Is DIME Beauty Worth It? An Review on Effectiveness & Ingredients

I was a Beautycounter brand advocate for 8 years, which was really the start of my venture into clean/nontoxic products. I originally became a consultant not just to make money, but because I LOVED their products and I knew I’d tell everyone about them. I was excited about their drive to change the personal care product industry for the better for everyone!

So when Beautycounter sadly stopped manufacturing new products this past spring, I had to go on a massive hunt for new skincare! This is when I realized how spoiled I was by their high performing products.

I wanted something that was clean, relatively affordable, and felt luxurious (just like Beautycounter had been for me! 😩)

Enter: DIME! I had to give it a try and see how it could stack up.

If you aren’t already familiar with it, DIME Beauty is a non-toxic skincare, body care, fragrance, and beauty brand making great alternatives to traditional products that are simultaneously effective and approachable. They are one of the most affordable, higher-performing clean brands on the market and, to give you a spoiler: I’m now a fan. 

This guide contains product recommendations and we may receive compensation if you purchase through certain links. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!

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Here’s a bit of a breakdown on the brand and what they’ve got going on:

Vegan/Cruelty-Free? Yes, Leaping Bunny certified.

EWG-Verified? Kinda. Not all of their products are EWG verified, but quite a few are. They also have a tool on their website where they list ingredients for each product and then you can click an individual ingredient name to see the EWG score and what its function is in the product. DIME has informed me that they are in the process of verifying ALL of their products with EWG, but that it just takes time (it’s quite a process!). They told me that if everything goes according to plan, they expect all of their products to be EWG Verified within the next 1-3 years.

USA-Made? Yes, mostly. All of their skincare products are made and shipped from Utah. The volume mascara and power patches are made overseas at an FDA-approved manufacturer because of the specific machinery needed to make them.

P.S. If you’re already ready to buy, you can use the code THEFILTERY for 20% off.

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Is DIME really a “clean” brand?

DIME advertises itself as a “clean” brand, and in many ways, they are! You won’t find any of the “worst” ingredients in any of DIME’s products, including phthalates, parabens, and any of the ingredients on EWG’s banned list.

They are also committed to transparently disclosing 100% of their ingredients, and they also utilize glass and recycled packaging. 

BUT with as much greenwashing that happens these days, I wanted to know if there are any “iffy” ingredients used in DIME’s products as well. Here’s what I discovered:

• They do use phenoxyethanol as a preservative in some of their products. This is perhaps the most controversial ingredient in the world of clean beauty! It’s definitely not one of the worst ingredients by any means, but some folks choose to avoid or minimize it. (If you’d like to see a deep dive into phenoxyethanol, consider becoming a member of The Filtery so you can vote on the topics we cover!)
  • It is worth noting, however, that DIME never goes above the 1% phenoxyethanol concentration in their formulations, which is the important thing!
  • DIME also told me that they regularly batch test their products for contaminants, which is great considering that one of the concerns with phenoxyethanol is potential contamination of 1,4 dioxane and/or ethylene oxide.
  • I’ve noted below which of the products I tried contain phenoxyethanol.

• They also use a few couple of other ingredients that the *most strict* among us may prefer to avoid or minimize. For example, the Luminosity Eye Serum contains ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer which may or may not be considered a microplastic. As far as we know, these types of ingredients are safe for humans but could potentially contribute to the wider microplastic problem. Unfortunately, we just don’t really know yet. (Again, let us know if you’d like to see a deep dive into the issue of microplastics in skincare!)

Personally, these ingredients don’t worry me. (Beautycounter used phenoxyethanol as well and it didn’t bother me). But at the end of the day, you’ll have to decide for yourself!

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My Honest thoughts after using DIME’s products

Cleansing Balm

As a former Beautycounter consultant and cleansing balm lover, I was most excited to get my hands on this cleanser. 

For those of you who are into the cleansing balm style face wash, this is nice. The balm melts right into your skin as you massage it in, and it feels very moisturizing while it’s breaking down your makeup and grime from the day. 

It has a faint to nearly-not-there smell, and it’s a very creamy oil balm. It did a fantastic job getting their mascara off my lashes. 

Would I re-buy it? Yes, I’ll be recommending this to all my friends looking for a new cleansing balm for sure!

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Hyper Glow Serum

I tried several of DIME’s serums, and this is probably my favorite of all of them. (And really, it’s probably my second favorite product I tried overall  (second to the mascara, of course! More on that below.) 

The Hyper Glow Serum is DIME’s vitamin c brightening serum. It contains 15% vitamin c (l-ascorbic acid) to lighten hyperpigmentation, tighten skin, and fight against free-radical damage. 

I did notice visible improvement in the brightness of my skin, and like all their serums, it’s quick absorbing and light on your skin. For the price, I think this is a fantastic vitamin c skin boosting option! 

This one does contain phenoxyethanol.

Would I re-buy it? Yes!

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TBT Serum

The “turn back time” (TBT) products are from DIME’s anti-aging skincare system. They utilize bakuchiol (the big name clean alternative ingredient to retinol) and mandelic acid, which acts as a chemical exfoliant to react with the skin and remove layers of dead skin. 

Overall, this is advertised to reduce the appearance of skin damage or dark spots and tighten and brighten your skin. Since I used this in conjunction with all of these other products at the same time, I can’t speak to it alone—but my skin reacted very well and was overall happy from using this!

Contains phenoxyethanol.

Would I re-buy it? Yes.

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TBT Cream

Another “turn back time” product, this cream is thick in the best way. It goes on and feels like it’s truly sealing off your skin to hold in the moisture overnight. 

There’s no fragrance in this one (not even from essential oils), so it is a great option for those of you who are sensitive to smells. It’s also a great option for men in that sense! Despite the thickness of the cream, it absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves your skin feeling glowy and hydrated. 

Would I re-buy it? Yes.

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Acne Toning Serum

Typically my skin is pretty “normal”—not too oily or too dry. But I do have an on-again, off-again relationship with breakouts, so I was eager to test DIME’s Acne Toning Serum. 

It’s targeted for oily skin, both to help clear up current breakouts and reduce the likeliness of future breakouts. It does utilize salicylic acid, which, although a very effective ingredient for acne, is not without its problems. When using a product with salicylic acid, you’ll want to:

1. Use it intentionally (don’t overdo it)
2. Be mindful of your own allergies or sensitivities, paying attention to how your skin reacts
3. Make sure the other ingredients in the product are non-toxic as well, since salicylic acid is a penetration enhancer. 

For those reasons, I personally will be using the Acne Toning Serum as needed, whenever I am trying to tamp down a breakout or notice one coming on! Other than that, my take is that the formula is quick-absorbing with faint to zero smell. 

It’s a great size bottle, too—about double the size of their other serums at the same price point. 

Would I re-buy it? Yes.

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Luminosity Eye Serum

This targets all the things we want when searching for an eye cream:it brightens dark circles, tightens, and de-puffs under your eyes. 

It’s a very light formula that absorbs quickly. Like all of DIME’s products that I’ve tried, it just feels like high-quality skincare when you apply it.

Contains phenoxyethanol.

Would I re-buy it? No. In this area, I tend to want something I can see or feel results from quickly, and I didn’t get that from this one.

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Volume Mascara (my favorite DIME product!)

Okay, this is where DIME shines. This mascara is fantastic on so many levels. 

The formula is buildable, gives your lashes great separation, definition, and length, and holds up extremely well. I wouldn’t call it waterproof, but it’s pretty solidly water-resistant. I have worn it during very sweaty workouts, splashing in the pool with my kids, and out in the summer heat – and it stays put, no smearing under my eyes!! 

Plus, there aren’t any even potentially concerning ingredients here. So in the clean beauty realm, this is a huge win. 

Would I re-buy it? YES! Already have!

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Running Late Perfume

As someone who is relatively sensitive to smells, I really like this perfume. It’s definitely noticeable, but not too strong. I chose the “Running Late” scent, which they describe as “a happy, energetic scent with citrus and floral notes.”

I wouldn’t say it’s gender-neutral, but it’s not super “girlie” either. It’s a scent that works both for daytime or going out on the town at night.

This specific scent is not EWG Verified (yet), but their 7 Summers perfume is. But all of their specific fragrance ingredients are published right there on each product page, which is super rare for perfume brands. (There is still no standard that requires companies to disclose their fragrance ingredients to consumers.)

Would I re-buy it? Yes! But I also might want to try some of the other scents next time, too.

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Other DIME products you might want to know about

I haven’t tried all of DIME’s products (they carry a lot), but they also carry:

• perfumes & fragrances (see here for more info on that!)
• tinted SPF moisturizer
• eyelash boost serum
• body serums and creams
• Lip balm
• and more

They also make it super easy to shop according to your specific concerns (Anti-Aging, Acne, Dark Spots, etc).

Or, if you’re not sure which products would be best for you, take their Skin Quiz!

My thoughts overall: Is DIME beauty worth it?

Overall, DIME has some wonderful products at great price points. Ultimately, I landed with Olive Tree People as my general go-to skincare brand in my search to replace Beautycounter for super high-performing, impactful products. But, I do think DIME is worth a try if you’re looking for that lower price point that still feels luxurious on your skin, especially if you’re someone without many skincare pain points you need addressed. However, the mascara will live in my regimen forever…. I’ve already bought several more myself!  

DIME pros & cons in a nutshell

What I like about DIME:

• A great option for folks with sensitivities (none of their skincare products contain added fragrance of any kind!)

• Gender-neutral (it’s great for the guys, too!)

• Even though it’s not the most affordable non-toxic skincare brand out there, I think the prices are very reasonable for how luxurious it feels

• It’s available at Ulta if you’d rather shop in-store

• The mascara is literally my new favorite—I absolutely love it!

Potential downsides:

• If you’re looking for something that’s 100% natural/organic, DIME isn’t for you.

• If you’re someone who completely avoids phenoxyethanol, you’ll want to check each DIME product before purchasing (some of them contain this preservative and others don’t)

Overall, this is a brand I feel great recommending to friends looking for luxurious-feeling skincare that fits the non-toxic bill, as well. And I do really love the price point.

Don’t forget: you can use the code THEFILTERY for 20% off your order!

I hope this guide has helped you decide whether DIME is worth a try to you!

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