Dear Maelove Family,
Before anything else, thank you. Your trust and continued support are why Maelove exists.
As the year closes, I keep coming back to a simple truth: doing things the right way is often the least exciting choice. From the start, Maelove has been built on restraint. That means fewer shortcuts, less trend-chasing, and more time spent on the parts (research, development, logistics) most people never see.
That choice doesn’t always show up immediately. But over time, it reveals itself.
A few years ago, a dermatology resident at Columbia University reached out wanting to talk. Not for free products or paid partnerships; she just wanted to understand how a skincare company actually works beyond textbooks and lab trials. She told me Maelove felt grounded in science as she had noticed from our lengthy blog posts.
She asked if we’d talk.
I said sure, and brought along Dr. Song, our Senior Scientist. We assumed it would be a one-time chat with her and her fellow residents.
It wasn’t.
Word spread from one residency program to the next. Without any outreach from us, emails began coming in from across the country.
Today, I've spoken with over 1,200 future dermatologists at more than 50 medical institutions, including Harvard, UCLA, and Vanderbilt.
On these calls, we don’t talk about marketing or influencers. Rather, we talk about skin: the gap between theory and reality. What works on paper versus what works in practice. Why tolerability matters. Why patience matters. Why real life (climate, routines, consistency) changes outcomes every time.
Hearing dermatologists say they recommend Maelove to their own families is deeply humbling. After all, we’re still a small family-owned business. We obsess over formulation integrity and long-term skin health rather than chasing the next "viral" ingredient. We believe skincare should be grounded in rigorous science, but also guided by how people actually live.
After the birth of my daughter, Beverly, I have achieved even greater clarity: I want to build Maelove slowly and intentionally into something she can be proud of and something you can trust for decades.
So once again, thank you for trusting us with your skin and for being part of this journey.
Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and healthy New Year.
With love,
Jackie Kim
Chief Product Obsessor and CEO
