Arbonne

Arbonne At-A-Glance 
   Strengths: Most of the NutriMinC RE9 products have merit and contain an exciting blend of antioxidants and ingredients that mimic the structure and function of healthy skin; a small selection of basic but effective cleansers and masks; good powder, eyeshadow,and blush; brush and color sets are worth a look.
   Weaknesses: Consistent and pervasive use of volatile fragrant oils that are irritating, allergenic, and/or photosensitizing for skin; no effective AHA or BHA products; no skin-lightening or effective anti-acne products; only one sun-care product that does not contain problematic ingredients; average foundations and eye pencils; bad concealer and mascara.

   Founded in 1975 with the goal of providing skin-care products with “unparalleled quality and effectiveness,” Arbonne International is a direct-sales line many of my readers have an intense curiosity about. There must be lots of assertive Arbonne salespeople out there, because no other line with this type of business structure has generated the amount of email I receive, all asking if Arbonne products are worth it and whether or not many of the company’s outlandish claims are true. More than many other lines, Arbonne is big on playing up the alleged evil of many benign cosmetic ingredients. Topping this list is mineral oil, which the company maintains interferes with skin functions and delivery systems. Cosmetics-grade mineral oil is not a problem for skin and is in fact one of the mildest and most effective ingredients for making dry skin look and feel better. It doesn’t have the best texture or finish, but its effectiveness is indisputable (Sources: Journal of Burn Care Research, May-June 2006, pages 345–351; Contact Dermatitis, June 2003, pages 293–299; Cosmetics & Toiletries, January 2001, page 79; Cosmetic Dermatology, September 2000, pages 44–46; and Dermatitis, September 2004, pages 109–116).
   I have also been asked about whether it is true that all mascaras except Arbonne’s contain bat excrement. Yes, you read that correctly. It seems many Arbonne salespeople are telling potential customers that all mascaras (except for Arbonne’s, of course) contain this substance. I also found that many of the Arbonne representatives I spoke to love sharing the false rumor about lipsticks containing road-kill remnants (except for Arbonne’s, of course). I wouldn’t mention these tall tales if these were a few isolated incidents, but dozens upon dozens of women have contacted me asking for the truth behind these ludicrous claims. Just to be clear, cosmetic chemists are not venturing into dark caves to collect bat
excrement or picking up carcasses of animals on the side of the road all in an effort to save money and create harmful cosmetics. And you have to wonder: If Arbonne products are so wonderfully effective, why do they need to sell themselves using scare tactics about what every other company’s products supposedly contain?
   Arbonne also advertises the fact that their products don’t contain chemical fragrances because of their potential for causing allergic contact dermatitis. I agree with that stance, but it would give Arbonne more credibility if they didn’t replace “chemical” fragrances with a slew of irritating plant extracts and volatile oils, several of which are well-known for their potential to cause skin problems. It is their overreliance on such ingredients that makes a disproportionate number of their products impossible to recommend. 
   I could go on, but to sum it up, despite my reservations, Arbonne has some good products to consider. However, the rather misleading marketing language is not convincing. None of the natural-sounding ingredients in the world can keep you from reacting to an irritating preservative or fragrance, or from breaking out due to cosmetic waxes such as stearic acid or myristyl myristate.

   For more information about Arbonne International, call (800) 272-6663 or visit www.arbonne.com.

   Arbonne’s makeup is known as About Face, and in contrast to its skin-care products, the claims are somewhat tempered. The color palette presented is divided into warms, cools, and neutrals. Although I don’t agree with all of Arbonne’s classifications, this system is helpful for making your selection. Regrettably, this collection has seen very little change since it was reviewed in full over four years ago. The About Face line launched in 2002, and, at the time, offered many impressive options. Given the advances made by many other cosmetic lines, Arbonne’s About Face could use a face-lift, particularly their foundations with embarrassingly low SPF numbers (though they do include sufficient UVA-protecting ingredients).
   Other less-than-stellar products that aren’t keeping pace include their latest concealer, pressed-powder colors, and perennially disappointing mascara. Despite this, the product categories to focus on remain foundations (but not for sun protection), blush, eyeshadow,lipstick, and brushes. You should know that contacting an Arbonne representative to purchase makeup (you cannot purchase it via the company’s Web site without having being assigned a representative) will result in more than just a monetary transaction. The Arbonne representatives I encountered were on a mission to recruit anyone who buys (or expresses interest in) their products. Dealing with this company demands patience or a strong resolve. You will need to refute not only the employees’ fervent belief that Arbonne products and philosophies are superior to all others, but also the assertion that joining the company is a life-altering experience on par with the most profound spiritual journey you can imagine. Speaking as a consumer, this sort of selling is not appealing, but I am sure there are others looking for just the financial opportunity Arbonne offers. Those who agree with me should know that the About Face collection includes nothing that can’t be found elsewhere, from companies that make it much easier to obtain products than Arbonne does. One more point: Returning products to Arbonne is incredibly frustrating. You must contact your consultant to obtain her information, and then call the company to obtain a return merchandise authorization number. If your consultant doesn’t step up,you’re stuck with the products unless you want to deal with the company directly, which is about as pleasant as a root canal.