Why I Became a Beautycounter Consultant and Why I Love Selling It

Last Updated on March 8, 2023

I’m a Beautycounter consultant sharing products I love while changing the world. But it wasn’t an easy decision. Here’s an honest look at why I became a Beautycounter consultant that will help you decide if it’s the right business for you, loaded with helpful FAQs about pay, product, and discounts.

Y’all, I did a thing I never in a million years thought I would do. If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be working in direct sales for an MLM, I would’ve laughed/rolled my eyes/possibly cursed at you. #justbeinghonest

But here we are. Hi, I’m Kate and I’m a Beautycounter consultant??!!?

This may come as a big surprise to you–heck, it surprised me too. But that’s exactly why I want to share with you WHY I decided to join Beautycounter and HOW it’s possible to earn commissions while changing the world. It was a decision I did not come to lightly, and also one that happened incredibly organically.

What is Beautycounter? 

I first learned of Beautycounter when I received their cleansing balm in a Love Goodly natural beauty subscription box back in 2016. I immediately fell in love with this magic in a jar and so I googled the company and was in awe of what they were doing to change the beauty industry for the better.

Simply put, Beautycounter is a brand of non-toxic personal care products, from skincare and makeup to sunscreen, body wash, shampoo and they’ve even got special lines for men, kids, and babies! In fact, there are over 1,500 ingredients on their “never list”, and Beautycounter is Certified by the Environmental Working Group.

Why does this even matter? Well, did you know the cosmetics industry laws haven’t been updated since 1938? Or that the EU has banned 1,400 ingredients when the U.S has only banned 30? And that many of these ingredients have links to cancer, infertility, hormonal disruption, skin irritation, and more? Or that of the 80,000+ chemicals used today, over 80% have NEVER been tested for human safety?

Yeah. So Beautycounter is SO MUCH MORE than just a clean beauty brand; it’s a movement. Not only was Beautycounter was THE MOST GOOGLED beauty brand in 2018, but they are truly changing the industry by changing the laws. Their advocacy work (like lobbying for the Personal Care Products Safety Act) is so inspiring and makes a huge impact, and the company personally does a ton of ingredient research, studies, and third-party testing to make sure their products are safe.

My Journey to Becoming a Beautycounter Consultant

I wanted to be a part of the change! And what better way than to vote with your dollars?!

So I ordered a few more products. And then a few more. I started shopping with Beautycounter so much that it only made sense to become a Band of Beauty member so I could save 15% off all my orders and get free shipping and lots of free gifts and exclusive deals (note: being a member is not the same as being a consultant; more details below).

I couldn’t believe how much I truly loved their products–they’re green, non-toxic, beautiful, and, most importantly, they actually work!

And then my friend Kristen mentioned she was a consultant. I honestly didn’t even know that was a thing as I thought Beautycounter was just a store like Sephora. Over the next year, she’d occasionally mention how great her business was doing, how inspired and empowered she was working for an innovative company like Beautycounter, and my ears started perking up.

I was intrigued, but honestly, I was afraid I wouldn’t meet the minimums (more on that below) if I joined. And I really didn’t want to harass my friends and family to buy from me.

And so I waited…I sat on this opportunity for MONTHS. And as time went by, I continued to see impressive progress by and press for Beautycounter in reputable outlets like the New York Times, The Today Show, and they even made Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies List.

Eventually, with the amount of product I was buying, it didn’t make sense not to be a consultant with their discount perks. And so I joined the Beautycounter movement. That was in October 2017.

And for the next year, I basically just treated Beautycounter like an affiliate program, including links in blog posts and emails. I never even told anyone I knew I was doing it, not even my own mother.

But it was working… well enough, at least. And I met those minimums I was afraid of SO easily, in just a few months. But it wasn’t until I was on my maternity leave in November of 2018 that I really decided to make a go of this.

Kristen and I had started talking more and more about the business, I was starting to see some momentum from a few of the promos we were running on the blog and I did a quick makeup tutorial on Instagram and got 12 orders right away!

Hmm… maybe I should really do this thing, I thought. Maybe I should go all in and see what can happen. So I started in December 2018 by finally contacting my friends and family and letting them know what I was up to with Beautycounter.

I posted something on my personal Facebook about my business. And I started regularly doing Instagram tutorials.

It was something I could feel really good about. Why? Because Beautycounter is one of the cleanest, greenest beauty brands I know, and they’re creating real change. That’s something I want to be a part of! Consultants aren’t salespeople, they’re educators, empowering people to make better choices for themselves and their families, something was already doing with my holistic wellness site, Root + Revel (which I later sold).

Additionally, I have recently gone social media free in my business and still make at least several hundred dollars a month from Beautycounter.

I just want to do good in this world, even better if it offers the opportunity to make additional income while I’m doing it. Keep reading if you agree!

Why I’m proud to be a Beautycounter Consultant

I mentioned that the Beautycounter minimums gave me pause when I was first considering becoming a consultant. But that wasn’t my only concern. Here are some of the other reasons I was hesitant to join Beautycounter, and ultimately, why I realized I was wrong:

Myth #1: Is Beautycounter an MLM?

I hate MLMs (aka pyramid schemes) and Tupperware parties. 

“Hi, Kate. It’s me, Megan. I know we never were really friends and haven’t spoken since middle school but I just KNOW that you would love to buy essential oils/cheap costume jewelry/protein shakes/weird hair growth products/diet pills from me. I’m now going to spam you with messages and posts until you’re forced to block me, sound good? Cool. Bye!“

Can you relate? Yep, this is what most of us think of when we hear the words MLM. Annoying consultants and crap we don’t need (or even want) that’s usually cheesy, expensive and ineffective. I get it.

And we’ve all read the exposées and laughed at John Oliver make fun of HerbaLife enough to know that pyramid schemes are the root of all evil. But here’s why Beautycounter is different. (P.S. Learn the difference between MLMs and pyramid schemes here.)

So a pyramid scheme is an illegal business model where you’re required to recruit people to sell under you with the promise of money, but no actual payouts ever really happen.

At Beautycounter, you don’t have to recruit anyone. And even if I choose to, I’ll still make more money if I focus on my own business instead of trying to ride on their coattails. I’ll go into more details on this in the FAQ below, but I only make 5-9% of my recruits’ sales compared to 25-35% of my own. You do the math.

Plus, Beautycounter is actually not an MLM, rather they’re “direct retail” because anyone can buy their products, even without using a consultant (just like at Sephora or MAC or Clinique). While they do use Independent Consultants, like me, their products are available through e-commerce, traditional retail partnerships (like with Goop and J.Crew), and promotional opportunities with other brands (they’re often in beauty box subscriptions, for example!).

And finally, unlike most MLM’s, Beautycounter does not require that you keep an inventory of any kind or even purchase any products for yourself, ever. So you are not out any money unless you choose to buy their products for your own use.

So if you are asking the question “Is Beautycounter an MLM?” and are turned off, think again. If you think you have to host Tupperware parties and force your friends to buy from you, good news! You don’t.

MLMs get a bad rap because of the obnoxious consultants, not the business themselves. So, ya know, just be cool. Think of all the things that drive you away from other MLMs, and do the opposite. Don’t be annoying. Seriously, it’s not that hard.

Don’t spam your Facebook friends or harass people you haven’t spoken to in years. Don’t be aggressive or pushy. Get outside of your immediate network. And for the love of all things holy, listen to people. Help them.

That’s where I really resonate with Beautycounter, because I love being a helpful, trustworthy resource. Why am I a consultant? Because I genuinely like the products, use them myself and love sharing the things I love with my people.

I will never bullshit anyone. If I think there is another brand that sells a superior product to Beautycounter, I will recommend that product instead. No one company has 100% perfect products that work for 100% of people. To wit, you can see my variety of current favorites from various brands here.

Now, with Success with Soul, I have returned to just using Beautycounter like an affiliate program.

Myth #2: Consultants are just bored stay-at-home moms, not entrepreneurs. 

While it’s true that independent sales jobs are a really great fit for stay-at-home moms, at the end of the day, Beautycounter is a business. And I LOVE that this business empowers women to be their own advocates.

Do some consultants just join as a way to get 25% off all their products? Sure. But there are dozens of consultants making over six figures a year (seriously!). You have the opportunity to make $50/month or $50,000/month; last year we had our first consultant earn $1 million.

**Disclaimer: Please bear in mind that earnings with Beautycounter may vary significantly, they depend on many factors, and not all Consultants will earn money. Relevant factors include each Consultant’s time dedicated to selling/mentoring and their unique circumstances. To see more about the earnings of Beautycounter Consultants, please view the 2021 Income Disclosure Statement. In 2021, the average Beautycounter Consultant earned $1,861 in the U.S. In Canada, the typical Consultant earned between $0 and $1,000, excluding income from retail sales of products.

But the point is, this business is what you make it. I love that women (and men!) can create a business that fits their lifestyle and fuels their passion.

I’ve heard countless stories from the amazing consultants in this community, and Beautycounter has literally changed these women’s lives. Yes, many consultants love Beautycounter because it’s flexible and on your terms and allows them to stay home with their kids (or their dog, or, let’s be honest, working in their jammies).

But that doesn’t take away from the fact that being a Beautycounter consultant is a business–it only furthers how incredible this opportunity is, and I think women need to stop apologizing for doing what they can to empower themselves and their families.

Why should we be ashamed of working a business that allows us to take care of ourselves? As the wise Rachel Hollis says, “Girl, stop apologizing!”

Myth #3: Beautycounter is not the cleanest beauty brand. 

Is the brand perfect? No. No company is. Are they constantly striving for ways to be better, clean up the beauty industry and keep us safe? Hell yes!

I don’t know any green/natural beauty brands that third-party tests all of their products (for example, Beautycounter tests their makeup three times for 10 heavy metals before its sold) AND creates laws around transparency and safety.

Beautycounter is also a Certified B. Corp to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency, which is HUGE!

Between their EWG Certification, their never list, third-party testing, advocacy work in Washington and transparency, I honestly don’t know any other brand that is this clean, non-toxic, safe AND actually works!

How Much do Beautycounter Consultants Make?

Let’s just lay it all out there. You want to know what kind of commissions you can expect? Here’s how it works: in its simplest terms, you start at a 25% commission on all sales and that can increase up to 35% based on performance. Sell $100, make $25 (up to $35). How crazy cool is that? You can also earn a commission as you get consultants to sign up under you, which is 5-9% of their sales based on performance. So it pays to build a team, but not as much as it pays to grow your own business. Below is our compensation plan, which can be kinda confusing if you’ve never seen it before. But if you’re interested in learning more, drop me an email and I can walk you through it.

Ok so that’s how you make money as a Beautycounter consultant, but how much money can you expect to make. Check out the stats from 2021 for all Beautycounter consultants (remember: consultants determine when and how much they wish to work. Many of consultants choose to spend a few hours a week with Beautycounter, while others have made it a full-time focus. As a result, the amount of commissions earned can vary significantly.

• These figures include all consultants, even if they had no sales and; therefore, earned no commissions in a given month.

Highlights of 2021 earnings:

• The average total annual income for all U.S. Consultants was $1,861
• Top 1% of Consultants were paid on average $65,675

While the income can vary quite a bit, it’s really all about what you’re willing to put into the business. Any success takes work and consistency. Like any business, you can’t give up too easily or throw in the towel before you’ve really given it a real shot. And you can’t just sit around and wait for the sales to start rolling in. But if you put in the work, I promise you, it will pay off!

**Disclaimer: Please bear in mind that earnings with Beautycounter may vary significantly, they depend on many factors, and not all Consultants will earn money. Relevant factors include each Consultant’s time dedicated to selling/mentoring and their unique circumstances. To see more about the earnings of Beautycounter Consultants, please view the 2021 Income Disclosure Statement. In 2021, the average Beautycounter Consultant earned $1,861 in the U.S. In Canada, the typical Consultant earned between $0 and $1,000, excluding income from retail sales of products.

My Favorite Beautycounter Products

There are many Beauticounter reviews for various products, but instead of reviewing each product, I will give you a list of my top 15 favorite products and why I love them.

1. Cleansing Balm (I use this as a makeup remover and a cleanser at night)
2. All Bright C Serum (packed with Vitamin C–my acne scars have lightened since I started using this!)
3. Countercontrol Clear Pore Cleanser (I use this to exfoliate in the shower)
4. Countertime Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil (a nourishing daily cleanser)
5. Countermatch Intense Moisture Serum (makes my skin feel like silk)
6. Countertime Eye Cream (no more crow’s feet!)
7. Overnight Resurfacing Peel (wake up to glowing, smooth skin)
8. Makeup Remover Wipes (for when I’m too lazy to wash my face)
9. Charcoal Mask (get rid of blackheads and even skin tone)
10. Mineral Sunscreen Mist (the only natural sunscreen that actually rubs in!)
11. Twin Skin Foundation (hydrating, not cakey but perfect amount of coverage, reduces lines + wrinkles)
12. Satin Powder Blush (the best subtle pop of color)
13. Eyeshadow Palette (stays on ALL day!)
14. Sheer Lipstick (hydrating and pigmented)
15. Brilliant Brow Gel (quick and easy face framer)

And, if you find you don’t like a product, Beautycounter offers a 60-day return policy, no questions asked, even on used products. So it’s literally 100% risk free.

Beautycounter Consultant FAQ

If you’re still reading, I get the feeling that you’re intrigued by this whole Beautycounter thing and you might have some questions. I know I did! So I’ve included an FAQ below of the most frequently asked questions I get about being a consultant.

I Want to Become a Beautycounter Consultant! How do I join?

A: Whoop! Get ready for your world to be rocked! Becoming a Beautycounter consultant is beyond easy. Simply sign up through their website here.

If you’re looking for a Consultant to mentor you and help you build a successful business, I’d love to talk with you about joining my team. Do you need a mentor? Not necessarily, BUT there’s a lot to learn and while it’s not rocket science, having a support system, a cheerleader, someone to bounce ideas off of, ask questions and just share in your success is SUPER helpful.

There are group calls you could join in on, private Facebook groups, mentoring sessions and more. But honestly, I’m super relaxed about this and fully believe you should do things at your own pace without anyone breathing down your neck or pushing you to do anything you’re not comfortable with. So I can provide you with as much support, or as little, as you need.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Alright, that was a lot and I could seriously talk for so many more hours about Beautycounter. And I will if you want to–drop me a note and we can hop on a call! But for now, I’ll just leave you with this: Beautycounter may or may not be for you, BUT, if you are interested in learning more, the CEO of Beautycounter recently hosted an opportunity call for potential consultants and I think it would be super helpful for you to check it out.