Maelle

Maëlle announced itself in 2016 as a new kind of direct sales cosmetics company, and planned its launch for October that year. Business for Home reported that the founders were Chris Welch, formerly vice president of international marketing at Younique, and Ros Simmons, formerly chief executive of Virgin Cosmetics and a product manager at The Body Shop. The products were made by manufacturers in Europe and sold through independent Mentors, mainly online.

Growth was fast. In February 2017, Business for Home reported that Maëlle had more than 7,000 Mentors in five countries and over 20 products less than a year after launch. The same report said a legal dispute with Younique required Maëlle to suspend direct selling on its platform for up to five months, and that Maëlle called the claim against it baseless. By July 2017 the Maëlle site said it would be offline "for a few months".

“Our website is going to be offline for a few months. Our team is working hard behind the scenes to re-launch a website we know you’ll love.”

Maëlle — maellebeauty.com holding page, July 2017

Maëlle did return. In 2018 its new site sold makeup in the United States and the United Kingdom, with a Join Us page and Mentor enrollment links. In 2019 it rebuilt again as an online store. Its new message was “luxury beauty at practical prices”, with every product under $30.

Maëlle sold color cosmetics, beauty tools and a small skin care line. The company said its products were made in Europe to EU rules, which it noted ban far more cosmetic ingredients than US rules. It listed them as Leaping Bunny certified, dermatologically and ophthalmologically tested, and free of parabens, phthalates and SLS. Those are the company's own claims.

• Eyes: Above & Beyond Mascara, Brow Stylist kits, Illusionist pencils and the Enchanted and Hypnotized eyeshadow collections.
• Lips: Clearly Brilliant Tinted Lips in shades such as Nude, Berry, Coral and Rose, and Matte Made in Heaven liquid lipstick.
• Face: Picture Perfect foundation, Secret Illuminator concealer, Light Beam highlighter and single blushes such as Sun Down and Golden Hour.
• Skin care: a small Skin Therapy line of hydrating and cleansing products.
• Tools and extras: brushes, blending sponges, eyelash curlers and makeup bags.

Prices were modest. In 2018 the site listed Above & Beyond Mascara at $25, Clearly Brilliant Tinted Lips at $24, Secret Illuminator at $27 and the Enchanted Eyeshadow Collection at $34. From 2019 everything sat in $9, $19 and $29 price bands.

Sellers were called Mentors. They sold mainly through social media and a personal Maëlle website, and also one-to-one and at parties. The old Direct Sales Aid profile said the back office had built-in instant messaging for teams, social media training and ready-made graphics that Mentors could personalize.

Starter Kit

At launch, the starter kit cost $89 with shipping included. The old Direct Sales Aid profile said it held more than $200 of full-size products, in a case with a slot for a laptop. Party hosts could put their gift allowance toward their own starter kit.

Pay

According to the old Direct Sales Aid profile, Mentors earned 25% on their own sales from the start. Five ranks, from Bronze through Silver, Gold and Platinum to Diamond, raised that to 30%. Mentors could also earn up to 5% on their team's sales, and top sellers could earn trips. Hosts could earn up to 15% of their party sales in rewards. After the 2019 move to an online store, the company used affiliate and referral links rather than a Mentor plan.

Maëlle's first setback came early. In February 2017, Business for Home reported that a legal dispute with Younique required Maëlle to suspend direct selling on its platform for up to five months. The report did not give the details of Younique's claim, and Maëlle said it was baseless. The site went into a holding page while the company rebuilt.

The brand came back in 2018 with Mentor enrollment, then by mid-2019 turned into an online store at maellebeauty.com. It promoted products under $30 and paid outside affiliates through referral links. In September 2021 a banner on the site said the brand was closing. All sales were final.

“We're sad to share that Maëlle is closing its doors on September 29, 2021. Thank you for the love and support!”

Maëlle — maellebeauty.com, September 2021

The company did not post a public reason for closing. Today the maellebeauty.com address returns an error page. Maëlle products are no longer sold new, though unused items sometimes appear on resale sites. If you liked buying cruelty-free makeup through a friend, live companies such as Younique, SeneGence and Mary Kay still sell through independent sellers; see Younique on Direct Sales Aid.