Hello, everyone! I know it’s been a hot minute since I updated the blog. My spring semester started about three weeks ago, and I more or less have settled into a routine with my new classes. Before I get too far into the new year, I wanted to address why I am no longer a SeneGence distributor. I did make LipSense a part of my blog back in December, and as you can tell I’ve erased most, if not all, of the evidence.
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Disclaimer: The following is going to get real. Fast. I am going to tell you about MY experience, and what I think of being a SeneGence distributor. If you don’t want to read about someone who’s had a negative experience, this is most certainly not the blog post for you. I have plenty of other articles you can turn to, that are more positive and light-hearted. I write every single one of my blog posts with the intention to serve others and provide information that can benefit my readers. So, take what I say with a grain of salt. Just because I had a negative experience, it does not mean you will if you decide to sign on as a distributor. If you’re easily offended, stop reading. It’s really as simple as that.
What is SeneGence?
SeneGence is a multi level marketing company that sells cosmetics and skin care products. LipSense, a liquid lipstick that stays on for up to 18 hours, is their most popular product. Purchases can only be made through an independent distributor. SeneGence’s business model is very similar to Avon or Mary Kay. On the flip side, an independent distributor is someone who paid a $55 entry fee in order to sell SeneGence product. An independent distributor can be anyone from a stay at home mom to a boutique owner.
You can make money two ways with SeneGence.
- Building your downline and receiving commission on their order.
- Purchasing their product at wholesale and selling it at retail prices
Selling through an MLM, or network marketing, is a very easy business to get into. Most require a start up fee to join, but once you join you can instantly start making money. Depending on how much effort you put into marketing and selling, your paychecks can range from $0 – unlimited. If you are interested in making a little bit of money or getting your favorite product on a discount, joining an MLM might be for you.
However, if your goal is to become your own boss and start your own business, you need to start looking elsewhere. You’ll never have any say in how your MLM company is run, therefore it is not your business. Each MLM has rules set in place for their distributors to follow; if you break any of them you run the risk of being “fired”.
All that’s required to join SeneGence is to pay their start-up fee. The start up fee also includes your Starter Kit, which contains your training material. I found my starter kit to be a helpful tool; in it came with my distributor handbook which listed all of SeneGence’s policies and rules for distributors. I was initially disappointed that the Starter Kit didn’t include any of their products to try out, but I figured since the starter fee wasn’t too bad (only $55) I could purchase product later on.
Signing Up As a SeneGence Distributor
I signed up after hearing about SeneGence on Youtube. I emailed a distributor asking for some more information on the company, and after receiving her response I put off joining for another week. I thought, Hey this seems really cool, but some of these success stories sound too good to be true.
At this point in the story is where I make my first mistake. I was sucked in by the idea that I could make thousands of dollars each month just by building my downline.
Instead of asking the right questions I assumed the distributor I was signing up under was giving me all the right information. I wanted badly to believe I, too, could make thousands of dollars each month just by building my downline and selling LipSense.
I failed to realize that the girls who make thousands of dollars each month already have huge social media followings or stores, like boutiques or spas. Heck, even I joined because someone I admired on Youtube was doing it! The opportunity to work with someone who was a celebrity in my eyes sold me faster than the actual product did.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking…Diana gave up too fast. She’s a sore loser, a whiner, a complainer. She didn’t work hard enough.
All I’m saying is this: you have to be realistic when signing up as a SeneGence distributor. Only YOU know your limits and what you can achieve. You know how many people you can reach; whether it be in person or through social media.
I’m sure it’s possible to make money with this company, but you only get to the top by building your downline. No matter how much product you sell, you won’t ever go up in ranks if you don’t build your downline. You will miss out on the incentives this company offers if you never sign up anyone under you.
Be aware you will have to spend more than the $55 starter kit fee
A SeneGence distributor may use this line or something like it when trying to sign you up under them.
It’s only fifty-five dollars to start your own business. I honestly don’t know any other type of business that you can start, with such low costs!
Hm. I can think of a lot of different things that you can start doing with minimal start-up fees. Like babysitting, starting your own blog, cleaning houses, offering paid translation services, just to name a few.
If anything, joining SeneGence is an expensive way to make money.
You have to pay for and attend seminars located in Oklahoma (SeneGence’s headquarters), and purchase a certain amount of stock each month if you want to be eligible to get paid for vacations and a “free” car.
And if you’re thinking of using social media to attract potential customers, get ready to shell out cash to buy testers. People want to see you using the product. If you can’t afford to shell out cash to take photos of you using the product, how will people begin to trust you, especially over the internet? How will people know what you’re offering is real and not a scam? People want to hear YOUR testimonial, they want to see YOU using the product.
So be prepared to spend quite a bit more than $55 to build your stock.
You have to purchase their $300 website in order to sell product online
If you want to sell your product online you need a SeneGence approved website in order to do that. That will cost you $300 every year. You are not allowed to sell product on Ebay, Amazon, Mercari, PoshMark, your personal website, etc. SeneGence distributors get around this by accepting payment through PayPal or Venmo, and then personally shipping the product out to customers. This requires you to have product in your home so you can ship it out right away.
Also, many of their popular products are always out of stock. And when they do come in stock you have to get them ASAP because it will sell out the very same day. I really do love their LipSense collection, but I have a life that requires me to be away from my computer at times, as do many of us.
One of the benefits to having a SeneGence website is you are easily searchable to other people in your area who are interested in joining. When you do pay the $300 for the website, SeneGence will take an extra percentage out of your earnings.
Upline’s Advice is Questionable
I was very shocked when I watched one of the training videos available to the Dominion I was in. For those of you don’t know SeneGence terminology, a Crown Princess rules over her Dominion, meaning there is one person in charge for the training of an entire group (her downline and her downline’s downline essentially).
My Crown Princess recommended distributors sign up for a credit card if we didn’t have cash to upfront the costs of building our stock. Her reasoning was that credit cards nowadays have great rewards systems where consumers can earn points towards free airplane tickets.
Do I even have to explain why that is so wrong? If you’ve read my blog for a while you know that I’m a penny pincher, but my husband and I still got into debt during our first year of marriage. Granted it’s not a lot, but it was enough to make us realize we’re not as frugal as we like to think! Why? Because our mindset was “If we don’t have the cash to pay for it right now, we can use a credit card to pay for it later.”
If you ever hear advice similar to what my Crown Princess said, run.
Run far and run fast.
That person is not looking out for you and might be taking advantage of you.
Buy more to get more of a discount?
Purchasing SeneGence product at a higher discount means that you have to spend more in order to qualify. So the less you pay for each product, the more you can make when you sell it at retail. Sounds great, but what happens if you can’t sell all of that product? Will you just accumulate all of it at home?
Like I mentioned previously, you have to purchase a certain amount of product each month in order to qualify for different incentives and rank. You may even lose your rank status and return to distributor status if you do not continue to purchase and sign people up under you. You can easily spend thousands of dollars before you realize that you can’t sell all that product. In addition to purchasing in bulk, you also have to have sold 70% of your previous order in order to place another one.
Confusing Compensation Plan
I’ve been a member of different MLMs in the past, but SeneGence’s compensation plan really takes the cake for being one of the most confusing. It is incredibly difficult to understand, but there were some points there were very clear to me instantly.
First of all, in order to receive the commission from my downline, you have to place an order of a 100 PV value, which ends up being a couple hundred dollars out of your pocket. That means you still have to spend money to receive money. I kicked myself for days after learning this tidbit. From my point of view, it is ridiculous to do all the footwork of recruiting others, only to have strings attached when it comes to receiving your rightfully earned paycheck.
I thought being a SeneGence distributor might be a great way to build a passive form of income, but it’s really not. You only make money up to your fifth line, and you have to continue investing your money into stock or else you risk missing out on commission.
There are quotas to fill
You must spend $200 within a six month period in order to remain an active distributor. I was told there weren’t any monthly quotas to fill, but once I read my distributor handbook I realized that wasn’t true.
There is an annual fee in order to remain an active distributor
Again, this is something that was never mentioned to me. I was told $55 was the only fee I’d have to pay, but it turns out you have to pay that fee every year, in order to remain as active within the company.
A 10% Stocking Fee for All Returns
If you ever want to return your product you’ll only get a partial refund because SeneGence charges a 10% stocking fee for all returns.
In Conclusion
There are plenty of things I don’t like about this company, but I have to say I really like their LipSense products. Trying out their lipsticks was by far the most positive aspect of my SeneGence experience. Do I believe all the claims that are made about LipSense? No, but it is a product worth trying out. I do think there are comparable products out there like ColorPop or Kat Von D, but that’s not what this blog post is about.
The point I’m trying to make is this: please know what you’re getting into. I feel deceived because I wasn’t provided the information above to help me make an informed decision. On the other hand, I feel partially responsible because I should have asked my sponsor more questions. I had the chance to do my research beforehand, and I went into this blind. However, I feel that it is my responsibility to tell hardworking people the truth about this business.
If you have the disposable income to make this your thing, then I say go for it. SeneGence was kind enough to refund me the $55 I spent on my starter kit, but I did get stuck with a bunch of product I purchased. I didn’t want to return it because I didn’t think it was worth it just to receive a partial refund.
I can now say with certainty that my dabbling in MLMs is over, and I’ll be focusing on other money making ventures from now on. I wanted so badly to like this company, but…no. I just couldn’t get past some of this crap, not even for the long lasting lipstick I love.
Let me know what you guys want to see me write about. Danny has been doing great in his training, and after two months he is getting his truck this weekend. I, on the other hand, have been keeping busy with my college classes and work. Until next time, guys!
Dawn says
Thank you for posting this. You just confirmed what I thought this MLM is about. I’ve tried them before and I think you are right!!! Stay away from this stuff. So again. I thank you!!!!
dianasiuta says
Thank you for your comment, Dawn! I’m trying to help other women avoid my same fate.
Heather Donaldson says
I to was just sucked into pretty much what I call lies from the person who recruited me. She told me there was no minimum to sell etc… I called them the very next day and they refunded me. this was back on the 10th and I have yet to receive my refund. I have tried calling them and I got sent to a voicemail box that is full.. I am going to keep trying to call them again tomorrow. Beware!!
dianasiuta says
No shame in getting sucked in, Heather. The top recruiters in MLM are very persuasive!! I hope you can get your refund back soon. Mine took upwards of two weeks, I believe. Hang in there!
naz says
contct your upline and the should help remember thw company was mivong locations an manufacturing centers to accommodate their rise in stock needs
naz says
i am currently a distributor and i joined in feb 2017 i do not have a crazy social media outlet but im beginning to learn…
MLM isn for everyone but i once sold mary kay now that was garbage
senegence isnt so bad if you simply try
promote yourself
starting your own company youll always be at a loss in the beginning but you push through it
i previously had a lip collection before i started so i was able to get 3 sales the first month
no not where i want to be but i think with the right time invested and optimism it would work out amazingly
nothing comes easy when its you being independently earning money
next time you try something like this out give it some time and keep your optimism
you could have reached those goals had it been something you really wanted to do. its really that simple if you dont want to put the work and time in then obviously you wont get the return you expected
all my upline her upline and her upline started exactly at no where no spa no social media outlet nothing they came along way by trying
my upline is one of my friends shes still not up there but she tries and there is a return.
stay positive do not ever compare yourself to someone else i know its hard but that will always be a downfall in life babe. i respect this post 100% i know exactly how you feel and why you feel this way but always remember you are you. you cannot compare yourself to anyone they will only bring you down and hurt the confidence you once had in yourself or in anything that you wanted to do. always remember that.
xoxo i love the detail and time you put into this blog btw
Christina says
Wish I’d seen this before I signed up! I haven’t even been at it a month and can’t get and lip products ordered due to continuously being OODS to the point that now even my back orders are being refunded,. Guess I’ll just take advantage of the discount for myself
Nej says
Can you please tell me how do I get refund for my starter kit? I also got sucked into this. No one wants to buy the products as it was so expensive. Please help! Thanks
dianasiuta says
Hi, why not give them a call and ask? I’m not sure, it seems like a lot of the policies have changed since I was a distributor. Not sure if they even have their call center anymore! Sorry Nej. I hope everything works out.
PJ Livergood says
Thank you so much for posting this, I was just about to send in my $55 to start my business!!! What a joke! They do NOT tell you that you have to pay the $55 every year and buy so much product a month to stay active. I hate MLM!!
dianasiuta says
Sorry about that, PJ! Distributors should be honest when recruiting. If everything was laid out in front of potential recruits before them signing up, it would make for less negative reviews about the company. The problem is the dishonesty!
Gina says
I think that it really needs to be pointed out that this is not a company issue it’s the responsibility of the distributor to lay out everything to you, and also our own personal responsibility to look into before starting anything. In every sales market it’s very rare to find someone to lay everything out in front of you, that’s just what we as consumers hope for.
Kelly says
So the title being what it is I thought the story was going to be terrible and a bad experience but after reading it blew me away. I don’t see anything wrong at all with any of the policies and what you have to do to be a distributor. To have your own business you have to invest in your own business and that is the way you make more money. I’m currently with a network marketing company and have to invest in it monthly because if you don’t especially with samples if you don’t invest in things like that to send out to customers then how are you going to build your clientele?? And if you were already in an MLM company how did you not know you had to reach out to other people on social media to also build your clientele and to sell products? This blog just kind of blew me away but it’s obviously not for everyone.
dianasiuta says
With my previous MLM, I did not have to invest into stock upfront. I understand that you have to invest in every self-starter, but SeneGence is definitely a very expensive hobby to get into. When you think about the people that are targeted (stay at home moms, the unemployed) I’m increasingly disgusted because these are people that don’t have a lot of money, and they get sucked in by misleading information. I’m glad you left a comment because it is important to see the world through different perspectives. I’m not sure what you mean about having to reach out on social media, though. I mentioned in my blog post that it is certainly easier for those with a large following to sell easier. A lot of women have trouble selling online simply because they don’t have an online presence. Like you said, my blog post isn’t for everyone. MLMs are not for everyone.
Jewel Johnson says
Social media is not the only way o sell your product. I do not have a huge social media following yet I am making money as a distributor. You have parties and do demos and market your self in other ways. Every time you leave the house you are representing your business so sell yourself and your product. I don’t care of it’s a brick and mortar store or an MLM business you only get what you put into. If you had a brick and mortar store you’d have to invest in product. To be a distributor you do not have to invest in testers or stock it just makes your job that much easer. The $55 annual fee and all of the other information about the minimum annual required purchase amount is right there in the agreement when you sign up. You just have to read it before clicking okay.
dianasiuta says
Thank you, Jewel! However, it is exponentially harder to make money with an MLM if you’re not at the top or pushing your downline to sign up with a credit card, like my CP did. It just goes to show you how little the higher ups care about you.
Tracey says
The founder, Joni, also encourages girls to get a credit card, get a loan, get a co signer, or borrow from your family. The sign up is NOT $55, it ends up being $ 66. They encourage you to place an order , buy anything, then you can trade to another distributor. They will tell girls a certain color is available. Hurry, run, order before it is gone!!! Then maybe in the same day release another color. Same thing, hurry, run, order. Some girls are placing 2 or 3 orders a day. Shipping and handling being paid on each order. $$$$ out of your pocket. Then you place your order, oh wait, the color or colors you ordered are OOS, BUT you still are charged. Maybe you will get the item later…or maybe not. Anyway, my thoughts are that a company should not sign up new distributors, if they cant provide them with the products.
dianasiuta says
“To be a distributor you do not have to invest in testers or stock it just makes your job that much easer. The $55 annual fee and all of the other information about the minimum annual required purchase amount is right there in the agreement when you sign up.”
So, distributors don’t have to invest in stock or testers, but they still have to pay $200 every six months in order to stay active? Certainly sounds like investing in stock is required to me! I know for sure I don’t spend $200 on lip products every six months! I don’t even spend $200 on my whole beauty routine in 6 months.
Christina says
It’s 100pv (what you pay) which is the equivalent to $200 retail. That’s a few starter kits. If you can’t sell a few starter collections in 6 months you are doing it wrong. I sell that in one day. I also don’t encourage any of my girls to open credit cards just to buy stock. I encourage them to take pre orders and build stock as they go
Sounds to me like you are a whiner. And that you got put with the wrong leaders. None of my CPs are like that. At all.
dianasiuta says
Thanks, Christina! You sound like an angel.
naz says
love this
Renae Eaton says
This is a great Blog! A very informative read! I am part of a MLM..but one that is Luxury designer Items..no minimal spend, no rules to follow, run the business as you would like too..its great! Most MLMs have autoship aswell, which isnt cool at all.
Dont give up on MLM..you just have to find the right one..take a look… 🙂 have a great day…
dianasiuta says
Thank you Renae!
Ashley says
Hey Diana, I totally understand what your saying and I’m sorry you got sucked in. And honestly I know what your saying about your sponsor cause she is the very worst you have no idea. The only reason I’m still there is cause I buy for my self and family. It’s not a business. We like the product but we’re not renewing at the end of the year just going to spend this year buying all the colors we want then be done! Lol
Best of luck, I miss you
dianasiuta says
Oh, Ashley! Best of luck, girl. Glad I wasn’t the only one of the team that felt the same way.
Cassie Heinz says
I am disappointed in this article simple because your choice to leave is a reflection of you not understanding the comp plan or how to build a business which is no one else’s fault except your own. I understand you are frustrated but by you putting out this article, you are misleading others into not joining an opportunity that can change their lives. It has surely changed mine.
How do you think you get a large social media following with this business? YOU HAVE TO WORK AT IT. This takes TIME. I make thousands of dollars per month as a distributor and this is my full-time income. I worked to build my social media following. But guess what? My upline princesses aren’t really into social media and they make even MORE money. You can have success in this business without being Facebook Savvy and without having a large network. Why do you think it takes time and it isn’t a “get rich quick” scheme.
The compensation plan is the easiest I have ever seen with MLM’s. 10, 20, 30, 5, 5 and then Group Sales Volume. This is not complicated if you take the time to read, ask questions, and get clarity on this. Our compensation plan is the best I have ever seen with any online network marketing company.
I am glad you stated that this was YOUR experience and did not dis Senegence and all Joni does for us. Whatever your Crown Princess told you about credit cards is on HER, not a reflection of the company.
But please be aware that your disdain for distributing is from your choice to not work hard, be patient, and build the following that you desire. It can be done and I have done it. My team is doing it. Every day… a little bit at a time. For someone who REALLY WANTS ANYTHING in life, it can be achieved.
dianasiuta says
That’s really great for you Cassie. You’re very right when you say I didn’t work at my business, I was only a distributor for the month of December before I realised I didn’t agree with all the rules of being a distributor. I am talking about MY experience, and I have a right to talk about it–this is my blog after all. Yes, my sponsor was one person, she is not a reflection of the entire company. But, and I think you would agree with this, that the team you belong to is a huge part of the “SeneGence Journey” and when I left the Dominion I was a part of, we were one of the top 20 teams in the whole company. Many other women I’ve spoken to, including someone else from my sponsor’s downline, have expressed these very same frustrations. I clearly stated this was MY experience with the company and might not be that of others. I even mentioned that this negative experience was partly my fault, and could have been avoided had I asked the right questions. Your comment only reinforces why I decided to write this post about my experience with an MLM. Once someone says something negative about MLMS, those who are making thousands of dollars off others (like you) clearly get defensive because they know others might finally see the light. Everything I said in my blog post is true, and I said it in the beginning of my post and in the title, this was going to be a negative experience. I also have to agree with you on the fact that SeneGence is not a get rich quick scheme, it’s a great way to get into debt. I think it’s almost important to note that I said it’s easier for those who have a large following to sell LipSense and get their fans to join their downline because that’s exactly how I joined the company. I joined because someone I had been following for years told her viewers we could work closely with her if I just paid $55 to join. Take Leah Messer for example from Teen Mom 2 (not who I joined under). I made SeneGenence a big part of my blog, and it’s very necessary I address why I took everything down from my blog regarding SeneGence. I originally started out as a frugal blogger and I have many posts about how to save money and pay off debt. I made a mistake including SeneGence on my blog, and I had to address it.
Kels says
” I understand you are frustrated but by you putting out this article, you are misleading others into not joining an opportunity that can change their lives. It has surely changed mine.”
Yes, please don’t tell others the truth because Cassie’s life changing narrative depends on the misfortune of others. I agree with you 100%– all MLM companies are the same; you will be successful if you join in the very beginning of the company’s launch. Look at Lularoe for example. The company has exploded in such a short time that the products are poorly made and tons of consultants aren’t able to sell inventory. I feel for the ladies signing up now–they will be stuck with tons of products that won’t sell because there are just too many consultants and since you can’t pick your inventory, you’re sometimes out of luck. And the $5k+ startup is not an easy loss.
Jewel Johnson says
Exactly. You get out of it what you’re willing to put into it. If you want it you better be willing to work at becuase customers and business aren’t just going to flock to you.
dianasiuta says
Exactly, and you won’t have anyone to cry to, especially your upline, when you’re thousand of dollars in debt because you can’t sell the rest of your inventory.
Veronica Nelsen says
What did you have to do to get your refund? I was told specifically there was no minimum order and that the $55 was just a one time fee. I had no desire to sell to others was told this would be a good way to receive a “preferred customer” discount and that I could then just order for my friends and family. Well since I joined everything has been out of stock and I was told the wtongue things. Should have read the fine print
dianasiuta says
I agree. I definitely should have read the terms and conditions. When I went back to the sign up form all the information was there–the hidden details distributors “forget” to tell you. I talked to my sponsor over FB message back in December and I told her a lot of this information would have been good to know! She responded, “Lol, I know right!” Guess she didn’t think I was serious when I mentioned it to her. All of the products being out of stock was inconvenient for distributors too. I know many distributors would order the products as soon as they came in stock and they wouldn’t receive the products for weeks, even a few months. So it’s definitely my fault too that I joined without knowing the full details but at least I learned my lesson now. I had too much faith in my sponsor and I thought she was telling me the truth about being a distributor. Oh, well.
Allison says
Hi! I signed up in January and there went from being about 10-15 colors available to 2. TWO! How can we sell this stuff with 2 colors available?! It’s crazy! Anyway, stumbled across your post and appreciate your honesty. XO
Tara says
I have had the best experience as a senegence distributor my upline is fabulous and I now have downline of 200 and began in Sept, I always tell my girls if you cannot afford to invest do not – I am sorry you had a negative experience, but I do want people to know there are other stories!
dianasiuta says
Thank you, Tara! That’s why I stressed that my negative experience may not be that of others. That’s awesome that you were able to build a downline so fast.
Kelley says
How did you get your 55 starter kit refund back? I signed up 5 months ago and it has been a downward spiral ever since. I am so over it and agree with everything you said in this post…
dianasiuta says
I called them back right away Kelley! Within the month that I joined. They say there is a money back guarantee in the material that comes in the kit. I’m not sure how long the guarantee is good for because it doesn’t say it the handbook. Call them up and ask them for a refund of your starter kit. If they give you a hard time let them know one of the handbooks says there is a 100% Starter Kit Guarantee (or something like that, I can’t remember what it says) with no mention of how long that policy is good for. If anything, be sure to cancel your membership before it auto renews! I hope you get your money back Kelley! Thank you for your comment.
Kim says
Just wondering did you get rid of all of your products? I was thinking of joining but…not sure now.
dianasiuta says
I still have my LipSense products. I wear them from time to time but some of the colors I bought just don’t have the same formula as the others. So I’m not sure what to do with them. :/
mindi says
I am wanting to quit lipsense to. How did you get your refund back from them? I have only been signed up for like a week or two and like you can’t invest all my money into it. Thank you!
dianasiuta says
Hi, Mindi! Call up their customer service line and ask for the refund of the $55 back. Just keep in mind they won’t let you sign up again as a distributor. The phone number should be in your back office. Good luck, Mindi!
Stephanie Jo Sorsen says
I am apart of two MLM companies, Monat Global and Senegence. Honestly I have been soooooo fed up with senegence. Their website never works, my upline is always telling me I need to have 300 PV in order to get paid commisions. 300 PV?! That’s a lot of money out of my pocket!!!! Maybe it’s so hard because my other company solves these problems so well, but I’m very fed up. I’m planning on quitting as a distributor, any tips or advice on how to go about this?
dianasiuta says
Hi, Stephanie! I would just give them a call and ask if you can get the refund for the $55 starter kit. Make sure that’s what you want to do because after that you won’t be able to sign up as a distributor again. If you have a feeling that it’s not the right company for you then it’s for good reason. Trust your gut! Also, make sure to talk to your sponsor so there are no hard feelings!
Anna Moore says
Hi Diana,
I’m stuck with a bunch of Lipsense Products too and have not be able to sell anything. How do you get them to refund the $55? I has spend over $3,000 my saving money and I’m scared to not get it back. Can you please tell me how to get the $55 and should I return all the products?
dianasiuta says
Hi, Anna! I really understand how you’re feeling. SeneGence will charge you a 10% stocking fee when you return the product. It might be worth it to send your unused product back and get most of your money back. Call up their customer service line (you can get the phone number through your back office) and ask them to refund the $55 for your starter kit if you decide to cancel your distributorship. That’s exactly what I did and they did not give me a hard time about it at all. The 10% stocking fee is a downer but there’s not much you can do about that. I’m so sorry to hear what happened to you. 🙁 Please know that you are not alone! I’ll pray that everything works out for you. You’re in my thoughts, Anna!
Kirsty says
Great article. You are absolutely spot on with the points you have made. There are certainly much easier ways to make money (and keep your friends).
Don’t worry about the nay-say SeneGence Distributors on this post, you are absolutely correct in saying that those with a huge online presence will sell more lippy and recruit more distributors. In Australia there are 3 distributors who in 12 months have built huge businesses from their online popularity. According to my up-line, these distributors have literally built their entire business online and it took everyone within the Australian SeneGence community by surprise. We have distributors who have been with the company for years and to see this much business growth from a couple of individuals in such a short period of time was mind boggling.
I’m a Makeup Artist and joined the company after being fascinated with how LipSense worked. After purchasing a stack of testers to put on display in my studio I quickly discovered my customers are not really that fussed on the product. This is the general feedback received from my customers:
– the product is not long wearing even after applying correctly (especially in the waterline). I don’t know anyone who gets more than 4-6 hours out of their lip colour before it starts to flake, peel or wear off the waterline. This simply looks weird and gross. Although some standard lippies don’t last as long, they do wear or fade more naturally from the lips. Some of the darker LipSence lip shades look absolutely shocking when they start wearing off! I was so surprised by this that I even asked a few other Makeup Artists and Beauty Therapy Schools to test the product out. All came back with the same response, the long wearing claim is questionable. Professional Makeup Artists are trained with certain methods to make a regular lippy last around 4-6 hours before re-application is necessary so the results of LipSense are hardly outstanding.
– Having to re-apply the lip gloss during the day (especially before eating) is simply no different to re-applying lipstick so it kind of defeats the purpose.
– The lipstick tube packaging is very out-dated e.g. very 80’s/90’s (think how modern and hip Jeffrey Star, Anastasia, Kylie and Kat Von etc packaging is). My younger customers have literally laughed at the LipSense packaging! And the Beauty Book is not much better either. SeneGence recently updated this book but it doesn’t appeal to my younger customers. I have found my customer aged 40+ are happy to take a copy home.
– Overpriced. Most of my customers are quite happy to purchase a Revlon lippy at Target for $25. In Australia a LipSense Starter Collection is $74 or a colour and gloss is $66. Let’s face it, the colour can’t be used on it’s own, you need to purchase a lip gloss to use the product properly. Arguing that the lip colours only costs $34 is false and misleading because you can’t use the lip colour without the gloss which costs $26. Compare these prices with $28 for Jeffrey Star, $30 for Kat Von D and $39 for Anastasia. You can see why my customers are raising their eyebrows at the price. If they want to pay $66+ for a lippy, they would probably go to a David Jones makeup counter instead (even then a Chanel lippy can be purchased for only $53!)
– Products are constantly out of stock and the return of stock literally takes months. I recall it took over 8 months for the lip balm to return and when it did it sold out in less than 1 day. With my background in Accounting and Finance I could launch into a number of reasons why this is the case, but that’s another story for another day!
Additionally, I have recently been rather alarmed with some internal information circulated to distributors advising them about the changes made to a number of areas of business. I won’t get into the details of it on here but it has affected areas of business including, new people joining the company and distributor stock purchasing rules (especially for those with down-lines). Apparently these new rules should address the constant out of stock issues. I got the overall general perception from this company correspondence, that the changes were made to address some seriously shady distributors finding loop holes in the business practices and taking advantage of it.
The upside to joining the company is that I’ve met some really lovely people who have all been very helpful and supportive and I’ve had no pressure from my up-line to meet monthly quotas etc. I’ve become more of a personal shopper now, my Mum quite likes the day cream and from time to time I purchase some skincare and the odd lippy her and there (which I tend to wear under a regular lippy to make it last longer).
dianasiuta says
Wow, thank you for sharing your perspective! It’s so good to hear from a reader in Australia.
Hopefully, they do fix the out of stock issue. My CP pressured us into buying as much as we could as anything came back into stock. Thousands of girls flocking to the site to order lipstick? Site lagged all the time and it was nearly impossible to purchase. If you wanted to purchase whatever came back in stock, you had to stop whatever you were in the middle of doing, in order to spend at least 20-30 minutes trying to make your order go through. I mean, I like the product don’t get me wrong, but not enough to do that!
Before LipSense I didn’t even know what a liquid lipstick was so I took my sponsor’s word that it was very affordable compared to other brands of liquid lipstick. When I stepped into a Sephora a few weeks later I noticed the Kat Von D liquid lipstick was $20. I also have to agree with you on the fact that the packaging is outdated. Not only does it look a bit antiquated, but the glossy gloss tubes leak. A lot.
But I can overlook the less than stellar packaging because of how long LipSense lasts on me. I also find it strange how LipSense is marketed as a product with parabens or wax. When I first got LipSense in the mail and I checked the ingredients list it had both wax and parabens listed!! Hell, I was so disappointed when I noticed that. The products not having parabens was one of the main turning points that made me join SeneGence.
When I first joined SeneGence I thought it was a relatively new MLM because I had never heard of it before. Come to find out that it was founded in 1999! People who have an online presence are definitely making LipSense trendy. It’s easier for them to pitch this company because they already have huge followings they can pitch to.
I have a feeling MLMs are going to become extremely popular in these next few years. I was really surprised when I read that Leah Messer from Teen Mom 2 was a distributor as well! SeneGence left a negative impact on me, but I’m not against them altogether. I think they can provide women with an outlet to share their love of beauty products (or whatever) with a group of people who like the exact same thing.
What I found most interesting about your comment was your mention of how distributors take advantage of the loopholes in their business practices. This is new information to me but I wouldn’t put it past some people to take advantage of others.
I want to thank you again for leaving such a meaningful comment on my page. I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to share your opinion on my page. I feel like you did a wonderful job clarifying what I was trying to say in my blog post.
Oh, and it’s crazy a Chanel lipstick costs less than LipSense in Australia! Nuts. lol
Laura says
Wish i would have read this vefore i signed up. I think i may be losing money on this. Everything is out of stock so i have ordered as it comes in. Each time paying the “shipping and handling” fees and then taxes for WA state. By the time they add their fees, the. Taxes the products are maybe coming in at $3 more than my discount. Then i sell them no tax no fees to someone. I maybe made a few bucks. If i can sell it. My upline says we dont charge tax or shipping to build business. But im charged these things every time im able to squeeze in an order.
dianasiuta says
What the heck! That’s bad advice from your upline. You need to AT LEAST charge tax when you’re selling your products. Because when you go do your taxes you need to pay the sales tax back to your state. Otherwise, that money is coming out of your own pocket. Talk to a CPA and see if he can help you with that. It sounds like your upline has no idea what they are talking about! Also ask about getting a wholesale or resale license in your state.
You’re right about the discount not even making that much of a difference. You have to buy in bulk for the discount to be worth it! Thank you for your comment, Laura!
Stacie says
Laura you definately need to be charging tax. If your upline is telling you not to please reach up higher. Go to your CP or any of us trainers or leaders. Ask your accountant better yet. I always charge tax. It sounds as if you might be buying less at a time due to OOS, thus not getting the advantage of the higher discount. It is more advantageous to order one order at 40% discount and pay one set of shipping and handling than 3 or 4 small orders and paying each individual shipping and handling. talk to your upline about helping with OOS issues. I am not sure what team you are on but many of us help our downline, especially those new. I know I personally will have downline order me some of whats available and then swap out with them for colors they need. This is how my team has remained consistent and growing because I help them. It saddens me when I see so many stories here about people struggling and even not knowing the basic of storing our colors or application itself. This is something that drives me crazy as a trainer and MUA. Please reach out…and keep going up the line if you need to. If you have a newer CP who is unsure or not answering your needs, go to her CP.
dianasiuta says
Thanks again, Stacie. Hopefully Laura comes back and sees this.
Also I just checked my product that I stored in the fridge, and it seems to be doing okay. It’s been there for a while and application went on fine. I did take your advice though and take it out for the time being. I definitely don’t want to ruin my product!
C says
My experience was terrible with Senegence, and as with any MLM, you get attacked if you leave negative feedback anywhere. I noticed they erased all their star ratings on Facebook along with all the visitors’ posts, which is just a glimpse into the company. I am hoping a new company will soon come out with a similar product.
dianasiuta says
Wow, that’s really interesting they changed their Facebook page around a bit. I never noticed that!
dianasiuta says
You sure made me laugh out with the Stepford wife reference! The back order problem SeneGence has is a disgrace. When I was getting ready to leave SeneGence I heard that they were updating their factory or equipment or something like that. Supposedly that was for fixing that backorder problem. It’s been three months, I wonder if they have.
I feel like the Canadian distributors have it worse than us Americans! I constantly heard through whispered complaints on our FB group, so as not to upset any higher ups, that Canadians always got their stuff last.
Samantha says
Hey Diana, Do you have to call and let them know you don’t want to be a distributor anymore or can you cancel that online somewhere?
dianasiuta says
I believe that you have to call! That’s what I did!
Bella says
Hi,
Thank you for your honest blog! I wish I’ve read this blog before I signed up as distributor. I cancelled my membership 3 days after I signed after reading the fine prints. I didn’t like it at all, specially when all the items I wanted to get are out of stock, I have to pay shipping and handling and the annual membership fee as well plus tax so the discount is not worth it. I decided I’m better off buying from a distributor who shipped for free because sometimes they run discounts on occasion.
Anyway, how long after you cancelled your membership did Senegence post $55 back to your credit card account? It is been over a week for me and I still nothing posted back into my credit card.
dianasiuta says
Hi, Bella! I think it was upwards of two weeks before I received my refund. True, it might be better to just stick with a distributor. If you know of a reputable one that runs discounts let me know! I’ve been meaning to get a lip liner.
Emily says
Hi Diana!
I am so sorry that you had such a negative experience with SeneGence! I am a young distributor (I have been selling for less than 2 months), and I too understand the frustrations with some of their policies and how certain business-related things are handled (i.e, customer service, backordered items, etc.).
However, articles/blogs like yours are also what some like to refer to as “Personal Persuasive Marketing”, similar to the qualities of selling SeneGence products that you mentioned above. You are doing a great job in this post of “marketing” that an investment in a growing company with some (albeit, not ALL) GREAT products, is a complete waste of time and money. You are also “marketing” and “persuading” others that you have to make investments in things such as trainings in Oklahoma, and a $300 website; two examples of things that I personally have never been asked to spend my own money on while serving as a distributor.
Perhaps you were on a team as a downline of a Princess distributor who does not have a business or accounting degree and gave you advice that may or may not have been the wisest regarding business tactics or finances. This is where personal and mature discernment can come in, where YOU can decide for yourself what you should and should not invest your own time and money into. I know it’s not easy when there are so many opinions who you want to trust in a MLM business, but who give seemingly useless advice, however you must realize that they are people like you who started their own business and didn’t know 100% what they were doing all of the time.
My point to this comment is, that I was incredibly discouraged to read such a lengthy blog post about how much you hate the SeneGence company (minus their LipSense products) and how others should heed your advice and steer clear of investing in their own futures with it. I was also extremely offended by the way you responded to women who felt the need to comment to you defending their own SeneGence business and share with you that owning a business does take time, money, and hard work, and that this business is not for everyone. Please feel free to share your opinions as you please, but realize that hating on others’ investments and hard work with a company that does have great products, commissions, and rewards for its distributors is only adding fuel to the fire. I am glad for you that you figured out this business was not for you, because it truly isn’t for everyone. When the day comes and you meet a single mom who is relying on the extra income from SeneGence, I hope you appreciate her hard work and dedication to the company while it is going through its own growing pains. That’s the very least you can do, especially considering how much negativity you just brought in just this one blog post. It’s sad to know one blog post can “persuade” so many into leaving a company at a time like this…
Enjoy your LipSense! I think the photos of you wearing it look great!
dianasiuta says
Why were you offended by me defending myself? I’m allowed to share my experience on my personal blog. I’m sorry if that bothers you but I have different opinions than you. My blog post is the same as any other news articles in the media. When was the last time you read an article that wasn’t biased in the information it did/did not provide?
It’s so unfortunate that you can’t see my blog post as any different from leaving a review about a product on Amazon.
I know you mean well, Emily, but distributors who want to join WILL join. All the information in my blog post would be something that distributors would eventually find out anyway once they joined. I find it interesting that you say I’m persuading potential distributors not to join, but you tell me that I should decide for myself what I can or cannot do in my SeneGence business. Potential distributors should then have the same responsibility when it comes to whether or not they want to join after reading my article.
So you’re really going to say that not signing up as a distributor because of my blog post, is different from signing up for a credit card because a CP recommended it? I’d really like you to clarify, truly.
As you can tell there are a lot of people in this comment section that will defend SeneGence and bash me. I find it really interesting how the distributors who come on here to leave their comments don’t even mention the negative aspects of this company (and there are many), and how they choose to ignore the fact that being “successful” with SeneGence requires you to invest money. I’ve personally never met a single mother who was earning a sufficient income with SeneGence. In fact, if you scroll a few comments up you’ll see a comment from one of my former teammates who agrees with me on every point I made, and she’s a mother too.
However, I do have a problem with a section of your comment. I’m not trying to throw rocks at single mothers who signed up with an MLM. I know what it’s like to be poor and struggling. My mom, herself, was a widow when my father died while I was still in high school. You can click on my latest blog post titled Grieving the Loss of a Father and read about how I started working full time when I was sixteen to provide for myself. There are plenty of single mothers out there who are busting their asses every day. But I’m not going to stay mum on the situation simply because I might affect someone else’s business. If a hairdresser, who also so happened to be a single mother, cut your ear and you had to go to the hospital for stitches, wouldn’t you tell your friends not to go there either?
We are all responsible for our own actions but the fact of the matter is many, many women will be persuaded to sign up for credit cards and spend more than they want to on inventory.
Anyway, I know you are coming from a place of concern, and I understand that. Unlike other comments, I felt like you were actually mature and respectful in your response. So I thank you for that.
Updated to include: I’d also like to point out that you mentioned I was probably on a CP’s downline that did not have a business or accounting degree. You’re absolutely right on that one. The thing is, though, you’re not required to have a degree in finance in order to join. I would imagine many CPs, although some might, probably do not have a degree in finance. And they are probably giving distributors the same advice my CP gave her team. In fact, I actually remember a little FB post being shared to promote SeneGence that mentioned something about ignoring Dave Ramsey’s advice when it comes to paying off debt, and actually referring to him and his Debt Snowball plan as something along the lines of “Dave Ramsey no fun plan.” I wish I could find that facebook post but I guess it’s disappeared now.
Emily says
I appreciate your reply and I do understand your reference point. It was just completely disheartening to read so many current distributors’ comments who were empathizing with your blog post that decided after reading it to then quit, as well as your own replies to those who felt the need to defend their business. I completely understand the value of being cautious of how to spend your money, and how SeneGence’s current stock situation makes it incredibly difficult to invest, however I just thought many of your points made were based solely off of opinion and were not supported by facts.
I also didn’t make a claim, as you put it, that “not signing up as a distributor because of my blog post, is different from signing up for a credit card because a CP recommended it”. I meant that when a distributor signs up under a Crown Princess, she can decide for themselves based off of their own knowledge and maturity whether they want to follow the advice given by the CP. Your blog post has clearly persuaded others to quit a business that could be potentially successful for them based off of your experience and frustration with the company and an upline that wasn’t supportive or wasn’t giving sound advice.
Here’s where I say: You may be an adult and make adult decisions for yourself. (Example: Don’t sign up for a credit card just because someone tells you to.) Realize that EVERY SINGLE entrepreneur in this world HAS to invest their OWN time AND money in order for their business to work. That’s business 101…
Also, you signing up was a result of marketing that you didn’t have to do unless you truly wanted to. That’s also business at its finest.
I mostly responded because I wanted you to be aware of how you were responding to others that oppose your bias in your post. Distributors each have their own experience with MLM companies, and I just wished you had been more understanding of those who left comments and are proud of the company they work for.
dianasiuta says
Good to know, Emily! Thanks for clarifying.
JS says
I was just totally deceived by a family member to get me to sign up as a distributor. I do really like the products so I asked this person to order a few products. “Sure, we’ll sign you up as a distributor so you can get the discount.” No mention of the starter kit, the minimum orders, all the products ALWAYS being out of stock. Only later was I told about the 55.00 starter kit that was charged to my card. I do like the product but by the time I pay shipping, handling, and the cost without the discount….I feel a bit bruised. I did not even know about the 6 month order minimum until I read this blog. I am not someone who enjoys selling anything to anyone. Ever.
Cherish Love says
I’m just signing up for SeneGence. While I wasn’t put off by your blog, I felt like it opened my eyes to be aware of what to look for in my Upline and possible downline.
Thank you for your honesty. I appreciate it.
Did you get rid of your stock?
dianasiuta says
Hi, thank you for your nice comment. Also, thank you for taking my advice with a grain of salt. 🙂
No I did not get rid of my stock. Honestly, I don’t have a lot of it compared to others. Some of my products are clumping but there’s not much I can do about it now. I use the ones that are still good!
Paige says
Which products are clumping? I’m in the same boat and am just trying to get rid of the last of my product, but I thought they were supposed to have a super long shelf life…?
dianasiuta says
Pumpkin Spice is a nightmare, as well as Luv it. I haven’t opened the others one so I’m not sure. I stored them in the fridge! Hopefully it helps.
Stacie says
LipSense is not made to be stored in the fridge. You just want it kept in a cool even environment. Be sure you shake it well. Do not tap it or bang it as it could snap at the neck as it would weaken it. You want to shake them well everytime before application and start with a clean dry lip as well. Luv It and Pumpkin Spice are both great colors but on the lighter side. Luv It is a frost but neither should be clumpy. Either you have a bad batch or you simply need to shake them well. Do not store in the fridge though as that can create issues. You want them cool but not cold.
dianasiuta says
Thanks for the tip!
Stacie says
Its great you go into any business venture eyes open. I appreciate the negative and the positive info here so that people can see both sides. Our company did not have the crazy issues its experiencing now…due to the crazy growth. Unfortunately with rapid growth comes a lot of inexperience and thats what many issues seem to arise from. I encourage everybody to research their uplines …don’t jump in blindly because they appear cute and fun on social media… most of us leaders in the company are amazed at how fast social media has grown these new women in rank, but I for one am happy my team has grown as it has. With training, hard work, fun, support and responsibly. I guess you could say the old way. LOL
I feel terrible so many women here have gotten thrown to the wolves so to speak, but i do still encourage them to reach out for help. As for OOS…yes its insane… product is wanted and hard to get. Thats where your uplines come in handy. Or at least where they should. Enjoy your research and if you should join, enjoy it. It was the best thing I ever did and allowed me to walk away from a 24 year job where I made great money, worked from home even, BUT was tied to a business I hated. I am blessed in this venture, but I did not go in blindly and have worked hard to build a team of women who I help when they need it. Have fun, but please research. OOS is getting better, BUT this month will be insane due to the close of our seminar year, so do not expect anything different please.
dianasiuta says
Thank you again for your comment Stacie! I really appreciate your kindness when commenting.
You have to do research whenever you jump into anything new, that’s true!
africanprincess says
I signed up on march 4th. Just recieved the 6 colors that was in stock. I made a facebook group and added all my friends and family, posted pics and videos of myself with the product, and still nothing. Ive spent 259.1 total so far, and im getting really frustrated because the colors that ppl want are not in stock and dont know when they will be, so ive already lost customers. Plus ppl think its too expansive. I wish i had saw this blog before signing up. My sponsor makes it look soo easy. Ppl are always buying it from her and i liked the product so id thought id give it a shot. Hope its not too late to get a refund
dianasiuta says
I feel for you! I’m sorry this happened to you, too. I think it’s still early enough to get a refund so why not try?
Brittany R Allers says
Im a burned Senegence Distributor . Im still waiting to be contacted back about the refund. You said they refunded you the $55 but how much of the product will they refund.
You dont have to post this comment but could you email me the response please.
dianasiuta says
Of course, I’ll post your comment! 🙂 I’ll send you an email as well.
For anyone who wants to know this answer, I truly don’t know if there’s a limit as to how much SeneGence will buy back from you. I believe if it’s not opened they will refund you minus a 10% stocking fee.
dianasiuta says
Wow, terrible! I saw them call out on Dave Ramsey too calling his methods the “suck the fun of life plan.” I believe they were referring to his debt snowball plan because they go on to mention how it’s possible to be successful in SeneGence without Dave Ramsey. I agree that getting out of debt sucks the fun out of life. I’m in that process right now.
I’d like to join that Facebook group! Shoot me an email
Lori says
I would love to join your FB group. I joined in February and have not yet been able to place an order because stock is out and every time they say a color is up, I can’t get in to order anyway. So, they tell you about the Fast Start program and that your first 3 months are at a discount of 50% if you order 500pv, but there is never anything in stock to do so. I really feel ripped off at this point! I guess I do feel lucky in one way….I didn’t place an order because I at least had heard that people get charged prior to shipment. I wonder if there is a law against that! Some have been waiting 2 months with a credit card bill to pay. Bad business practice! For those customers who pre-pay, they are also waiting from their distributor! I find it to be an embarrassment!
I also wish I had read this before my sign up, but live and learn!
Stacie Contreras says
Wow…the amount of wrong information kills me. I will ersoanlly be taking many of these complaints to Joni herself as we can not fix what we don’t know. To correct a few things though: if you were during the Fast Track time then it was 300PV to qualify. Never has it been 500. This simply meant you purchased $600 in retail for $300. It again sounds like you may not have had an upline who was in the company long or maybe not as helpful as many of us strive to be. As leader of my team, my girls have not suffered with the OOS situation except the hassle of getting on to order with the slammed servers. I swear it feels like buying Comic Contreras tickets sometimes when items like Bella or Matte gloss come in. That being said it’s actually gotten better and items are staying in stock longer. All my team have gotten their orders. Those that got delayed I handled myself as their upline. I’m curious if you informed your upline or CP. If you did and they did nothing I.am sorry. This is why I encourage people to look around before jumping into business with just anybody. Sometimes people jump because they watch social media and see some cute girl who has tons golf followers… and the later realize they may not be the best trainer or support for them. This seems to happen a lot with the growth and all the young women jumping on board. I can only encourage you to all research and ask questions before signing under somebody. Many of us are happy to answer questions. I myself add people to look around and ask questions on a training page I run. I want my team happy they joined and I work hard to provide support. I have covered many a downline with product while they wait for shipments or while items are out of stock. My philosophy is that if some body wants this as a business and wants to work for it I will do everything in my power to assist them. I am upfront and honest about everything as I believe we all should be. I have women as young as 18…calling on their birthdays who have waited to join… and my oldest in her late 70’s on my team. I am much more concerned and protective of these age groups though. I often will work with both these groups some b4 they join… to be sure tgey really want it. I also have them have a launch party prior to joining usually and use monies from the to start them. That way no out if pocket expense to them. I have made amazing money with this company and I take leading a team seriously. I do not sign girl after girl as I prefer to know hwo I’m signing so I can best guide themail and be sure it’s a good fit. So many women have joined quickly without researching and been hurt in the process. Please if you are in the company still…reach out. Talk to your CP even. If you still need help, you can reach out to me as a trainer. I am happy to answer your questions. ☺
Stacie Contreras says
I am happy to add you to training and give you suggestions. Go to training with lip candie and request to be added. I will watch for your request. I’m on the road today. Once added look in photos and then through albums. They are broken down into to sections. Look for newbie golder. I removed fast start as it confused many newer people. Post fast start help Stacie and I’ll see details you info to help.
Do not let oos discourage u as it will not last 4ever. My own team has grown tremendously during our worst months but that’s due to my supporting them. Once in training message me letting me know your team and your CP. I will see what I can do there for support as well for you. Hang in there. I love our company and have been around b4 this crazy growth.
dianasiuta says
Thank you for replying Stacie. I really REALLY like your response. I like that you get to know your distributors before signing them up. It’s so needed in this business especially.
Robyn’s group is necessary, though, because there is a lot of censorship going on in the SeneGence Facebook Groups. Thank you for your comment, Stacie.
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Robyn Poirier says
Hi Lori
You can find our facebook group at the link below. Verbal Release Therapy is a group we have designed where Distributors are free to let their frustrations out in a safe closed group. We don’t promise to have all the answers, but we have been where you are and we know your frustration.
I hope to see you there
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VerbalReleaseTherapy/
Leely Standen says
Thank you for this! You just saved me from heartache and headache. I love the products and was thinking, maybe I can do this. I’ve had trouble with MLM before and I knew it was too good to be true. I’m glad I found your honest thoughts about this company. I will continue to use lipsense of course, but I’m so clear headed and focused now! Phew!
Brandie Mccall Wolsefer says
Ok upon reading all your comments I have to post. I signed on senegence Feb 14 and have had amazing success. I have been with Rodan and Fields for 2 years and have a very successful team. When presented with senegence I couldn’t pass up the fact this company is in the momentum phase. I have a masters degree in marketing and business and this company can literally make you a millionaire. I only have a small group of 216 ladies on Facebook and I can’t keep stock in my hand! The entire makeup line is selling like crazy. I have signed on 7 girls and 3 more by Sunday. We have literally one color in stock. It really depends on what team you join and who your leaders are. My upline is amazing and we all work together to exchange products we have to meet the stock issue. I’m sorry you had a bad experience but upon reading it’s not the company it’s your upline. The company is better than many MLM competitors. Meeting the requirements to stay as an active distributor is so easy compared to majority of the companies out there! No you do not have a monthly quota like most mlms. Majority of MLMs have personal stock quotas and customer quota. This is either or! The 100 PV is literally selling 3 lipstick collections or buying product for you. This is how you earn on your team! If you don’t have a team then this doesn’t matter! In 4 weeks I’ve have over 2800 in retail sales and my team is almost at 2,000. Seriously if your someone that is reading this and on the fence please research further and reach out to someone that can lead you to success! I’m sorry you had a bad CP and terrible experience but this company is a wonderful MLM company.
dianasiuta says
True, probably most of the problems I had was with my upline. They were not honest with me when I was signing up and I would not have signed up had I known all the problems with this company beforehand.
Updated to include: I do want to thank you for your comment. Thank you for understanding that not everyone has the same experience. I’m glad your team actually works together. Talking to other girls, this doesn’t seem to be the experience of many others. Thank you Brandie! Your comment is very much appreciated.
Anonymous says
Thank you VERY much for this info! I ordered my first kit, which comes with a color, gloss, and Oops remover. I was just talking TODAY bout joining! I’m SO glad I read this.
dianasiuta says
Thank you very much for your comment! I appreciate it. You’ll love your first kit!
Stacie says
congrats on your collection… since we have so many new people selling this now, i want to be sure you have the correct info for application and best wear time. If you already were given it, perfect. Enjoy. If not, please take a moment to read the following instructions as they are beneficial for best results. 🙂
* Start with a clean, dry lip (you would be surprised how much gets on your lip from applying makeup in the morning)
* Apply lipsense in 1 direction. Start on the top lip in the center. Apply even, light pressure. Press up towards your point and down to the corner of you mouth. Repeat with the other side …starting in the center of top lip again. Now sweep entire bottom lip from corner to corner. REPEAT these steps till you have applied 3 layers on both top and bottom lip.
* KEEP LIPS APART. Do not blot or press them together.
*DO NOT wipe color back and forth as this wipes it on and off again.
* Once last layer is applied, allow to dry a few seconds and then apply gloss. Once gloss is on you can do anything as its been sealed.
*ENJOY!
Nadia says
Thank you Diana! My distributor just earned a car and she makes it look so easy. She wanted me to join, but stopped pressuring me once she realized I was really against MLMs, mostly because my husband has strong feelings against MLMs since his dad had his MLM phase back in the day. I’ve been researching endlessly for someone with a negative experience because all I could find was how wonderful everything is and how easy. Thank you again for your honesty! I love the product but I will not lose friends or money over the hypothetical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
dianasiuta says
Thank you, Nadia! I love the product as well. I love being a customer as opposed to being a distributor too!
Tosha Flores says
I am so sorry your experience was negative. I signed up in January of this year and I haven’t met any of the fast starts like a lot of my teammates but I have been having a lot of fun learning. I have an awesome upline who is there for me and the team and makes sure we are all informed. I know it seems crazy to have to invest your money into product but you gain product testers for others to try at the same time. I don’t make a lot of money at my day jobs so I don’t have a lot to purchase products unless I receive orders. It has been frustrated but I am determined to make it :). The colors look great on you btw. I hope you find something to do that u love and works for u :).
dianasiuta says
Thank you girl!! You’re so sweet. I wish you luck!
Jackie says
Its horrible. I want out. I call, leave messages, email, no response to my emails. Been trying to cancel an order I placed in January, no response. So frustrating. But, they have no problem taking your money. Just need to sellmof the rest of my stock. Then, good ridens! Cant beleive I eas sucked in like this. Lipsense is nice, but definately not perfect.
Wish I had read all this before January
As of today, they have 1 colour Lipsense available. How do you build a business on that? And they have all my money, i have no product, so how do I make money?
dianasiuta says
Ugh, I’m so sorry Jackie! Do they still have their customer care center open? Weird that they don’t answer their calls. And super crazy that there’s only one color in stock! I heard that they are going from 70 plus colors done to 36 so hopefully that will help with everything being out of stock usually! Sending hugs your way! Sounds difficult. 🙁
Kaitlyn Whiting says
Hi! I agree with a lot of what you’re saying. You hit it right on the nose. I’ve avoided pressure to get a credit card, and once I realized spending more to get a discount was pulling me in (and using all my husband and I’s money when we are newly married!) and that I don’t have time to sell while I’m in school and work (for actual hourly pay) I decided to back off. I have been avoiding purchases, but I would like to quit all together. Did you call to get a refund on your sign-up cost? How do you do that? I keep asking but all I get is the “don’t give up” crap. I’m not a quitter, in fact I’m making a wise decision to save my marriage and my money. I appreciate your help if you could tell me how to quit!
dianasiuta says
Hi Kaitlyn! I’m sorry to hear what you’re going through but glad that your decision is best for your family! It seems like a lot has changed in the few months that I have quit and I’m not sure if I can offer you a lot of answers. I believe if you are within 45 days of sign up you can request a refund for your starter kit fee.
Why not try joining this facebook group?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VerbalReleaseTherapy/?fref=nf
The women in this group have really been able to help each other!!
Leah says
I am so sorry you have had a bad experience… i think all companies have good and bad managers (Uplines etc) and not everyone is a good fit in every job (DS etc). I have been a distributor since October and despite the OOS issues, I have been flourishing. Honestly, I couldn’t do it without a good upline. I have NEVER been pressured about anything and I’m horrified you had someone insist you or anyone else open a credit card. We have an amazing system to find colors customers need so OOS has not been an issue. I have done a couple DS’s/MLM’s and this is the first I had the option to keep stock. I prefer it, but I feel it’s a personal preference. I have never been told I have to attend anything although of course it’s suggested, I work and I have kids and time is limited. If I had a distributor that upset I would feel responsible and help you get a refund if not do it myself. My word is all I have and if I am sharing my experience and you want to join me I would feel like I have to do everything in my power to help. Which brings me to my team always training their downline… we don’t leave everything up to one person or the “crowned princess” and I wouldn’t want my team not feeling they can’t come to me!
Michael says
My wife signed up with SeneGence less then 6 months ago and she is making about 2500 in commission and about 1500 from her own sales this month. She uses social media A lot but she didn’t have a big online presence to begin with. Any MLM is not about passive income. my wife has recruited 38 people to her team.She actively manages them answering questions giving them pep talks, teaching them how to make sales even when stock is down. that commission that she makes from their sales is to compensate her for her managerial role that she has taken upon herself to fill. Also buying a credit card is a fine idea. when my wife first started about $1000 on the credit card in stock. within a month she had sold all that product and made that $1000 turn in to $2000. we use that to pay what we have filed from the credit card right away and now we had more to that product to sell. even the biggest multimillion dollar companies need lines of credit and borrow money to help them make money. I’m not bagging on you but it is very clear that you did notput in what was required to be successful in this particularkind of company. Just need some money and a lot of time and effort, So if the people that recruited you made it sound like a cakewalk them that their bad. fortunately my wife had better mentors to help her get started.
dianasiuta says
Thank you for your comment!
dianasiuta says
Thanks for your comment. People get upset once you hit them where it hurts: their wallet. It just amazes me how rude some people can be when you have legitimate concerns about a company.
Jitonna says
This is so spot on!!! My senegence career was a record 2 days. Lol. I signed up two days ago and regretfully am out of $55 but thankfully I didn’t spend anymore on product. I could not figure out why literally EVERYTHING is out of stock. It was not explained to me that customers can only buy from the independent distributors. Your blog explained everything I was thinking and more. Huge lesson learned. I thoroughly enjoyed your blog and will now follow you from here on out!
dianasiuta says
Aw thank you! That means so much to me! If you’d like I have a newsletter you can sign up for at the top of my site! I send emails out each time the blog is updated.
Thank you so much Jitonna! You made my night.
Sharon C Weidberg says
I am 69 years old and have been in many MLM companies. In my life, I have never seen or heard of a company until now that hardly has any stock to sell. I don’t know how anyone makes any money. I signed up in December and was able to get around 12 different lip-sense colors in the beginning but not anymore. It’s a joke and kind of pathetic. Why would anyone sign up as a distributor anymore that sees what the inventory situation has been and still is.
Emily says
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! I found it helpful, and value your perspective.
maria says
Great article! Funny that it’s being sold on ebay, amazon etc…. they just can’t stop anyone from doing it!
Thanks!
Samantha says
I am a LipSense distributor and I’m not at all offended by this blog. I don’t know why people are attacking you. It’s definitely not a company for everyone. I make (profit) a few hundred a month on sales, but I don’t have a huge team because, like you said, I’m an average person without a huge social media following. My upline does and she makes ten thousand dollar checks. But she made it very clear to me that it doesn’t happen like that to everyone. I’m upset they didn’t give you the correct expectations when you signed up because that’s setting you up to fail. Wether good or bad, I appreciate your honesty and feelings in this blog, and I’m super disappointed at the ladies being rude. It’s not an easy thing to do and it’s definitely not for everyone!
dianasiuta says
Thank you for your comment! It’s okay, I have a pretty thick skin. Thank you again, Samantha!