Today is my third anniversary as a Beautycounter consultant, so I thought I’d take you behind the scenes a bit and tell you all about how being a consultant works, and why I still love it 🙂
In my opinion, the advocacy work of Beautycounter is what sets them apart from so many other companies. Gregg Renfew, the founder and CEO, had a long business background that she turned towards safer beauty after learning about climate change through the Al Gore documentary An Inconvenient Truth and the intersection between the environment and the health impacts of chemical ingredients in products we use everyday. This podcast interview with Gregg is excellent for a deeper dive! She discovered that the regulation of the personal care product industry has been largely stagnant since the 1930s and that the government has given little to no authority to any agency to combat unethical, unsafe, or dangerous practices by personal care product companies.
It also has not encouraged its science and health-focused agencies to investigate the safety of the ingredients in personal care products. With that in mind, Gregg set out to found Beautycounter with advocacy as a core pillar to change the regulatory landscape of personal care products and consultants to help share how her company was different, something that would be unlikely to come across with a product simply sitting on a shelf in a store.
I was never a big makeup and skin care person but as I neared 30, I decided to start taking better care of my skin, so why not get my products from a company that also supported advocacy and health as part of their founding mission? I joined as a consultant about six months after my first purchase since I was already sharing about the company (and products) to anyone who would listen. Here are my answers to some of the most common questions I am asked about being a consultant and what I think sets Beautycounter apart!
Are There Benefits to Being a Consultant?
Consultants get a 25% discount on their own purchases (some folks join just to take advantage of that discount!) and can earn 25-35% from orders placed through their custom link. Beyond the potential to earn some money, there is the added bonus of being part of a company committed to safety and health, which is visible through their advocacy efforts (and advocacy wins!!), Scientific Advisory Council, and research collaborations. I have also become close friends with some of the women on my team who share similar values and interests, making this a really fun use of my time outside of studying.
Is it Easy to Enroll?
It costs $50 to join – that’s the only risk you take. Once you enroll, you get access to training and education on the company, mission, and products. You’ll also get a mentor to help guide you and answer questions (like me!). There is no requirement to ever purchase products – not when you join, not at any other point. But, if you would like to purchase products, you can get some seriously discounted product bundles at enrollment. But again, not required. [I didn’t purchase anything when I joined, it was not in my medical student budget and I still don’t think it’s necessary.] Consultants also get access to products before they are released at a discount price – I’ve taken advantage of that a few times but not often.
Can I Actually Make Money?
This obviously depends on if you joined for the personal discount or to share with others. [And sometimes people who join for the former become the latter!] Since the enrollment is only $50 – and you make 25% on every order – $200 in sales will make back your enrollment. Over my three years as a consultant, I have had some months with a $20 paycheck and others with a few hundred*. I am not doing this to replace any significant income, it’s a product I love to use and share, but it helps me pay for some extra fun things that are out of reach on a medical student budget. Here is a super detailed post from someone on my team on the compensation plan! You can also review Beautycounter’s Income Disclosure Statement from 2020 to see how much consultants earned on average.
Is There a Selling Minimum?
There is a six-month requirement of $1,200 in qualifying volume- which includes anything you purchase plus any sales – but if that doesn’t happen, you are simply converted to a Band of Beauty rewards member instead of a consultant. I was scared of not being able to reach that number, but once I started sharing, I didn’t have any issues finding people who were interested in giving Beautycounter a try!
Why Should I Shop With a Consultant?
The cost of the products does not change if a customer shops with a consultant or not (which, yes, is an option! You can simply place an order on the website without picking a consultant). But shopping with a consultant means you can get personalized suggestions and have someone to bring any questions or concerns to rather than just customer service.
Do I Need to Know About Skincare and Makeup?
Not at all, I certainly didn’t know much when I joined! You will learn the products over time – either from using them yourself or from the great educational tools offered to consultants. Just like learning anything new, it takes time! And if you get asked a question that you know don’t the answer to, someone else can help you figure it out. When you sign up, you can choose a mentor – that’s someone who you can text when you need help or support. If you sign up under me, I’ll be your mentor and can make sure you’re all set! You’d also get access to a Facebook group filled with resources, as well as my team’s private FB chat and Voxer chat group – plus monthly-ish Zoom calls that are great to get questions answered, and say hi to friends!
Do I Have to Run a Team?
Nope! You can have other people on your team, but you don’t have to – I have no one below me right now. The compensation structure is set up so earnings primarily come from what you sell, not what someone below you sells. If I had someone under me, I would earn a percentage of their sales (5-9%) but I earn 25-35% from my own. Honestly, its a way better incentive for me to share and sell than to grow a team.
How is Beautycounter Different than Other MLMs/Direct Sales Companies?
Since I’ve never worked with another MLM/direct sales company, I can’t really speak to it. But from what I’ve been told by others and seen, there are a few key differences with Beautycounter:
- There are zero purchase or inventory requirements.
- You can purchase your products whenever you want – no monthly or quarterly auto shipments. This is also true for customers – they order what they want, when they want.
- No monthly minimum orders – just the $1200 six month requirement that I addressed above!
- Customers don’t have to order through a consultant at all, they can just place an order on the website without selecting one. However, I think it’s better to use a consultant because we can follow up, see how things are going, and give suggestions!
But How Do You Actually Sell?
This varies from consultant to consultant! When I first joined, I sent a big email to a bunch of folks and shared on Facebook and Instagram. Social media is where I still do most of my sharing and connecting with folks, but there are tons of consultants who don’t use social media at all! I also have my team to chat with to learn about how they’re sharing and connecting. You can reach out to friends and family individually or host online or in-person events to share about Beautycounter and your favorite products. I have a small but steady group of customers who now regularly send their family and friends my way too!
What Sets Beautycounter Apart?
Honestly, the answer to this question is the reason I’m still a consultant three years later. Not only does Beautycounter get incredible press for its products (here, here, here, and here), but it’s making serious waves to further its mission of getting safer products in the hands of everyone – and the business community has taken notice. Beautycounter is also a B-Corporation (like Patagonia, Allbirds, and Bombas – all personal favorites of mine!). Here are just a few pieces of legislation Beautycounter is currently advocating in support of (click here for more!):
- No PFAS in Cosmetics Act would ban the intentional use of these “forever” chemicals in personal-care products.
- PFAS Action Act is incredibly comprehensive and would prevent PFAS ingredients from contaminating drinking water, limits industrial discharge, and allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean up sites contaminated by PFAS across the country.
- Cosmetic Supply Chain Transparency Act would requires upstream suppliers like fragrance houses, contract manufacturers, and suppliers of ingredients to provide brands with ingredient disclosure and safety data.
And at the end of the day, I share Beautycounter because I love using their products and find that my skin is really happy with them. I truly enjoy talking about this company, their advocacy work, product innovation, and chatting with my customers and fellow consultants. It’s not for everyone (and that’s okay!) but even if you’re just a little bit interested or have more questions, I’d be happy to chat – leave a comment or send me an email! If you’re ready to join right now, you can do that here! Be sure to use this link or select “Molly Benoit” as your mentor when you enroll 🙂
If you have no interest in being a consultant but want to stay in the loop about Beautycounter in general, you can join my email list to get information on promotions, new products, and other fun updates.
*Earnings as a Beautycounter Consultant in the U.S. may vary significantly and depend on many factors, such as dedication to selling/mentoring. Not all Consultants will earn money. To see more about the earnings and costs of Beautycounter Consultants, please view the 2020 Income Disclosure Statement at www.beautycounter.com/ids
Molly, mph to md 