If you’re active on social media, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of Arbonne, whether it’s a post showcasing the buzzed-about Arbonne fizz sticks or a DM from an old friend asking if you want to purchase a product from them. Yes, that’s right: Arbonne is a multi-level marketing (MLM) company. In fact, it’s a very popular MLM, with over 200,000 consultants around the world.

Due to the nature of MLMs, it’s important to make sure you do your own research before purchasing a product. Sound like too much work? Don’t worry, we’ve done the hard work for you. All you have to do is keep scrolling to read the details on the best Arbonne skin care products. We’ll review the product formulations through a scientific lens, meaning we’ll give you the research that supports (or doesn’t support) the ingredients that you’ll find in these products.
Is Arbonne Skincare Worth The Money?
A common question about this brand is if the products are worth the cost. Arbonne products are expensive, for example, the Arbonne AgeWell (SPF 15) Set is $402.
In our opinion, Arbonne products aren’t worth the money, simply because there are other skincare brands that offer similar products that are less expensive.
One brand is Carrot & Stick, a clean skincare brand that perfectly balances the gentle nurturing of plants with the powerful results of innovative science.
Carrot & Stick intro bundles deliver great value for money because you can bundle 3 full-size products worth up to $240 for $88.
What’s Inside Arbonne Skincare?
Arbonne combines botanical extracts with evidence-based ingredients, such as vitamin C, retinol, and bakuchiol. Below we’ll give you everything you need to know about these beneficial ingredients.
Vitamin C
We’ve been hearing for years that Vitamin C is the best anti-aging ingredient. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from free radicals, the unstable molecules that contribute to the formation of premature wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.
According to the Indian Dermatology Online Journal clinical studies have shown that the topical use of vitamin C increases collagen production in both young and aged human skin. By increasing the amount of collagen in the skin, signs of aging will be diminished and the skin will appear more firm.
Vitamin C is also known for its skin-brightening effects.
Arbonne Age Well Collagen Nurturing Serum With 2% Bakuchiol contains a stabilized form of vitamin C (tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate).
But our favorite Vitamin C serum is Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum. It contains 3 distinct types of Vitamin C that work together to help fight free radical damage. We recommend using it every morning.
Peptides
As you age, your body’s production of collagen and elastin slows down. These two proteins are responsible for your skin’s structural support. As a result, the skin loses its natural plumpness and smoothness.
While collagen is necessary for maintaining youthful-looking skin, the collagen protein is too large to absorb into the skin topically. That’s why applying skin care products that contain collagen won’t provide the anti-aging benefits you’re looking for.
This is where peptides come into action. Peptides are the building blocks of protein, and they are easily absorbed into the deeper layers of skin due to their smaller size.
Arbonne Age Well Firming Neck Cream With 0.5% Bakuchiol combines peptides with supporting key ingredients like like caffeine, vitamin C, and plant stem cells.
We recommend Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains 7 plant-based peptides to promote plumper and smoother-looking skin. It also has skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
Bakuchiol (A Retinol Alternative)
Retinol is the go-to anti-aging ingredient recommended by dermatologists and skin experts. While retinol provides many benefits to the skin, it’s also known to cause side effects like skin dryness and irritation.
Arbonne uses bakuchiol — the plant-based retinol alternative — throughout their product line. In fact, bakuchiol has been shown to produce many of the same effects of using retinol, including the ability to diminish the appearance of wrinkles and reduce the effects of sun damage (including uneven skin tone). One of the main benefits of bakuchiol is that it provides retinol-like effects without irritation.
Use retinoids at night. We recommend this retinoid oil serum. It contains Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, an ingredient that provides similar benefits with less irritation.
Everything Else
Sea Buckthorn Oil
Another plant-derived ingredient that is frequently used in the Arbonne skin care products is sea buckthorn oil. Sea buckthorn oil contains unique unsaturated fatty acids, such as palmitoleic acid (omega-7) and gamma-linolenic acid (omega-6), which give this oil skin regeneration and repair properties. In addition, sea buckthorn oil easily penetrates through the epidermis, where it improves blood circulation and facilitates oxygenation of the skin.
Fragrance
Unfortunately, there are also several Arbonne skin care products that contain synthetic fragrance ingredients. The use of synthetic fragrance ingredients can be a problem because the brand can use a proprietary blend of chemicals to create the fragrance, and they do not have to disclose which chemicals they use on the label. They are allowed to list this blend as “Fragrance (Parfum)” on the ingredient list.
A 2018 study by Women’s Voices for the Earth discovered that in over 3,000 chemicals reportedly used for fragrances, 1,242 were chemicals of concern – and that included at least 7 possible carcinogenic (cancer-causing) agents. Fragrance ingredients also have the potential to cause skin irritation and sensitivity.
What Are The Top 10 Best Arbonne Skin Care Products?
Arbonne offers nine different skin care collections designed to target everything from acne prone skin to the signs of aging as well as sensitive skin. The collections include all different types of products to build your skin care routine, including cleansers, toners, serums, essences, oils, masks, day creams, and night creams. Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 best Arbonne skin care products.
Arbonne DermResults Illuminating Skin Therapy Concentrate
This new serum features 15% Vitamin C as well as Ferulic Acid. It’s great for brightening and age defence. We recommend using a vitamin c serum it every morning.
ALTERNATIVES: Our favourite vitamin c serum is Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum. It contains 3 distinct types of vitamin c that work together to fight visible free radical damage and enhance cellular longevity.
Arbonne RE9 Advanced Intensive Renewal Serum
This Arbonne RE9 serum has a light, silky texture that gives the skin a soft, smooth feel. It’s said to help enhance the look of skin smoothness and firmness, but unfortunately this serum contains pretty low concentrations of ingredients that would provide these benefits. For example, the brand lists vitamin C and sea buckthorn oil as key ingredients, however, these ingredients are used in concentrations of less than 1% (we know this because they are all listed after xanthan gum on the ingredient list).
The true key ingredients in this formula include glycerin, silicones, sugarcane extract, lemon fruit extract, orange fruit extract, apple fruit extract, and green tea leaf extract. These are beneficial ingredients, but they won’t do much to increase your skin’s firmness.
ALTERNATIVES: Our favourite serum is Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains 7 peptides for smoother, firmer looking skin.
Arbonne RE9 Advanced Lifting & Contouring Eye Cream
This Arbonne eye cream has a rich, silky texture that blends into the skin quickly without leaving a greasy residue. It contains plenty of emollients to nourish the skin, such as olive oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, sea buckthorn oil, mango seed butter, and more. It’s said to help the skin around the eyes look firmer and tighter, however, the ingredients that would actually provide these benefits are used in pretty low concentrations. What a bummer.
ALTERNATIVES: If you are concerned about aging around the eyes including bags, one product we recommend is Carrot & Stick The Eye Cream.
Arbonne Age Well Firming Neck Cream With 0.5% Bakuchiol
Is it true that you need a separate cream specifically for your neck? In our opinion, no, simply because there are plenty of anti-aging serums and creams that can work well for both the face and neck. But that doesn’t stop companies from formulating neck creams to specifically address the signs of aging in thinner, more fragile skin on the jawline, neck, and décolletage. And that’s exactly what the Arbonne Age Well Firming Neck Cream is claimed to do.
The Arbonne neck cream formula contains 0.5% bakuchiol as the key ingredient. Never heard of bakuchiol? It’s the “plant-based retinol alternative” that’s popping up all over the skin care industry (we’ll give you more details on bakuchiol in the Key Ingredients section below). You’ll also find supporting ingredients — like caffeine, peptides and vitamin C— in this neck cream, which should help promote firmer, smoother skin on the neck.
Arbonne Age Well Silky Cleanser With Vegan Surfactants
This pearlescent creamy face cleanser contains vegan surfactants to remove makeup, dirt, and other impurities, while supporting ingredients like glycerin and panthenol (provitamin B5) help to draw moisture into the skin. It’s recommended for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin.
Arbonne Age Well Intense Repairing Night Cream With 2% Bakuchiol
If you’re trying to prevent or reduce signs of skin aging, then you’ve probably heard that it’s a good idea to add a retinol cream into your nightly routine. Maybe you’ve tried a retinol product, but you’ve experienced the common (yet annoying) side effects of retinol, like skin dryness and peeling. If so, then the Arbonne Age Well Intense Repairing Night Cream With 2% Bakuchiol could be a good option for you.
Bakuchiol provides many of the same benefits of retinol – but without the irritation. This combination of ingredients should help to tackle multiple skin concerns, such as lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and more.
Arbonne Age Well Collagen Nurturing Serum With 2% Bakuchiol
Similar to other products in the Arbonne Age Well collection, the Collagen Nurturing Serum features 2% bakuchiol as the key ingredient, along with many of the same supporting ingredients (niacinamide and beech tree bud extract)
The formula also contains a stabilized form of vitamin C (tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate) to support collagen production. According to the Indian Dermatology Online Journal, clinical studies have shown that the topical use of vitamin C increases collagen production in both young and aged human skin. By increasing the amount of collagen in the skin, signs of aging will be diminished and the skin will appear more firm.
Arbonne RE9 Advanced Skin Revitalizing Sheet Mask
This serum-infused sheet mask is formulated to hydrate, smooth, replenish, and enhance radiance. There are plenty of hydrating ingredients infused in this mask, such as glycerin, apple fruit extract, cucumber fruit extract, and algae extract. These ingredients act like moisture magnets, drawing moisture into the upper layers of skin in order to improve skin hydration and give your complexion that plumped, youthful appearance.
Arbonne RE9 Advanced Lifting & Contouring V-Lift Gel
Sometimes we just need a product that instantly disguises lines and wrinkles, even if those effects don’t last. And that’s exactly what the Arbonne RE9 Advanced Lifting & Contouring V-Lift Gel is formulated to do. It’s a thin, clear gel that contains sodium polystyrene sulfonate, a film former that helps to superficially mask wrinkles. However, this effect is temporary and will disappear once the product is washed off. The Arbonne V-Lift Gel is claimed to reduce smile lines and crow’s feet with consistent use, but once again all of the other “key” ingredients are used in very low concentrations (less than 1%).
Arbonne RE9 Advanced Lifting & Contouring Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Sunscreen
This Arbonne sunscreen provides SPF 15 protection thanks to zinc oxide, a mineral sunscreen. The formula also includes plenty of emollients like jojoba oil, squalane, and shea butter to help lock in moisture. The brand claims that peony root, algae extract, vitamin C, sea buckthorn oil, and peptides are key ingredients. But these ingredients are used in concentrations of less than 1% in this formula. This seems to be a recurring theme for the Arbonne products, doesn’t it?
Arbonne Intelligence Genius Nightly Resurfacing Pads & Solution
The Arbonne Resurfacing Pads are said to improve the appearance of dark spots, fine lines, and skin luminosity. But instead of spending $98 on these pads, you should be able to achieve similar results by purchasing a bottle of rubbing alcohol at the dollar store and applying that with a cotton pad. That’s because denatured alcohol is the second highest concentration ingredient in these pads! We’ll explain why this is a major problem below in the Key Ingredients section.
Arbonne Intelligence Pollution Defense CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30
The Arbonne CC cream is a lightweight, medium coverage formula that can replace your primer, concealer, foundation, and mattifying powder. It creates a breathable “second skin” to protect all skin types from pollution. The formula also provides mineral-based, broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection against UVA/UVB rays thanks to zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. A few supporting ingredients in this formula include argan oil, vitamin E, alfalfa extract, and chicory extract.
Where to Buy Arbonne Skin Care Products?
Arbonne skin care products can be purchased directly from the company’s website, on third party online retailers like Amazon, or from an independent Arbonne consultant. We recommend taking a look at the Arbonne reviews before talking to a consultant because at the end of the day their job is to make a sale.
How Much Does Arbonne Skin Care Cost?
Arbonne skin care products are priced relatively high, for example, the Arbonne Age Well Firming Neck Cream With 0.5% Bakuchiol costs $112 for 50 mL and Arbonne RE9 Advanced Lifting & Contouring V-Lift Gel costs $50 for 1 fl oz. However, you can receive 20% off Arbonne products if you sign up to be a Preferred Client (PC).
What is The Arbonne Return Policy?
The Arbonne return policy states, “A 45-day money-back guarantee is offered on all Arbonne products to Clients (including Preferred Clients). Clients who are not completely satisfied may return the purchased products for full refund or product exchange within 45 days from the Client purchase date. Shipping fees are non-refundable.”
Is Arbonne Cruelty Free?
Arbonne is cruelty free and the products are officially Leaping Bunny Certified. Leaping Bunny Certification means Arbonne skin care products are free of animal testing at every stage of product development.
Arbonne Reviews
Unfortunately, the brand does not display Arbonne reviews on their website.
Our Verdict
Overall, we were disappointed in most of the Arbonne skin care products since the majority of them contain low concentrations of key beneficial ingredients.
Pros
- Some products are formulated with evidence-based ingredients, such as bakuchiol, niacinamide, vitamin C, and more
- Some Arbonne products are fragrance free
- Arbonne is cruelty free
Cons
- High price point
- Some Arbonne products contain synthetic fragrance ingredients
- Some Arbonne products contain high concentrations of denatured alcohol (like Arbonne Resurfacing Pads)
- Some Arbonne products contain low concentrations of key beneficial ingredients
- No Arbonne reviews on the brand’s website
What Are Some Alternatives to Arbonne Skin Care Products?
There’s no need to compromise when it comes to finding skincare that’s effective and safe.
If you’re looking for effective skincare products that skip harmful toxins, one brand we recommend is Carrot & Stick.
Carrot & Stick is committed to creating plant-derived formulas that deliver extraordinary results without relying on toxic chemicals or standard preservatives.
Carrot & Stick takes a tough love approach to skincare, perfectly balancing the gentle nurturing of plants with innovative science.
References:
Indian Dermatol Online J. 2013 Apr-Jun; 4(2): 143–146.
BBA Biomembranes, May 2012, pages 1410-1419.
2. Women’s Voices for the Earth “Unpacking The Fragrance Industry” 2018.
Harriette Chiavacci Original review: Sep 11, 2022.
Good Morning, Morgan! Well said. You certainly described the distribution of money well! I started with Arbonne 1999. It was because of Jennifer Harman in the great Northwest, her professionalism & kindness, not to forget how my face felt with the facial. Also, I knew then I would not be paying full price. So, an Independent Consultant I became!