You might remember from a few posts ago that I am a consultant for Rodan+Fields skincare. In that post, I explained my reasoning for joining this company, and I shared my first set of before and after photos. I was nervous to put all of that out there– not only show my skin in its naked form but to also say, in essence, “Hey, I am another person selling something!”
I am the first to shoot down most network marketing companies. My friends and family know this about me…which is why it was probably confusing as to why I would join such a company. For me, the reasons are simple. I use the products. I love the products. I want to share the products. I should make money for sharing these products. I WISH Target, Starbucks, and other businesses that I LOVE would pay me to use and share their products. But they don’t. And that doesn’t keep me from keeping them financially afloat each month, lemme tell ya.
So here I am, a full two months in from my starting date in April. Honestly… it has been better than I could have imagined. I don’t feel pressured to sell anything. I am inspired by really strong, business-savvy women on my team, but I don’t feel like a failure because my numbers don’t stack up to theirs. I feel encouraged, supported, and challenged.
When I decided to leave my teaching job at the end of this year, I started to have the same feelings I felt when I left my first teaching job 3 years ago. Identity crisis. Who am I now that I am not a teacher? Money worries. Will I need to “ask” Luke for money for everything now that I am not making my own? (our marriage doesn’t work like that anyway — but the thought was there) Fear of burnout. Will I really feel happy with my days if they are spent completely with my children?
The R+F business side helps to fill these voids for me. I still feel like a human being. I set my own goals, and I challenge myself to meet them. I am supported and praised when I achieve these accomplishments. Financially, I am making more money each month than I was teaching preschool, and I am not leaving my house or my children to do it….or throwing that money back into the classroom by buying books and classroom supplies.
I have talked to many people about the R+F products. I have gotten lots of “yes,” and probably more “no.” So, I thought I would center this post around the top 3 reasons why people turn me down.
1. It takes too much time. / There are too many steps. // I never wash my face. /// I am too lazy at night.
This was definitely me before I finally become so sick of dealing with relentless breakouts. I totally understand. However, my mom’s voice came ringing in my ears, “If you do what you’ve always done, you get what you’ve always gotten.” And true confessions…I don’t wash my face EVERY night or EVERY morning. I try to, but life gets in the way. Some nights, I am seriously too tired to deal with it. Thankfully, I am not layering my face with lots of makeup anymore, so if I skip a night, my face handles it just fine.
I timed myself when I used my 4-step Unblemish regimen today, and it took just under 3 minutes from start to finish. This is my face completely clean and fresh after using the products. The marks you see are freckles, sun spots, and just a few post-acne marks…but no new blemishes!
2. It is too expensive.
Again, I totally understand this thought. Yes, the R+F products are more expensive than what you can buy at Target, CVS, Walgreens, etc. But honestly? You cannot compare the R+F products to these drugstore products. You just can’t. They are clinically studied, clinically proven products, developed by the same dermatologists that created Proactiv. When I used to use the cheaper stuff, I would use so much of it at once just to feel like it was working, which meant I was replacing it quicker. Did you know that R+F regimens (systems) last at least 3, sometimes 4 months? The price you pay is not a monthly fee.
When I would occasionally buy the more expensive brands at Ulta or Sephora, I was spending as much, if not more, than I spend on my R+F products, and I still never got the results I was wanting. I have tried so many brands and so many products.
And because I feel attached to all the money I have spent on these items, I tend to just keep them in a little graveyard in my bathroom. There are easily $250 worth of products in this basket that didn’t work for me, and I am just hoarding them because I can’t fathom pouring that money down the drain.
In hindsight, I should have just returned them when I realized I was unsatisfied, but many places only give you 30 days to return beauty products, and some of them won’t take them back if they are opened. To me, 30 days isn’t long enough to know if a product is going to work for you. Being honest, it wasn’t until after the 30 day mark for me that I noticed my blemishes REALLY disappearing with R+F. You have to give things time to work, but you also shouldn’t have to wait forever. R+F believes that if you don’t see results you like by 60 days, you can return what’s left of products for a full refund. Not store credit. A refund.
Let’s also talk about the money I am saving by not applying 4 different layers of makeup so that I can feel confident enough to leave the house. Do I still use concealer under my eyes? Yes, some days I do. Other than that, my routine consists of a very light mineral powder, maybe a touch of bronzer, and then my eye makeup. No BB cream, no foundation, no powder foundation, nothing. Do I love makeup? Yes! Do I still love Younique? Absolutely! Do I love the feeling of a fresh, clean face on hot summer days? More than anything.
So, yeah, you might end up spending more on your skincare than the $6.99 special on Cartwheel at Target, but this is going to work for you or you are going to get your money back. I like those odds.
3. I want to do something about my skin, but just not right now.
We always think we can put things off. We always have a list of other things to buy and do before we take care of ourselves. We put the needs of our children, spouses, jobs, community, other family members, friends, pets, etc, etc, etc, above our own. We think there will be a better time in the future to invest in ourselves.
We are aging every single day. We are exposing our skin to harmful sun rays and environmental irritants. We coat our kids in sunscreen because we know it is good for them, but we forget that we still have skin to take care of, too!
For me, I wanted to show my girls that I could be confident in my own skin. I wanted to begin to reverse years of not washing my face, not protecting it from the sun, and simply thinking that the only way to feel beautiful was to be layered in makeup. It was starting to get out of hand. They would watch me apply makeup and ask, “What does that do Mama?” “What is that for Mama?” “Why are you doing that Mama?”
Ya’ll know my husband is a family doctor. Well, when he was on his dermatology rotation, he was fascinated by the damage we do to our skin, and he was highly motivated to begin some sort of prescription cream because he wanted to keep his skin looking young. He is a 30-something guy’s guy who likes to camp, run, play sports, and otherwise be a stinky boy. He is not vain, but he knew that he wasn’t doing all that he could to prevent lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. So, rather than use the prescription stuff, he has been using the Redefine regimen, and he absolutely loves it. We both can tell a big difference in his skin, and he believes that this stuff will keep him looking young.
So, as you can tell, I really believe in these products and the company that stands behind them. If I have inspired you to try any of our regimens, Unblemish, Soothe, Redefine, or Reverse, or any of our other products, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
