Girls are selling beauty and health products online in the hopes that they can eventually make thousands of dollars from their iPhones. Some of these companies even offer company cars and getaway vacations. Through social media I’ve been approached by girls trying to sell me brand names such as: Arbonne, It Works!, Monat, and Rodan & Fields.
It’s time that we see these beauty brands for what they are. They’re glorified pyramid schemes that disguise themselves as a multi-level marketing (MLM) company. For other non-business/econ majors like me, here’s what this means.
These companies place more emphasis on recruiting others to sell the products rather than actually selling the products. I am rarely asked to explicitly buy whatever they’re selling. Instead, the distributors immediately ask me to “join their team” and sell products along their side.
Distributors of the brand have to pay a fee to even begin selling the product. They also require that you buy a certain amount of product each month to sell to others. So, if you don’t sell it, at least they’re still selling products. I don’t know about you, but if I showed up to work and they asked me to pay a fee to work there before I could actually make any money I’d say, “thank u, next.”
Most of these companies have scripts that every distributor uses. My Instagram feed has been flooded with before and after results of people they’ve probably never met in real life. Here are some actual phrases from my Instagram DM’s:
“My up-line has been selling Arbonne for a little over a year now and is making 22k a month.”
“I’m looking for more girls to work with that are interested in beauty & you have such pretty hair so I thought of you :)”
“I saw your insta story today and it made me think you might be interested. You’re so cute and influential you would be so good at it! I work for a company called Arbonne…”
All of these lines, while flattering, are scripted and none of them have anything to say about my (nonexistent) skills as a salesperson. They mention my pretty hair or that I’m cute. Seriously all I did was post a picture with a smoothie and I was attacked. They are trying to use flattery and money to recruit me so that they can move up in the company.
From a health perspective, please do not buy a skinny wrap in the hopes that you will shed pounds and be less bloated. The most ridiculous product I’ve seen recently is Keto Coffee *screams internally*. If you want to shed pounds you’ll need way more than a $195 bag of coffee. Yes, you read that right. $195 for a bag of coffee.
Pyramid scheme or not, these MLM companies are targeting women’s biggest flaws and persuading them to spend a ridiculous amount of money on products that most likely do not work and do not provide long term benefits. Even celebrities such as Kim Kardashian try to sell us hunger suppressing lollipops.
All scams aside, your diet and exercise are what will help you stay healthy, not fit wraps or skinny teas. If you have problems with your skin, do not buy into the beauty products of Instagram influencers and the girls you haven’t seen since high school. Go see a dermatologist and I can assure you they have a way better and less expensive fix. Stay healthy and explore drug store alternatives. Don’t break the bank to get involved in shady businesses marketing your insecurities.