Nerium Review – Makes You Uglier?

Cindy McDonald once said that aging is not an option, not for anyone. It is how gracefully we handle the process and how lucky we are, as the process handles us.

True. We can’t stop aging. We can’t stop getting old, getting wrinkles, crow’s feet, sagging cheeks, you name it. It is just about how gracefully you handle aging that matters, and how aging handles you.

We’re just lucky because when it’s already our time to age, we have ways to alter signs of aging. Of course, while options, like getting under the knife or getting a Botox is something for the rich and famous, what’s left for us are skin care products which we hope can help alleviate all the signs of aging.

And so you look things up in the market. There would be lots for sure. From products that promise to take away five to ten years off your appearance, their promises are just too good to be true.

So here comes Nerium. It’s described to be amazing, a miracle, incredible, the answer to aging gracefully, an elixir, whatever. Of course, it’s also called bad names like scam, fraud, fake; you name, it’s been said by other users.

And so while the responses may be a little bit mixed, let’s take a look at Nerium and its products and whether they work or not and whether it is something you buy or ignore. It’s all in this Nerium review.

Nerium, the Company

Launched in 2011, Nerium International had been breaking records all over. Considered to be a fast-growing brand in the industry of beauty, it is yet to launch additional products from their current three to five line-up.

With their base in the state where they initially started, Texas, Nerium International is one of the very few companies to reach more than $100 million in revenue in its very first year of operations. It has expanded its branches not just in the state of Texas but all throughout the United States. Just a few years after they started, they have already opened their bases in Canada and have plans of also expanding into other countries.

Nerium International has distributors from everywhere that they call as brand partners. The same as in all multi-level marketing (MLM) companies, the brand partners do a lot of selling and marketing of the products. They are also given the right to build their teams and earn from recruiting. Your recruits would eventually sell and recruit and as your team grows, so is your income.

Just like any other MLM company, Nerium International promises you a work-from-home job with flexible hours which would enable you to spend more time with your family. They also have vacations in line and even a brand new Lexus!

But what is Nerium up to, really? Are their products really effective? Does Nerium work just like how they claim it to work?

Read on for an honest to goodness Nerium product review.

All About the Nerium Creams

Nerium International has about three main products – the night cream, the day cream, and the Nerium Firm – which are all sold via the Nerium International website or by the company’s thousands of brand partners.

The main ingredient of these creams is an extract from nerium oleander, a plant mostly found in the Mediterranean and South Asia. The plant is known to be one of the region’s most toxic plants, with the plant being described as poisonous in its every part and can be deadly when orally consumed. We’ll talk about that later.

And so anyway, each bottle of cream costs from about $100 to $120, depending on the type you buy. The night cream and the Nerium Firm, the latter of which is described as a firming body contour formula, each costs $120 per bottle. The day cream, however, costs $100.

Now, each bottle of cream is formulated with the star ingredient which they claim has anti-aging properties, the nerium oleander extract. And with continued use, it is supposed to result in any or all of the following:

• Reduce the appearance of cellulite
• Smooth, tighten, and firm up loose skin
• Reduce wrinkles and fine lines
• Help with hyperpigmentation
• Even out skin texture
• Heal sun damage
• Close pores
• Restore youthful vitality

I know that last one got you going. How good is that? Restore youthful vitality. Interesting and tempting, isn’t it?

But let me ask you? How many people do you know have you witnessed to retain their youthful charm even at the age of 40 or 50? Unless he’s a vampire then aging is something that’s inevitable. Everyone will age and only your genes, diet, and lifestyle will only take care of how gracefully you age. While creams can assist and perhaps slow down aging, you will eventually age, unless again you go under the knife or get injected to firm up your skin.

Another quick fix the company is offering is the Nerium Firm. It’s basically just cream that is known to decrease cellulite and firms up your skin, be it a mommy tummy, flabby arms or legs, whatever you feel like firming.

Again, this is a quick fix we all hope is true. But then again, we all know, to get rid of flabby arms, legs, or a flabby whatever part of your body, you need to exercise. You need to toughen up and go out there and get moving. Exercise and a healthy diet is always the key to a firmer and toned body, not Nerium Firm. Of course, Nerium Firm may assist you just one bit… but as I said it, it’s just one bit. Point is, you can have a flat and toned and firm belly and arms and legs with or without the Nerium Firm. Just go exercise.

What’s In It?

As earlier mentioned, the Nerium creams contain a combined extract of aloe, other ingredients, and nerium oleander. Notice I only said aloe and other ingredients. This is because I would rather we discuss nerium oleander, which is where the creams (and the company) got its name.

I already said it earlier and I will say it again. Nerium oleander is one of the most toxic plants in the South Asia/Mediterranean region. Everything about the plant shouts “poison” from the root to the stem to even the pretty flowers. I am not so sure about how a company can stomach infusing a cream with extracts from a poisonous plant but, there it is!

And while some may claim that it’s not and that the processing has let go of the poison et cetera et cetera, you can never deny the fact that it’s still from a toxic plant.

In fact, further digging into old news has led me to this news article about two little boys in California who died by swallowing leaves from this plant.

This is just to show how dangerous the plant is. You can look it up and thank me later.

The plant is also not good food for the pets (or any kind of animal for that matter). See this article from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

I highlighted it for your convenience. You’re welcome!

And that doesn’t end there.

What the world has to say about Nerium.

I may already be getting a lot of hate mails from this review but, hold on, there’s more.

While we may be skeptical about how effective the cream is, there would always be people who would bet every last dollar in their pockets saying that the cream really works. Some would say the Nerium plant may already be devoid of any poison as it is eliminated during the process, some would say that this is not poisonous at all. There is even one article that says a one-year-old baby can swallow all 40 bottles of a Nerium AD product and, as per their claims, “the child would still only reach a non-toxic dose of NeriumAD.” Wow! Like, seriously?! Below is that part of the FAQ found on their website:

And if you are the “to see is to believe” kind of person, the whole thing can be found here, if you want to skim through their FAQs.

So apparently, you can swallow their creams (as to why you’d want to swallow their cream, I don’t know) and never get to reach any toxic level. That is already considering that their creams contain extracts from a highly toxic plant. I don’t know about you but I’d rather not let it touch my skin, much more swallow it. And even if it’s the manufacturers telling me it’s safe, I still won’t

But despite these facts, some people still seem to convince other people to use the product. We may attribute that to the marketing skills of some brand partners, or it could be because they’re giving away free samples, but the thing I’m concerned about is that it still gets into consumers hands.

Such is the case for San Francisco resident Kristy Parcels. In 2014, she was convinced to sign up as a brand partner and sell the products to her friends. She was even told the income she’d get from selling Nerium creams can be enough for her to quit her job.

But what happened next was a game-changer. Kristy and her daughter, instead of getting younger-looking skin, developed a rash. It was only then that she woke up to reality, that oleander is a poisonous plant and that its extracts are being used in the production of this cream she signed up to sell. The whole news article can be found here.

And so what does Nerium have to say about this? Everybody gets a rash once in a while. That’s what they said. As if these are just normal; but tell it to the many users who got the same rash as Kristy’s, like this user who posted her comments in one forum:

And this other one here even developed a rash on the second day of use:

And not only rashes but pimples, too!

Not only that but if you browse through comments at Amazon, you’d find that consumers of such products posted bad reviews with comments ranging from that the product doesn’t work, to the cream having a terrible smell, to even the cream resulting to dry skin. There were also a few cases of users getting break-outs after continuous use of the cream.

Of course, just like everywhere else, there would also be raving reviews of Nerium creams. Just like this one below:

And this too:

I don’t know. While the possibility that the raving reviews come from the distributors themselves (yes, it crossed my mind multiple times), I can’t help but also consider that perhaps, it worked for some. Probably it could be because there are different skin types? And because of that, one cream may work for one and not work for the other? I don’t know.

I remain skeptical though, what with the extract from a poisonous product being the main ingredient. Besides, the news about that rash, that came from CBS. I’d rather believe CBS and FDA and the LA Times than any other review. Not saying the raving reviews false but, just playing it safe.

Conclusion

What do I think about Nerium?

I believe we all have different skin types. As I mentioned earlier, one cream may work for one skin type and not work for another. This could probably explain why others see no change while some are crazy about seeing improvements on their skin. But my main point is that it would be very rare (to none) for you to see a company that would mix in extracts of a poisonous plant to their creams. And they may say it’s already processed and the poison has already lost its potency but, I can’t just imagine how I could put it on my skin.

Besides, if you dig into what they have to offer to convince us that this is indeed safe for our skin, they’d always point out a study that’s been done for many years. They’d name some doctor or another who would vouch for the products’ safety but are there any published papers on the studies made? There were none.

In addition, this is not approved by FDA yet. And when asked about any clinical trials or anything that could prove the products’ safety on our skin, they provided one local media with a summary of a clinical trial by a Dr. Larry Fan, a plastic surgeon based in San Francisco. And while in Dr. Fan’s clinical trial, there was really no sign of oleander adverse effects after use, this was only tested amongst 34 patients. And yes, these 34 cannot speak for the whole population of those who wanted to get rid of wrinkles, or mommy tummies, or acne.

I can’t really say this won’t work for you. If you’re brave enough to try this despite knowing what it’s made of, go ahead. It may work for you.

But take it from me. My suggestion is to go see a dermatologist. Go ahead and talk to your derma guy (or gal) and discuss your options first before smearing your face with any kind of cream that’s promising you younger-looking skin. Remember, at the end of the day, you don’t want to compromise the face, right?

You may end up with far worse pores than when you started.

Your choice!