Maelove was founded by Jackie Kim, who runs the business with her husband Brad, Maelove’s COO. They launched the company in 2017 and have built a thriving direct-to-consumer (DTC) business, eschewing the idea of funding (Maelove is completely self-funded and run) and retail distribution outside DTC + Amazon to ensure the brand is done their way. Their tagline is “obsessively formulated,” and that obsession ensures each and every launch is something wanted or needed by a consumer, not a superfluous space filler, answering to their customers, not a board of directors. Maelove is proudly AAPI-founded, dermatologist-tested, made in the U.S., vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and free of parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, and dyes.
As for Jackie, she’s a former attorney turned startup investor specializing in hospitality and consumer goods turned brand founder. She was an early investor in Mavericks, a men’s skincare line based in Silicon Valley that she personally invested in due to her passion for skincare. That passion sparked a vision for a women’s skincare brand. Cue Maelove, named as an homage to “Mae,” her husband Brad’s grandmother, paired with “love,” for Jackie’s love for beauty. Outside of Maelove, she’s a board member of Sala Institute at NYU Langone Children’s Hospital and a proud mom to toddler-daughter Beverly.
Here, Jackie shares her approach to all things wellness.
What are your favorite things to do to maintain your personal wellbeing?
I have a few favorite non-negotiables to help maintain my wellbeing, which include 30 minutes every morning to do my skincare routine, do a quick stretch, and set my intentions for the day. Then I get an “energy hug” from my daughter every morning while I tell her that she gives me love and energy each day. At the end of the night, I wind down by taking 30 minutes to do my skincare routine and get ready for bed by listening to a bedtime story from either the Calm or BetterSleep apps.
Is there a specific fitness activity that you love and why?
I love Gyrotonic (a type of Pilates that focuses on circular and spiral movements using weights and pulleys) and practice four times a week to help with better posture and alignment, and fascia stretch therapy (a type of stretching with a professional that helps with movement in the joints to relax fascia), which I do once a week to help unwind my body from all the sitting I do.
What is your favorite healthy food, and do you have a favorite way of preparing it?
Bibimbap—it’s a Korean dish that consists of rice that is topped with sautéed vegetables, meat (I usually use ground beef), fried egg, and chili paste. It’s filling, nourishing, and I feel satisfied after eating a meal like this.
What is your greatest wellness achievement?
My greatest wellness achievement has been the realization that I don’t have to be great at all things at all times. Sometimes I will excel at being a great mother, sometimes I will excel at being a great CEO, while sometimes I will excel at being a great daughter, sister, and so forth. The realization that I don’t have to be the best at all times or hold myself to that standard has been a liberating experience and achievement.
What person in wellness do you most admire and why?
Jamie Kern Lima (founder of IT Cosmetics), because she had the grit to create a beauty brand that she dreamed of even though nobody else believed in her at the time she started her brand.
What is the best piece of wellness advice you have ever received and from whom?
Both my maternal and paternal grandmothers were big believers in doing self-care for yourself, and not anybody else. In Korean, they told me to “Take care of yourself, mentally, physically, and spiritually for yourself, not anybody else.”
What do you think is the most exciting wellness innovation you have recently discovered?
Mouth taping while you sleep. Interestingly enough, it has helped with my TMJ issues, and I actually wake up feeling more rested and refreshed.
Do you have a secret health or wellness tip you would like to share?
I frequently use a rebounding trampoline, and it’s not just for the health benefits like lymphatic drainage. I’ll jump on the rebounder when I need to quickly release anger, frustration, or any emotion that doesn’t sit well with me. While jumping around, the negative emotions also get released.
What aspect of your wellbeing do you struggle with the most, or would most like to improve?
I’ve liberated myself from the stress of trying to balance my personal and work life, as I’ve come to the realization that I don’t have to excel at all things at all times. However, this is something I still have to remind myself and put into practice. It is something I’d like to improve upon.
What wellness-related books or authors do you recommend, and why?
I recently read Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory, and I highly recommend it because it’s relatable and applicable to any aspect of life. It will free your mind and soul of trying to control and micromanage others and realizing that focusing on yourself and your own mindset is the only and best way to live.
What brings you joy?
Every day moments are what bring me eternal joy—when my team and I have accomplished a big project, when I see my daughter smiling and laughing, when I have a great conversation with my husband, when I have a nice meal with my family and friends that warms my soul.
