Several months ago I gave an honest review on two "all natural" sugar scrubs; one from Lemongrass Spa (an MLM company) and one from Walmart (Burt's Bees). My conclusion was that I liked both scrubs, but the Lemongrass Spa one was superior.
At this point it has been six months since I bought both products. After several weeks of NOT using either scrub, I opened the Lemongrass jar and noticed that the top was crusty with sugar, and it had also started to discolor in some places.
At this point it has been six months since I bought both products. After several weeks of NOT using either scrub, I opened the Lemongrass jar and noticed that the top was crusty with sugar, and it had also started to discolor in some places.
I went to the Lemongrass website to see if the product had an expiration date (none listed on the jar). I couldn't find one, but I did find a 60-day guarantee on all of their products. Unfortunately, at this point it had been almost six months since I bought the scrub, so the guarantee was no longer valid.
My Fault, or the Company's?
One factor that may have played into its demise was a slow leak in the jar. In my original review, I noted that the "seal" on the Lemongrass jar had been broken, and it leaked oil into the bag. Now I realize that there is probably a tiny leak in the jar that is causing the oil to slowly drip out (VERY slowly... we're talking six months to notice a difference in texture). The oil and scent are what I loved about the scrub in the first place, so without it the quality is diminished. Looking back, I should have asked for a replacement as soon as I noticed oil around the unopened jar.
Regardless of my faux pas with the leaky jar, I'm still not sure why the scrub is discoloring. It's not only discolored on top where it's crusty, but also underneath where there is still plenty of oil. This is pretty disappointing to me, because I had hoped the jar would last a very long time, as it cost $22.00.
The $13.00 Walmart/Burt's Bees scrub, on the other had, has not changed in color or consistency since the day I bought it. So at this point, I have to declare Burt's Bees the winner. If you are going to cycle through a whole $22.00 jar of scrub within two months, then Lemongrass is still the way to go. But if you're not, Walmart will give you a longer-lasting, more consistent product for less money.
Looking Forward
In my heart of hearts, I was hoping to purchase Lemongrass products (at least the scrub) again. But because of the all-natural ingredients (more "natural" than Burt's Bees), I'm guessing that their products will not last as long, and I don't want to cycle through luxury products that quickly.
$22.00 x 4 = $88.00 per year. And that is only for one product. This only confirms my view that MLM products (or any overpriced/expensive products bought on a subscription/regular basis) will suck money out of your pocket very, very quickly. It's not frugal. I was hoping to MAKE this product frugal by making it last a long time, but even that was not possible. Network marketing products are a luxury, however you look at it.
In the future, I will probably try making my own sugar scrub. I bought some phthalate-free pomegranate fragrance from Bulk Apothecary several months ago, and while not identical, it is very similar to the Lemongrass scent. The homemade scrub will probably last no longer than the Lemongrass scrub, but at least I'll be able to make it in smaller batches so the quality doesn't decline before I'm done using it. Plus it will probably be cheaper than Lemongrass AND Burt's Bees.
Have you used a multi-level marketing/direct sales/network marketing product before? Did it live up to your expectations (and the price tag)?
My Fault, or the Company's?
One factor that may have played into its demise was a slow leak in the jar. In my original review, I noted that the "seal" on the Lemongrass jar had been broken, and it leaked oil into the bag. Now I realize that there is probably a tiny leak in the jar that is causing the oil to slowly drip out (VERY slowly... we're talking six months to notice a difference in texture). The oil and scent are what I loved about the scrub in the first place, so without it the quality is diminished. Looking back, I should have asked for a replacement as soon as I noticed oil around the unopened jar.
Regardless of my faux pas with the leaky jar, I'm still not sure why the scrub is discoloring. It's not only discolored on top where it's crusty, but also underneath where there is still plenty of oil. This is pretty disappointing to me, because I had hoped the jar would last a very long time, as it cost $22.00.
The $13.00 Walmart/Burt's Bees scrub, on the other had, has not changed in color or consistency since the day I bought it. So at this point, I have to declare Burt's Bees the winner. If you are going to cycle through a whole $22.00 jar of scrub within two months, then Lemongrass is still the way to go. But if you're not, Walmart will give you a longer-lasting, more consistent product for less money.
Looking Forward
In my heart of hearts, I was hoping to purchase Lemongrass products (at least the scrub) again. But because of the all-natural ingredients (more "natural" than Burt's Bees), I'm guessing that their products will not last as long, and I don't want to cycle through luxury products that quickly.
$22.00 x 4 = $88.00 per year. And that is only for one product. This only confirms my view that MLM products (or any overpriced/expensive products bought on a subscription/regular basis) will suck money out of your pocket very, very quickly. It's not frugal. I was hoping to MAKE this product frugal by making it last a long time, but even that was not possible. Network marketing products are a luxury, however you look at it.
In the future, I will probably try making my own sugar scrub. I bought some phthalate-free pomegranate fragrance from Bulk Apothecary several months ago, and while not identical, it is very similar to the Lemongrass scent. The homemade scrub will probably last no longer than the Lemongrass scrub, but at least I'll be able to make it in smaller batches so the quality doesn't decline before I'm done using it. Plus it will probably be cheaper than Lemongrass AND Burt's Bees.
Have you used a multi-level marketing/direct sales/network marketing product before? Did it live up to your expectations (and the price tag)?
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