True to its name, Beautycounter operates as an MLM focused on beauty products like makeup and skincare creams. What sets this company apart is its commitment to toxin-free formulations and active advocacy for industry legislation reform. Unlike most MLMs, Beautycounter products can be purchased in retail stores, not exclusively through consultants. Despite being a relatively new company, it has experienced rapid sales growth with consistently positive trends.
However, the beauty MLM space is crowded with established players like Mary Kay and Avon. How does Beautycounter stack up against this competition? In this comprehensive review, we’ll examine the company, analyze their product offerings, evaluate their marketing strategies, and assess the income potential.
Beautycounter Company Overview
History Of Beautycounter
Gregg Renfrow founded Beautycounter in 2013, bringing valuable industry experience from her work with notable brands like Martha Stewart and Susie Hilfiger. The company launched with a modest collection of 9 products, which has since expanded to more than 150 offerings.
Though the company officially launched in 2013, its conceptual origins trace back to 2006. After viewing the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” Renfrow became acutely aware of how product ingredients could harm both environmental and human health. This revelation prompted significant lifestyle changes in her household—switching from plastic to glass containers and adopting natural cleaning products.
Her biggest challenge emerged when searching for cosmetics with natural ingredients. While she discovered some products made with safer components, their performance quality fell short of her standards. This gap in the market sparked her vision to create a beauty line that delivered both safety and superior performance compared to conventional products.
Coconut oil-based face oils were among her inaugural product launches, and Renfrow notes these remain customer favorites today. Since that initial launch, the company has achieved approximately $350 million in annual revenue while building a consultant network of around 44,000 independent representatives.
Beautycounter Company Investigations
Unlike many MLMs that face external scrutiny, Beautycounter proactively leads investigations and testing of its own products. The company has voluntarily issued product recalls based on internal testing results, demonstrating genuine commitment to customer safety rather than reactive damage control. This transparency distinguishes them from companies that only address issues when caught by regulators.
Beyond self-regulation, the company actively champions cosmetic reform legislation. They mobilize consultants and customers to engage with government representatives through emails, letters, and phone calls. According to Beautycounter, current cosmetic laws dating to 1938 are woefully outdated and inadequate for protecting consumers from unsafe ingredients.
Current Company Structure
Beautycounter maintains its headquarters in Santa Monica, California, with Gregg Renfrow continuing as CEO. While the company operates with a compact board of directors, limited information exists about additional executive leadership. The organization employs approximately 150 full-time staff members alongside its network of roughly 44,000 independent consultants.
Although the company sources ingredients globally, sales are concentrated primarily in the United States, generating approximately $350 million in annual revenue. Beautycounter has established “The Never List”—a comprehensive catalog of 1,800 harmful ingredients permanently banned from their formulations. Remarkably, the FDA currently prohibits only about 80 of these ingredients in the United States.
Beautycounter Product Lines
Beautycounter’s catalog features natural, safe beauty products spanning over 150 items—from skincare creams and moisturizers to mascara and eyeshadow. The company’s offerings extend well beyond traditional cosmetics.
Their expanded lineup includes makeup removers, sunscreen, bath and body products, plus hair care essentials. The company has also developed specialized lines for men and children. According to founder Renfrow, the Overnight Resurfacing Peel ranks among their bestselling products. Every item maintains strict adherence to safe, natural ingredient standards.
Company Marketing Practices
Beautycounter has embraced social media marketing extensively, similar to other direct selling companies. The brand has cultivated an almost cult-like social media following. Consultants are encouraged to host in-home parties where customers can experience and test products firsthand.
What distinguishes their parties from traditional home sales events is the inclusion of advocacy elements. Consultants incorporate educational segments about cosmetic safety legislation, often providing attendees opportunities to contact their representatives supporting safer ingredient regulations. This lobbying component is unprecedented among MLM companies.
Despite the beauty industry’s lucrative potential and Beautycounter’s impressive growth to nearly half a billion dollars in annual revenue, earning opportunities remain limited. With only 44,000 consultants, the consultant-to-revenue ratio appears promising on paper.
Unfortunately, the Income Disclosure Statement reveals a harsh reality. The average consultant earned merely $2,060 in 2019, while over 82% of consultants averaged just $46 monthly. These earnings clearly don’t justify the time and effort required for product sales and marketing.
How To Enroll With Beautycounter
New consultants must purchase a $98 enrollment kit containing sales materials, product samples, and a one-year personal website subscription. This enrollment cost sits on the higher end for MLM companies. Additionally, new consultants are encouraged to buy supplementary starter kits with extra products for demonstrations and personal use.
In 2019, new consultants averaged $440 in initial enrollment expenses—significantly more than their expected annual earnings! The annual renewal fee for website and business tools costs $50.
Beautycounter’s compensation structure is relatively straightforward. Consultants earn 25% commission on direct customer sales, plus personal bonuses for exceeding specific sales thresholds.
Team building introduces additional commission opportunities and bonuses from downline sales. However, consultants must maintain minimum order volumes to qualify for higher-ranking payments. Upon reaching Senior Manager status, payments extend up to 4 levels deep in your downline.
Beautycounter Sales And Marketing Techniques
The company’s substantial and devoted social media presence provides consultants with their most effective success strategy. Virtual parties showcasing products and their benefits can effectively drive customer purchases and engagement.
Consultants who actively participate in advocacy efforts tend to achieve better results. They connect with like-minded individuals who become both potential team members and customers. Since the company actively promotes these lobbying initiatives, consultants have a ready-made audience to engage.
Beautycounter Compared To Other MLMs
Beautycounter stands out as one of the rare MLMs with an essentially spotless reputation. Customer satisfaction rates are exceptionally high, and complaints about company practices are virtually nonexistent. However, earning potential mirrors other MLMs and actually falls below some competitors. While Beautycounter excels as a company, the income prospects don’t justify the investment of time and energy in product marketing and sales.
Conclusions For Beautycounter
Beautycounter maintains a reputation as pristine as its safe, natural product formulations. Their mission to reform the cosmetics industry represents a worthy cause that genuinely benefits consumers. Unfortunately, if your goal is generating substantial income, the data suggests this isn’t a viable path. While a small percentage of consultants earn six-figure incomes, this represents only about 0.1% of the entire consultant base.
