Are Arbonne Products Good or Bad for You? (2024)

This article includes all the information regarding the “goodness” of Arbonne products, which will help you make an informed decision about whether you should opt for them or not.

Arbonne is a company that manufactures beauty products.

They are mostly known for their skincare and nutrition supplements, but they also sell makeup, body products, hair care items, and more.

Arbonne is a Switzerland-based MLM company that has been functional since 1975 and has benefitted a lot of people with its diverse range of health and wellness products that include but are not limited to skincare and make-up essentials, nutritional supplements, and so on.

However, being new to the name of Arbonne, filtering out bogus claims from factual information about the company’s products might intimidate you a bit since the internet is flooded with biased reviews.

Some people love Arbonne’s products while others say they’re just not worth being considered.

What do you think?

Read this post to find out what we found out about the health benefits of Arbonne.

I have assessed a lot of expert reviews and scrutinized Arbonne’s product philosophy posted on their website to help you decide if the products are good enough to be given a shot or not

I have researched the underlying factors like third-party certifications, ingredient policy, scientific evidence, customer reviews, and price factors that determine a product’s worth.

Dig into this read to know what I found about Arbonne!

Are Arbonne Products Good? (why I think it is not!)

I know Arbonne’s website looks pretty convincing with all those flashy words like ‘vegan’, ‘gluten-free’, or ‘organic’ plastered to it.

But these labels are not enough to determine if the product will indeed be safe and effective for you.

And before I go into further details, this is what I concluded from my research –

No, Arbonne products are not as good as they claim.

Please keep reading to see how I deal with Arbonne’s claims one by one.

Not so Eco-friendly

Arbonne is a Certified B Corporation, which verifies that the company upholds some sustainability goals. The watchword goes like ‘profit with a purpose.

However, Better Goods has reasoned how this is just a tactic of greenwashing, and instead, the ingredients in Arbonne are not entirely safe for either the environment or the consumer.

For instance, the Arbonne Re9 advanced sunscreen contains ingredients that threaten the coral reefs in the environment.

Not Organic

You might have heard A LOT from Independent consultants that Arbonne’ products’ are all-natural, safe, toxin-free, and organic. But the fact is that I didn’t find any such claims on the Arbonne website.

In this document, Arbonne professes that it only uses ‘organic raw material’ in its products.

Arbonne has never claimed that its finished products are organic. And neither are the products USDA approved.

The combined toxicity of the product is not measured, so we can’t know if the ultimate result of the concoction will be safe enough.

False Non-GMO Claims

Arbonne is certified non-GMO by the non-GMO project. But these standards seem unrealistic and unachievable, as due to their prevalence, entrance during processing seems inevitable.

In fact, Alfalfa seed extract is a key ingredient in Arbonne’s skin and Haircare, and it is a common GMO.

Ingredient Policy

The ‘ingredient’ part is where I found myself standing on a sticky wicket.

Arbonne claims to have listed more than 2000 ingredients on its NOT ALLOWED LIST.

This includes narcotics, common allergens, toxins, EU-banned ingredients, animal/insect-derived products, and artificial stuff.

But when I inspected labels of some of Arbonne’s ‘clean products’, I found that many Arbonne products in the nutrition category had Xanthan gum, guan gum, fillers, and natural flavors in them.

To my surprise, nuts and honey are also included in the banned ingredients.

This is just reducing the nutrient value of the products.

The beauty products are also free from beeswax, mineral oils, etc.

The question is if Arbonne is skipping on some of the finest ingredients of actual value. Is what it adding even worth it?

Not EWG verified

When I looked up Arbonne cosmetics in the EWG database, none of them were EWG verified. For instance, the Arbonne Sunscreen, RE9 Advanced Lifting and Contouring Cream SPF 15, has the worst EWG score of 7 out of 10.

If you look at the details of ingredients in the sunscreen by hopping on to the link I added, it is plain as a pikestaff that Arbonne uses ingredients in its products that pose a low to moderate risk of cancer, irritation, and reproductive/developmental toxicity.

Some ingredients that I can name to give you an idea are; Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, which poses a moderate cancer risk.

Glyoxal, tocopherol acetate, and propanediol pose high irritation and low cancer risk. Glyoxal, glycerin, and citric acid have use restrictions and are still employed in the product.

More importantly, the RE9 advanced product line is not very effective in its function even though Arbonne provides a clinical trial to prove its efficacy.

Misleading Information

In many product descriptions, Arbonne claims ingredient benefits that are not backed up by science.

For instance, glucomannan is the main ingredient in Arbonne Appetite control.

In the product description, Arbonne links glucomannan to the ability of the product to increase satiety or control blood glucose or cholesterol. In contrast, none of the clinical trials have proved their benefit in mentioned areas.

Here is another example. According to Arbonne, its 7-day cleanse system improves liver function and flushes out toxins.

However, Our body does not even need detox days. It will naturally remove all the toxins effectively even if you don’t spend heaps on such products.

Vegan and cruelty-free

The Vegan Society has certified that Arbonne products are put together with plant-based ingredients. This means that the protein powders are not based on whey protein which is justified by their low-calorie content.

But this backfires its own products and programs. Because in its 30-days to healthy living program, you are required to replace two meals of the day with Arbonne feelfit shakes that offer only 160 calories.

This means that Arbonne is making you starve in its 30-day plan. – Not so healthy, Arbonne…

Then Arbonne cosmetics and personal care products are certified as cruelty-free by ‘PETA.,’ whereas contrary to this other third-party companies hang back from approving the same because its parent company Yves Rocher isn’t cruelty-free.

Clinical trials

Arbonne itself conducted all the clinical trials on its products.

And these were performed with many of their own consultants. Moreover, the FDA has yet to approve any of the statements Arbonne made regarding their products.

To prove that these trials are solid evidence of their product effectiveness, they should either be performed by independent clinical trial laboratories or approved by governing bodies.

For instance, the 30-day RE9 Advanced Corrective Eye Cream clinical trial on 28 participants was found to be only 78% effective.

And strange enough, Arbonne consultants are posting everywhere that the RE9 advanced line is getting replaced with the Arbonne Agewell products, which are better.

Point to ponder, If the RE9 products were that good, why replace them?

The 16-week clinical trial of Arbonne evolution products provided no solid evidence of weight or waist changes.

The trial itself has some gaps as it was constructed along with other interventions.

But still, the products are sold in the weight-management program and are acclaimed to be ‘clinically tested’ and ‘evidence-based.’

FDA Recalls and product contaminations

Arbonne has been served multiple products recalls over bacterial contaminations in products. Some of these are:

• 2020- FDA recalled Arbonne’s shea butter due to contamination with Pluralibacter gergoviae found during testing.
• 2017-Arbonne recalled its Rescue & Renew Detox Body Wash after the bacteria Staphylococcus cohnii was detected in it.
• 2016- FDA recalled Arbonne eyeliners in shades Eclipse (black) and arbor (brown) after the lots were found to be contaminated with three bacteria Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus lentus, and Staphylococcus xylosis.

Reviews and a lawsuit

The Lawsuit lodged against Arbonne for liver damage discredits all its product safety claims. Other lawsuits have been lodged against defective Arbonne products, such as wrong labeling, manufacturing, or design defect.

You won’t find any product reviews on Arbonne’s website, and neither are Arbonne products allowed to be sold on e-sites such as Amazon that can ensure authentic reviews.

On one of the review sites (Sitejabber), Arbonne got an average of 2.37 stars from 43 reviews.

This implies that customers were generally not satisfied with Arbonne.

For instance, A detailed review I found on the website trust pilot by Belle, who used Arbonne products from each of its categories for over one year, straightforwardly declares Arbonne product as average and not worth the investment.

High Cost

Arbonne’s products are a bit too much on the pricey side. And the prices are not justified either. Arbonne products have no proven efficacy, have considerable side effects and the key active ingredients are present in very low concentrations.

When there are already better and more affordable choices available in the market, Arbonne products don’t seem worth the investment.

For instance, a bottle of Arbonne Agewell silky cleanser in the cosmetic line costs $46.

Similarly, in the nutrition category, one Arbonne feelfit pea protein shake costs $79 and includes only 30 servings.

Related post:

• Is Arbonne a Pyramid Scheme Company or MLM?

Side effects of Arbonne Products

Arbonne claims that its products are safe and non-toxic and has self-conducted clinical trials and a scientific advisory board to prove their safety and efficacy.

But scientific papers record a number of adverse effects linked to the ingredients used in Arbonne products.

Side effects due to the Arbonne products are also reported in lawsuits, customer reviews and observed during clinical trials.

Arbonne Consumables Side-effects

Arbonne consumable products may cause the following side effects:

Short term

• Nausea
• Stomach cramps
• flatulence
• Vomiting
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

It may be due to: Arbonne Detox tea, Arbonne Appetite control, etc.

• sleeplessness
• Headache
• Anxiety
• Light-headedness

It may be due to: Arbonne Detox tea, Arbonne Fizz sticks, etc.

Long-term

• Liver damage
• Kidney and heart issues

It may be due to: Arbonne Detox tea.

Arbonne Cosmetics Side-effects

• Immunotoxicity
• cancer-risk
• Irritation
• non-reproductive organ system toxicity
• neurotoxicity
• endocrine disruption, etc.

It may be due to: Arbonne RE9 Advanced Brightening Protective Cream, SPF 15, Arbonne RE9 Advanced Lifting and Contouring Cream, SPF 15, etc.

Everything else to know Arbonne products being good or not

Is Arbonne FDA approved?

No, FDA doesn’t regulate herbal supplements.

On the other hand, cosmetics are not allowed to be labeled ‘FDA approved’ either. Thus, Arbonne isn’t approved by FDA.

How long are Arbonne products good for?

Arbonne products are usually good for about two years from the time they are manufactured.

Are Arbonne skin products good?

No. According to the reviews, they are just average skincare products. There are better, more affordable counterparts available.

What Arbonne products are good for weight loss?

Unfortunately, none of the Arbonne products are scientifically proven to promote weight loss. However, weight loss may come inadvertently with products in the Arbonne 30-day to healthy living program.

Are Arbonne face products good?

No, None of the Arbonne cosmetics are EWG verified and have their fair share of side effects.

What Arbonne are products good for rosacea?

The SuperCalm skincare collection, Arbonne Intelligence Genius Nightly Resurfacing Pads & Solution, and Arbonne digestion pus may prove beneficial. But it is best to consult your dermatologist first.

Are Arbonne hair products good?

Yes, Arbonne hair products are paraben, phthalates, and sulfate-free. Arbonne hair products have also garnered a bunch of satisfactory reviews.

Related posts:

• Arbonne for Acne: Does Arbonne help with acne?
• Arbonne for Babies: Are Arbonne Baby Products Safe?
• Arbonne for Weight Loss

Are Arbonne Products Good? – Wrap Up

Simply put, there are better options than Arbonne in terms of product effectiveness and affordability, so to conclude, Arbonne products are not good.

The clinical trials and product reviews are not satisfactory, and the ingredients that Arbonne products are based on are not scientifically backed up either.

The products in the cosmetic line are also big NO because of cancer, immunotoxicity, and irritation causing the potential of the ingredients.

The Arbonne nutrition range has designed programs that have no scientific evidence to prove if they are indeed effective.

Now, coming towards the skin-line, which requires the most investment.

Arbonne skincare products have garnered average reviews and are not very excellent. Some products have a very high concentration of alcohol that can cause irritation and dry up the skin.

In my opinion, it is safer and wiser to opt for other products rather than Arbonne.

Needless to say that it is always pertinent to consult a doctor to ensure that the product won’t affect your current medical condition, especially if you’re on any kind of medication, are lactating, or expecting a baby regardless of what brand you opt for.