Lilla Rose Is No Longer An MLM (and I couldn’t be happier!)
I have extremely mixed feelings about mlms/direct sales/network marketing.
The anti-mlm crowd will tell you that the products are not special and that they’re overpriced and can be purchased elsewhere. That just isn’t always true.
For example, I have a sensory processing disorder and I can’t drink coffee or any drinks with fizziness (which is most energy-style drinks). For years now I’ve been drinking a Youngevity caffeine water mix-in and I have looked for alternatives but there is nothing like it. My husband drinks it too now because it gives him more hydration with his caffeine. I still love the Norwex rubber brush and my mom uses it to clean the carpeted stairs.
Lilla Rose is a similar situation. There is nothing out there like the flexi or the swerve. A flexi is a type of slide but it has the stick part attached so it doesn’t get lost and I love that. It can be used like a barrette but doesn’t snag hair so it has been used by the Long Hair Community for many years.
I hate the side of direct sales that’s about recruiting people, “building a team,” and paying for a starter kit.
Many companies are changing from MLMs to straight affiliates and I know that can be tough on those people who have been making their living from building a team and having a downline.
However, I am overjoyed that Lilla Rose is leaving that model. I never recruited anyone because I don’t think that’s a good business model. I have been treating Lilla Rose like an affiliate this whole time (and in a moment I’ll explain more about what that means).
I now feel that I can promote the products in a more genuine way because I’m not embarrassed that its an MLM.
I’ve been doing affiliate marketing for many years. It’s not a full time income but it does help cushion the family budget a bit. For me personally I start with looking at what products and tools I really use and love and then check to see if that company has an affiliate program.
That means that you can sign up to get a unique link and when others purchase something through your link, you get a small commission. Usually something like 10% or so. Lilla Rose is starting at 30% but you can go up in tiers. These days almost every company has an affiliate program and I’m signed up for Amazon and Etsy affiliate programs too.
Direct Sales companies usually have in their rules that you can’t promote other products, especially competing ones. So that’s another reason I’m happy Lilla Rose is no longer direct sales. Because to me there is no one best thing and I’m not going to pretend that there is. I use hair sticks from Lilla Rose but also ones from Etsy. I still like hair forks, which are similar to the swerve but not exactly. I’m not going to tell you the Lilla Rose version of something is the best unless I really believe that.
Not everyone is that ethical and affiliate marketing does still have the potential for abuse. People can promote things they don’t use or believe in just to make the commission and that sucks. I don’t know of a solution for that. All I can say is that honesty is a core value of mine and I think if you’ve watched my videos or read my articles that should be clear!
Even CC Suarez, vocal anti-MLM YouTuber, uses affiliate marketing. And most sponsorships for YouTubers give them an affiliate link to use to give the audience a discount or at least to just track how many customers have come from that YouTuber and whether it’s worth working with them.
One thing to know about affiliate marketing is that you are required to disclose if you financially benefit from sharing the link. That’s another thing that not every person follows the rules for so be aware of that. The FTC requires an affiliate disclosure that is clear and upfront.
So now that I’ve explained the changes, I’m delighted to say that I will be able to tell you more often about the products and tools I love for my super long hair because I’m no longer feeling embarrassed about being connected to an MLM.
Some highlights are:
- Bamboo hair drying towel from Lilla Rose, which fits my calf-length hair when I fold it in half
- Garnier Nutrisse hair dye, which leaves my hair feeling incredibly soft for days after
- Any brand of sleep bonnet (I grab them at CVS pharmacy)
Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for tons of gentle hairstyles for super long hair!
