Maelys Cosmetics is a popular skincare brand that makes firming and thickening serums. The brand claims users can “get unstoppable curves” with their “body shaping products.”
But can topical cosmetic products actually enhance curves? Does the brand use research-backed ingredients? Do Maelys' products contain any questionable additives? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of the products?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in two of Maelys Cosmetics' most popular products (B-Flat Belly Firming Cream and B-Thicc Booty Enhancing Mask) to give our take on whether or not they're likely to be effective, and whether or not they're healthy.
Maelys also sells a product called B-Tight which we reviewed in a separate article.
We'll share our concerns with some of the clinical claims made by the brand, and feature customer reviews including before-and-after images.
B-Flat Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in B-Flat Belly Firming Cream are shown above.
The brand claims that this product can decrease the appearance of stretch marks and cause smoother-looking skin.
This cream does contain a number of research-backed ingredients.
Hydrogenated polyisobutene was shown in a clinical trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science to improve skin moisture content and reduce water loss by 33%.
Sodium hyaluronate is one of the most effective and well-studied skincare ingredients.
As we documented in our review of Bio Oil ingredients, sodium hyaluronate is clinically proven to reduce wrinkles and reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
Shea butter provides skin barrier repair and further moisturization benefits, as documented in medical research.
The above-linked study found this botanical ingredient to also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Bentonite is a type of clay which was found in a 2017 medical review to have a healing effect on skin, which could reduce visible lesions and ulcers. This supports the brand’s claim of smoother-looking skin from use of B-Flat.
Cocoa seed butter appears to be another effective ingredient, with a research review finding that it can reduce skin damage during exposure to UV rays from the sun.
There are a number of inactive ingredients in this formulation with questionable health effects.
Yellow 6, Yellow 5 and Red 33 are artificial dyes, and a medical review published in the International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health found that Yellow 6 and Yellow 5 are frequently contaminated with carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds).
Fragrance is a broad categorical term that could reference any number of chemical compounds.
A 2016 meta-study examined the safety of fragranced consumer products, including personal care products, and concluded that “everyday fragranced products can impose serious risks to human health.”
Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative which was shown to be toxic to human cells in a 2020 clinical trial.
Overall, we consider B-Flat likely to be effective for improving skin quality and reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
We don't currently recommend this cream for health reasons, due to the inactive ingredients discussed above.
A YouTube creator named Deidra Caren published a review of B-Flat, B-Perky and B-Tight which includes a discussion of side effects she experienced:
Maelys Cosmetics Before-And-Afters
A YouTube creator named "Brazilian Girl Channel" reviewed three Maelys Cosmetics products and included before and after images:
B-Thicc Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in B-Thicc Booty Enhancing Mask are shown above.
B-Thicc is a gel that Maelys Cosmetics claims “helps the booty appear volumized and voluptuous.”
Sodium hyaluronate is effective for tightening the skin and reducing wrinkles as we documented in the previous Ingredient Analysis section.
Grape seed oil was found in a 2022 clinical trial to be effective for “improving imperfections of the human skin.”
Specifically, when grape seed oil was applied topically, it reduced sebum (oil) production, redness and pore size.
Beeswax was shown in a clinical trial to have the potential to improve skin barrier function and improve skin hydration.
However, most of the clinical research we've reviewed on this ingredient involved natural beeswax, while B-Thicc includes synthetic beeswax.
Like B-Flat, B-Thicc Booty Enhancing Mask contains both fragrance and artificial food dye.
Blue 1 is the synthetic dye used in this product.
This ingredient may irritate or provoke an allergic response based on the food dye review we cited in the previously in this article.
Sodium benzoate is a synthetic preservative which may cause sensitivity reactions in some individuals, as we documented in our Native Deodorant review.
Overall, B-Thicc may be effective for improving skin quality because it contains several research-backed ingredients.
However, we can't identify any ingredients that would enhance the appearance of curves, nor do we understand how it would be biologically possible for a topical gel to change the shape of the body.
We don't currently recommend this product due to the inclusion of fragrance, artificial dyes and a synthetic preservative.
Questionable Clinical Claims
Maelys Cosmetics claims that their B-Thicc gel (along with some of their other products) is "clinically proven" to work.
However, we can't find the full clinical trial published or linked to anywhere on their website.
We also can't find any evidence that this clinical trial was published in any peer-reviewed journals.
We urge consumers to be wary of claims that a product is "clinically proven" to work if those claims come from a company-funded study that isn't even released to the public.
When we cite clinical research on Illuminate Health, we're citing trials that are published in peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals, which have a high standard for inclusion.
This is a different category of clinical research than a cosmetics company paying a for-profit research firm to test their products.
Customers Rate Maelys Cosmetics
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
B-Flat has been reviewed over 5,000 times on Amazon, and currently has an average review rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars.
A top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named "Amanda Edwards" who gave the product a 5/5 rating, and claims it helps sagging skin:
"When I started using this I had a pouch and loose skin and stretch marks from my kids but this stuff is amazing it really works it is worth every penny I will use this the rest of my life I look like a different person body wise I was considering a tummy tuck but this stuff fixed that I have got so many people using this stuff now it is great!!"
A top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "Cari Cutcher" who gave the product a 1/5 rating, and claims it caused side effects:
"I honestly cannot believe there are so many five star reviews for this product. The burning sensation is INTENSE! The first time I used it i was freaking out bc of how much it burned, made my skin look like I had hives. The funny thing about that burning sensation is that for some weird reason it made me believe it was working."
Maelys Cosmetics currently has an average review rating of 1.8 out of 5 stars on Facebook.
Maelys Cosmetics currently has an average review rating of 4.14 out of 5 stars on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website.
Our Clean Skincare Picks
There are skincare products containing ingredients shown in clinical trials to be effective for reducing wrinkles and improving skin quality.
MBG Postbiotic Body Lotion is our top body lotion pick.
Squalene is an active ingredient in this lotion, and is clinically shown to hydrate the skin.
Shea butter was described as having moisturizing effects in a medical review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum is our top anti-aging serum.
It contains hyaluronic acid which was described as a "skin-rejuvenating biomedicine" in a medical review due to its ability to reduce wrinkles and signs of facial aging.
Ritual HyaCera is our top anti-aging skin supplement.
It contains wheat oil extract which is clinically shown to "improve skin damages induced by aging."
All of the products recommended in this section are entirely free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Maelys Cosmetics Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of Maelys Cosmetics in our opinion:
Pros:
- Effective formulations
- Great branding
- High BBB rating
Cons:
- Contains fragrance
- Contains artificial dye
- Failure to clearly publish full clinical trials
- Some users report irritation
- Low Facebook rating
- We can't find clinical evidence that gels can improve curves
