Younique

Younique launched in September 2012 in Lehi, Utah. Siblings Derek Maxfield and Melanie Huscroft founded it; Derek, a computer science graduate who had already built the direct sales software company NetSteps, is still CEO. The company's stated mission is to uplift, empower and validate women, and it describes itself as a pioneer of easy selling systems, proprietary beauty products and generous giving.

Younique grew fast on the back of its Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes mascara and a Facebook-first selling model. In January 2017 Coty bought a 60% stake for about $600 million, valuing the company at $1 billion. In August 2019 Maxfield and Huscroft bought that stake back, and Younique has been founder-owned since. The company sells in 18 markets, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico and much of Western Europe.

In August 2023, at its tenth-anniversary convention, Younique retired the party plan and added a Brand Affiliate pathway alongside its Brand Ambassadors. Through 2026 its storefronts have been moving to Komigo, a multi-brand creator shopping platform; younique.com now tells shoppers their Ambassador is also a creator on komigo.me. All Younique products are sold through Brand Ambassadors and their personal websites, not in stores.

Through Younique's Deliberately Different Journey to Success, we aren't simply adopting affiliate marketing; we're pioneering its integration into direct sales.

Derek Maxfield, CEO and Founder, Younique — Direct Selling News, August 2023

Giving is part of the pitch. Saprea, formerly The Younique Foundation, was founded in 2014 by Derek and Shelaine Maxfield to support survivors of child sexual abuse. The company says 10% of profits go to Saprea. Younique is a member of the Direct Selling Association and backs its products with a Love It Guarantee return policy. The official site is youniqueproducts.com.

Joining as a Brand Ambassador requires buying the Younique Starter Kit; there is no kit for the Brand Affiliate route. Enrollment happens inside the Younique app: download it, verify your email, pick a sponsor, accept the Brand Ambassador Agreement and buy the kit in-app. You must be 18 or older and live in one of the 18 countries Younique serves.

The kit is a curated set of current Younique products and business basics. Contents and shades are set by the company, are not customizable and change with the season. Younique's Digital Onboarding Guide now lists the Beauty Starter Kit at $49 (it sold for $99 for years), with optional $125 Booster Boxes in your first 90 days; confirm the price in the app before you join Younique.

With the kit comes a personal website, the Back Office with reports and training, the Younique Learning Hub and market-specific Facebook groups. Younique also runs a Fast Start program for new Ambassadors in their first months.

Younique pays Brand Ambassadors in two layers. Retail Pay is 20% of personal retail sales (PRS), paid through Instant Pay, which the company says arrives within three hours of an online sale. A further 5% to 20% of PRS is added at month end once your monthly total is known, which is how the company arrives at its headline of up to 40% Retail Pay.

Team earnings come from three sources. Team Pay is 0.5% to 10% on your First, Second and Third Level teams, set by your Pay Level and team count. A monthly Bonus Pool, funded with 1% of all Personal Retail Sales, is shared by active Ambassadors who earn shares. Promotion and Paid-as bonuses start at Senior Brand Specialist. Most team requirements are measured on 75% of retail value, and coupons and Y-Cash credits reduce PRS.

To stay active you need 250 PRS over a rolling three-month period; otherwise the account converts to a customer account. Brand Affiliates earn a commission on links they share with no kit and no team. Younique updates the Pay Plan periodically, so check the company's current compensation plan for exact percentages.

PROS

• Instant Pay: the company pays 20% retail commission within hours of an online sale rather than at month end.
• No parties and no inventory. The whole business runs from a phone, a personal website and social media.
• Two ways in: the Brand Affiliate path has no kit cost, so you can test the products and the audience before buying a kit.
• Recognizable products. Moodstruck mascaras and the Quadra 4-in-1 have real name recognition, and the company holds Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certification.
• A charity tie-in, Saprea, that customers respond to.

CONS

• A 250 PRS rolling three-month minimum means you must sell steadily or lose Ambassador status.
• Full 40% retail pay requires high monthly volume; most new Ambassadors will earn closer to 20%.
• The company has changed models repeatedly (Coty sale and buyback, party plan dropped in 2023, the Komigo move in 2026), which unsettles long-term sellers.
• In 2019 Younique paid $3.25 million to settle claims over its 3D Fiber Lashes labeling, and The Guardian reported that many presenters lost money.
• Prices are mid-to-premium ($30 mascara, $47 foundation, $83 serum), so you are competing with department store brands on value.