#mlm scam

I’m sick of every “small business” I’m finding on Google being a front for some random MLM.

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of people prying on people’s insecurities to sell shakes, supplements, weight loss products, appetite suppressants, “clean” food products, detoxes, resets or pressuring people into doing their workouts.

I wanted to address a few things that I’ve seen:

1. ‘Quarantine 15’ insinuates that if you gain weight it’s like the worst thing ever and that it would be so horrible if you looked like fat people (it’s not). Also, I thought we had agree to stop using that because it’s fatphobic and harmful.

2. Using before and after photos make it seem like that before body is “wrong” and that the after body is “right”. Plus, can you imagine how those who look like the before body feel? And how will the person who posted the photo feel when they inevitably gain the weight back?

3. It’s OK to use food to cope right now (or always). It’s OK to eat more than usual. Yes, having other tools in your toolbox to cope with emotions is a good idea but eating can be part of that toolbox. Also, not being able to stop eating may be an indication that you have some sort of physical or mental restrictions - even if you’re not on a diet per say - or you’re not eating enough. (You can go see a registered dietitian to help you figure out why this is happening)

4. You have a liver, lungs and kidneys that detox your body for you. You don’t need a detox, a cleanse or any kind of reset. Just eat in a way that makes you feel good!

5. Why would we need to curb our hunger? Hunger is there to tell us we need food, that we need energy and nutrients to function. Every time you ignore your hunger signals or try to avoid them with shady products, you’re telling your body you’re not trusting it. You want to know the best way to curb your hunger? Eat some food!

and i can’t even get the sticker OFF, either

They are an MLM company which is basically a legal pyramid scheme. There are a few differences between a pyramid scheme and MLM company but they operate on the same principal.

They claim that the makeup is cruelty free and it is not. Yes, it's a process to get the cruelty free bunny stamp and can be expensive but they're a multi million dollar company. Many smaller and more independent brands which aren't multi million dollar companies have gotten the cruelty free certification though so there really is no excuse. Yet, when asked about their cruelty free status to corporate you get a vague answer.

They have on multiple occasions taken photos from actual make up artists on IG and FB and passed it off as their own. They've also used other people's photos for their marketing purposes. Most younique reps makeup looks are heavily air brushed when they post their foundation looks to IG or FB.

Younique claims to help women but a lot of their reps are the most catty, pushy and disempowering people out there. Monitarily they may help but, shouldn't they practise what they preach?

Many reps claim to be actual MUA's but haven't gone to school in order to get the certification to become one. I have never come across an actual makeup artist who uses the brand. That speaks volumes to me. There is no actual training required to become a Rep which results in many awful makeup tutorials that are being put out there. I have also read that in many instances when customers complain to reps about the poor quality they are told that its their fault and the performance is not because of the makeup.

In 2017, Younique was sued for misleading their customers regarding their 3D mascara in a class action law suit. Not just an individual suing younique but a large scale class action law suit. The green tea leaf fibres weren't really green tea leaf fibres which lead to multiple eye traumas.

There are countless complaints when it comes to customer service and multiple reasons why people have quit selling the brand. It would take more time than I have in order to list all the examples. Reps are told to fake it even when they know the product they're pushing is sub par. Most revenue comes from members and not public so when you run out of people to recruit, your sales drop and your membership or status can be revoked.

This leads me to the makeup...

The eyeshadow pallets are awful and overpriced. You are able to get better quality and more product at MAC, Sephora, Morphe, Ulta or other various brands. Shadows have almost no pigmentation and are super patchy with a ton of fallout. They also claim to be talc and perfume free but those are listed on many of their ingredient lists and those are bad for your skin.

They use a mineral based foundation or concealer which may help stay on your face better but it also clogs pores which has lead to cystic acne in lots of cases over long periods of use. The mineral oil is the reason you are able to "cover up" a heavy black line drawn with eyeliner. It's not because it's full coverage. It's because the oils break down the actual Liner. It's a medium coverage foundation at best which is also overpriced but they claim it covers tattoos. It also tends to settle into fine lines and pores over long periods of time which looks horrible. But they claim to be "the best" on the market. Not so much and not long wearing. The colour range of their foundation is the worst and they exclude shades for darker people. I'm not saying that they should follow Rhianna and have a million shades but more inclusiveness would be better.

Speaking of being inclusive... Where are The male reps? I haven't seen one but correct me if I'm wrong.

The 3D mascara is not new nor is it innovative because lots of other brands came out with it long before. The fibers fall off your eyelashes (which resemble spider legs) and cause serious eye infections. I haven't seen this with other brands.

The lipstains are patchy and streaky, don't look good and are able to wipe off with a tissue with no effect or stain afterwards.

I do like the duet lipsticks but wouldn't pay that price for them.

It's overpriced, low quality makeup that is comparable to some drug store brands, Avon and Mary Kay.

There are many more reasons why I don't like Younique but it would take way longer to go over them all. I get that there are reputable high end brands who put out flops (I personally hate the KVD mascara but it's my fave brand and I don't like the KKW highlighters or some of the Makeup Forever stuff) but that's a flop here and there and not almost the entire line like Younique.

All that being said, if someone likes the makeup and the company model then that's fantastic. A lot of people do. If it makes you feel good then do it, right? I just won't buy from the company and I don't think be makeup is any good. I'd also love to do a side by side swatch comparison with high end brands but I don't own any Younique stuff and will not be purchasing any in the future.