Younique is somewhat of a new player in the beauty industry and is also new to the MLM world. The company was founded in 2012 and has experienced tremendous growth during its short lifespan. Social media has been the driving force behind its growth, and it markets its products almost exclusively through this channel. However, the company’s growth may have peaked as revenues have been declining over the past couple of years.
The MLM world is a big one. With so many MLM companies out there, such as Scentsy and OPTAVIA, how does Younique truly measure up? Let’s see what this company is all about with this review of Younique.
Younique Company Overview
History Of Younique
The story behind Younique is a little different from most other MLM’s. Younique was not founded with the products or profits as the main goal. Instead, the company was founded as a way to financially support an existing charity, The Younique Foundation. The Younique Foundation supports survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Younique was founded in 2012 by brother and sister pair Derek Maxfield and Melanie Huscroft. Derek and Melanie teamed up to bring something different to the MLM world. They wanted to support their foundation while also empowering women by growing their self esteem and providing a financial opportunity.
Prior to starting Younique, Derek spent 12 years creating software for companies in the direct selling industry. He recognized that technology could be used to transform the direct selling business model and empower the company’s distributors. Melanie spent 16 years as a full-time homemaker, so this allowed her to connect with the company’s Presenters on a deeper level.
In 2017, Coty, Inc. bought a majority share of the company for $600 million. This valued the company at $1 billion, a huge feat considering it had only been around for 5 years. As of May 2020, the company had approximately 1.5 million Presenters. Revenue for the company hit its peak in 2017 at $450 million but has since declined to $350 million in 2019.
Company Investigations
Younique has avoided any major scandals or investigations since its inception. There are the occasional claims that the company is operating a pyramid scheme, but no company in the MLM world is immune from that. Those claims are mostly unfounded, and there are no official investigations going on related to those claims.
Younique has gotten into a little trouble with one of its products, its Moodstruck mascara product. The company states that the mascara is made from completely natural green tea fibers; however, a class action lawsuit alleges that the product is made from nylon fibers. While the company did not admit liability, they are working on a $3.25 million settlement agreement to avoid further litigation costs.
Current Company Structure
Co-founder Derek Maxfield still serves as the company’s CEO today, and the company is still headquartered in Lehi, Utah. Melanie Huscroft is the company’s Chief Visionary Officer, and her experience in marketing and art allow her creativity to run through every part of the company.
While Coty, Inc. did own a majority share of the company beginning in 2017, Coty decided to re-sell its share back to the original founders in 2019. Coty admitted that the Younique business model was unlike any other company it had owned, and declining sales led them to sell their share.
Today the company is still one of the only MLM companies in the world that sells its products almost exclusively through social media and online channels. Co-founder Derek Maxfield knew that technology could change the way that MLM companies did business, and the company has utilized technology that allows Presenters to run their business from anywhere in the world.
Younique Product Lines
Younique is focused on the beauty industry, and the majority of their products are in the makeup category. They offer many types of makeup products from foundations and bronzers to eye shadow and lipstick. In addition, they offer makeup accessories such as brushes and applicators.
Younique has expanded their product line past just makeup now. Today they also offer a skincare line that includes cleansers, toners, serums, and masks. They also have a line of fragrances as well, so you can find almost anything you need from a personal beauty perspective.
Company Marketing Practices
Younique prides itself on the fact that it utilizes social media almost exclusively in the marketing and sales of its products. It is still one of, if not the, only MLM company in the world to sell its products only through social media. In fact, some experts attribute Younique’s explosive growth to its focus on digital selling.
Through social media, Presenters are able to host virtual parties where they can showcase the company’s products. They can also use this platform to encourage other people to join their team and become presenters with them. By using social media, they can include participants from anywhere and are not bound by geographical limits. This has had a large positive impact on sales.
Making Money With Younique
With roughly 1.5 million presenters already enrolled with the company and declining sales, is it possible to make money with Younique? The beauty industry is quite large and people are almost always willing to spend money on those products, but the hype around Younique seems to be dwindling.
The fact that Younique does not publish an Income Disclosure Statement should be an immediate red flag to anyone looking to sign up as a Presenter. However, it’s possible to use other numbers that they publish to get a rough estimate of how much their Presenters are earning. Spoiler alert – it’s not much.
Factoring in business expenses, the average Younique presenter likely earns somewhere in the neighborhood of $14 per month. Also consider the fact that you must maintain a minimum level of sales to remain active as a Presenter so that you can continue to earn commissions. This highlights the fact that selling Younique is not a great business opportunity.
How To Enroll
Enrolling as a Presenter with the company is easy. Just complete their online signup form and buy the $99 starter kit, and you are on your way to selling Younique products. There are no annual renewal fees once you become a Presenter, but minimum purchase requirements need to be met to stay commission eligible.
Compensation Plan
Younique takes pride in the fact that they offer a simple and concise compensation plan. Presenters earn 20% – 30% commission on products they sell based on their current status. In addition, they earn commissions from the sales of their team from 3% – 6%. Presenters can earn commissions up to three levels deep in their downline.
Another plus to their compensation plan is the fact that they advertise instant commissions. Presenters receive their commission payments within three hours after a customer places their order. This is unlike any other MLM company out there.
Sales And Marketing Techniques
As mentioned already, Younique relies almost exclusively on social media marketing for their products. Presenters who have a large social media following are much more likely to be successful within the company. This channel is also used to recruit other Presenters into the company. Social media is used to host virtual parties to showcase the products as well as pitch the idea of the business opportunity to potential presenters.
Comparison To Other MLMs
While Younique has a simpler compensation model than most MLMs, the odds of making money with the company are very low. Their unique selling model does allow people to sell the products without the need to perform in-person sales. However, the hype surrounding the company appears to be dwindling as sales continue to decline. Their products appear to have been a fad that are on their way out and people are turning to other, more stable brands for their makeup products.
Conclusions For Younique
While most customers are happy with Younique’s products, they seem to have been a trend that is slowly dying. Some Presenters were able to make decent money riding this trend, but the overall odds of success are incredibly low. The company promotes a good mission and cause, but this is not a great business opportunity for anyone looking to make extra money.
