Should an esthetician sell/use Rodan and Fields? Your opinions would be much appreciated!!

As an esthetician I have been approached many times by consultants trying to recruit me to sell Rodan and Fields.  My response to them has always been  "I am an esthetician.  I only use professional products."  I cannot sell products to people if I have not had them under the mag light and analyized their skin.  The consultants are told they are selling professional products.  They do not understand the hard stance I am taking.  I am very polite however i am firm.  To me, it is a matter of integrity.  I don't believe a product line can be sold by people who are not a dermotologist or an esthetician.  I understand the line was created by dermatolgists but these clients are not sitting in their chair getting a dermotogist recommendation.  They are getting a home consultants recommendation based on what the client tells them.  How many times have you have someone tell you what their skin type is only to get them in your chair and find out something totally opposite?  I believe they have the right to sell their multi-level marketing products just like mary kay and avon however mary kay and avon doesn't try to get me to sell their skin care line.  My question to my peers is this.  Am i thinking of this the right way?  I'm come to find out that there are many estheticians who do sell this.  Am I wrong?  They use it in their room and they retail it.  While that may be fine because they are looking at the clients skin, to me it sends a message that if she's using it, it must be good so lets all go buy it and we don't even have to waste our money on an esthetician doing our facial.  Plus, I"m not sure what the commission is but it's probably not 100% markup which is what the retail we sell typically is.  I would just like to hear your thoughts on the issue.  I was approached again last week.  I gave her my speech but told her I would research things and get back to her.  I have been wrong before and I will admit it if I"ve made a mistake about this.  Your opinions, please!!!!

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I agree with you, Regina. I would not get involved with this kind of business (I am lucky to not be enforced by any situation), but I understand why some professionals would sell MLM: the need of money. If somebody has a family to support and does not have a good and stable income (especially if is new in the profession) then that person must do something. Those MLM lines many times offer "credit". Unfortunately, majority of the people will fail, but an aesthetician can "give" credibility to those products and be more successful than the regular person.

It used to give me the feeling when i was approached to do this like it was just a business transaction like a MLM scheme, rather than an educational product line etc that clients would benefit from.  That was just me though.  I shy away from companies like that too. Nothing wrong with the reps making money (and some do make a lot) it's just not a way I am happy making money for my family.

I was approached by one of their reps as well, through a friend who told them I was an Esthetician and starting my own business.  I went ahead and heard what they had to say and while they say the products are great, I didn't like the idea of just having these 4 treatments to chose from.  I like to customize for each client and didn't feel that you could do that with these products.  I also didn't like the idea of not having the retail aspect.  I like displaying the products that I am confident in and being able to sell them to my clients and they start using them right away.  I also didn't like the monthly cost that was associated with is, around $150 a month!!  I am new and I certainly don't have enough income coming in to where I can spend $150 of it on skincare products. 

To each their own and if it works for some people then thats great, just didn't feel like it was right for me.  The sales person was super pushy about it, when I kept saying well I just spent $2400 in backbar and retail products and I am in no position to change products now, she kept going on and on, which I understand is her job and how she makes her money. 

I would not sell it!

Great discussion!  I have loved reading all the feed back.   Don't sell Rodan & Fields.  Keep our profession "Professional".

No.

I am so relieved to find this thread.  

I was approached by R&F rep recently and started researching ingredients immediately.  I was concerned that most of the products contain some ingredient that is a known endocrine disruptor, a well as known 'filler' ingredients that makes less seem like more, fragrances and dyes, and of course the cost is outrageous in my opinion.  

Another concern of mine is the fact you cannot find bad reviews anywhere, which makes me believe they are being removed.  I found this conversation on page 10 of a google search on negative reviews for R&F.  

I know for a fact the line I carry is very concentrated, and the cleansers which retail for $30 for 4 oz last the average person a minimum of 6 months, and more likely a year.  I feel good about selling a quality product that is worth the money.  I am new to skin care, and have been researching a second product line for months and still haven't made up my mind.

Being able to customize product lines, offer discounts for referrals and loyalty, knowing clients can buy the one bottle of product they actually need matter to me.  Knowing that many other Aestheticians agree with me just solidifies my decision.

I now know for sure that I can confidently tell this Rep (and future reps), that I am not interested knowing I have done my research.  I have no issues whatsoever with individuals selling the line, or the line itself, but agree that our level of training, education and most importantly, service is simply different and should remain that way.  

I am an esthetician in a beauty salon, I use Image Skin Care and love it.  It is a professional skin care line that can only be purchased from and esthetician or Doctors office. (minus the problems on the internet)  I have recently been approached about this line and keep asking the person why would I sell an over the counter product when I have a fantastic professional product that I truly believe in in my room.  Come to find out they are selling (for 200.00 a needling devise that you rub all over your skin as well as a hand held microdermabrasion machine with this line)  I personally am insulted that someone would think I would be interested in this gimmicky product line that will be here today and gone tomorrow. 

We face the same issue at our spa, with several of the "leading members" of the PTA/PTO being R&F reps who guilt their friends into buying this stuff. Their customer's skin looks terrible.

There is a great misconception in the beauty industry that dermatologists know everything. Derms are MDs who are taught how to treat DISEASES OF THE SKIN  - few know squat about enhancing skin appearance.

Derms will tell you to wash you face every day, but are fine with DOVE soap as your cleanser

If someone who read a brochure is qualified to sell such an amazing product and an automatic re-supply program on a website knows what you need each season of the year, then R&F should be selling it at 10X the current price -- such a miracle product would command it!

I couldn't agree more with you! I get so frustrated with what my clients tell me that their Derms have recommended them to do to treat their skin. Scary stuff! It is difficult to tell my clients why they should listen to me instead of a doctor. Very frustrating but I'm been successful by simply explaining to them WHY they shouldn't do what whatever it was they were doing. 

And, of course, this falls in line with OTC products. I have been approached so much lately with this line and some others and I'm tired of hearing that "other Estheticians" use it and so do Dermatologists. I am simply not willing to provide less than professional products for my clients. 

I think i was fired as of yesterday, because i told my boss that im only using professional products to deliver results. He switched from Bioelements (not very professional either, but some products i like) to Rodan and Fields, I was hoping he would change to something nice, but....

anyway, i only scheduled to work there one day a week and honestly they are not so busy with skincare. So not a big deal , but i was mad when i was told by him that this Rodan... is professional line.

Just curious, why owners who dont know skincare are looking for product lines not talking to estheticians? Or this is just my case? 

I think to each his own...HOWEVER... It doesn't really make good business sense. Lots of people make money off of it, but here is MY PROBLEM with it.  IF anyone can SELL it, why go to a professional?  Why sell it in your store?  I want to have a product that my clients can only purchase from ME, exclusively.  I know lots of people make more money on THEIR MLM.  It's a fact. You can't deny that. BUT...I have a hard time selling something that everybody else in my town can sell.  Same with ebay, amazon, and the actual companies who sell products on their website. It's not acceptable to me.  I want my clients to have to either order from MY website or come into my store. Period.

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