Younique Makeup MLM Review – Can You Make Money Selling Cosmetics?

It’s possible someone introduced Younique’s makeup products to you and how you can make money with this platform. No one wants to get scammed, which is why you are here – you want to know if this earning opportunity is legitimate.

In this Younique makeup review, I will briefly share what I know about this company, its products, and what they have to offer. Just so you know, I am not associated with Younique makeup in any way, and I will be completely transparent in this review. Ensure you read this post carefully if you do not want to risk your money and relationships with people.

Younique Makeup Review- Did Social Media Make The Difference?

Yes…Using social media made a HUGE difference. Younique makeup is an MLM company, and they are into the sales of cosmetic products like mascara, skin care creams, eyelashes, and so on.

The company was founded in 2012 by a brother-sister team -Derek Maxfield and Melanie Huscroft. Headquartered in Lehi, Utah their 200,000 square-foot building is capable of processing up to 30,000 orders daily.

The mission of Younique is to “uplift, empower, and validate women across the globe, helping a global family of women realize their potential for personal growth and financial reward.” They want to offer women an opportunity to grow financially and personally by selling Younique products. There have been ongoing opinions as to whether their products are unique due to bigger market competitors, such as Mary Kay and Avon.

Since its beginning in September 2012, Younique has emphasized using “digital stores” promoted through social media. Younique’s philosophy is since millions of women are active on social media platforms, then why not use it to promote your business?

As a result, each representative is given their own customized Younique website which features an e-commerce store. Therefore, instead of selling products in person — like Mary Kay and Avon representatives — the emphasis on the face-to-face pitch was replaced with an MLM that was primarily marketed through social media.

With the new emphasis of social media marketing, Younique quickly grew. The MLM grew to over 100,000 representatives and $35 million in monthly revenue after just two short years.

Younique’s growth was so impressive, it caught the attention of makeup giant Coty, which is responsible for the famous product line CoverGirl. Coty Cosmetics bought Younique in January 2017 for $600 million – and no doubt it certainly was a wise investment.

Younique Makeup Review Product Line

Younique’s niche is make-up products. As a result, most of their members and distributors are women. For example, Moonstruck 3D Fiber Lashes is one of their main products.

There are a lot of controversies surrounding this product because Younique claims the product is completely natural, with 100% green tea fibers. The truth is there is nothing like green tea fibers. It’s just ground-up nylon, and there is nothing natural about it. Since Younique is an MLM company, there are two primary ways to earn. They include:

•    Sell Younique products and receive a retail commission
•    Recruit people to join and build your downlines to receive bonuses.

Younique Makeup – How to join

To start, you will have to purchase their Starter Kit or Presenter Kit, which costs $99. This Starter Kit includes:

•        Basic makeup products (eyeliner, lipstick, mask samples, mascara, etc).
•        Product catalog, marketing tools, and materials
•        Youniversity Training Academy (Beginners Training)
•        Virtual Marketing Tools, Virtual Party System
•        Personal website so people can purchase products directly from you.

You have access to some of Younique’s products when you pay for their Starter Kit. This will allow you to wear the makeup allowing potential customers to see how it looks. The only requirement to start earning on Younique is to purchase the Starter Kit.

Is The Compensation Plan Any Different Than Similar MLM’s?

No. The compensation plan is not much different than similar multi-level marketing businesses. Like other MLM companies, Younique has different ranks or statuses you need to earn. You will start with a “White” status when you join.

The highest achievable status on the platform is “Black”. You will earn 20% as retail commission at White status, and the rate increases as you advance in status. The highest percentage you can earn as a commission on retail sales is 30%. 

You may ask, how do I advance in status? Simply, you move forward by selling more of their products and bringing more people to join. Your sales volume, as well as the sales volume of your downlines, will determine your status.

Younique Makeup – Selling and Recruiting Technique

To make money on Younique and any other MLM platform, you will have to recruit many people. The unique thing about Younique is that they do not depend completely on the traditional method of recruiting people – hosting physical workshops or home parties to sell products and recruit right away.

Instead, they are more focused on social media. This is why you are provided with the Virtual Party System and Virtual Marketing Tools when purchasing the Starter Kit. They will teach you how to host online “virtual parties” and drive prospects to your website.

Anytime someone pays for a product through your site, Younique will ship the product straight to your customer, and you will receive a commission. Having an inventory or handling shipping is out of the picture.

This approach is very popular among Younique representatives. Younique prides itself in being the number one direct-sales MLM to market and sell most of its products via social media.

Although their method is unique and different from traditional MLMs, today in 2024 MLM companies exist that use a similar strategy. Many multi-level marketing organizations are now using social media as their primary source of sales and recruiting.

Younique Makeup – Are MLMs Worth Your Time?

No…MLMs are NOT worth your time, but that’s my opinion. Certainly, Younique is NOT a scam – it’s a legitimate multi-level marketing organization. Since they have products to sell and do not depend solely on recruitment, Younique is also not a pyramid scheme.

Regardless, it is a MLM company! If you think multi-level marketing is still a viable way to make money, then consider the statistics in the next section.

Multi-Level Marketing Is A Bad Business Model

After an exhaustive study of over 300 MLMs, the Consumer Awareness Institute found that 99% of people who join multi-level marketing companies lose money. That applies to ALL MLMs, the best and the worst companies.

Do you understand what that means? If you join an MLM organization you only have a 1% chance of not losing money. I don’t find those statistics very encouraging when it comes to joining an MLM.

Here are some additional hard facts you need to consider before joining ANY multi-level marketing business:

• 26%: The meager amount of people who earn a profit participating in MLMs
• You are 38%: more likely to make money with your own small, home-based business than by joining an MLM
• 50%: Percentage of MLM reps who quit within 1 year after joining
• 60%: percentage of people involved with MLMs earned less than $500 within the last 5 years of joining
• There is a 10% – 20% higher rate of making a profit with an online business than it joining an MLM
• You would have a 300 times higher chance of winning a game of roulette in Las Vegas from 1 single spin of the wheel than you would make a profit with an MLM
• 99%: According to the Federal Trade Commission this is the number of all MLM participants who lose money
• 47%: The number of participants who flat-out lose money according to the AARP Foundation
• 27%: the percentage of people who make no money whatsoever in an MLM – AARP Foundation
• 53%: This is the percentage of MLM participants who earn less than $5000 a year
• 39%: the number of people who QUIT MLMs because trying to sell services and products to family and friends damaged their relationships
• 95%: The respective number of reps who quit within 10 years
• 75%: The number of people who after participating in an MLM said that never again would they join another MLM in their life
• 1,049: The number of MLM reps who make less than 70 cents an hour according to a 2018 poll of MLM reps representing various companies
• 20%: of people involved with MLMs never made a sale
• 32% of people involved with MLMs financed their MLM “business” by getting in credit card debt

References

References for the above facts are from the following sources:

• Jon M. Taylor, MBA, Ph.D., Consumer Awareness Institute The Case For And Against Multi-Level Marketing
• 3 Mind-Blowing Statistics About MLMs: Due.com
• Multi-level marketing: Wikipedia
• Multilevel Marketing: “The Research, Risks and Rewards”: AARP

Warning: The RED Flags of Schemes and Scams Online

These are some of the things that you need to watch out for with multi-level marketing companies, as they are red flags.

1. A FREE Trial Is NOT Offered By the Company

This is a big one to look out for. Most information products are worthless, and if you could jump directly into those products and “try them out” before you had to invest in them, you would never invest in the low-quality substance. That is why they hide behind a payment. If their information is so good, should they not prove it by giving you a taste of it?

Does Younique MLM Opportunity Offer a Free Trial? NO 

2. Companies That Don’t Clearly Outline Pricing

If you go to a sales page for a product and they don’t disclose the price clearly for that product, then you are likely going to get “duped”.  Any legitimate company will offer clarity on their pricing and have a pricing page directly on their website.  MANY companies in this industry HIDE their pricing; it is unethical, and it is almost certainly going to wind up scamming you. Also, if the company is charging large sums of money for their products, it should be of concern.

Does Younique MLM Opportunity Outline Clear Pricing? YES 

3. MLM Companies That Use Video Sales Pages / Squeeze Pages

If you visit a “sales page” and the only thing you see on it, this is almost certainly going to be an expensive, overpriced scam.  This is a marketing tactic used to HIDE pricing but also to hide the product itself.  They typically ask for your email or a small payment, and then you are going to be put through an extensive and expensive sales funnel.

Does Younique MLM Use a Video sales page alone for their opportunity? NO

4. Companies That Don’t Have a High TrustPilot Rating

TrustPilot is the place where you should be going to get real consumer reviews about products/services that you plan on buying.  If a company doesn’t exist on this website or has a rating lower than 4.5 out of 5 stars, then you may want to second guess it, and there are going to be better programs and services available.

Does Younique MLM Have a High TrustPilot Rating? YES. Younique has a 4.3 raiting on TrustPilot

5. Multi-Level Marketing Companies That Sell “Riches” Without Telling You the Process

If you are being pushed by the idea that you are going to be “rich” without telling you what you will be doing to earn this money (in a specific way), then they are selling the sizzle…and chances are there is no “steak” after you make your purchase.  Avoid programs like this like a plague.

Is the Younique Income opportunity confusing? NO

6. Companies Without an Easy Way to Contact Them

If you don’t have a direct way to contact the company to answer questions about their program, then they are hiding behind something. That is the first clue, and I recommend you test it. If the company has an email address, email it. If you don’t get a response within 48 hours at most, then that is probably the sort of help you can expect in the future.

Can you easily contact the Younique MLM company? YES

7. Companies That Don’t Offer Direct Access/Communication with the Owners

Who owns the product?  Can you get help and/or communicate with them directly?  If NOT, then this program is more than likely in the business of taking your money.  CEOs in the opportunity world who are not willing to directly communicate with their customers have a “too good for you” mentality, and they should be avoided.

Can you contact the owner of Younique directly? NO

8. Companies That Are Just “Information”

If they are just providing you with “ideas” about how you could create a business without offering you all the tools, services, and levels of ongoing support that you need to succeed online, you are going to have a tough time succeeding. Many companies charge you for their information and then tell you that you need to purchase all sorts of stuff to use the techniques taught.

Is the Younique MLM opportunity just information? NO

My review of the Younique MLM opportunity that you are reviewing is a 5 out of 8.

To be clear, Younique is a good company, however, the point is that Younique’s platform is founded on multi-level marketing, which has proven to be an unreliable way to make money.

However, there is a platform available that will teach you step by step how to build your own online business, an ethical platform whose primary focus is to help everyday people learn how to make money online, a platform where you can immediately have access to individuals who are extremely successful with their online businesses.

Introducing Wealthy Affiliate, The Industry Leader in the Online Business Space…

1. WA Offers a Free Trial
2. WA Offers Clear Pricing
3. WA Offers a comprehensive website
4. WA has a High TrustPilot Rating
5. WA is not a get-rich-quick scheme 
6. WA offers a clear way to contact the company  
7. You can contact Kyle & Carson directly 
8. WA offers tools and support

(1) Companies That Don’t Offer a Free Trial.  

This is one of the key reasons that I want to introduce you to Wealthy Affiliate. You can get a “test drive” to Wealthy Affiliate, but that doesn’t end, and there is NO credit card requirement. This is their Starter membership, and it includes more than any paid product I have seen in this industry. Here are just a few things that you get within the COMPLETELY FREE Starter membership.

• One Free Profit-Ready Website (Hosting Included)
• Getting Started Training, 10 Full Video Lessons
• 7 Days of Full Mentorship & Expert Help
• Communication Directly with Kyle & Carson (the founders)
• Keyword and Market Research Tools
• The Affiliate Opportunity Platform
• Ability to Network with Millions of Fellow Entrepreneurs
• 100’s of training resources
• And Much More!

(2) Companies That Don’t Clearly Outline Pricing.   

Wealthy Affiliate’s pricing page clearly outlines three available memberships: a Starter membership (FREE), a Premium ($49/month), or a Premium Plus+ ($99/month). There are no upsells and nothing more complex than this. You are not obligated to upgrade, but if you do decide to, you can run a million-dollar online business utilizing the platform and tools that Wealthy Affiliate offers. 

(3) Companies That Use Video Sales Pages / Squeeze Pages.  

Wealthy Affiliate offers a comprehensive website where you can learn more about the exact process of building an online business and all of the platforms, technology, and services involved.  

that are offered to you as a member. This includes a thorough outline of WA’s education, hosting, website, domains, community, and success elements.

(4) Companies That Don’t Have a High TrustPilot Rating.  

WealthyAffiliate.com has a 4.8 STAR rating on TrustPilot.  The owners personally get back to every comment, and this leads to the industry.  It is very difficult to achieve a rating like this in any industry, let alone the opportunity world one. 

(5) Companies That Sell “Riches”.   

One thing you will not hear from Wealthy Affiliate in any of their training or marketing is “get rich quick.”  The reality is that to build a business, you first have to build a solid foundation and understand it. Wealthy Affiliate provides you with the tools, training, and platform you need to create a business of any size online (even million-dollar websites), but you must be realistic about the process. It will take some hard work and dedication. 

(6) Companies Without an Easy Way to Contact Them.  

You can contact Wealthy Affiliate directly from their website without being a member. They have a contact form, and the owners freely share their email addresses if you ever need to get in touch with them or have any questions. They are kyle@wealthyaffiliate.com and carson@wealthyaffiliate.com. Feel free to reach them directly if you have questions, and of course, as a member, you are going to have access to them within the community. Which leads me to…

(7) Companies That Don’t Offer Direct Access/Communication with the Owners.   

Wealthy Affiliate is the most transparent company in the space and offers you access to Kyle and Carson, the founders, directly within the community. If you want help from them directly, just ask. You can even access them for their help and mentorship within the first 7 days of the Starter membership…so without paying a dime, you can access both of the owners directly!

(8) Companies That Are Just “Information”.  

Many things are required to build a successful business online, and Wealthy Affiliate includes all of them.  To build an online business, you need a website, top-tier hosting, marketing and research tools, ongoing education of the latest marketing strategies, writing tools/platforms, and a way to find the TOP opportunities online.  Not to mention support, mentorship, and expertise.  These are ALL things that Wealthy Affiliate provides you with any level of membership, equipping you to create, grow, and manage a business of any level online.

No other company in the industry offers a free “test drive,” as they likely don’t have the confidence that someone would purchase a trial. WA gives you access to its platforms, websites, hosting, research tools, community, and support within the free membership…so there is ZERO risk, and you can make a decision if you ever want to purchase a premium membership.

Is There A Better Option?

If you’ve decided that becoming a distributor for Younique isn’t right for you, there are other ways to learn how to make money. Making money with your own online business with affiliate marketing has become a real game-changer for tens of thousands of people just like you!

Check out my review of Wealthy Affiliate where I show some actual testimonials of ordinary people making extraordinary incomes. From my experience, the best and easiest way to make money online is with affiliate marketing, especially if you are new at trying to make money online.

I say this because with affiliate marketing you NEVER have to participate in cold-calling strangers. Also, you’ll never have to convince potential clients to do business with you. The best part is you can start affiliate marketing on a shoestring budget.

If you want to learn about affiliate marketing, click on the banner below and have a look at Wealthy Affiliate. Wealthy Affiliate is the best course that I know of that will teach you how to make money online through affiliate marketing.

The best part? Wealthy Affiliate is free to try! Since it’s FREE to try, you have nothing to lose. To learn more click below:

P.S. You should always include a P.S. Even when you’re writing a report or an article. Yeah yeah, I know …your English teacher from high school would tell you otherwise. But pay her no mind.

Here’s why. Lots of people scroll down to the end of the article before reading the whole thing.…And the P.S. is a great place to restate your main point. In case you’re one of the people (like me) who skim to the P.S. before you read the page, here’s what this is about:

1. Multi-level marketing is not a cool way to sell stuff and a poor business model. 2. Build your own cool affiliate marketing business and sell the stuff YOU choose to sell.