Rodan & Fields, LLC, known as Rodan + Fields or R+F, is an American

multi-level marketing Multi-level marketing (MLM), also called network marketing or pyramid selling, is a controversial marketing strategy for the sale of products or services in which the revenue of the MLM company is derived from a non-salaried workforce selling th ...

company specializing in skincare products. Katie Rodan and Kathy A. Fields, creators of

Proactiv Proactiv is an American brand of skin-care products developed by two American dermatologists, Katie Rodan and Kathy A. Fields, and launched in 1995 by Guthy-Renker, a California-based direct marketing company, that is endorsed by famous celebr ...

, started the Rodan + Fields brand in 2002 and sold it a year later. They relaunched the brand in 2007 as a multi-level marketing firm. Rodan + Fields uses independent consultants to sell its products. Its business model has been criticized by consumer advocates as being a pyramid scheme.

History

Fields Fields may refer to: Music * Fields (band), an indie rock band formed in 2006 * Fields (progressive rock band), a progressive rock band formed in 1971 * ''Fields'' (album), an LP by Swedish-based indie rock band Junip (2010) * "Fields", a song b ...

and

Rodan is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', which first appeared as the title character in Ishirō Honda's 1956 film '' Rodan'', produced and distributed by Toho. Following its debut standalone appearance, Rodan went on to be featured in numerous e ...

met in 1984 during their dermatology residency at Stanford University School of Medicine. In 1995, they developed Proactiv Solution as a preventative skincare for

acne Acne, also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include blackheads or whiteheads, pimples, oily skin, and ...

. Proactiv is now a registered trademark of

Guthy-Renker Guthy-Renker ( ) is a California-based direct-response marketing company that sells health and beauty products directly to consumers through infomercials, television ads, direct mail, telemarketing, e-mail marketing, and the Internet. Many of ...

and

Nestlé Nestlé S.A. (; ; ) is a Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. It is the largest publicly held food company in the world, measured by revenue and other metrics, since ...

. In 2002, Fields and Rodan launched Rodan + Fields. Products were sold in

department store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic app ...

s. The following year, the company was purchased by Estée Lauder. In 2007, Fields and Rodan reacquired the brand and transitioned the company from department stores to

, where consultants can earn a commission for their own sales and for the sales of people they recruit. Rodan + Fields launched in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

in February 2015 and in Australia in September 2017. In 2018, private equity firm TPG bought a minority stake in the company. At the time, Rodan + Fields was valued at $4 billion. In April 2020, the

US Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...

(FTC) issued a warning letter to Rodan + Fields for making unlawful and misleading earnings claims related to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

. In 2021, Rodan and Fields is named the number one skincare regimen brand in the United States for the fourth year in a row (2018-2021). In October of 2022, the founders launched a whole line of shampoos, conditioners and stylers, on top of their skincare. In November of 2022, Rodan and Fields were a part of a class action lawsuit in regards to their Lash Boost serum. The company offered $38 million to resolve the issue as well as change their verbiage on the product usage, instructions, and warnings.

Products

In 2002, ''Fields and Rodan'' launched their skincare line. Those products ranged from cleansers, to acne treatments. Their ''Redefine'' skincare line is a three step regimen. Starting from either a Clay or Foaming Cleanser (Step 1), a Pore Refining Toner (Step 2), A Defense Lotion or Cream (Step 3), and lastly a Restorative Cream or Lotion (Step 4). In 2020, the company launched their Anti-Aging Regimen.

Business

Rodan + Fields has its headquarters in

San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

. Its products include cleansers, toners,

moisturizer A moisturizer, or emollient, is a cosmetic preparation used for protecting, moisturizing, and lubricating the skin. These functions are normally performed by sebum produced by healthy skin. The word "emollient" is derived from the Latin verb ''m ...

s, creams, exfoliators and sunscreens. Rodan + Fields distributes via

, which has been criticized by consumer advocates as akin to a pyramid scheme. Consultants focus on

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

, phone and in-person presentations to sell products and invite others to join their team. The average 2015 annual income for a consultant was $3,182. Per the 2016 Income-Disclosure agreement, 90% of Rodan + Fields members earned less than $200 per month and 96% earned less than $500 per month. In 2016, 125,348 (representing 44% of all recruits) recorded zero earnings and are thus no longer considered active. 2% of active sellers make the annual minimum wage or higher. Most use Rodan + Fields to supplement, not replace, other work.

History

Products

Business

References

Further reading