Some time ago one the lovely members of The Beauty Brains community asked our opinion of Arbonne skin care products. We happily investigated the company and products and concluded that Arbonne products were not much different compared to the stuff you could buy in a regular store.
Well, commenter Heather disagreed and posted the following comments…
I’m very surprised that you didn’t dig deeper to find out what really makes Arbonne different. If women are indeed coming to you for advice, you should take the time to investigate better. Did you know that just about everything (I don’t know of anything that isn’t) you buy at the grocery store is A) Tested on animals B) Made with animal products/by-products (Look up ‘rendering plants’) C) “Hypoallergenic”… which means that even if 6 people react during testing, you can still label it “Hypoallergenic”. Arbonne tests 10 and if 1 reacts, it’s back to research! That’s only 3 flaws in your argument, there are more. I’m very skeptical about skin-care and nutrition and having worked for Lancome, Mary-Kay and Arbonne, I know a little about the different companies. Trusting women deserve the truth from you.
The Beauty Brains respond
Hello Heather,
Thanks so much for your comments and insight. We completely agree that trusting women deserve the truth from us.
That’s exactly why we stand behind everything here that we wrote about Arbonne and their products. Based on their reported ingredient lists, our own product evaluations and our knowledge of how the beauty industry (and cosmetic chemistry) works, we do not believe Arbonne products are anything special.
As to your specific claims.
Arbonne and animals
1. Did you know that just about everything you buy at a grocery store is tested on animals?
This isn’t exactly true. MOST finished formulas are NOT tested on animals. See this previous post on animal testing. Companies realize that this is a PR nightmare so they don’t test their final formulas on animals. Of course, all of the ingredients they use ARE tested on animals so they can get around the problem of selling safe products. But Arbonne does exactly the same thing. Every ingredient listed on Arbonne’s skin lotion has been tested on animals by the people who supply their raw materials.
2. Did you know that just about everything you by at a grocery store is made with animal products/by-products?
This is just wrong. Many things bought at grocery stores are made by companies that specifically avoid using animal products/by-products in them. In fact, lots of cosmetic raw material suppliers no longer promote animal derived ingredients. They focus on plant derived and synthetic chemicals. Perhaps there was a time that this was true, but times have changed. Sure, you can still find animal derived ingredients in grocery store products but there are plenty of companies who’ve stopped using them altogether.
It’s not surprising that you don’t know these facts about grocery store products because you are not in the lab working with raw material suppliers to get a full understanding of how cosmetic formulating works.
Arbonne Claims
3. Hypoallergenic doesn’t mean anything. It is just a made-up word by marketers and can be said about any formula. Even if 5 out of 10 people react during testing you can label it hypoallergenic.
First, of all, we agree that the term hypoallergenic is not very technically useful. There are no specific guidelines that the industry uniformly follows. About all it means is that the company has done some kind of irritation test.
But second, and most importantly, it’s curious you suggest that no one would have a reaction to Arbonne products. In the lotion featured in this post, Quaternium-15 is used. Did you know that Quat-15 is a preservative that works by releasing Formaldehyde? While this is a perfectly good preservative, there will be some people that will have a negative reaction to it. If Arbonne is using this ingredient, some people will have a negative reaction to it.
Feel free to show us the other flaws in our review. We are always open to different opinions. But if you do, please provide some researched facts to back up your statements. The three claims you’ve made about Arbonne products are just not supportable.
You go, Brains!
For cosmetics, I trust women with science backgrounds, not people who have just simply work for different companies.
Brain 1, brandbots 0
Btw, I really have to thank you guys for opening my eyes on how I can save so much money on skincare. I’m trying to get my sister to open her eyes, but her stubborn “science-oblivious” brain will not believe me when I tell her that my Olay moisturizer at $6.99 works as well as her Clarins/Shiseido/whatever brand that costs $40-$60. I try to get her to read this blog, but she just won’t believe me!
Her reasoning: There has to be a reason why products cost more.
How much of the cost of Arbonne products is the commission for the “consultants” providing their customers this scientifically flawed information?
Is there a difference between “hypoallergenic” and “allergy tested” claims? When I worked for Clinique, we were told that “allergy tested” is a reliable claim, while “hypoallergenic” is not. Although, since learning from you Brains, I’m skeptical about that statement!
I run when I learn someone is a Arbonne rep. I find them so fanatical about the products, but I haven’t found an Arbonne product that is worth the $ or lives up to its claim. Sorry to all my friends that are Arbonne reps.
I think you missed the point. She didn’t say no one has a reaction to Arbonne products.
I also think that the whole idea of being an Arbonne consultant is the same as the grocery store owner. People do that as a business and they’ll mark up the product as much as the market can bare. It only makes sense that these people are trying to make a living marketing these products. As a consumer it makes little sense to avoid the brand because of a few interesting “marketers”.
Having said that – people are finding that a lot of what “works” for us has little to do with science and a lot to do with what we think. For the sister who chooses to spend more – she may have better results with those more expensive products only because her mind is made up.
Dave in Naples, FL
I am so glad that others know know about the Q15 – I had received an e-mail about this and the attachment was from someone in Airbonne who claimed that the amount that is in their products could not be harmful. Who is it that says what amount is harmful? Aren’t all of our bodies different and react differently? I have switched where I shop and know that I am getting safer products. Our products are less expensive because we don’t sell them and we don’t buy in bulk. We only have membership accounts, so there is no mark up. EVERYBODY pays the same.
Great post, you really showed Heather! Someone thought she knew it all…goes to show that scientists are better trusted than people who work for the companies, who only want to sell the products anyway.
If you really want to learn about animal friendly companies and products free of animal by-products, check out this site.http://www.idausa.org/facts/crueltyfree.html . You will see that Arbonne meets the higher standards for cruelty free (meaning their suppliers don’t test on animals either) and they are typed in bold showing they contain no animal by-products. They are actually certified Vegan by Vegan.org. Of course, that’s only important if you care about that type of thing.
“We only have membership accounts, so there is no mark up. EVERYBODY pays the same.”
Arbonne reps do it for free? since when? If they make money there is mark up.
Traci,
Thanks for the information. Arbonne uses Quaternium-15 in some of their formulas. The only suppliers in our industry who make Quat-15 are Dow Chemical and Costec, Inc. Both of these raw material suppliers test on animals. So I wouldn’t put a lot of faith in the accuracy of the list of “cruelty free” companies compiled by the idausa.
Sherry, thanks so much for the comments. While we pointed out that Q15 could have a negative effect for some people, it can also be used safely in cosmetic products. Who’s to say? Well, years of human exposure has demonstrated the safety of the ingredient. At least as well as other ingredients in formulas like cetyl alcohol, aloe extract, etc.
Just because you’ve switched away from “toxic” ingredients doesn’t mean you are safer. And if you’re not using products that contain preservatives you are more likely to get a disease from harmful microbes than from using preserved products. Your fear of chemicals is understandable but out of place. It can be shown that EVERY ingredient (even Water) used in personal care products is toxic or harmful. If you believe and live like this you can’t use any cosmetic products.
Hello,
I recently stumbled upon this site as I was doing research about formaldehyde in Arbonne products. Being a new Arbonne consultant, I found that the claims others were making had to be done with analytical, critical research. I am to do a party tomorrow for an individual who is a mega all natural product supporter so I really need to be on my toes. As far as formaldehyde goes I greatly appreciate the comment made by Left Brain. It was very intellectual and it parallells the research I have found about the formaldehde claim as well. When I present Arbonne I do not claim that no one with have a reaction, that is simply unrealistic. Left Brain was right in saying that people will have adverse reactions to botanical products as well. My grandmother recently had a reaction to the RE9 facial serum. Her skin is very sensitive and the product is obviously too harsh for her skin. Oh well thats fine, I am going to get my grandmothers money back. After all, it is a very concentrated product so she may have been using too much of it as well. Thank you for your research left brain it greatly helped me.
Thanks for the comments Sarah and good luck with Arbonne. The products are good ones, just not much different than what you can get at the grocery store.
To all arbonne reps advertising here,
we are not dumb to buy your poor quality, and very misleading products, there are more products like Olay, Mary Kay and Dove that works better than spending my income buying outrageously overprice product that have irritating effects on my sensitive skin.
That’s a bit harsh to say “Arbonne sucks”. They are likely high quality formulas that work quite well for some people. Definitely overpriced but they aren’t the only overpriced brand out there. The objection is they claim they are better than other brands. They aren’t.
Well arbonne products have helped me more than any of those grocery store products out there. Moreover, the ones I use are comparable in price to “the higher end products” sold in the grocery store. I agree that most Arbonne products are overpriced, but I would rather invest a little more money in a product that actually helps me with my skin condition. But all in all everyone is entitled to their opinion.
I am an Arbonne rep, and since you are talking about mark up, to be honest I sign everyone up as they are happy to get the SAME wholesale discount I get. I make no money on the retail “mark-up.” If you buy from a store, a large part of the price you pay goes to pay for all the marketing research, ads in magazines and commercials, and the several middlemen between the manufacturer and the end consumer, a large portion of the price you pay goes to wholesalers, warehousers, advertisers, the retailer, you are paying for shelf space, don’t forget that when you are comparing brands and prices. And I know I give better customer service to my clients than any department store or retailer, I totally back up Arbonne’s satisfaction guarantee and dont make people feel like a heel if they ever need to return something like some uppity rep at a department store counter. We all work hard for our money, and you should get what you pay for…that includes a great product that you can clearly see what the ingredients are so you are informed, as well as customer service that is second to none. Consumer satisfaction is about the big picture of product and service, not just the product.
Someone commented that Arbonne reps are “fanatical.” Have you tried some or all of the products? These reps have, and the products worked for them, so they believe in them. I have clients who have derm issues that they found no help for to include from dermatologists. Although it has not been nor do we claim that it is a cure, the botanical ingredients in Arbonne’s Skin Conditioning Oil help one lady client of mind to calm her angry skin enough to where she can actually sleep at night. This product has helped her immensely. If you haven’t tried the products then maybe you should hold your comments until you know something worth commenting about. We just want to share with others what may help them, inform them of other options for skin care and wellness. And remember, we are everyday people just like you, only we are not satisfied with what has been handed to us in this everyday life, instead we are working hard to improve our lives and the lives of those that we touch. Know something about Arbonne the company and the people before commenting that they are fanatical or “suck.”
I just hate Arbonne because of my past experience with their pushy reps, thats why I say they suck.There was once an Arbonne consultant visiting in my place, I heard she bashes company like Mary Kay and Paullas Choice telling that it contains Mineral Oil, which they claim to be like a plastic that damage my skin by robbing the vitamins.
I love Paullas Choice, it has no reaction on my skin. I didn’t realize they use scare tactics. When I visit this website, I was so happy that mineral oil is in fact not bad for the skin. I even found out that Re9 is not purely that pure, safe, beneficial because when I put it on my face I look like burned cow. There was reaction on my skin, outgrowths like pimple appear on my skin,
I keep yelling my consultant how to get rid of this, but she instead forces me to use other Arbonne products which makes my skin looks worse. I wish when Arbonne consultants say something, make sure they say the truth not opinions. Thank u so much BeautyBrains, your research will help me greatly.
I would just like to respond to the statement that “Arbonne products are not really any different than drug store brands”
I am a new Arbonne Rep, and like many others, am proud to say I have “drunk the Koolaid” so to speak. I am also a practicing Attorney, have been for over 14 years, and would like to thus think of myself as a relatively well-educated person. I spent three years of law school learning how to learn, so I researched Arbonne quite thoroughly before deciding to jump in with both feet.
A review, no matter how well educated the reviewer, is nothing more than a subjective opinion. To say that a product is better or worse than another has to be based in fact. Most people “review” products based on their own personal experiences with them. I have tried and use the Arbonne products. They work wonderfully for me, and for all those people I have introduced them to. Does anyone ever have a reaction? OF COURSE THEY DO! If people can be allergic to peanuts and shellfish, then they can be allergic to botanical products.
There are TONS of products on the market that are all natural, do not test on animals, and that are great moisturizers. That being said, there are THREE KEY THINGS that make Arbonne different from not only drug store brands, but department store brands and also other, multi-level marketed skin care and cosmetic brands.
The first thing is Arbonne’s technology, and the delivery system of the product. Most beauty products are made up of great ingredients – they can be the best on the market. However, they often do not penetrate directly to the epidermal cells that need the moisture the most. The do not self-adjust. Arbonne uses a technology called Nanosphere technology – look it up. It is what is used to deliver chemotherapy to cancer patients who need it. If Chemo were delivered to every single cell in the body, cancer patients would die from the Chemo well before the cancer would kill them. The nanosphere technology takes the medication, or the product, in our case, directly to the cellular areas that need it the most. Arbonne’s moisturizers do not sit on the skin like most other brands do. The product not only penetrates down from the top epidermal level, but does its work where it is needed the most. Superior product? Not necessarily. Superior delivery? Definately.
Number two. Name one drug store brand, or store brand that gives you a 45 DAY money back guarantee. With most products, you would run out of the product within that 45 day window. Can you go to CVS 45 days later with your bottle of Oil of Olay and return it for a full refund? Go ahead and try…
Number three. Take youself to Eckerd, or to Bloomingdales. Go to the Clinique counter, or the Estee Lauder counter. You may get small samples of products – I doubt it. You will NEVER get a full sized kit of seven products to try out for at least three days before you buy it. Never.
It is, therefore, not necessarily the ingredients in the Arbonne products that make them superior to other brands. I personally believe that the products themselves are superior, but that is because they have worked for me when NOTHING else has, including the Orlane and La Mer that I have spent hundreds more on. What is very different is the technology, and the company itself. The delivery of the product into your skin, and the service the company provides to not only the client, but to the representative as well. And, the fact that the products are certified VEGAN and also PETA-approved (and PETA would not, by the way, approve any product that had animal testing anywhere down the line), well, that is just icing on the cake.
If you really want to know if Arbonne products are superior FOR YOUR OWN SKIN, then just contact a rep and test run them for yourself. But don’t have a negative opinion before you actually try something. And be an educated consumer.
Hello Christine, I have some things to share what I learn in the cosmetics industry.
- synthetic ingredients cannot be underestimated by natural products alone, for example the peppermint, Arbonne claims that peppermint can open the pores and help in reducing acne, on some reason it may be true, but peppermint has been known to cause severe irritation on most people, especially the sensitive ones, and most synthetic ingredients are not bad since they come from natural products, example of this is the mineral oil, which has no claim of damaging skin, have you notice lotions? most of them contain mineral oil, and if (mineral oil) robbed vitamins you will look like an old lady if it’s was true.
- most ingredients in the market cost pennies not dozens or hundreds of dollars.
- there is no research proven whether nanosphere technology is good for the skin, because you can use lukewarm water to provide entrance for the ingredients to nourish the face, without the technology thinggy, there are also studies that nanosphere technology can cause cancer in your body, because it can penetrate deeply into your bloodstream, I’m not sure with Arbonne though.
- 3rd thing is that you claim to your customers that your lipstick doest contain lead, which is a lie.
look carefully on how much lead your lipstick are
0.286 ug/g (Arbonne)
it is based on FDA study in oklahoma city
Research shows that quantity greater than 0.2 ug/g is dangerous and should be avoided.
- reviews are meant to avoid waste of money and further damage to the skin, reviews are better to look at than testimonies
- most cheap products work better and a lot safer than expensive products (without the pain in the wallet)
- it does not matter whether it’s Swiss or from Bulgaria, as long as you know what’s best for your skin (not being brainwashed by country claims because most American cosmetic products works better than foreign ones) which is IMO.
- sample are better to try, since you can observe whether it has some reactions on the skin or no effect at all.
- 45 day money back guarantee is a sales technique, you can force the customers to try another products until it will buy one.
- it doesn’t matter if its drug store product, or an MLM company as long as the results are there w/ the right information not based on opinions.
To learn more about the nanotechnology, watch
http://www.nrdc.org/health/science/nano.asp
Avoid cosmetic products with nanotechnology, nanosphere or any nano ( it will worsen your health)
I’m not trying to bust the Arbonne myth, just telling the truth
While there is significant concern that nanotechnology could have a negative impact on health and the environment, to say that it will “worsen your health” is an overstatement. This has not been proven and sunscreens have been using nanotechnology for years without a major negative impact. That’s how they make them go on clear.
However, more studies need to be done and at this point I would agree, avoid nanotechnology at the moment. Realistically cosmetic companies probably do not put enough nanotechnology in their products (except sunscreens) to make much of a difference.
Christine & Arbonne reps,
If Arbonne is claiming that their products are reaching the cellular level, they are leaving themselves open for a lawsuit. OTC products cannot claim this, as any product that is being put into the cellular level, it has to be done under a doctor’s care.
Arbonne products are nothing to write home about.
I have a hard time believing that ANYONE would purchase skin care products from people who have NO education in skin care.
ANGRY skin? What the heck is angry skin?
Can any of the Arbonne reps please let me know something? I have asked many and NONE have answered me:
*my son has cystic acne. What does he need for his skin? What type of wash? Does he need a moisturizer? If so, what kind?
* I have eczema. I also am allergic to geranium. What products contain that? Same with aloe.
*I break out with many products. What skin type do I have?
I really wish just ONE Arbonne rep would answer these questions.
* What percentage of glycolic are in your exfoliants?
Before I use your products, I need to know the answers.
I will wait to hear from all of you.
Lynette-
Intuit Beauty has some really great products for your sons acne problem. Intuit Beauty has 19 products that can be mixed and match for pretty much any skin type and condition.
For your sons skin type I would suggest Intuit Beauty’s Acne Fighting System, which is A cleanser, SET ME FREE, which contains willowbark (a natural salicylic acid which will help to dissolve cell that block the pores), Stripper, an astringent, which also contains willowbark, salicylic acid, green tea & tea tree oil, which will all help deep clean the pores without irritation. A resurfer (depending on the severity one or the other) Fake ID, which is a glycolic serum or All Nighter which is a retinol serum. A Rebuild/Repair Serum called Drama Free, which contains two cutting edge ingredients, soluble beta glucans (which is a biological response modifier and challenges the skin to repair itself) and superoxide dimutase, a powerful biological antioxidant, which aids in controlling inflamation, great for calming the skin and helping it to repair and prevent any scarring from acne. Keep It Lite Moisturizer, a unique oil-free hydrating gel that uses moisutezomes to deliver liposomes into the deepest layers of the skin without clogging pores and super fro acne prone skin types. As well some trouble shooting products called Lets’ Face It, which is a zinc and sulpher clay mask which will help suck all the bacteria out of the pores and dry them up, and Blemish 911, the Zit Zapper, which contains, salicylic acid, beta glucans, tea tree oil and green tea, great for spot treating.
If you’d like more help with your son’s skin and your skin type, feel free to contact me.
rene@myskincarediva.com
hope to hear from you. I’m pretty sure i can help.
45 day money back guarantee?
I don’t know about anyone else, but if I don’t like a product I know a lot sooner than 45 days. That doesn’t impress me at all.
You all have some to say about Arbonne but how many have used it ? If you uesd how long did you use it for ? 70% dose not go to the rep they only make 30% of a retail sale just so all you know !!!!
Lynette- it appears that you and the community here are quite anti-Arbonne and I don’t think that a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon could sway you. The response before that said “angry skin” is obviously a medical professional, as am I. I am choosing not to expand on this as it only puts people more on the defensive. I truly believe that everyone’s skin is different and that Arbonne is incredible for some people and some people just love using Vaseline. To each their own. This is precisely why Arbonne encourages people to try before they buy. No pressure, no pushiness. You don’t like it, you don’t buy it. Sounds like you have acne- prone skin and your son also. The Arbonne lines may work for you there are particular combinations that have worked well with my patients but if something were suggested here, it would be taken and then bashed because it wasn’t right for you, even if you actually chose to try it. For your information though, there is geranium in the sunscreen line and skin conditioning oil and aloe in the color products and baby products.
cd, it would seem that a “medical professional” would know that there is no proof that geranium does anything for your skin when incorporated into a sunscreen line. But maybe not.
For the record, we never said Arbonne didn’t produce good products. We said that they just weren’t much different than other less-expensive products.
beautybrains- I simply answered the question that Lynette asked about Geranium as she said that she was allergic to it. I made no claims whatsoever to the effectiveness. She asked for ingredients and that is what I posted for her.
I’ve tried Olay, L’Oreal all those drug store brands and I really didn’t like them. My skin never felt soft or exfoliated and I noticed I had a lot of clogged pores even after washing. I tried Philosophy’s skin care line and absolutely adored it. I’ve also recently tried Arbonne and loved that as well. Of course it’s much easier to swallow a 7.99 price tag than $100 or more, but I honestly feel that some higher priced brands do more for my skin. Same thing with Sonya Dakar. So expensive but I remember people telling me how great my skin looked. Never had that happen with Olay.
I am so happy that I found this post! My husband’s aunt believes that she knows best, so I wasn’t surprised when she bought me the Arbonne ABC Baby Lotion for my 2 year old daughter’s eczema because of her sales rep friend’s convincing sales pitch. The second I applied it to my daughter’s hands she cried and screamed that it was BURNING!!! Bad mother as I am, I tried it 1 more time another day when I was desperate to alleviate her constantly itching hands and she had the same reaction! I am sure it works fine on SOME people with Eczema, but this just goes to show that no product is perfect for everyone. This lotion is intended for children and babies with sensitive skin, correct? Then I’d love to know why you can unmistakably smell the fragrance in this product. Fragrance is a known trigger for most people with sensitive skin. I’m not sold on this line and I agree, I could find similar products at a drugstore, none of which we have had any luck with to date. Thanks for confirming my instincts.
hello everyone! as a new arbonne consultant (i’m sure i’ve made some of you cringe already…)i felt like i should add my thoughts. i’m an esthetician turned makeup artist, and a self proclaimed ‘product whore’. i was fortunate enough to discover the products quite randomly and without a pushy sales rep reciting a bunch of useless crap she’d been told to say. i’ve represented many products before in the industry and, i’m sorry to say, ‘stretched the truth’ on more than one occasion to make some pitiful commission. i have made it my mission as an arbonne (consultant? rep? whatever the hell they call me now…)to not go through the training they provide or research any information directly through arbonne, as it is, of course completely biased and written to sell. i use arbonne cause the products have made a HUGE difference for me, and the makeup is awesome to work with. i have a good knowlege of ingredients and, in my opinion, don’t view any of their products as harmful. the reason i started selling arbonne is because of the samples. u wouldn’t buy clothes without trying them on and i don’t think you should buy cosmetics without testing them. most of the stuff i now can’t live without, i love it. the rest… (example: weight loss shake that tastes like watered down garbage) i just don’t sell. so i guess my long drawn-out point is that there are some arbonne sellers that don’t say and do whatever it takes to make their money.
k, as if that last comment wasn’t long enough, i thought i’d post what i tell all my clients (with arbonne and otherwise..) there are 3 steps to follow that i believe will let you know if a product is right for you: 1)is it an ethical fit for you? (eg:chemical ingredients, treatment of animals, price … etc.)do your research! 2)does it work for you?(eg.no irritation, u see/feel results) 3)is the smell and look of the product appealing to you? as shallow and unimportant as this may seem, you DO have to look at these products every day, and if you have them on your face/rub them on your body, you just really don’t want them to be rank, right? anyway. that’s my insight.
Thanks for your comments. You can continue the discussion by joining the Beauty Brains forum and posting your opinion there.
If you’d like to see what other people are saying about Arbonne see the Arbonne Forum link.
We look forward to hearing from you.
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