It is no secret that I have been obsessed with Beautycounter for several years now and have been a Beautycounter consultant for 3 years. I have learned so much about the brand, its business model, and the products along the way. I really wanted to share an honest and comprehensive review of the brand, so that you can learn more and decide if it’s a company you would like to support or maybe even become a part of. I will be sharing lots of facts about the company, along with some of my personal experiences and opinions.
*This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.
What is Beautycounter?
Beautycounter is a beauty brand that creates high-performing and safer makeup, skincare, and body care products. They pride themselves on transparency and clean formulations that actually work. They are a mission-based company, that’s powered by people, in order to change the beauty industry and advocate for better beauty laws. Their core mission is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. Not just Beautycounter products, but safer products in general.
Beautycounter was the #1 most googled beauty brand of 2018 and they have won numerous awards for product performance from well-known sources like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Refinery 29, and Women’s Health. They have also collaborated with companies like Target, Sephora, and Jcrew. Beautycounter is a Certified B Corporation, EWG Verified, and Leaping Bunny Certified as well.
Why did I choose to join their movement?
I mean after you read this entire post, I think it will be clear to see why I would want to be a part of such an amazing company that’s going above and beyond in the clean beauty industry. I started using their products about 4 years ago and I was super impressed with the performance of both their makeup and skincare. I was on the hunt to replace all of my beauty products with safer alternatives but experienced a lot of trial and error with other clean beauty companies.
Once I learned that you could actually join the company and make your own business out of it, the entrepreneurial spirit in me couldn’t help but be intrigued. That’s when I decided to take a deeper dive into testing out their products, understanding their business model, and learning about everything the company stood for. Also, as a mother who often got lost in the identity of her children, I longed for somewhat of a passion project. I wanted to do something I was passionate about and also do good in the world at the same time.
So in February of 2019, I took a leap of faith and became a Beautycounter consultant. Now it has not all been rainbows and butterflies, but I can tell you that I have never looked back since and only wish I would have started sooner. Don’t worry, I will go into more details on the consultant aspect of the company later. With all that being said, I do believe in full transparency. So if you decide to purchase Beautycounter through any of my links, I will receive a commission. I hope you know that I would only recommend products that I truly believe in and would never steer you wrong.
Product Peformance
This has to be the number one thing that I think gets most people hooked on Beautycounter, and it’s that the products are just THAT GOOD! Super high-quality skincare and makeup that performs just as well as other top beauty companies. They have won countless awards for their product performance. They use innovative ingredients in their products, and I have truly seen a difference in my skin.
Since I have been with the company, they have made some major formulation changes and have released many new products that have really exceeded my expectations. A couple of years ago I wasn’t a huge fan of their foundation, concealer, and mascara, but they have since come out with new ones that have quickly become my holy grail. They have also made changes to their skincare lines that I feel have really set them apart from the competition.
Their makeup is infused with skincare and honestly makes my skin look better over time, which is something I always thought was kind of a gimmick. Well after they released their Skin Twin Foundation last year, I am truly a believer now. It looks beautiful on the skin, provides great coverage, and has a natural finish. The best part is that the more I wear it, the better my skin looks when I take off my makeup. Foundation goals, right? Other makeup favorites of mine are their brow gel, mattifying powder, and refillable cream blushes. I also highly recommend any of their lip products. My favorites are their Color Intense lipsticks in Brunch and 9to5, Sheer lipsticks in Twig and Rosewood, and Beyond Gloss in honestly any shade.
The products I sell the most are their skincare lines. I have always been a skincare junkie and Beautycounter is the first brand that I can actually stick to without losing interest. Their skincare has helped to balance my skin, fight acne, fade hyperpigmentation, and keep me looking more youthful overall. I used to be so insecure about my skin and now I have so much more confidence. It’s hard to pick my favorite skincare products, but I would definitely have to recommend their charcoal mask, All bright C serum, Daily Sheer Defense, and pretty much anything from their Countertime “anti-aging” skincare line.
They also have various body care items from their best-selling mineral sunscreen line, to mine and Kourtney Kardashian’s favorite body scrub, and even a refillable aluminum-free deodorant that I can not get enough of. Overall, I would say that their products really are amazing. Obviously, not everyone is going to like every single product a brand has to offer. Also, some products work for some people and not for others. However, I would say it’s hard to go wrong with Beautycounter. They have stepped their game up BIG TIME when it comes to performance.
Clean and transparent formulation
Beautycounter really is the leader in clean when it comes to product safety and formulations. Not only do they have their NEVER LIST, where they ban over 1,800 harmful or questionable ingredients from their products, but they go above and beyond the ingredients list. They actually rigorously test their products for safety and even publish many of their results on their website, which is HUGE!! I don’t really know a lot of companies going to this extent to ensure the safety of their products.
They test for trace contaminants that can accidentally contaminate products through sourcing and manufacturing, like phthalates and heavy metals. These are things that you won’t find on an ingredient list and can even be in the most natural of products. They also 3rd party test their makeup products 3x for heavy metals. Yup, you heard me, THREE TIMES! They list all of their ingredients on their website and even disclose their fragrances, flavors, preservatives, and any components of their fragrances that could be a possible common allergen. The combination of all of these practices is what makes Beautycounter’s products safer than anything else I could find on the market.
You can read their full “Blueprint For Clean” HERE for more details on everything they are doing to ensure product safety and performance.
Responsible sourcing
I truly believe clean beauty goes beyond just the safety of the product itself. What sets a company apart in my eyes, is also the way they source their products and their sustainability efforts. Beautycounter hits all the marks when it comes to that. They make it a priority to responsibly source controversial ingredients like vanilla, palm oil, and mica. They are actually the first beauty brand to audit all of their mica suppliers in person. Mica is what creates all of that sparkle and glow commonly found in beauty products. Unfortunately, it is an industry that is notorious for child labor and most companies don’t even know where their mica is coming from. Beautycounter is paving the way when it comes to responsible sourcing in the beauty industry.
*Watch this short documentary to learn more about the mica industry and what Beautycounter is doing to help.
Environmental footprint
Since I have joined Beautycounter, I have watched them continuously work toward reducing their overall environmental footprint. They have implemented more sustainable packaging like refillable components and switching from plastic to glass. They even track the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their HQ, retail stores, and entire supply chain, so that they can continuously plan on how they will reduce their overall footprint. Their goal is to be 100% carbon neutral by 2030.
Education and Advocacy
Beautycounter stands on 3 core pillars to their business. They are formulation, education, and advocacy. The founder and CEO of Beautycounter, Gregg Renfrew, believed that the world didn’t just need another beauty brand, but a movement for change. She really wanted to make sure that the average person was actually being educated on the importance of using clean beauty products. She also wanted to ensure the company was doing all it could to advocate for better beauty laws.
Since 2013, Beautycounter has advocated tirelessly at both state and federal levels. They have helped to pass multiple laws in the U.S. and Canada in order to improve the safety of the beauty industry and even beyond that. Some of these laws include the Safer Salon Bill, Safer Sunscreen Bill, Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, Safer Fragrance Bill, Cleaning Products Right to Know Act, and the Oregon Toxic-Free Kids Act. In 2019, Gregg Renfrew testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on behalf of the whole clean beauty industry. This hearing led to the first vote in congress on cosmetic reform since 1938.
Diversity and Inclusion
I absolutely love how Beautycounter has really made a commitment to fight for justice and equity. They have made it a priority to have diverse representation throughout their company and in their marketing and advertising. Their makeup shade ranges are inclusive and cover a wide variety of skin tones. They donate funds to support anti-racist organizations and they even created what’s called their impact scholarship.
The Impact scholarship is aimed at expanding clean beauty into underrepresented communities by providing 25 scholarships every month to individuals from underrepresented backgrounds with an emphasis on African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American, and Native American communities. These individuals will be able to start their own Beautycounter business free of charge and will receive over 1,300 in products and assets to help them get started. You can apply HERE. *Applications must be submitted between the 1st-8th of each month.
What is a Beautycounter Consultant
One of the huge drivers of Beautycounter’s success when it comes to education and advocacy has been its team of over 50,000 consultants throughout the U.S. and Canada. The main purpose of this direct sales business model is to get people like myself to spread the word and education of clean beauty into their own personal networks and communities. However, with some preconceived notions and negative experiences that many have had with companies that have similar business models, it is one aspect of Beautycounter that may make people avoid the company altogether.
A Beautycounter consultant has their own personal website where they can make a commission of 25-35% from any of their personal sales. They also have the option of building a team that they can train and mentor and make anywhere from 5-9% based on your team’s commissionable volume. You also get to enjoy perks like a 25% discount on all of your products, special incentives, pre-sale savings, and early access to new items.
What I love about Beautycounter’s consultant compensation plan, is that it is set up so that there is no way you could just ride on the coattails of your team. You have to be putting in the work yourself if you want to earn those team commissions. However, building a team is totally optional. You’re also not required to ever purchase any amount of product, which is great. You only purchase what you want and feel would be beneficial to you or your business.
What makes Beautycounter different from other companies, is that you actually don’t have to purchase through a consultant if you don’t want to. You can order online without a consultant or shop at any of their retail stores. The other difference is that Beautycounter is mission-based. So you never feel sleazy about selling products because you know there is an amazing mission behind it. The products you are selling are good for the consumer’s health and hopefully you are also sharing education and inspiring others to make better choices along the way.
My Personal Experience as a Beautycounter Consultant
Personally, I had zero ideas of what to expect when joining Beautycounter and I didn’t have much of a following or network. I was shocked at how many people actually supported my business just by me genuinely sharing my love for the products. The personal growth I have gained along the way has been beyond expectations. Let’s just say I would not have had a YouTube channel or even this blog if it wasn’t for the confidence and passion that Beautycounter gave me. It’s true when they say sometimes you need to step outside of your comfort zone in order to experience true growth.
I also wasn’t sure what to expect financially when I signed up, and if I would even be able to make any money. Of course, I would love to bring in an extra income doing something I love, but was that a reality for me? Beautycounter ended up doing just that for my family. I’m not currently making any crazy amounts of money, but I do love it when my direct deposit hits the bank every month and I’m able to pay a few bills or restock my favorite beauty products. During the last holiday season, I earned my biggest paycheck so far with Beautycounter and it took away so much financial stress that often comes along with that time of year. I mean who couldn’t use some extra income these days? I’m super inspired by the many women I work with who have been able to make Beautycounter a full-time gig. If you want to make money, the work is definitely not optional, but it is flexible. I will include their consultant average income disclosure HERE.
My personal advice for having success as a Beautycounter consultant, is you have to be willing to genuinely share your love for the products consistently and provide excellent customer service. I really pride myself on that. I feel that if someone is trusting me enough to spend their hard-earned cash with me, then I should show my appreciation by going above and beyond for my clients. I send free samples, thank you gifts, help with recommendations, place orders, deal with any issues, and take the time to answer all questions they may have.
For those who may be skeptical of the whole consultant thing, I would say don’t knock it until you try it. If you don’t want to be “that girl”, then don’t be her. Just be YOU, and be proud of what you’re doing. If the products are genuinely good, then they will speak for themselves at the end of the day. I get flooded with positive reviews and appreciation from my clients because they love their Beautycounter. I have gained so many genuine friendships and connections since joining the company.
The most rewarding feeling is seeing I have inspired friends and family to actually care about clean beauty and make it a part of their lifestyle. This would have never happened if I wouldn’t have given Beautycounter a fair shot. I have not once experienced anything sketchy or sleazy about the company or the people I work with. My mentors offer genuine help and support and I don’t ever feel pressured to say things or buy things I don’t want to.
So if you have any questions about being a Beautycounter consultant, then feel free to comment down below or send me a private e-mail or message. I’m an open book and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. If you would be interested in joining my Beautycounter team, you can also get in contact with me or join HERE for only $50. If you want to join and don’t have many products, then I do recommend purchasing one of their deeply discounted starter kits when you enroll. Totally optional, but will be well worth it.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Beautycounter really is going above and beyond when it comes to the clean beauty movement. I believe they are here to stay and I look forward to what new innovations and products they will come out with next. It was honestly impossible to include every single amazing thing they are doing in this blog post, so if you would like to learn more about the company and all of their efforts, you can read more HERE. Be sure to check out their social mission reports and everything they are doing to give back.
If you have any questions about Beautycounter, the products, or would like to request FREE samples then feel free to reach out via e-mail, comment down below, or private message me on Instagram.
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