MONAT – What is it?

Monat is an American marketing company, based in Doral, Florida, who sells hair care products, and skincare products and it was founded in 2014. I have seen Monat all over social media. I have even talked to a few women who sell Monat and have come close to purchasing one of their skincare lines myself. Pretty much anyone can work for Monat and sell their products. No prior hair care experience is needed, and you can pretty much be your own boss if you choose to work for them. Many women that have personally sold for Monat loved their job, they could work at their own pace, and they loved the support given to them; some have even called it a “family.” Although there are so many positives to this company, there have been many speculations throughout the years, and I am here to talk about them. I am neither for nor against Monat, and I am only giving information about what I know.

Monat grew very quickly due to great publicity in the beginning, they even are in Canada and parts of Europe. This changed in 2015 when multiple women were experiencing new bald spots and scalp sores after allegedly using these products, this was cause for an FDA inspection. After the inspection, Monat executives released a statement saying that there was nothing to be concerned about, and that everything was fine. This was deemed to be proven untrue because “The FDA inspector found Monat cosmetics being prepared, packed, and held under unsanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with filth” (Jeff MLM News Report). This caused more issues with their reputation.

Monat denies that their products are unsafe, as long as they are being used correctly. Monat has been in multiple lawsuits regarding false claims and the reactions some customers have gotten from their products. According to Healthline, “In 2018, the Florida attorney general’s office requested that Monat sign a voluntary agreement that would require the company to give refunds if a customer felt misled by the company’s claims. The agreement also states that Monat is no longer allowed to make certain claims in its advertising material” (Watson Healthline). This lawsuit was not about the ingredients in their products; this was about the false advertising that was going on throughout their company. The hair loss, scalp sores, and other issues being presented were only based on anecdotal evidence. 

Everyone can agree; Monat came into the industry like a storm, with immense success, and it happened quickly. According to MLM Companies, Monat has been awarded The 2018 Making a difference Award and the 2017 Journey to Success Award, and many more. Between 2016 and 2019, Monat’s revenue increased from $42.58 Million to $365.7 Million; they were recognized as South Florida’s second-fastest-growing company. 

A big question people have before becoming a Monat partner is “How much money can I expect to make from this?” This question has a lot of factors going into it; from what I have seen in my own experience is that it is greatly dependent on how many people you know. The more people you know, the easier it is to reach out to people and offer these products. For me, if someone I knew privately messaged me about buying these products, I would be more inclined to purchase them, rather than someone who shows up in my requests folder on Instagram. Another variable would be the person who enrolled you as a partner, and it can make all the difference to have someone walk you through it, help you and be supportive throughout the journey. There are many ways to make money through Monat. If you sell a product, you get a portion of the profit, enrolling someone else to be a partner, and more. All and all, the money that you could make through Monat is entirely unpredictable.

Monat Hair Loss Solutions

Back to the issue of Monat and hair loss, it cannot be certain that it was Monat products causing the issue of hair loss, but there was enough speculation going around that caused Monat to run a clinical trial, which they then said, these products are safe and effective for everyday use. My question is, since Monat funded these clinical trials, wouldn’t that make them biased? Especially considering the amount of speculation going on, it’s a big unknown. Anyone could have an adverse reaction to any product, but the amount of these reactions has caused many questions of if Monat was truly the cause of all of this. If you already have a healthy head of hair and a healthy scalp and want to try it, it may be for you. But if you have had a past of scalp conditions or reactions to products with essential oils or any of their ingredients, I would steer clear. If you have already been using Monat and are noticing hair loss, scalp irritation, or any reactions, I would immediately stop using these products. If things still don’t improve, I recommend speaking to your local hair loss specialist and or a trichologist near you.

To take away from all of this, Monat is a brilliant and successful company, who is taking the world by storm. It is possible to make money as a partner to Monat, but it is almost impossible to know how much money you will be bringing home every year. It would possibly be a better side gig rather than a full-time job. As for hair loss and scalp issues, it is a big unknown to the true cause, whether it actually be from the Monat products, or maybe they all had underlying issues that caused it, who knows. Just consider all the information before deciding to purchase and use these products, just as you should with any new product. The most important takeaway would be to do your research before purchasing these products, and before becoming a partner, make sure you know what you are getting into beforehand. 

Sources
Jeff. “FDA Inspection Finds Filthy, Contaminated Conditions in Monat Facility.” MLM News Report, 6 June 2018, www.mlmnewsreport.com/fda-inspection-finds-filthy-contaminated-conditions-monat-facility/. 
“JP.” MLM Companies, mlmcompanies.org/monat/. 
Watson, Kathryn. “Hair Loss and Monat Products: Separating Facts from Myths.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 18 Feb. 2021, www.healthline.com/health/hair-loss-monat#allegations. 

Staff Writer
Aimee Tober
The Hair Society
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