New home-based businesses pop up almost every day. One that you may have heard about recently is a company known as Monat. But Is MONAT a Pyramid Scheme? In this MONAT MLM Review, we’re going to be looking at what products the company has to offer, how their business is structured and determining if it’s truly a great home business opportunity, or one that should be passed over.

Monat Mlm Review

What is Monat?

Monat Mlm Review

Based out of Doral, FL, Monat is a company that sells hair care products through a direct sales MLM business model.  The company was originally founded by the Urdaneta family in 2014 and has since expanded its’ sales force and operations to cover the US, Canada and the EU.

While the company had quite a bit of good publicity in its’ first years of operation, recent news coverage has been a little bit more questionable to say the least. To understand exactly what this business opportunity entails and why it’s been in the news so much lately, let’s first look at what products Monat is selling inside of their MLM opportunity.

Are Monat’s Products Worth Their Price?

To successfully run any business, especially one that is selling a physical product of some type, it’s important that the goods and services offered by the business are exceptional. That just makes sense. After all, if your company is not selling quality products, it’s going to be hard to convince potential customers to make a purchase, right? Well, unfortunately the recent media coverage of Monat is certainly not going to be making products fly off the shelves.

Since February of this year, Monat has had five class-action lawsuits filed against the company. Some consumers have complained that the products offered by Monat result in hair loss, burning and itching scalp and severe allergic reactions. The company has also received 552 complaints at the Better Business Bureau for issues with their products or their MLM business opportunity in the last 12 months.

Monat Mlm Review Product Complaints -  - Is Monat A Pyramid Scheme?

Another issue that has recently appeared in news media about the company is that several of their Market Partner’s (this is what Monat calls their MLM sales agents) made claims that products were FDA approved. Just for clarification, the FDA does not certify any cosmetic products whatsoever.

All in all, the numerous amount of complaints against the products offered by Monet raises a red flag if you’re considering starting a business working with the company, in my opinion.

The Monat MLM Opportunity

Now that you have a little bit of an understanding about the products that Monat has to offer, let’s look at the business opportunity being offered by the company. Like many other MLM companies out there, you’re supposed to only be able to purchase Monat products exclusively from their Market Partners.  Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with this company.

A quick Google search reveals that the products that are supposed to be exclusively sold by market partners are easily available to purchase online. Even worse, on sites like Amazon and eBay, Monat products are selling for lower prices than what is available to market partners who are receiving the products as a subscription.

Monat Mlm Review Ebay Sales -  - Is Monat A Pyramid Scheme?

If you decide to join Monat as a Market Partner, this could potentially be a very large barrier to entry when it comes to getting others to sign up under you.

How Much Does It Cost to Join Monat?

There are several tiers available that you could sign up for as a Market Partner at Monat.

Basically, joining the company at a higher membership level allows you to receive more products every month that you could use yourself or give to potential customers as demonstration products. The membership starts out at $99 and goes all the way up to $649. It is very important to note that most of these memberships are renewed every month and new products are shipped to you automatically.

Also, several of the complaints at the Better Business Bureau were because of Market Partners being unaware that they were signing up for future product shipments during their initial membership sign-up. Many of these complaints also stated that it was taking as long as three months to receive any kind of refund after requesting it.

It’s very important when you’re signing up for any kind of new business venture that you understand exactly how much money it’s going to take for you to run your business. Unexpected expenses can really cripple your business, especially when you’re in your startup phase.

Can You Make Money with Monat?

Despite the amount of negative publicity that Monat has had in recent months, there are a lot of people who have claimed to be earning a significant income. Just like most MLM opportunities, if you’re able to get in on the ground floor, it’s much easier to make money with the program. Perhaps the one thing that the Monat business opportunity has working for it is the fact that it’s still relatively new.

This means that it is significantly easier to sign people up under you if you would choose to take advantage of the opportunity.

Pros of Monat

  • Relatively Young MLM Company
    It’s much easier to sign people up for MLM opportunities while the company is still young, and most people who find success with MLM companies do so while the company is still in earlier years.
  • Rapidly Expanding
    In 3 years, Monat has expanded to cover the US, Canada and the EU. This shows significant demand for the business opportunity or products.

Cons of Monat

  • Multiple Class Action Lawsuits
    Since February 2018, Monat has had 5 class action suits filed against them for supposed damages caused by their hair care products.
  • Numerous Complaints from Customers
    There are a lot of complaints on sites like the Better Business Bureau and YouTube from people using Monat products.
  • Complaints from Market Partners
    Just like the complaints coming from people who use their products, there are numerous complaints from people who claim to have been Market Partners. Many of these complaints are that when they decided this business opportunity is not for them, they struggle to reach support to cancel their memberships.
  • Long Refund Periods
    Another primary complaint from customers and Market Partners alike is that it often takes months to get refunds from Monat.

Is Monat a Pyramid Scheme?

Monat does have numerous market partners who claim that they’re making a very successful income with the company. For that reason, I don’t believe that Monat is a Pyramid Scheme or scam. Just like any other MLM company, it can often be very challenging to earn money as most of your income depends on the success of those who sign up underneath you. This means that you are typically serving in more of a managerial role than that of a more traditional business owner.

Final Thoughts

Taking into consideration the amount of negative publicity that Monat has been receiving in recent months as well as the number of complaints from customers and Market Partners alike, I think that there are better business opportunities in the beauty sector out there. While I don’t believe that Monat is a scam, until the negative publicity and business complaints are resolved, I think it would be challenging for you to be able to succeed with this business.

Also, as I’ve stated in other MLM company reviews, when it comes to running a successful business structured as an MLM, too much of your success depends on how those you recruit perform rather than how well you perform. The success or failure of your business should fall into your hands rather than the hands of others.

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32 Comments

  1. It’s hilarious reading all of these “Marketing Partners” trying to defend yet another pyramid scheme. I’d love to see what type of income these people are actually bringing in. I’d be willing to bet that they aren’t bringing in enough to cover their “subscriptions”.

  2. Gotta love MLM – brings out the absolute polar opposites in opinion. Monat, like many others can make you money, but you really have to work a lot harder than many other online businesses and, regardless of how much you love the product, unless you are constantly able to recruit newbies to the program, then you are really going to struggle. Enjoyed the article (and the comments especially).

  3. It seems lots of people on here who are so loyal to Monat are the sellers. This company reminds me a lot of Mary Kay – mediocre products sold for too much money. Top performers get an Escalade? Really?? That’s not something that should be advertised..that is what makes this all too fishy for me. Please explain how this company is not a pyramid scheme? Don’t you have to recruit people under you? The original recruiter earns a share of all their recruiters and so on, right? That’s a pyramid scheme. My thing is, I still don’t know why people are continuing to fall for this. It’s great if you find yourself successful for now, or the products work for now…but it’s not lasting; those people who are high up in the chain are laughing at all the money their recruiters are bringing in for them. There are just too many red flags.

  4. There is not Auto shipment. You have to move your shipment date to the date you would be ready to re order if you still are not ready that is ok, you can still push it back. Stop lying.

    1. Defiantly not an auto ship It’s called a flex ship as in it’s flexible …the customer has the choice to change to later date if they aren’t in need of any product replenishments can be pushed back at any time …

  5. It’s kind of a general statement saying there is no shampoo that can make you lose your hair. Because I have used a shampoo and my sister was using it in a different state after having a conversation we realized it was the (same) shampoo making our hair fall out. When you make a general statement like that people are less inclined to believe the rest of your information.

  6. So there’s a lot of incorrect info here. As a market partner when you get your product pack ($199 and up, or $99 without products but lots of samples to give out and get started), you don’t have an autoship. Mp don’t have flexships unless they set one up, it’s not monthly or automatic… you literally have to choose to set it up, your mp package is a one time purchase.

    So in terms of complaints – you need to research that. There actually ladies being sued for slander because they took it all the way to the crazy train- including creating a group on fb where they told people to file complaints, gave them wording to use, told everyone to create multiple accounts (and did that themselves) and would make complaints daily under different names and information. They even got busted with a comment on their fb saying it doesn’t matter if it’s true or not, but were telling people to use the “templates ” they created and post multiple times a day with different names.

  7. I use their products and I’m very happy with them; I also live in a country where they aren’t easy to get and must be ordered through UK, so the ladies I know and buy from have a hard time shipping them by themselves. I don’t think they sell with a profit btw, but that’s besides the point.

    What I wanted to say was – these complaints don’t mean nothing. People have all kinds of allergic reactions, naturally a lot more from essential oils. I have reactions to cinnamon and buckwheat from example. 600 people out of millions reacting to some of the many essential oils in the products is a pretty good result. The products have their ingredients listed on the site too, which Is very impressive.

    what I’m curious about is whether Monat encourages the pyramid part of the selling process. but I guess they are too young of a company to tell for now.

  8. Kels. I don’t think any of the market partners were being rude they were just trying to correct the false statements in a short matter of time! I’d be interested to hear what you found to be true because into an a market partner. But I don’t get charged anything monthly. Only when I choose to order. I admit I have a lot of product because I love the products and when they have a flash sale I usually want what they are selling so cheaply. But my shampoo and conditioner lasts me 4-6 months so I don’t have to and neither does anybody else. I wish I could show you my before and after pics. I sell Monat because I love and believe in the products. As for anyone who has had a bad experience please feel free to contact me I’d be glad to see if we can figure out what went wrong. Lastly I have never seen our products at Walmart. I have seen them on amazon, but like any product you see on amazon you cannot confirm they are legitimate Monat products! There are many counterfeit products of all kinds on amazon as anyone can sell in e commerce.

  9. It seems to me that the majority of the above rebuttals are written by Monat sales partners NOT satisfied customers! They are very biased. I’ve researched several of the issues stated in the original post and many of them are “absolutely true”! Question…..Why can you purchase your “exclusive products” from retail stores like Wal Mart for less none! That was a true statement!!
    Honestly…. If you we’re good sales people you would realize your products won’t work the same for everyone!!! So instead of being defensive and rude maybe you SHOULD help those that have had a bad experience correct the problem with your products! Instead, you bashed them for the reaction they had! Why are you so defensive if your shampoo is so GREAT!!!
    I haven’t tried Monet! I was considering it until I read the comments of you sales partners or whatever fancy name you give yourselves! The products hopefully speak for themselves because your representation didn’t do it for me! Maybe there’s some training that your company can offer that would help your presentation and representation!

  10. Thank You. I have almost bailed a few times because I get so distressed by the fact people can say whatever they like and try and destroy a good company’s reputation. BUT I have seen first hand the incredible results from these products. Truly moves me to tears seeing others gain their confidence back and have such remarkable results. When you read all of the scientific studies and see the awards and the growth of this company you have to keep fighting the good fight and not let others falsify this company that has worked so hard to be ethical and change the lives of so many. Keep fighting the good fight Tami. The truth is in the results.

  11. Thank you Tami. I couldn’t have said it better myself. It is getting pretty tiring indeed to listen to people who clearly have not personally dealt with Monat directly or have been misinformed through people who do not understand anything about this company. I have been blown away by the level of care they provide both their customers and their Market Partners. And honestly, the products are unsurpassed. Thanks for writing your perfectly articulated response to this review.

    1. I’m elated to help make a difference for Monat, with you Alana!

      We can just ignore unfair and unjustified, bad press or defend the good Urdanata’s name and top tier company that our Teams have all built great businesses on!

  12. This review is very poorly advised and is a subpar written ‘opinion’.
    Monat is a class act and treats their partners and communities with ‘gratitude’ and the products stand on their own for being a source of excellence for people who appreciate using naturally-based haircare that is extremely advanced compared to the market.

    The writer quips about bad press for this 4 yr new company continuously showing that his opinion is by far, articulated from what he has read, not what he ‘knows’.

    Monat has brought success in its modern business structure and its high-end products, that the few billion dollar, global interfacing Direct marketing company has only worked past any complaints or formal legalities. Monat has stood strong and complaints have not stood up in court. Having *Fraud appear is a common issue for companies like Monat who are so successful right out of the gate. I am proud to say ‘take it with a grain of salt’ because this doesn’t identify with Monat.

    The source does not have his info correct- and it’s all hearsay RE how the company is set up and how business is handled. There are no pressure sales or quotas to follow or auto-ships and the company is always providing great incentives and overall the entire Monat field is a positive circle making doing business with Monat a joy.

    The Customer Service at Monat is exceptional and they compensate for any needs a partner, vip or retail customer has and caters to the Monat experience.

    I’m personally tired of reading misinformed, disparaging, and poorly opinionated reviews like this one. In my opinion, I’m happy to give Monat two thumbs up and a great hair day!

  13. The flex ship requires you to order at least 3 times or they charge you $25 to cancel. Scam in my book.

    1. No scam. A scam takes but doesn’t give back. Monat gives so much back. Not only to the Customers but to charities. The Flexship order is required 3 times in your Lifetime. The order can be rescheduled as many times as you like. There is a free product valued at min $25 every time you place a Flexship order along with free shipping plus the 15% discount. These are all part of the perks with VIP. If a person prefers they can pay retail and shipping with zero required orders in the future. This is a program for anyone who wants to save money in the long run and give the products time to transform their hair. No one is forced to become a VIP. If they decide to not fulfill the 3 orders in a lifetime then there is a cancellation fee. But minimal compared to the savings and free product given. But to each their own. If this company was a scam it would not be on top of the list for best MLM companies within it’s first 5 years in business.

      1. A VIP or MP has only 3 times to make an order in their lifetime with Monat. That is not a scam – actually, it’s generosity. There is no pressure- one can move up the flex ship date as they wish and they also have the option to be a retail customer with no membership.

        Monat is far from being a scam as it wouldn’t be in the billion dollar global industry as the one and only #1 direct marketing hair care company.
        It’s a USA company as well and that wasn’t explained in this subpar review… there are so many strengths out of the gate for this fine company.

  14. Monat is absolutely a scam! I have come in contact with the hair loss and damage it causes first hand! And the auto shipment they put you on is true! Overpriced nonsense!!

    1. Actually there is NO AUTOSHIPMENT. There is a program called VIP people can sign into to get a discount and a bunch of other perks that has a requirement of 3 FLEXSHIPs in a lifetime. Flexship is FLEXIBLE. You set the date, you pick the products. Nothing automatic or required monthly. Several people in our family and many of our friends have been using now for over a year with amazing results. My husband who was thinning badly before now has at least 50% MORE hair and our hair is all shinier and healthier than we’ve seen in years. Not only that, I know hairdressers who absolutely LOVE the products and say there is nothing on the market they have Ever worked with that have produced these kind of positive results and helped so many customers with their scalp and hair issues. Not sure what your story is but I can tell you I know so many people now who use this product and LOVE what it has done for them.

      1. Please list the hairdressers who love the product. Obviously ask them first. If they truly support the product then they would not mind you listing them because it would give them positive exposure which is good for business.
        Thank you for your support!

  15. Thank you. Reading this is rather infuriating when the facts are so completely false. There literally are NO minimums, No auto shipments, and Customer Service is off the charts with good service and returns and refunds. Yes doing business with Monat could prove challenging when misinformation is being spewed all over the place. But despite all of that, the products work! ( Like seriously, my hubby was thinning badly and now has amazing hair regrowth, no more signs of dandruff or Psoriasis, and my hair is healthy and shiny after 1 yr of using the products. The products work and the majority of the consumers who try it become hooked on it. That’s why the company is topping charts in the haircare industry and has been so successful because they put so much time and science behind every proven formula. Honestly buddy, get your facts straight!

  16. LOL this article is totally accurate and has verified information based on facts about the company. These other commenters are just trying to persuade people into the lie that is monat. My sister lost most of her hair because of their products and has to wear wigs now. Beware of monat!!! Its poison for your hair and will make you go bald!! And what happened when she wanted a refund because their product ruined her life? They wont issue a refund! And yes they have automatic recurring billing and shipments of products to her that were difficult to stop… monat is an evil scam company that will ruin your life!

    1. I am a market partner for Monat and this article has A LOT of false information. First as market partners we are NOT obligated to buy anything lol we buy a product pack to start and that’s it. Then we can make this a successful business for ourselves or not.
      Your sister did NOT lose her hair from Monat. NO shampoo can cause you to lose your hair. Some people do have allergies to things but that does not make them bad products. Monat has completely changed thousands of people’s hai including my own for the better. Has grown in people with significant balding and much more. There is NO autoshipment at all for market partners or customers just buying the products and that is very clear. Im sorry you and your sister have such a negative feeling about Monat. I hope your sister found the real reason for her hair lose.

      1. Karry, you not only have an obvious conflict of interest from the start of your rant, but you also can’t spell. Staying far away from these products, thanks.

        1. Get a grip. You are obviously looking for a reason to scorn her. In her writing, she obviously has an intellect. People who want to find trouble with life, usually do.

      2. You wrote “NO shampoo can cause you to lose your hair”. How do you know that? Have you used every single shampoo ever in existence to prove this statement? No logical person would ever make such a statement. It is completely in the realm of possibilities for something that can cause damage to the scalp to be labeled as a shampoo. Somebody could technically bottle up calcium hydroxide (active ingredient in Nair) and label it as shampoo. Who would stop them? That is obviously seemingly outlandish but it is just an extreme on the spectrum of possibilities. The point is: labels are just words that don’t always line up with reality and don’t necessarily prevent harm. You didn’t have to preface by stating that you’re a Monat market partner because it is obvious. I understand that this is how you choose to support yourself, for now, and that you want to defend it. I’m here writing this because I am disgusted with humanity. Why do you continue to sell this crap to other human beings? Are you human yourself? Do a quick Google search. Monat’s products have caused a lot of real harm to people who looked to them for help. Luckily for Monat, cosmetic products do not require FDA approval but only need to assure that the product is safe. “Safe” to the FDA only means that it does not cause serious illness or death. At the end of this comment I will copy/paste Monat’s ingredients list from their “Restructuring Shampoo” which should probably be relabeled “Destructing Hair Product”. Honestly, we don’t need all this crap in our hair or on our bodies. Our skin is very absorbent and most of the chemicals we put on it actually pass through the skin and into our bodies. Rule of thumb: don’t put on your body what you wouldn’t put in your body. Anyways, as a molecular biologist, this list disgusts me:
        Aqua/Water/Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Behentrimonium Chloride, Orbignya Speciosa Kernel Oil, Hydroxyethyl Diethylenetriamine Dioleamide/Palmitamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Adansonia Digitata Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Extract, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract, Equisetum Hyemale Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Protein, Glycerin, Wheat Amino Acids, Soy Amino Acids, Arginine HCl, Serine, Threonine, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Phytosphingosine, Tocopherol, Cholesterol, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Palmitate, Sodium Lauroyl

    2. Hello I am a MP with Monat! I’m sorry your sisters hair fell out but I can assure you it wasn’t because of the products. Our products are toxic free so I’m just curious how vegan ingredients killed her hair? We don’t have monthly shipments and we aren’t scam. This article has the worst facts about our company. We have single moms that make an income for their children plus they can spend some of it on fun activities! I’ve met these mothers! Idk where this article got its facts from but just talk to one of us so we can share our stories!

  17. This article is a joke and is full of incorrect information. For starters, Monat does not have any auto shipments. There are also no minimum monthly orders. As a market partner, you do not have to cancel your “membership”, you can simply just stop ordering. Returns/refunds take about 2 weeks on average. I could go on and on about the false content. Get your facts straight.