This $28 cream was developed by MIT grads to hydrate skin without clogging pores - it worked wonders on my sensitive skin

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• I test a lot of skincare products, and Maelove is one of the brands I'm most excited about in 2019.
• Each product is under $30, and that includes their cult-favorite $28 vitamin C Serum, the Glow Maker, and their brand-new everyday moisturizer, The One Cream.
• The One Cream ($27.95) is a standout everyday moisturizer for all skin types: gentle, fast-absorbing without any residue, and intensely hydrating without clogging pores.

Finding a face cream that adequately moisturizes - especially in the winter - without clogging your pores is a tall order. At least, it always has been for me, and I'm lucky enough to spend a good part of my year researching and testing skin care products as a career.

One of the perks of that very specific job is stumbling upon seemingly nondescript gems like Maelove -and, by extension, my favorite everyday moisturizer: The One Cream ($28).

In the last year, I've become a big fan of Maelove. The company was founded by MIT grads (skincare obsessives, brain and cancer researchers, and chemical engineers) and its formulas are based firmly in research. In an effort to democratize quality skin care, each product is priced under $30. That includes their claim-to-fame vitamin C serum, the Glow Maker ($28), which eagle-eyed customers have been quick to note is quite similar to the $166 C E Ferulic Serum by Skin Ceuticals. You can find a personal review on the Glow Maker here, but, in short, it's a really good value.

Recently, the company sent over a couple of their latest products, and I've been testing them: The Day Eraser ($19) makeup remover, the Eye Enhancer ($28), and The One Cream ($28).

The One Cream is billed as a moisturizer that nourishes skin without clogging pores or causing sensitivity. It's gentle, and it's supposed to work on all skin types. It bills itself as velvety soft, lightweight, and quick to absorb. In my experience, it's all of those things. It deeply nourishes without clogging pores, absorbs almost instantly, and its price of $28 pretty much solidifies it as a triple threat. My other comparable go-to is $68, for comparison.

The characteristically "obsessively formulated" moisturizer has a blend of squalane, coconut extracts, and glycerin to form a nourishing barrier over your skin, sealing in the active ingredients in any serums you use and maintaining hydration. It's also infused with prebiotics to support the community of good bacteria on your skin - a big part of maintaining clear skin.

I use The One Cream twice a day, once after washing my face in the morning and again before bed at night. Despite - or perhaps thanks to - the fact that I began using it after a combination of Differin gel and the Caribbean sun of my holiday break made my skin a flaky, dry disaster, I was impressed by it. I was stuck between thicker options that gave me semi-greasy hydration all-day long and clogged my pores, or lightweight formulas that helped immediately but withered within a few hours. Maelove's The One Cream is a great in-between and it left my skin feeling hydrated and bouncy for the entire day. In other words, it's a great everyday moisturizer for all skin types, especially sensitive complexions like mine. Wear it alone or under makeup, just make sure to rub it in - it doesn't seem to absorb without it.

Maelove's product list is a short one - six products total - befitting of a mission to make skincare accessible. Instead of a plethora of variants you have to wade through, Maelove makes one great version of the essential you need that works for all skin types. But, after trying two-thirds of what they make, I'm happy to conclude that they aren't a one-hit wonder, but are, in fact, a really solid line - and an exciting one at that.

The One Cream, available at Maelove, $27.95