A Culture of Optics Without Psychological Safety-Not Worth It Anymore - Anonymous employee RealSelf Employee Review

1.0
Mar 27, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Outside of the industry itself, there are no clear positives at this time, which is disappointing given the company’s past.

Cons

What was once a strong, people-first culture has shifted into an environment driven by fear, optics, and control. Psychological safety is notably absent. While “open feedback” is encouraged in words, in practice it often comes with consequences. Dissent is not engaged with, it’s managed out. Leadership feels highly performative. There is a consistent emphasis on visibility over substance, where being seen leading matters more than actually leading. Many ideas are positioned as innovation, but in reality, they are recycled concepts presented as new, without meaningful execution behind them. There is a growing disconnect between what is said and what is experienced. Messaging around care, transparency, and culture does not match day-to-day reality. Decisions often feel transactional, with people viewed as outputs rather than humans. A significant amount of institutional knowledge has been lost, and with it, trust. There has been noticeable loss of talent not just because of change, but because of how that change is being led. There is a strong top-down dynamic where one voice dominates. While the CEO presents support for women externally in her brand, that has not consistently been reflected internally from my perspective, and her leadership style feels more aligned with a traditional patriarchal approach. This creates an echo chamber that prioritizes agreement over progress. Initially came in with promises of innovation and transformation has largely fallen flat. What was positioned as “new” has not translated into meaningful impact. There are no clear career growth opportunities. Salary increases are not occurring. Benefits have declined, including a transition to United Healthcare that has not been a great. Our tech and wellness benefits have been removed. I have been actively looking for a new role, though the market is challenging. I do love the industry, but at this point, it is no longer worth it.

Explore other reviews about RealSelf

5.0
May 28, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Having lived through many eras of RealSelf leadership and team culture, I can honestly say that our current CEO and exec team are more committed to the company’s success than any previous generation of leaders. These are the biggest positives I’ve seen coming out of this change: True passion for making RealSelf amazing for our consumers and providers A clear strategic vision for modernizing our legacy brand and product, backed with resources to make it happen Laser focus on a viable, sustainable revenue growth strategy An expectation that everyone is working hard to meet our goals Opportunities for meaningful career growth that had been absent for a few years Big emphasis on a positive, collaborative culture focused on solutions and bold bets We’re in a growth phase, so it has the fast-paced energy of a startup. It’s so energizing now to work with a mostly new team of rockstars who truly want to be here and are pulling together to make RealSelf live up to its potential. We also have an inspiring mission to help consumers make smart choices about aesthetic procedures and connect them with providers who are actually qualified.

Cons

We’re a relatively lean team, and resources are not infinite. We have to be strategic and leverage AI to work smarter, sometimes making trade-offs to deliver what’s most important for customers and the bottom line. (Not a challenge unique to RealSelf, but worth noting.) Many of us also wear a lot of hats. This can be a plus in terms of learning the business and new skills, but it also means we have to operate broadly and not always as deeply as we may want. We have to think in terms of improving systems and savvy automation to ensure things don’t slip through the cracks. It can be stressful for those who are not used to context switching and driving multiple priorities at once. We’ve also inherited areas of legacy mess (code, old systems, etc.) that need some clean-up, but we’re no longer sweeping them under the rug. If you’re up to these challenges, RealSelf is a fantastic place to grow.

1.0
Mar 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Pros: - Initially exciting mission and team potential - Opportunity to learn in a fast-paced environment

Cons

Cons: - Leadership transparency and communication need major improvement - Culture can feel unsupportive and high-stress - Lack of consistency in decision-making

4
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