Welcome to our Jeunesse Review!
Has someone just introduced you to some anti-aging products from Jeunesse? Or have they told you about an exciting business opportunity where you can look younger and make money at the same time?
But you’re now wondering is Jeunesse a pyramid scheme or a possible scam?
We are so glad you are doing your research; it is the best way to avoid scams and find legitimate ways to make money online!
Jeunesse is a legit health and wellness MLM company, but that doesn’t take aware the fact that Jeunesse is also an extremely controversial MLM company!
We will be answering all your questions about this company, can you really enjoy younger looking skin and increase your wealth too? That is what we will be trying to determine.
Just to be clear, Gem and I are not associated with Jeunesse in any way, unlike many distributors who are trying to recruit you.
We are here to give you an objective view, give you the full information they may not be telling you about this business opportunity. Is it the right decision for you? Well, hopefully you will have that answer by the time we have finished this review.
Let’s get started with a quick overview…
Jeunesse Review Summary
Product Name: Jeunesse
Founder: Wendy Lewis & Randy Ray in 2009
Product Type: Health and Wellness MLM company (Pyramid Scheme in Disguise?)
Price: $49.95 + upsells + minimum order requirements of $85+
Best For: Those who are good are recruiting
Pros
- One of America’s Fastest Growing Companies
- Science Based Products
Cons
- Pyramid Scheme in Disguise
- Stockpiling
- Expensive Products
- FALSE Health & Income Claims
- Lawsuits
- Most Have Already Failed
Summary: Jeunesse is a health and beauty MLM company. It has made some great achievements in terms of the growth of the company over the years. But that time has also been clouded in a number of legal battles. There is a huge emphasis on recruiting rather than selling the products they have to offer. That focus has led to many people believing it is a Pyramid scheme and a number of these legal battles have been about that very subject.
I would not recommend Jeunesse Global purely for the fact around the pressure to recruit alone, let alone a number of other reasons which we will go through in our review.
Rating: 20/100
Recommended? No
Table of Contents
What is Jeunesse?
Jeunesse (pronounced Juh-Ness) or Jeunesse Global is a health, wellness and skincare Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) company, founded by Wendy Lewis and Randy Ray in 2009.
Their mission statement is this…
“The Jeunesse family creates positive impact in the world by helping people look and feel young, while empowering each other to unleash their potential”.
Another way to think about that statement is that they focus on selling anti-aging products as well as offering a network marketing business opportunity for members to make money with.
I found it interesting to learn that Jeunesse was not Wendy & Randy’s first venture into Network Marketing…
Some Background Info…
Before they created Jeunesse, Wendy Lewis and Randy Ray founded another network marketing company called Fuel Freedom International.
Fuel Freedom International sold micro-thin coating known as “MPG-CAPS” which claimed to help vehicles burn fuel more efficiently and reduced fuel consumption.
But independent testing proved that this actually didn’t work. It was just a way to make them money.
Strangely enough, after this venture didn’t work, they chose to move away from the MPG-CAPS and launched an anti-aging face cream instead? Completely random, right?
The positive thing about Jeunesse is that they are a company that is growing really fast. In 2016, they achieved annual sales of over US$1.4 Billion! This makes it one of the fastest growing MLM companies.
But alongside this exponential growth, they have also managed to get themselves into many controversies, a lot of media attention and a ton of lawsuits. We will go through all the details shortly…
For now, you can learn a little more about the company in this 3-minute video…
Didn’t that make it sound amazing? But you’re clever enough to know that this is just a marketing video put out by the company, so you might still be asking…
Is Jeunesse a Pyramid Scheme
Strictly speaking No, Jeunesse isn’t a pyramid scheme.
Jeunesse distributors are able to make money selling their products, without a need for recruiting anyone.
But as most MLMs sell overpriced products, and have low income opportunities unless you start recruiting heavily, it is worth asking the question – Is Jeunesse a pyramid scheme in disguise?
What’s a Pyramid Scheme?
A pyramid scheme is a company that promises payment in return for you recruiting more members into the company, instead of by selling any products or services. In fact, a pyramid scheme typically doesn’t have any products or services to speak of.
Most countries have made pyramid schemes illegal, as it is impossible for everyone to make money when recruitment is the only currency. They become unsustainable very quickly, meaning they collapse quickly too…
This diagram from Wikipedia shows you why…
Having said that…
But the reason I would suggest it is more likely a pyramid scheme in disguise, is because the entire business model is focused on recruiting a lot people into their business opportunity. The majority of the bonuses are laid out to reward you for recruiting people and then recruiting more people and getting them to buy these expensive starter product packs…
So, they may not be an outright pyramid scheme. But they are geared up to focus on recruitment and that is why we are of the opinion, they are a pyramid scheme in disguise…
Watch this 5-minute video to help you spot these pyramid schemes in disguise…
Success is Rare at Jeunesse
Success is rare at all MLM companies. It is not an easy business model…
Did you know that between 72.5% and 99.9% of MLM members are losing money?
When you check out their income disclosure statement, you soon realise that nearly 20% of their members didn’t earn a commission.
As for income stats, here they are:
- 96% earned more than $245 in 2018, the rest earned less
- 14% earned more than $4,350
- 12% earned more than $82,000
Reading between the lines, that is a big jump but that also tells you that considering you need to spend $85 a month to stay qualified, 59% of distributors made at least $245 but spent a minimum of $1,020 on their monthly quota.
Even if you factor in the 13% that made $4,350. That works out to $362.5 a month.
It just doesn’t make financial sense. The income disclosure statement also says it took an average of 6 years for that 2% to achieve those kinds of earnings.
Jeunesse Product Line
Before considering any MLM opportunity, it’s a good idea to take a look at the products they offer…
Jeunesse sells a range of products, including their anti-aging products. They also sell a range of nutritional supplements, creams and gels.
We are going to list the main products, their purpose as well as their prices (which are typical MLM prices, I’m afraid):
- Instantly Ageless ($74.95) – a facial cream to hide your under-eye bags, fine lines, wrinkles and pores for 6-9 hours
- Luminesce ($44.95 – $137.95) – a series of skincare products to help restore luminosity, firmness and smoother skin
- NV “Envy” ($55.95) – perfecting mist facial spray to give you an enviable, professional airbrush finish
- AM & PM Essentials ($139.95) – dietary multivitamin supplements take in the morning and evening
- RESERVE ($137.95) – antioxidant fruit juice
- FINITI ($144.95 – $289.95) – a supplement
- ZEN Bodi ($21.95 – $399.95) – an (expensive) health drink with fruit and plant extracts
- M1ND ($137.95) – dietary supplement clinically shown to support memory and reduce mental distractions
- MONAVIE ($175) – another health drink which contains 19 body-beneficial fruits and plant-derived glucosamine
- Naara ($41.95) – a collagen drink
- NEVO ($71.95) – an energy drink with no artificial flavours, colours and sweeteners
Whilst there are some beneficial products within this list, and some are even clinically proven and science-based it still doesn’t justify the price in my opinion.
This is a major problem with most MLM’s. They are just over-hyped and over-priced products.
This becomes a problem when you consider certain aspects about their business opportunity. More about that shortly.
For now, you should also be aware of how many other MLM companies are out there, all with a very similar product line… Examples include:
Haven't Made Your First $1 Yet?
How To Make Money with Jeunesse?
Jeunesse is running an MLM business model, so like other MLM’s like Norwex, Melaleuca, Shaklee, Essante Organics, etc. when you sponsor a person into the business you get paid on the product pack they purchase.
There are 6 ways you can make money in Jeunesse, which we will cover off in a second. But first we need to cover off, what it really takes for you to be eligible to earn that money… and why the main emphasis on most of these 6 ways is recruiting!!
Getting Started with Jeunesse
There are a few requirements that are to be met to be able to make money with Jeunesse and as with many MLM’s this is the point where you start to realise the actual cost of getting started…
First off, to become their independent distributor you will need to pay a $49.95 upfront fee, this will get you a “Starter Kit”.
Technically, this is all you need to spend to be able to start promoting Jeunesse products.
However, they will strongly encourage or even push you to purchase other product packages. This product packages can cost all the way up to $1,800!
They will tell you that this will help you “jump-start” your business and give you a good head-start by purchasing such packages. This will even make sense as they will also tell you that you will need sample products to show people to encourage sales…
But it is all really for a different reason. Your upline (sponsor) will earn a commission on your purchase. So, of course they are going to encourage you to buy the most expensive package as this will give them a bigger commission.
This is just one of the ways that many people get themselves deeper into debt around MLM’s. Do not blindly follow someone’s suggestion just because you think it will earn you more money – Do your research!
The costs do not end there…
There is also a $19.95 annual renewal fee and you MUST order a minimum of $85 worth of products every month.
This is just to qualify you as being an “active distributor” and therefore eligibly for any commissions.
Can you now see why so many people lose money within MLM’s and get themselves deeper into debt, and not get anywhere near the results these companies are claiming…?
Seriously, starting a business of your own doesn’t need to be so expensive, especially with the internet being so accessible.
P.S. this program that has enable us to generate a 4-Figure Monthly Passive Income is FREE to get started and only costs $49/month to go full-time!
Jeunesse Compensation Plan
Jeunesse offers 6 main ways to earn commissions:
- Retail Profits – 35% commission on each retail product sale
- New Customer Acquisition Bonus – $25 – $250 bonus when new downline purchases any of the jump-start packages (hence the desire to sell the higher priced packages)
- Team Commission – this is based on the binary compensation plan concept, earn commission based on the performance of your 2 downline teams
- Leadership Matching Bonus – bonus rewarded for helping your downline achieve certain ranks
- Customer Acquisition Incentive – get a higher matching bonus commission percentage by recruiting more people within a certain period of time
- Leadership Bonus Pool – get a percentage from the company’s profit sharing once you achieve a certain leadership rank
MLM’s compensation plans are highly complicated and we have done our best to simplify those 6 points, but there is much more to it than just what we have put above.
However, the most important factor you need to know about the Jeunesse compensation plan is that you are going to need to prepare to do a lot of face-to-face selling and most importantly, a lot of Recruiting!!
For a more in-depth look at their compensation plan, please check out their compensation plan PDF or you can watch the video below:
Is Jeunesse a Scam?
Just to be completely transparent with you, I’m not a distributor of Jeunesse, nor do I endorse Jeunesse in any way. I have researched the website, testimonials, and information available on the internet to get the details about what this program genuinely does. I do this, as I have been caught out by a scam in the past, and am trying to help others avoid a similar fate…
Tired of MLMs? Check How We Make Money Online Here!
What We Liked About Jeunesse
Here is what we liked about Jeunesse:
#1 One of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies
Jeunesse is the only direct selling company listed in INC 500’s List of Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies and they have also been in business for a decade now. Many MLM’s go out of business with the first five years…
#2 Science-Based Products
Jeunesse has done a lot of research into their skincare products, including research in stem cells, DNA repair and antioxidants.
This does make their skincare products unique to many other MLM’s where they just make claims rather than have the science to back up their claims.
But this can also make you think that all of their products have had this research done, and that would not be true.
This research only covers their skincare and anti-aging products!
The rest of the products, including their supplements follow the same route as all other health and wellness MLM’s. They are overpriced multivitamin products…
Something to consider if you are going to rely on selling them…
What We Didn't Like About Jeunesse
Here is what we didn’t like about Jeunesse:
#1 Pyramid Scheme in Disguise…
There will definitely be those that disagree with me here, but I would surmise that Jeunesse is a Pyramid Scheme in disguise. Not an outright pyramid scheme, as they do have products for you to buy and sell.
But the reason I would suggest it is more likely a pyramid scheme in disguise, is because the entire business model is focused on recruiting a lot people into their business opportunity. The majority of the bonuses are laid out to reward you for recruiting people and then recruiting more people and getting them to buy these expensive starter product packs…
Let’s go back to what the FTC considers to be a pyramid scheme.
According to the FTC, a company can be considered a pyramid scheme if the entire business is focusing more on recruiting members into the system rather than offering real products and services.
I get it, Jeunesse has its own products but their real focus is on recruiting and the problem is, the recruiting side is where the money is made.
Then you need to factor in what Kim Hui says, she is one of the top earners in Jeunesse:
The First Thing We Do is Recruit!
“So first thing we’ve got to do is go out there and recruit… We’re building a distribution channel if you would and so what we do – the first thing we do is recruit. What do we recruit? We recruit entrepreneurs…
And the second thing we do is that we teach other people how to recruit because this business is all about duplication. It’s not about one person selling all the time cause that’s linear income, you know, trading time for money. But this business model is about building distribution and about creating wealth…
And then the third thing we do is we teach other people on how to teach other people and so that’s when true duplication happens… With wealth, with the money would be – we are paid to build our distribution network.”
KIM HUI – Jeunesse Top Earner
Doesn’t that just prove that there Jeunesse is all about recruiting people and it doesn’t stop there…
Australian authorities have already taken action against Jeunesse due to the fact they consider them to be a Pyramid Scheme. This is just one of the lawsuits that this company has faced… (more on that later)
Just know that if you are going to consider this business, you are going to need to do a lot of face-to-face selling and most importantly – Recruiting!
Don’t get me wrong, recruiting isn’t always a bad thing. It can be a good way to build a sustainable business. But it needs to be done with the right recruiting techniques and targeting the right people.
Here’s the thing…
When everyone is entering the business just because of the money and not because they love the product, the business is nearly never sustainable.
To sell products effectively, you have to believe in the product. But if you are just there for the money, then you will never really succeed. When researching whether an MLM opportunity is right for you, consider which you are focusing on more – the products or the money. If you don’t really believe in the products, then you will never get to the point where you are making money.
If the products are something you believe in and are selling because they are really going to help your target audience and are the best products, then the money will come.
If you chose a company because the compensation plan looks awesome, but you have no belief in the products, it doesn’t really matter how good the compensation plan is, because people are not going to buy from you.
#2 Stockpiling
In order to remain an active distributor and therefore qualify for commission, you need to have a minimum monthly order of 100PV, this works out to roughly $85.
But if you cannot sell enough products and meet the requirement, your upline will definitely ask you to purchase those products yourself so that you remain active.
I have also heard that you need to purchase the products first to then retail them to people.
This will lead to you having a lot of stock stacked at home.
There are even been examples of people desperate to shift some stock and they have resorted to selling their stock on Amazon or eBay.
This should not be something a legitimate MLM does, but unfortunately, they do.
This just pushes people into further debt, with little chance of clearing that stock. 99% of people lose money with MLM and with this issue you can see why.
#3 Products Are Expensive
The products are extremely expensive, definitely overpriced. Most MLM company’s seemed to think they can charge these prices…
It will cost between $45-$300 just for one month’s supply of ONE single product.
Can you see how running Jeunesse as a business is going to be a huge financial burden for many people, especially if you are just starting out?
#4 FALSE Health & Income Claims
The bad stuff does not end there.
Through our research, we found a number of distributors giving inappropriate and unsubstantiated health claims.
For example, we have found distributors claiming Jeunesse products can cure cancer, lower blood pressure and other illnesses. This is definitely inappropriate, especially as Jeunesse products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In fact, there is a huge database of distributors’ FALSE health claims. Check it out HERE!
Whilst Jeunesse does disclose that their products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases, these claims come as a fault on the company’s behalf in regard to providing proper training to help distributors promote their products legitimately and truthfully.
As well as the inappropriate health claims, there are also distributors using deceptive income claims to promote their business.
Again, it is totally Jeunesse’s fault, but the problem goes back to a lack of training for their distributors!
#5 Lawsuit After Lawsuit
To date, there have been at least 16 lawsuits filed against Jeunesse, this includes 4 class-Action Lawsuits around whether Jeunesse is a Pyramid Scheme or not. (Source: TINA.org)
Since 2016, Jeunesse has faced 4 separate class-action alleging it is a pyramid scheme.
The latest action was file in a California federal court by Blake Lindemann, an attorney who has sued multiple MLM businesses making similar pyramid scheme allegations.
“The 30-page complaint, which, in addition to naming the company, also names top Jeunesse distributor Kim Hui and 10 unknown Diamond Director co-conspirators, claims that “Jeunesse admitted through its top-earning distributorships, that its method of operation constitutes a pyramid scheme,” and “[i]ts distributors also make unrealistic financial promises, such as being able to make millions of dollars per year.” The lawsuit further alleges that “Jeunesse uniformly misclassifies all of its representatives as independent contractors when they are, in fact, employees.”
See the full article HERE.
These are the facts about this company, so my question to you is would you still want to be involved in a company such as this?
#6 Many Have Already Failed!
Last but not least, the success rate and income potential is something that you must always check out when researching an MLM.
But as we check out the 2019 income disclosure statement, they don’t even give you any detail into the income their distributors are earning.
It tells us that of the 9,139 U.S. distributors who have been active in 2018. 19.4% of them did not earn any commission.
As for income stats, here they are:
- 96% earned more than $245 in 2018, the rest earned less
- 14% earned more than $4,350
- 12% earned more than $82,000
Reading between the lines, that is a big jump but that also tells you that considering you need to spend $85 a month to stay qualified, 59% of distributors made at least $245 but spent a minimum of $1,020 on their monthly quota.
Even if you factor in the 13% that made $4,350. That works out to $362.5 a month
It just doesn’t make financial sense. The income disclosure statement also says it took an average of 6 years for that 2% to achieve those kinds of earnings.
But it comes back to the point around building a pyramid under you and focusing on recruiting, and the top of the pyramid is always where the money is within MLM.
But unless you are already good with sales and recruitment and are still interested in joining a dodgy company like this one, you are going to find it extremely difficult to earn enough to cover your outgoings with this business opportunity.
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My Jeunesse Review - Final Conclusion
We have to be careful, as we write this review, they are technically not considered a Pyramid Scheme by the FTC, therefore we cannot say it is a scam.
But this could change depending on the stance of the FTC.
Considering there have been 4 class action lawsuits against them on the topic of whether they are a pyramid scheme should give you enough alarm bells around this though.
It is a clear sign that no matter how good their products may be, we should stay away from this company at all costs.
The FTC have received a number of complaints about Jeunesse. In fact, a leading expert economist with the FTC recently issues a report declaring Jeunesse a Pyramid Scheme.
You do not want to have invested money into a business that gets outed as a Pyramid scheme…. If they are shut down, you will lose any money you have invested and could potentially be investigated yourself for touted the company.
A quick example would be MOBE or Digital Altitude…
They were both really popular and seemed to be making people good money.
But they were both operating Pyramid schemes and were eventually shut down by the FTC. Anyone who was involved in the business were shocked at how quickly everything happened.
They found their entire business and source of income were gone. I am worried that anyone getting involved with Jeunesse could find themselves in that same boat.
Final word, we are advising you to stay away from this business opportunity. Regardless of how good the anti-aging products are, unless Jeunesse completely changes the way they operate, they could be taken out of business.
How We Make Money Online
I’m not a fan of MLM, not because it’s illegal or not profitable, but because of all the restrictions and expensive costs involved.
Instead, Affiliate Marketing is our top recommended business model for anyone looking to make money online
The reasons are simple…
- You can promote anything you want and aren’t restricted to only promote products from one MLM company
- You don’t have to recruit anyone to make money
- You never need to sell to your friends and family
- It’s free to get started
In fact, with affiliate marketing we’ve been able to Create a 4-Figure Monthly Passive Income Stream. If you want to learn more, click here.
Thanks for checking out our Jeunesse Review! If you have any questions or comments to add, then please write them in the comments section below. 😉
Sharing is Caring…
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Jeunesse
$49.95 + Upsells + Minimum Monthly Order of $85+
Pros
- One of America's Fastest Growing Companies
- Science-Based Products
Cons
- Pyramid Scheme in Disguises...
- Huge Focus on Recruitment
- Stockpiling, Expensive Products
- False Health & Income Claims + Lawsuits
- High Failure Rate
I tried the mlm route several times with different companies and I am convinced they are pyramid schemes. I never made any money, so it may be a case of sour grapes. Anyway, I am much happier with affiliate marketing and I think I have found my niche. Blogging is a much better way of doing things, I am much happier, and I feel like it helps me take out my aggression as well.
Hi Walt,
thanks for checking out our review! 99% of people lose money with MLM’s and that is proven with FTC studies.
it goes to show so many distributors are only interested in recruiting people and not training people. They focus on the money they will receive on bringing a new person in and not about helping them earn money too.
It is a sad affair within MLM. It leads to many becoming touted as Pyramid schemes (or those in disguise).
Blogging is totally different and is a fantastic way to make money online. It is free to get started and there is no pressure to sell or recruit… It is our preferred method along with affiliate marketing!
All the best
John
Hi
I cannot believe how much money that Jeunesse is making that amount of money but I cannot understand why they are going through the MLM method. Why they do not use the affiliate market way instead or drop shipping but going through a top heavy system. When I saw the prices of the products I was shocked at the prices that where on offer; it would have been cheaper to buy the ingredients and the method of manufacture.
I cannot believe that they use fake pictures to sell their products, that is a new low, especially for an accident victim. It may have a fancy name and a fancy products, but I think they are promoting nothing more than average products.
I thank you for bringing this to my attention but I think I will not be one joining them.
Thanks
Antonio
Hey Antonio,
thanks for checking out our review. All your points are very valid. The depths some people will go to make money, but it is at the expense of others…
Many of these companies do not want to explore the affiliate marketing route. But I think it is because an affiliate program would have to be free. These companies tie their distributors into expense monthly autoships which guarantees them sales each month… that is why they do it…
Either way, we believe affiliate marketing is much better than MLM!!
All the best
John
Hi there! I haven’t heard for Jeunesse until I read your article. I would have to say that they do seem to have pretty good products. But I have to agree with you, that this is a pyramid scheme. It is so similar to the Herbalife pyramid scheme. However, you can always use their products, if they fit your budget, and not try to earn from them.
Hi Baki,
thanks for checking out our review. I think many of these MLM’s do have some decent products, albeit they are all expensive products that you could probably source elsewhere for a better price.
But the business opportunities they offer are definitely not for the beginner!
All the best
John
Hello there, thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful piece of information here with us. I must say i really did enjoy going through your article as it contains useful informations one could pick from. I personally have not purchased any of the Jeunesse products yet and I don’t think I will be doing that, thanks for making this clear on your article, it will help a lot
Hey Philip,
thanks for checking out our review. Glad you found the article useful, anything we can do to keep people the full story before investing their hard-earned money into anything. Research is key to avoiding scams and only finding legit ways to make money online!
All the best
John
“There is a $19.95 annual renewal fee and you must order a minimum of $85 worth of products every month”. This is way too much for them to ask for. The products are too expensive and would definitely be difficult to make good amount of sales. It is too difficult to run and the risk factor is high.
Tthanks for sharing.
Hey Steve,
thanks for checking out our review. It is not only about the cost either, it is the amount of stock you will end up with in your house or garage. Stuck with loads of products that you cannot sell, that makes it a pointless investment.
There is also the point that if the FTC do take measures with them, you will not have a business anymore either…
All the best
John
Nice review you have there on “jeunesse”
I have come across so many reviews on jeunesse ( although your review is more detailed than the ones I have read) and they all concluded that it is a pyramid scheme and it isn’t something anyone should invest in. There are other platforms like wealthy affiliate which are worth the while. Thanks.
Hey Lizzy,
thanks for checking out our review. With the number of lawsuits all claiming that they are a pyramid scheme, how can it still be allowed to operate in this manner. It needs drastic reform and less focus on recruitment and more focus on marketing their products.
It is a sorry state for a lot of MLM’s, but they need to govern how their distributors are marketing the company…
MLM’s needs to get into the current world and encourage people to leverage internet marketing, like what is trained at Wealthy Affiliate to be able to get sales. Face-to-face sales only has so much reach…
All the best
John