Maelove Moonlight Retinal Super Serum for dry sensitive skin
Retinal Retinaldehyde
Niacinamide
Squalane
Ceramide Np
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Low
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry sensitive skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 exfoliation for dry or flaky skin, as gluconolactone and retinaldehyde promote skin renewal but may cause irritation and dryness for your dry and sensitive skin. Squalane and aloe barbadensis leaf juice provide some hydration to counteract potential dryness.
- The inclusion of alcohol denat and grapefruit peel oil can further contribute to dryness, making the formula less ideal for your dry skin type.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
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
Why is Maelove Moonlight Retinal a weak match for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment is a weak match because its exfoliating ingredients and alcohol can cause irritation and dryness on your dry sensitive skin. A product of this type needs soothing, deeply moisturizing ingredients like ceramides and extra hydrators to protect your skin barrier without causing dryness.
Which ingredients make this serum a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
Alcohol denat and grapefruit peel oil contribute to dryness and irritation, making this serum a weak match for your dry sensitive skin. A product of this type needs effective hydrating and nourishing ingredients, such as ceramides and gentle moisturizers, that provide excellent moisture retention and skin barrier support without any risk of irritation.
What does Retinal do for dry sensitive skin?
Retinal may help smooth fine lines and improve skin texture, but for dry and sensitive skin it is unlikely to be a good fit on its own. This skin type needs products that include gentle hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to lock in moisture and protect the skin barrier.
What does Niacinamide do for dry sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps dry sensitive skin by calming irritation and keeping moisture locked in so your face feels soft and smooth. It works to build up your skin barrier and calm redness while being very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. A product of this type for dry and sensitive skin needs soothing ingredients and gentle hydrators like ceramides, squalane, and aloe to keep skin calm and comfortable.
Can I use this serum with AHA, and in what order?
Using this serum with an AHA is a weak match for your dry and sensitive skin because combining active exfoliants like retinaldehyde, gluconolactone, and AHAs may cause irritation and dryness. If you still choose to use both, apply the AHA first on clean skin, let it absorb, and then follow with this treatment serum while making sure to layer on soothing hydrators like ceramides and squalane to keep the skin calm and smooth.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is a weak match for your dry and sensitive skin because it may cause irritation and dryness. Start using it once a week in your evening routine, and if your skin tolerates it well, you may carefully use it more often. A product of this type for dry sensitive skin needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like squalane and ceramides to keep skin soft and calm.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your dry and sensitive skin, but it may cause initial dryness or flaking because it promotes skin renewal. A product for this skin type needs gentle hydrating ingredients like ceramides and squalane without drying alcohols or irritating oils to keep skin smooth and calm.
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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