agents like Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Bisabolol L-Alpha.
How to apply
- Use your serum as part of your PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, and right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏳for it to soak in.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive.
- Always do a patch test before using the serum for the first time, and avoid the 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 combination skin?
Maelove Moonlight Retinal Super Serum works moderately well for combination skin because niacinamide helps balance your T-zone and squalane softens drier areas, though it lacks stronger humectants for optimal hydration. Combination skin of this type needs products rich in effective ingredients like niacinamide and zinc PCA to manage oily shine and provide adequate hydration without overwhelming oilier areas.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance your T-zone by regulating oil, while squalane leaves drier areas soft and smooth. To work best for combination skin, this type of product also needs strong humectants for deeper hydration and extra ingredients that specifically target oily shine.
What does Retinal do for combination skin?
Retinal helps smooth the skin and reduces signs of aging or breakouts when used regularly. It is unlikely to cause severe irritation when introduced gradually, keeping combination skin feeling calm and smooth.
European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2014Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2011
What does Niacinamide do for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily areas by reducing excess shine and pore size while keeping dry patches hydrated and smooth. It also works to calm redness and even out skin tone, making it very suitable for combination skin.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. A product of this type works best for combination skin when it includes oil-balancing ingredients for your T-zone alongside strong hydrating agents for drier areas.
Can I use this serum with AHA, and in what order?
You can use this serum with AHAs, but it is best to apply them on alternate nights to prevent dryness and irritation. Using strong exfoliants and retinal together may easily overwhelm combination skin, so this product needs extra hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid to keep the skin comfortable.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum works well in your evening routine, and a product of this type needs a balance of oil-balancing ingredients for your T-zone and strong water-holding ingredients for your dry areas.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores for your combination skin since it has a very safe formula with gentle ingredients, though you may experience some initial dryness or flaking as your skin adjusts. Combination skin works best with products that balance oil in oily zones while providing deep, lasting hydration.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol and alcohol denat).
What the research says
Twice 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, 2025A 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, 2018Topical 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, 2010
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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