Several of you have written in to ask if we know about and have a view on a newish serum called Nerium AD. I have been given a sample of the Night Cream ($110), but before giving it a try felt that I should do some research into its unusual and very controversial active ingredient and the company behind it. What Is Nerium Oleander - the Key Ingredient in Nerium AD? Nerium AD’s key ingredient is a beautiful, but also deadly plant, the Nerium Oleander. This flowering shrub, evocative of New Orleans and Billy Holiday, is commonly used for roadside landscaping due to its forgiving nature towards poor soil. It is also extremely toxic and one leaf can kill a child (source). The American Cancer Society unequivocally describes the oleander plant as “poisonous,” and adds “many people have died of heart failure or respiratory paralysis after eating parts of the plant or drinking tea made from it.” Although I found one published report of a death as a result of oral oleander extract, very few toxic events in humans have been reported.
According to the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS) in 2002, there were 847 human exposures to oleander reported to poison centers in the United States. Despite this exposure level, from 1985 through 2005, only three deaths were reported, according to Wikipedia. Still, toxic it is. So what’s it doing in my face cream? Well, it has been used in folk medicine for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. Researchers have established that the key components are cardiac glycosides, one of which is called oleandrin. And then Anvirzel burst on the scene, claiming to be a breakthrough cancer-curing drug based on nerium oleander extract. The company behind Anvirzel is Nerium Biotechnology – the same company that makes Nerium AD. In test tube studies, Anvirzel appeared to slow the growth of human bladder cancer cells. But “carefully dosed” people with cancer did not demonstrate that Anvirzel helped them. In the end, it was not approved by the FDA. Oleander leaf is on Germany’s regulatory agency list of unapproved herbs as it has not been proven to be safe or effective.
However, all hope for oleander’s curative powers are not lost as the National Cancer Institute instigated a new trial of Anvirzel earlier this year. Does Nerium AD Work As an Anti-Ager? Since, so far, Nerium Biotechnology hasn’t made it big on the anti-cancer front, it seems to be trying its hand at anti-aging cosmetics. Fair enough, but I wasn’t able to find any evidence that nerium oleander extract works as a wrinkle-repair ingredient or any other form of anti-aging for the skin. Furthermore, Wikipedia cites studies in which “a nerium oleander extract was applied to the skin of people with different dermal conditions, sensitive mass spectrometry based blood analyses were not able to detect the presence of cardiac glycosides such as oleandrin, indicating that these compounds are not readily absorbed through the skin.” So, I am facing a poisonous, failed (so far) cancer drug that doesn’t penetrate the skin and is a potential irritant – apparently skin irritation from contact with oleander has occurred and allergies are possible (source).
As well as being unproven as an anti-ager (I haven’t even found a single other instance of nerium oleander being used in a cosmetic product), this doesn’t inspire a whole lot of confidence. To read my review of Nerium AD after testing it, click here For some recommended alternatives to Nerium AD, see:Nerium AD WRITE A REVIEW 2.377 reviews31% would repurchasePackage Quality: 3.0Price: $$$401Package Quality: 3.0Price: $$$INGREDIENTS FILTERSFilter by skin/hair/eyeFilter by ageSort By Start your review54321Popular Treatments (Face)The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%24 ReviewsGood Genes111 ReviewsMidnight Recovery Concentrate336 ReviewsDifferin Gel190 ReviewsLuna Sleeping Night Oil89 ReviewsC E Ferulic300 Reviews Top Rated Hibiclens Calamine LotionVaseline Petroleum JellyAlpha Hydrox 10% AHA Anti Wrinkle Treatment - Oil Free FormulaJason Natural Cosmetics Tea Tree OilBest of MakeupAlleyBest Natural Beauty ProductsMLBB For Every Skin ToneBest Retinols for All SkinsBest Korean Skincare ProductsBest Foundations For SummerRecommended by Skin TypeBest Treatments (Face) for Sensitive skinBest Treatments (Face) for Very Oily skinBest Treatments (Face) for Oily skinBest Treatments (Face) for Acne-prone skinBest Treatments (Face) for Combination skinBest Treatments (Face) for Normal skinBest Treatments (Face) for Dry skinBest Treatments (Face) for Very Dry skin Are you sure this product is discontinued?
Nerium International is an American based MLM company founded in 2011 that specializes in an assortment of anti-aging products. By 2012, they were ranked the #86 MLM out of 100 by Direct Selling News and did over $100 million in revenue. One year later, their ranking moved up to #54 and they did over $200 million in sales. Does this mean I’m involved?Either way, here’s the full review on Nerium. Sign-Up Cost: $99.95 however you do not receive any products at this price, only marketing materials The Good: Nerium’s success rate is staggering, considering that they have only been around for five years. The Bad: The fact that they are such a young company, makes it hard to speculate how they will do in the future. The people at Nerium focus on reversing the signs of aging in both women and men alike. Their products are unique, because not only do they concentrate on skin care, but they also offer supplements to help the mind stay youthful. All of their products are plant-based and provide crucial anti-oxidants that boost cell renewal and skin hydration.
The People at Nerium want you to be in business for yourself, but they stress that you will not be working by yourself. They have a strong and supportive training program to help you realize your goals. They have a relatively inexpensive start-up cost. There is no glass ceiling to worry about. You can work from anywhere, at anytime, whatever is most convenient for you. Of course like all direct selling programs, the more people that you can get to participate, the more potential income you can earn. You can earn anywhere from $16-$60 a week as a bonus by getting people to sign up. Once you get three or more customers to sign up, you don’t have to pay out of pocket for your own inventory. By selling retail from your own personal inventory, you make a direct sales commission. This ranges from 10%-25% on all customer re-orders. Once you have built a team, there are many incentives to keep you on track. All of these combine to help you live your life on your own terms, help others with their skin care needs and provide a sense of financial freedom.
All from the comforts of your home. I feel that one thing that anyone interested in joining the Nerium team should take into consideration, is their explosive growth in sales in such a relatively short period of time. This success can really only be attributed to a few factors: Their products have been scientifically researched and proven in their effectiveness to fight the signs of aging. Now, these products are a little on the pricey side in my opinion, it will set you back $270 for a combination of night cream, day cream and eye serum. However, I found it very difficult to find any negative feedback on how well they worked, everyone seems to love them. This comes from both customers and affiliates alike. Finally, obviously they know how to make their distributors achieve success when marketing their products. The numbers don’t lie and the $403 million in world-wide sales mentioned earlier was from 2014. I’m pretty sure it has continued to climb. Nerium uses a substance called Oleander, this is highly toxic and bad for your skin.
The reason that the fine lines and wrinkles disappear is because it causes inflammation and puffiness which makes the skin look and feel fuller. This being said, if you use the Nerium products as directed, you shouldn’t experience any uncomfortable side effects. The only other thing that may be a little cause for concern is the relative inexperience of the organization in general. Five years is not a great deal of time when it comes to forecasting the stability of a business. Nerium seems to be a legitimate business for people to get involved in. If you have decided that you would like to try working from home an being your own boss, this might be just what you’ve been looking for. They have an excellent compensation plan and have paid over $100 million in commissions already, this is awesome. If you check out their official website, you will see that is both very informative and easy to navigate through. This is a nice change up compared to many other MLM sites that are vague, confusing and basically useless.
This being said however, don’t believe that you will get rich overnight. Like most things in life, the success you achieve is relevant to the amount of work you put into it. If you have been trying out different MLM opportunities without getting the results you want, maybe it’s not the company, it’s you. By the way, did you know that only 5% of people that attempt these types of ventures have had success? The fact that you are taking the time to read this review and others like it is great. This is much better than blindly jumping into something without doing the proper amount of research first. But if you think you have what it takes to work independently and get others to follow suit, I believe there is a valid opportunity by working with the folks at Nerium International. It all comes down to what it is you are trying to accomplish. Are you looking to retire early, or are you just trying to make a little extra cash? Either way, out of all of the MLMs, this one would probably rank in the top 10.