1. The Ultimate Non-Toxic Multi-Level Marketing…

The most important part to understand is this was a complicated feat. This is not easy for your average person to navigate at all. That’s why we decided to go down the rabbit hole and investigate as many MLMs as we could find and uncover the real truth behind the business. We did the work to verify mountains of information, using our expertise to categorize each brand based on a number of important factors including ingredient and label examination, ease of access to get that ingredients information and overall company quality. Above all, we valued transparency and the ability to verify claims. For instance, “made using organic farming methods” isn’t the same as USDA organic and is unverifiable, so brands asking us to “trust us!” were demoted. It’s important to understand that. We have no way of verifying the information. But brands that disclose 100% of their ingredients, have 3rd party certifications and avoid hormone-disrupting chemicals fared very well.

Top 10 Ingredients to Avoid

While examining each MLM, we scoured their products to determine if they contained any of our top 10 worst offenders. The Best category only lists companies that don’t use any of these ingredients. The Better list has MLMs that may use small amounts of less serious offenders like natural flavors, PEG ingredients, and certain surfactants. And lastly, the Bad category contains brands that don’t disclose their ingredients or use many of the most toxic ones including synthetic fragrance, parabens, quats, and artificial sugar substitutes.

1. natural and artificial flavors are umbrella terms that can hide any number of ingredients. Manufacturers aren’t required to disclose the specific makeup of these additives which is problematic for purposes of analysis, especially for those with food allergies.
2. proprietary undisclosed ingredients are obviously problematic because they can’t be analyzed for safety.

MLMs Ranked From Bad to Best

Here we rank all 60 MLMs from bad to best based on their ingredients lists or lack thereof, the availability of product specifics, safety of ingredient choices, label accuracy, and overall company transparency. We came up with a lot of MLMs in the red. Some of those brands ended up in the red based on lack of ingredient disclosure. If these brands change their ingredient disclosure practices, we can reconsider them for another category. The better category was full of plenty of good brands that just didn’t make it to best. And the best category is the brands that we are very excited about. You’ll also note that these brands have shuffled around a bit since the last time we took on this subject. More is available online for us to make educated decisions about where they should go. And we also found some great options that you can feel good about using and recommending to your friends and family.

BAD–The Red Zone

These MLMs have failed to make their ingredients lists available and/or use multiple toxic ingredients like synthetic fragrance, toxic preservatives, endocrine disrupting chemicals and those contaminated with persistent pesticides and carcinogens. Non-organic ingredients are the overarching norm, and most of these brands have not taken the time to become informed about toxins that should be avoided or taken the care to spare their customers from hazardous substances. With obscure, non-existent or misleading labeling, products are greenwashed using popular taglines and gimmicks to make the sale. With near certainty, many ingredients including soy and corn are very likely GMO. Information is sparse on these websites, so it wasn’t possible to verify many of the plastics and non-stick coatings that frequently contain endocrine-disrupting ingredients.

Many of these MLMs use perfumes, synthetic fragrances and proprietary ingredients in their products. This is problematic because thousands of ingredients are hidden using this method that allows for the legal protection of trade secrets. Several of these MLMs are engaged in greenwashing, claiming their products are natural or green when they’re far from it.

• Advocare–natural flavors, artificial flavors, proprietary ingredients, sucralose, carrageenan
• Amway–PEGs, fragrance, parabens, quats, propylene glycol + food products contain natural flavors, sucralose, acesulfame potassium
• Anovite–only key ingredients are disclosed, no full ingredients lists available
• Avon–fragrance, SLS, cocamidopropyl betaine, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, PEGs, quats 
• Herbalife–cocamidopropyl betaine, unknown fragrance, PEGs, phenoxyethanol, quats, cellulose, triethanolamine + food products contain soy, artificial flavors, carrageenan, tocopheryl acetate, retinyl palmitate, moderate to high sugar content
• Isagenix–PEGs, perfluoro ingredients + food products contain natural flavors, carrageenan, high sugar content in bars, cellulose
• It Works!–PEGs, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, BHT, tocopheryl acetate, retinyl palmitate + food products contain natural flavors
• LifeVantage*–phenoxyethanol, dimethicone, unknown fragrance, polysorbate, tocopheryl acetate, quats + food products contain natural flavors, mono and diglycerides
• LipSense–fragrance, benzyl benzoate
• Mary Kay–only key ingredients are disclosed, no full ingredients lists available
• Melaleuca*— cocamidopropyl betaine, PEGs, quats, fragrance, methylisothiazolinone, phenoxyethanol
• Pampered Chef–missing information on plastics and cookware coatings + food products contain soy and corn ingredients, moderate to high sugar content, natural flavors
• Perfectly Posh*–phenoxyethanol, tocopheryl acetate, quats, unknown fragrance
• Pink Zebra**–no ingredients lists available, although fragrances are stated as phthalate-free and plastics are BPA-free
• Rodan + Fields*–PEGs, tocopheryl acetate, phenoxyethanol, fragrance, polysorbate, parabens
• Sasa Demarle–silicone bakeware, uncoated aluminum
• Scentsy–fragrance, phenoxyethanol, PEGs, polysorbate, tocopheryl acetate
• Shaklee***— retinyl palmitate, tocopheryl acetate, phenoxyethanol, PEGs, cocamidopropyl betaine, quats, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, fragrance + food products contain soy, natural flavors
• Sunrider–only key ingredients are disclosed, no full ingredients lists available
• TLC/Total Life Changes–undisclosed ingredients + food products contain natural flavors, acesulfame potassium, sucralose
• Tupperware–all items are BPA-free but no available information on bisphenols as a whole. Plastic is problematic for human health and the environment.
• Usana*–cocamidopropyl betaine, tocopheryl acetate, quat, unknown fragrance, polysorbate, dimethicone, retinyl palmitate + food products contain mono and diglycerides, soy, natural flavors, cellulose, moderate to high sugar content
• Vida Divina–only key ingredients are disclosed, no ingredients lists available
• Younique–cocamidopropyl betaine, phenoxyethanol, BHT, fragrance, petrolatum, PEGs, polysorbate, tocopheryl acetate, quats, fragrance, phenoxyethanol (nail polishes are 5 free: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, DBP and camphor)

*No public disclosure of fragrance or ingredient details. If this company decides to identify fragrance publicly, we can reconsider ranking.

**Phthalate-free fragrance disclosure, but not 100% transparency. If this company decides to identify ingredients publicly, we can reconsider ranking.

***Inconsistent fragrance disclosure among products. Some phthalate-free fragrance while others don’t identify any fragrance ingredients. If this company decides to identify ingredients publicly, we can reconsider ranking.

BETTER–The Yellow Zone

These MLMs are transparent with acceptable labeling practices, and most of their ingredients are good or safe enough. The brands in this list may use small amounts of ingredients we prefer to avoid like sugar substitutes and petroleum-based substances, but they’re knowledgeable about avoiding the most hazardous chemicals like phthalates, parabens, and toxic preservatives. These MLMs often make a point to choose the most naturally occurring source of ingredients for their products, and several brands state their use of non-certified organic. However, because it’s unverifiable, some in this list may contain GMOs — especially in their soy and corn ingredients — which means there can still be toxic, persistent pesticides used in production and present in the final product. A special note about phenoxyethanol–this chemical isn’t a top 10 problematic chemical. Phenoxyethanol is not safe for children or around your mouth like lipstick, but other uses are fine. Some of our best brands have been allowed this chemical, however, you’ll notice it’s also found in better brands along with other chemicals. All food brands not 100% transparent with ingredients would find themselves here or in the bad category. 

• Arbonne–polysorbate, phenoxyethanol, tocopheryl acetate, retinyl palmitate, publicly stated phthalate-free + food products contain natural flavors
• Beachbody–-beet sugar, natural flavors, cellulose
• Beyond Organic (Youngevity)–cetrimonium chloride, tocopheryl acetate, phenoxyethanol, retinyl palmitate
• Celadon Road–grapefruit seed extract, some proprietary ingredients, phenoxyethanol, botanical fragrance
• DoTerra–tocopheryl acetate, cellulose, cocamidopropyl betaine, PEGs, quats, phenoxyethanol, undisclosed natural fragrance
• EVER Skincare–tocopheryl acetate, phenoxyethanol, publicly stated phthalate-free fragrance, polysorbate, PEGs
• Le-Vel Thrive–food products contain natural flavors, sucralose
• Metagenics–food products contain natural flavors, cellulose, retinyl palmitate
• Modere–tocopheryl acetate, cocamidopropyl betaine, phenoxyethanol, publicly stated phthalate-free fragrance, carrageenan, polysorbate, cellulose
• Monat*–-cocamidopropyl betaine, publicly stated phthalate-free fragrance
• Nikken (not organic even though the skincare name says so)– carrageenan, cellulose, publicly stated phthalate-free fragrance, cocamidopropyl betaine, phenoxyethanol, tocopheryl acetate
• Norwex*–only key ingredients are disclosed, no full ingredients lists available but the company has a statement with certifications and details on safe ingredients used and toxic ones avoided
• Plexus–tocopheryl acetate, phenoxyethanol + food products contain natural flavors, soy
• Pruvit–natural flavors
• Sipology (Steeped Tea)–natural flavors
• Tastefully Simple–food products contain natural flavors, corn syrup, some soy, some high sugar content
• Thrive Life–food products contain soy, natural flavors, cellulose, moderate to high sugar content, mono and diglycerides
• Xyngular–food products contain soy, natural flavors, acesulfame potassium, sucralose
• Young Living–tocopheryl acetate, retinyl palmitate, PEGs
• Zija–cocamidopropyl betaine, PEGs, phenoxyethanol + food products contain cellulose, natural flavors, carrageenan

*No public disclosure of fragrance or ingredient details. If this company decides to identify fragrance publicly, we can reconsider ranking.

**Phthalate-free fragrance disclosure, but not 100% transparency. If this company decides to identify ingredients publicly, we can reconsider ranking.

***Inconsistent fragrance disclosure among products. Some phthalate-free fragrance while others don’t identify any fragrance ingredients. If this company decides to identify ingredients publicly, we can reconsider ranking.

BEST–The Green Zone

These MLMs were selected for the best category because they contain certified organic ingredients, they’re transparent about their ingredients and sources, and they have clear labeling, and easily found explanations about the ingredients they use and the ones they’ve banned from their products. These companies are knowledgeable about toxins and allergens and how to avoid them, and many of them have gone through the process of becoming USDA certified organic. We favor certified organic products because there are strict manufacturing guidelines they must follow, they’re also non-GMO and do not contain toxic, persistent pesticides. We’ve also found that these MLMs are available and eager to answer customer questions, and are equipped to do so. When it comes to personal care products, there are no perfect brands. However, these brands balance quality with transparency in a way that we feel should be celebrated. We’ve also allowed cosmetic brands to contain synthetic dyes because we feel heavy metal contamination is more problematic than synthetic hues. And we have allowed some personal care products to contain synthetic preservatives that were less troublesome provided the rest of the ingredients were fine. Examples of this are sodium benzoate or phenoxyethanol. 

• Beautycounter
• BlendFresh
• Crunchi
• Essante Organics
• Epicure
• goDésana (Green Organics Int’l)
• Kannaway
• Lemongrass Spa
• Max and Madeleine
• NYR Organic
• Poofy Organics
• PureHaven
• Purium
• Skinny Fiber
• Touchstone Essentials
• Willing Beauty

So What Do You Think & Did We Miss Anyone?

Now that you’ve seen our investigation, what do you think? Did we miss anyone that you would like us to consider? Do you work for any of these MLMs? Do you feel like this investigation was fair? And if you are from a brand that has better ingredients and just haven’t disclosed everything, will you send them a message for us? Please let them know that we would really like to see 100% ingredient disclosure in this industry and they can make a difference!