If you’re reading this Younique business review, then it’s likely that you’ve been approached by an existing Younique presenter about starting your own makeup business.
While you may be intrigued at the opportunity, you’re also a bit skeptical.
So you decided to do some research, which is how you ended up here.
Good for you!
Starting a small business is a big decision, even if it is a home based business. It’s going to take serious commitment, hard work, and time.
So here’s what we’re going to cover:
The company’s history
Products
How the business works
The compensation plan
Misconceptions
Pros and cons
Frequently asked questions
We’re also going to talk about whether or not Younique is a pyramid scheme…
Spoiler: It’s not.
But we’ll get to that.
Let’s dive in!
Younique Business Review | History
Younique was founded in 2012 by Derek Maxfield and Melanie Huscroft. The company has seen very healthy growth since then and has produced well over $2 billion in revenue since it was founded.
Younique is headquartered in Lehi, Utah.
In 2017, Coty, Inc purchased a 60% stake in Younique. Initially their profits soared from the acquisition. But when the profits dwindled, they decided to sell their stake back to the founders in 2019.
Who is the owner of Younique today?
The Younique business continues to be owned by the founders, Maxfield and Huscroft. As of 2023, Derek Maxfield continues to serve as the CEO.
Is Younique Mormon owned?
Yes, the founders of Younique are indeed members of the Mormon Church in Utah. It’s worth mentioning though, that the company employs a very diverse group of people and doesn’t necessarily push Mormon ideology on it’s employees, members, and certainly not customers.
With that being said, there is a pretty large concentration of Mormon members in the company.
Younique MLM Lawsuit
In 2017, Younique was sued by the FTC on the grounds that some of the distributors were making exaggerated and misleading income claims.
Younique eventually settled and agreed to pay $3.3 million in restitution to the folks who lost money as a result of the bad practices.
It’s important to note that this is not unique to this company. It’s universal to network marketing and similar companies have had to deal with the same issues. It’s a testament to the poor training that many new distributors are receiving.
The Younique business has also faced a number of other complaints about their products and the behavior of their distributors.
Personally, I would not let this hold me back if I were considering the Younique business as an opportunity. Companies in all industries face legal challenges on a regular basis and this is by no means unique to this company or even network marketing.
Younique Products
We are not going to go into a whole lot of detail about the Younique products in this review. You came here to learn about the business model, right? So that’s going to be the primary focus of this Younique review.
There are many other Younique reviews out there that cover the products in great detail.
With that being said, you’ll need to have some idea of what you’ll be selling should you decide to move forward with this and become a Younique distributor.
Younique is best known for their makeup products, specifically for eyes, lips, and faces. They also have a wide range of skin care products, many of them geared towards anti-aging.
Their flagship product is the 3D Fiber Lash Mascara. The video below gives you a rough idea of how the product works.
Please note, this is a marketing video from the company’s official YouTube channel. I put it here for informational purposes only and it does not necessarily reflect my views on the product.
Let’s cover a few of the most commonly asked questions about the Younique products.
Is Younique good quality?
Customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive. The company takes pride in their products containing no harmful chemicals. They also claim that they do not use any animal testing in the development of new products.
Bear in mind that everyone’s body is different. Some people may experience negative affects depending on personal skin type or specific reactions. This is not necessarily a reflection on the quality of the products.
Is Younique sold in stores ?
No. you would need to find an independent Younique distributor in order to get signed up for the Younique online store. After that, you can simply log into the website and make purchases whenever you please.
Is Younique FDA approved ?
The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate cosmetic or skin care products. Therefore, Younique does not fall under FDA jurisdiction.
However, the FDA does require cosmetic companies to follow strict guidelines, which Younique does.
Is Younique worth it?
This is a matter of preference.
There is certainly value to having access to a knowledgeable product distributor that can handle any issues you may be having.
While the Younique products are a bit more expensive than what you would find in your local supermarket, you can quickly and easily get a lot more transparent information about Younique products.
Are Younique products chemical free?
Yes. The company boasts of it’s quality standards and claims that their products are all completely natural.
Is Younique overpriced?
The answer to this question is a bit nuanced. Yes, Younique products are more expensive than what you might find at your local retailer.
But if you care about ethical and cruelty-free practices, you may be willing to pay a premium price.
Plus, many people are also willing to pay a bit more to have personal access to an independent distributor that can answer any questions or concerns as well as explain how to properly use the products.
If these are things that you don’t care that much about, then you might be OK with saving some money and buying your cosmetic products from your local supermarket.
And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Is Younique high end makeup?
Customer reviews are certainly overwhelmingly positive. The products are high quality, made up of quality natural ingredients, and are ethically produced.
The Younique Business Model
Unlike traditional business models, the Younique business model sells their products directly to consumers. Their products are not available in retails outlets. Instead, you will need to purchase the Younique products directly from an independent distributor.
This saves the company millions of dollars in advertising costs and retail fees. Instead of paying those retail fees to large corporations, they choose instead to pass those profits down to their own distributors and customers.
When you become a distributor for this company (Youniques calls them presenters) there are 2 main ways in which you can earn money:
- Selling products
- Building a sales team
As a Younique independent presenter, you will need to acquire customers from your personal network. This would include your friends and family, acquaintances, etc.
When you acquire a customer, they will need to sign up for an account on Younique’s website and then place their order. Every time they make a purchase in the future, you will earn a commission for that sale.
Now to be honest, it will be quite difficult to earn a life changing amount of money just from selling the products.
The real money is made when you build a sales team that will also sell products. You will earn a commission from every sale made by any member of your team. So the bigger your team grows, the larger your sales volume gets… the more commissions you earn.
Not only that, but every member of your team has the opportunity to build their own sales team. And you will earn commissions from those members’ sales as well, down to potentially 7 levels of depth.
You’re probably wondering…
Is Younique an MLM company?
The answer is yes. MLM is also commonly called network marketing or direct sales.
This makes many people uneasy due to the poor reputation that MLM companies have garnered over the years.
There are many misconceptions about the industry as a whole, and the Younique network marketing company is certainly a victim of many of the misconceptions.
Network marketing is certainly not perfect. And unlike many other Younique business reviews out there, we are going to talk about the good and the bad aspects of this company.
Before we get to that, let’s talk about the Younique compensation plan and how exactly you will get paid should you decide that this is a good fit for you.
Younique Compensation Plan
There are 4 main types of compensation plans commonly used by network marketing companies:
- Binary
- Unilevel
- Stairstep Breakaway
- Forced Matrix
You can learn more about the various types of compensation plans in our deep-dive MLM article.
The Younique compensation plan is based on the binary pay structure.
This means that as you grow your team, you can only have a maximum of 2 presenters placed directly underneath you. These 2 people are going to become the 2 “legs” of your organization.
As you continue to recruit more Younique presenters, you will need to place new members into one of the legs of your organization.
When payday comes, you will get paid commissions from whichever of your 2 legs earned less income. This is done in order to incentivize you to build your teams as evenly as possible and avoid building a lopsided organization.
In a binary compensation plan, you will be placing members that you recruit under existing members of your team. This means that distributors within your organization will directly see their teams grow from your efforts. This can create a lot of excitement and enthusiasm within your organization and can do wonders for your team’s morale.
Remember, your upline is going to be recruiting members as well, and some of those members will be placed into your organization.
The binary structure used in the Younique compensation plan is certainly one of my favorite plans because of the excitement it garners and how it promotes growth and hard work in an organization.
In total, there are 6 ways in which the Younique compensation plan allows you to earn income:
Retail Sales – When you sell a product to a customer, you you will earn a commission. Commissions start at 20% but increase as you climb the ranks in the pay plan.
Fast Start Bonuses – Younique has set up bonuses that new presenters can earn if they meet certain sales thresholds within their first 90 days of joining the business.
Personal Sales Bonus – There are certain sales thresholds set by the company. When you hit these various thresholds, you will qualify for bonus rewards.
Leadership Bonuses – As you climb the ranks within the company, you can earn bonuses based on the performance and sales volume of your entire team.
Bonus Incentives – Younique also offers large bonuses for leaders who achieve certain sales and team growth goals. You can earn trips, cars, cash, and other prizes.
Your Downline – As we talked about already, you will earn commissions from the sales made by the presenters that have been recruited into your organization. This is where the highest earning potential lies.
To get an idea of the commissions you would earn at each rank, you might want to have a look at the official pay plan document published by Younique.
You may also be interested in watching the video below from an existing Younique member explaining the compensation plan.
Just remember, the video comes from the channel of an existing Younique presenter, so it’s very obviously biased!
Now let’s a cover a few common questions that I get about the Younique compensation plan.
How does Younique pay you?
There are 3 main ways in which you can choose to get paid: direct deposit, PayQuicker, or store credit.
How much do Younique reps make?
From my research, it appears as though the vast majority of Younique presenters earn less than $1000 per year. That’s really not a lot.
Bear in mind that this includes those who are just getting started. Additionally, many customers are signed up as presenters in order to qualify for product discounts but are not actively building the business. This skews the numbers and makes them look worse than they are.
I was unable to to find an official Younique income disclosure statement on their website. To me, that is a bit concerning as I seriously value transparency. Especially when it comes to an industry like network marketing which already suffers reputation damage.
With that being said, there are several presenters in the company earning over 7 figures a year and many earning 6 figures.
Extraordinary income is certainly a possibility with Younique.
How much does it cost to become a Younique consultant?
In order to get started, you would need to purchase a starter kit. This kit includes a selection of products and marketing materials to help you get started. The starter kit costs roughly $100.
How much commission do you make with Younique?
When you first start out, you would earn a 20% commission for each product sold.
As you progress up the ranks in the compensation plan, that percentage increases. At the highest possible rank, you would be earning a 40% commission for every sale you personally make.
This does not include sales made by members in your downline.
Is Younique A Good Company?
As we’ve touched on already, there is widespread trepidation about the network marketing profession in society. A few bad actors have led to major misconceptions about what multi level marketing is and has called into question the legitimacy of the business model.
So is Younique legit?
It’s a fair question, and the answer is yes.
The truth is, network marketing is really not that different from any other traditional business. Products are sold to consumers in exchange for money.
It’s simply a value for value exchange.
So let’s talk about some of the Younique criticism and some of the bad practices that have led to it.
Is Younique A Pyramid Scheme?
Over the past few decades, there have been several illegal scams and pyramid schemes that have operated under the disguise of legitimate network marketing.
When these pyramids inevitably collapsed, many people were badly hurt. So the media rightfully called out the scams and warned the public about them.
The problem is, they did not do their job in educating the public about the difference between a legitimate network marketing operation and dangerous Ponzi schemes. This led to network marketing in general acquiring a bad stigma.
Every network marketing company has been negatively affected and it has contributed to widespread Younique pyramid scheme allegations.
So what’s the difference between a pyramid scheme and MLM?
When you join a pyramid, you would pay for a spot in a pyramid shaped organization. In order for you to make money, you would be tasked with bringing more people into the pyramid and placing them underneath you. The people you bring in would need to do the same.
The problem is, this is all you get for your money… a spot in the pyramid.
There are no products or services sold to consumers. This makes the “business” unsustainable and doomed to collapse.
I mean, why would the marketplace support a business model that doesn’t provide any real value to the economy?
The market simply can’t support it. And when the pyramid scheme goes down, it tends to go down quickly and in spectacular fashion. This results in the people at the top having gotten rich, and the people at the bottom lose everything they’ve put in.
This is unethical and I would argue, immoral.
What about the pyramid shape of network marketing?
While network marketing does employ recruiting practices to build an organization of builders, there is never any money paid out that is not tied to sales volume.
That is the fundamental difference between a legitimate MLM enterprise and an illegal pyramid scheme.
The recruiting practices in network marketing is simply a means of building a large sales organization, a network, that can do the marketing and distribution of goods and services in a more efficient way.
Still, some people might be concerned about the pyramid shaped structure that a large network marketing organization tends to take.
It really is a fair question.
But I would challenge you to have a look at what the traditional corporate structure looks like…
Looks a lot like a pyramid, doesn’t it?
Look, hierarchical organizations will always tend to take on the shape of a pyramid. You literally see it in every facet of society:
- Friend circles
- Families
- Churches
- Small business
- Large corporations
- Governments
It simply can’t be avoided. And as humans, we have always organized ourselves into hierarchies. Whether we like it or not, it’s simply what we do.
It’s what allows for efficient human co-operation. And it’s what has allowed us to build the world we’ve built and climb our way to the very top of the food chain.
The pyramid shape is not inherently a bad thing.
The fundamental thing to understand is this:
A business must make the vast majority of it’s revenue from product sales, NOT recruitment.
Have a look at the video below where top earner Ray Higdon gives his thoughts on the pyramid scheme fears, as well as some other common concerns people tend to have about MLM..
Another Reason For Younique Scams Rumors
Another reason for the skepticism about the Younique business is the behavior of some new and inexperienced presenters.
When folks get started with a company like Younique, they tend to be extremely enthusiastic and excited about their business… initially.
They tell everyone they know about their new business without following a plan or technique. And they quickly realize that most of the people in their personal network just don’t see the power of this business model.
The new presenter feels dismayed and after a little while, maybe a little desperate. They start to get pushy, annoying, and downright obnoxious. Every time they’re speaking with their loved ones, all they can talk about is their new business and why anyone with a brain should be excited about it.
Friends and family start to get concerned as they feel that their loved one is displaying cultish behaviors.
And I believe that this is where a lot of the Younique scam rumors are born.
The reality is, there is a right and wrong way to build this business. And doing it the wrong way can lead to predetermined beliefs about the network marketing profession simply being reinforced.
There’s also the problem of the Younique business being misrepresented.
A lot of people are brought into the business under the misguided belief that this is a way to get rich very quickly and easily.
If that were true, everybody would be killing it in network marketing…
While you can get rich using network marketing, it will NOT be easy. It’s going to take an extremely thick skin. You’ll need to get used to being rejected on a regular basis. Some people might even make fun of you and sneer at what you’re trying to build.
And if you were told that you would become rich quickly and easily, reality is going to slap you in the face very quickly.
Most people, when they realize how difficult this really is, feel as though they’ve been duped. And they leave the company with very bitter feelings towards the profession as a whole. They feel as though they “escaped the Younique MLM scam”…
And for good reason.
The business was misrepresented to them. They were misled.
So they will often go on a crusade to tell everyone they can about how they were scammed by the Younique MLM scheme.
Look, this is a result from the lack of training that most new presenters get when they join this business.
If you decide to move forward with this, you have to have realistic expectations in mind.
That way, when it becomes clear how difficult this business really is, you won’t feel so misled and bitter. Instead, you’ll be prepared for what’s coming and more likely to put in the required time and hard work… and learn how to do it right.
Younique Business Plan
Unlike other Younique MLM reviews, I want to lay out for you how to actually succeed with this business. If you do it wrong, you could be contributing to the poor reputation of network marketing. You’ll be way less likely to succeed. And you could even damage personal relationships.
If you decide to move forward with this, you need to get started on the right foot.
So let’s talk. How does Younique selling work?
There are 5 things that you should be focusing on to make it in the Younique business.
1. Do What You’re Taught
When you get started, you will be taught a system that others before you have used to succeed with this business. The system has been specifically designed to achieve a balance between simplicity and effectiveness. It’s very important that you follow the system you’re taught.
Don’t try to go it alone. Don’t think you know better than the leaders in your company, especially if you’’re brand new to network marketing. Remember, your upline will make more money if you make more money. So they will not steer you wrong.
At least not intentionally. The incentives are perfectly aligned.
2.. Acquire Customers
You will have heard that the power of network marketing comes from building a massive organization of people that will do the selling for you…
While that’s true, you can not succeed in the Younique business with recruiting alone. You need to build personal sales volume in addition to growing your team.
And you have to start somewhere. I would argue that you should start with acquiring customers and build a stream of residual income from customers that will make purchases month after month.
Think about it…
When you’re just getting started, you might have a slight credibility problem. Are your loved ones more likely to trust you when it comes to advice on starting a small business, or are they more likely to support you in your new endeavor by buying your products?
Definitely the latter.
Build a reliable income stream from sales volume before going all in on recruiting.
3. Build Your Personal Network
When you get started, you’ll probably be taught to make a list of 100 people or more… your friends, family, acquaintances, etc.
But that list should be forever expanding. Learn to meet new people. Get out there, make friends, and get their contact information.
Don’t be too quick about bringing up your business. Just be a valuable contact and an all around, altruistic, good person.
When the right times comes for you to bring up your business, you can bring it up. If you’ve built a good relationship with your contacts, they’ll be way more likely to take a look at what you’re offering.
Check out our guide to personal networking here.
4. Learn Recruiting
For your long term success in network marketing, recruiting will become the most important skill to learn. It’s how you will bring in new presenters who are interested in building their own Younique business.
But you should do it the right way… a way that’s effective and classy.
Read our guide to MLM recruiting here.
5. Duplication
Even if you become a recruiting powerhouse, you’re never going to realize the power of network marketing unless you can teach your team to duplicate what you do.
You’ll need to build systems or take advantage of existing ones used within your company.
Duplication is what’s needed for your team to grow so deep that it would blow your mind. A team that will continue to grow and thrive without your efforts.
It doesn’t happen overnight. But over time, if done correctly, can lead to incredible things in the Younique business.
Be sure to check out our guide to duplication.
Taking Your Younique Business Online
As we mentioned already, you will be taught to make a list of 100 people or more… your friends, co-workers, Uncle Sam, your mechanic…
This is a fine place to start and you should certainly do what you’re taught.
But eventually, when you’ve built a team that’s thriving and starting to duplicate, you might consider taking your business online.
This can allow you to attract leads to you. You could even recruit presenters and make sales without even getting on the phone.
But in order to make this happen, you need to do it right.
3 things:
1. Build An Audience
The first thing you need to do to begin attracting leads to your business is build an audience base.
Instead of being just a consumer of information online, you need to become a creator. Start creating content in whatever manner you feel fits your strengths. Some options are:
- Social media posts
- Blog posts
- Videos
- Podcasts
The idea is to become an authority figure, a thought leader in your niche. When a potential lead asks herself a question relating to your industry, you need to be the first person that comes to mind.
This way, they will begin to seek out your content in order to learn your opinions and perspectives. Because you’ve built trust with your audience.
2. Build An Email List
As you’re creating content, you should never be pushing your business or products. Instead, direct them to join your email list. This is where the marketing is done.
Create a valuable freebie. This could be in the form of an eBook, video series, audio recording, etc.
In order to get access to the gift, they will need to join your email list by entering their email address into a form on your website.
The gift should deliver incredible value so that they will not regret getting on your list and will stick around for a long time.
3. Sell & Recruit
Once you have folks on your email list, you can begin marketing to them. This is where you start to introduce your products and even your business opportunity.
But ultimately, you have to continue providing value to your email subscribers.
You want these people to look forward to getting your emails. So that they actually open them, read them, and don’t unsubscribe from your list.
But you have to make money too, right?
So about 20% of your emails should consist of product or business recommendations, and the other 80% should be packed with entertainment and valuable information.
If you’ve built trust properly with your list, they will be very receptive when you make recommendations.
Now to be clear, this is a very oversimplified explanation of internet marketing. You can read our full guide to doing MLM on the internet here for a more detailed explanation.
Selling Younique | Pros & Cons
As I said earlier, I don’t want this Younique business review to seem like a shill for network marketing.
The truth is, not everything is great about network marketing, although I am personally a huge fan of the business model…
In case you hadn’t noticed.
So let’s break down the main pros and cons of the network marketing profession:
- Low barrier to entry. There is no other business opportunity that can allow you to build a 6 or 7 figure income without investing thousands of dollars
- Can be done part time. Unlike other business models, you don’t need to quit your day job and put yourself and your family into a precarious position.
- Digital marketing. It is possible to build this business almost completely online, which is the ultimate lifestyle business.
- No income cap. An MLM business can be scaled to incredibly large levels. Few other businesses offer this type of leverage.
- Complete freedom. When your business takes off, you can work from anywhere in the world.
- Stigma. Many people distrust MLM due to some bad actors in the past
- Cult-like. You will find some distributors in the business who are overzealous and can give your business a bad reputation
- Can strain relationships. You may find yourself feeling insulted when your loved ones don’t support you. Let it go! You will need a thick skin if you want to make it in MLM
- Takes hard work. You will spend the first while in MLM overworked and underpaid. Eventually, you could be overpaid IF you put in the work.
- Results-based compensation. Unlike a job, you will not get paid if you don’t perform. MLM is brutally fair.
Younique Business FAQ
Is selling Younique worth it?
Ultimately, it’s up to you. The Younique business model is powerful. Their products are high quality with excellent customer reviews.
But if you don’t really have a passion for beauty products, you’re going to struggle to stick with it.
However, if this is something that gets you excited and you’re willing to commit and do the hard work, this could be a really good opportunity.
Who is the highest paid Younique presenter?
Who is the top seller for Younique? According to BusinessForHome.org, Whitney Husband is the highest paid presenter in the Younique business and earns roughly $1.5 million in annual commissions.
How much does it cost to start Younique?
In order to get started as a presenter, you would need to purchase a starter kit which includes various products, samples, and marketing materials. The kit costs roughly $100.
Can you sell Younique on eBay?
No, it is against Younique’s company policy to sell the products through third party vendors. Products can only be purchased directly from an independent presenter.
How many Younique consultants are there?
According to data from Younique’s website, there were over 2 million presenters all over the world as of 2021.
How much do you have to sell to stay active with Younique?
In order to stay on as an active presenter, you would need to sell 125 PRV (Personal Retail Volume) worth of product very 3 months.
It’s difficult to say what the dollar value is because the PRV vs the US dollar can change over time and depends on the individual product. Additionally, it will vary depending on where you are in the world and what currency you’re using.
Is Younique good to work for?
It’s important to make a distinction here:
Working for Younique is not the same as being an independent presenter for Younique.
As a presenter, you’re a business owner. Think of yourself as an independent sales rep, or contractor.
But Younique does offer some employment opportunities to take care of things like marketing, administration, customer service, product R&D, etc.
It seems as though Younique employees are generally quite happy there. The company was classified as a Great Place To Work by the Great Place To Work Institute.
How do I resign from Younique?
If you are an existing Younique presenter but want to terminate your role with the company, you can simply log into your account online and deactivate it.
How do you earn cash in Younique?
Primarily this is done through the sale of products.
You can also build your own sales network that can (if done right) grow itself over time and produce sale volume of which you can earn commissions.
What kind of discount do Younique presenters get?
As an active presenter, you can purchase products for yourself at a discount of between 20-30%. The exact percentage varies from product to product.
Younique Business Review Summarized
Ultimately, you’re reading this Younique business review to help you answer 1 question:
Is this a good opportunity for you?
Look, I can’t really answer that for you. It’s a personal decision.
But after reading this, you know the pros and cons. You know that Younique is not a pyramid scheme and you can see why the allegations even exist.
And you have a rough idea of how the business works and what you need to do to make it work for you.
So here’s my question to you:
Do you have a passion for beauty products?
This is probably going to be a necessity in order for you to succeed with the Younique business. If you’re not passionate about the products you’re selling, you will have a very difficult time sticking with the business.
You’ll find yourself jumping from one thing to the next, never feeling content with what you’re doing.
The very first MLM business I ever joined was a health and wellness company. It was a really good company. They had a powerful compensation plan, wonderful people, and high quality products.
In fact, I still use the product to this very day. Over 10 years later.
But I was never able to make more than $500 with the business. And it was because I simply was not passionate about health and wellness. I could never sell the products with passion or conviction.
And I got bored.
But…
If you are passionate about these products and find yourself getting excited about this opportunity, then the Younique business could be a perfect fit for you.
I have no concerns about the legitimacy of the business model and would feel perfectly comfortable recommending it.
Just make sure you get excited about the products and then make a commitment to stick with this until you have the results you want.
My hope is that after reading this, you’ll be able to move forward with clarity, no matter what you decide.
And if there’s anything I missed in this Younique review, feel free to let me know in the comments section below.
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Written By:
Johnny Friesen
Just a blue collar guy passionate about finance, network marketing, and writing. When I'm not working on a car, you'll find me working on various side hustles and sharing my musings with the world.
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