Plexus is a weight loss network marketing company that is popular because of it’s tasty “pink drink,” Plexus Slim.
Here’s our 30-second breakdown:
Plexus was relatively unknown until the social media boom of 2014/2015, when it invaded everyone’s Facebook feeds, toted as a miracle weight loss solution by moms losing that leftover pregnancy chub.
Women everywhere have heard the Pink Drink call to lose weight, find more energy and make money at the same time. And it doesn’t stop there. Plenty of men have since followed their wives (read: drink the Pink Drink or sleep on the couch) and use Plexus to combat the ever-stubborn Dad Bod. Win-win for the wives out there, am I right?
Plexus must have the MONEY to keep the wheels turning, because they have been hit with some heavy accusations in the past. With an official warning from the FDA (1), a health and safety lawsuit from 2015 (2) and even an expose on how Plexus reveals the failings of American Christians (3), Plexus lawyers must have their hands full.
Plexus distributors (called ambassadors within this MLM) must not care, though, because Plexus is trending to have its most successful years yet with hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue (4).
Products: 6/10
Opportunity: 7/10
Overall: 6.5/10
Plexus Products
Plexus products are geared towards the health, nutrition, weight management and wellness niche.
The company sells natural skincare products, gut health supplements, appetite suppressants, protein powders and energy boosters.
Many of Plexus’ products are developed with the intention of being bundled and sold in combinations that work together to achieve maximum results. This makes for good business sense as it improves the opportunity to up sell additional products.
Here are some of Plexus’s more popular products:
1. Plexus Slim
This is the product that started it all. Also known as the Pink Drink, Plexus Slim is the company’s flagship product and is most widely known.
It is a powdered health drink which claims to improve gut health, boost metabolism and help people to lose weight quickly and easily. It also aims to help users lower their cholesterol levels.
The powder dissolves into cold water, creating a pink, tasty looking drink. Hence their slogan, “Drink Pink to Shrink”.
There hasn’t been any clinical studies on the combined effects of Plexus Slim itself. However, there are many independent studies backing the individual ingredients within the formula.
For example, Plexus Slim contains chromium, garcinia cambogia and green coffee bean extract. Chromium is effective at managing blood sugar levels, therefore controlling cravings. It can also help to boost endurance and performance in the gym. (5) Garcinia cambogia is a powerful appetite suppressant regularly used in weight loss supplements. It curbs hunger and reduces calorie intake over the course of the day. (6) Green coffee contains the fat burning compound chlorogenic acid. This encourages the body to prioritize body fat stores for fuel, helping to cut fat faster. (7, 8)
Overall, Plexus Slim is suitable for most people who are looking to boost their weight loss and support gut health. However, there are also some potential side effects to be aware of. The most common are stomach cramps and nausea.
On the flip side, there are plenty of health advocates who campaign for healthier weight loss solutions. Most of their claims against Plexus Slim are anecdotal, without a lot of science backing them. These arguments tend to focus on how expensive Plexus is compared to standard dieting and exercising solutions to losing weight.
2. Plexus Block
Another popular weight loss product from Plexus is Plexus Block.
This supplement is designed to decrease the amount of sugars and starches absorbed by the digestive system by as much as 48 percent. This enables you to eat starchy and sugary foods without feeling guilty.
Eating too much sugar and starch is known to be one of the top causes of weight gain. Simple carbohydrates also increase your blood sugar levels, causing a spike in insulin. This will result in a blood sugar ‘crash’ a short time later, leading to sweet cravings, weight gain and a vicious cycle. Long term, big fluctuations in your blood sugar can also increase the risk of diabetes due to insulin resistance.
Plexus Block prevents this by using a blend called “InSea2”. The blend is a combination of brown seaweeds to prevent simple carbohydrate absorption. Ascophyllum nodosum and fucus vesiculosus are types of seaweed that make up the blend. Both aquatic plants have indeed shown clinical benefits in controlling carbohydrate absorption. (9)
While it cannot be used as a long term solution to an unhealthy diet, Plexus Block is useful for those who struggle to go without simple carbohydrates for prolonged periods when dieting.
3. Plexus Boost
Plexus Boost is an appetite suppressant and energy booster, designed to help anyone dieting control their hunger and calorie consumption.
The formula comprises a mix of ingredients which are often found in weight loss supplements. Most notably: yerba mate, green tea and chromium. Plexus Boost doesn’t disclose the exact quantities of each ingredient used in the formula, yet we would expect green tea and yerba mate to be among the most active ingredients in this case.
Green tea has metabolism boosting properties and also contains caffeine which works to increase energy levels. (10) Yerba mate is effective for appetite suppression and controlling blood sugar. (11)
Plexus Boost is a useful aid for those who are restricting food intake while also increasing exercise intensity.
The energy lift the supplement provides can help you to push through that tough workout even though you have eaten less than usual.
4. Plexus Accelerator+
Plexus Accelerator+ is another weight loss supplement that instead targets your metabolism. The idea behind this supplement is to kickstart your metabolism to make it work faster and burn calories more efficiently. Ultimately, it burns the fat away without you needing to work as hard as you would without it.
This pill contains many of the same ingredients as other Plexus products, including green tea and yerba mate. However, it also contains vitamin B6 to increase your energy levels (12) and vitamin B12 (13) to encourage a more robust metabolism.
Plexus recommends combining Accelerator+ with Plexus Slim for maximum results.
5. Plexus XFactor Plus
Plexus XFactor Plus is a daily multivitamin that you can use for a general boost to your health, if taken regularly. XFactor Plus works like any typical multivitamin, and it contains a variety of healthy ingredients that help your body function better overall.
The multivitamin claims to accomplish what most multivitamins do: boost your immune system, promote healthy bone and muscle function and protect your body against free radical damage. However, it also claims to add an additional level of benefits for those who take it regularly.
Plexus states that XFactor Plus can help improve your mood, lessen menopause symptoms and provide improved mental clarity.
Notable ingredients include 5 – MTHF, which aids in folic acid metabolization (14), apple fruit extract for healthy polyphenols and grape seed extract for improved gut health.
6. Plexus Bio Cleanse
Plexus Bio Cleanse is a natural cleanse and detox supplement that helps your body’s digestion get back to a normal state. Many of the processed foods we eat can disrupt digestion, and this supplement can help you cleanse the harmful substances that stand in the way of proper digestion.
With Magnesium A and Vitamin C, this supplement promotes regular bowel movements, relieves gas and bloating and cleanses your entire gastrointestinal tract.
Juice cleanses and other detoxifying methods can wreak havoc on your body, incapacitating you for several days at a time. Plexus Bio Cleanse aims to simplify the process and provide long-lasting effects so you don’t have to go through that process regularly.
7. Joyome Essentials Combo
Plexus doesn’t only cover the weight loss and health supplement industry. They’ve recently also broken into the skin care world with their Joyome line. It only consists of two products at this time, with plans to add more over time.
The Joyome Essentials Combo consists of the Illuminating Day Serum and the Intensive Overnight Repair cream. These products work best together, which is why they’re most often sold as a bundle, although you can purchase them separately, as needed.
Both of these skin care products aim to target the common aging problems faced by most people: wrinkles, age and sun spots, frown lines and more. With over 11 non-irritating ingredients, Joyome skin care can help you achieve that ageless look. These products also use Plexus’s proprietary Microbiome Balancing Complex, which is supposed to use the existing microbes on your skin to create a more harmonious balance.
The Illuminating Day Serum helps reduce the appearance of pores and gets rid of the dark circles under your eyes. It can also help eliminate crows feet and lessen oily skin.
The Intensive Overnight Repair cream aims to moisturize while you sleep, which promotes elasticity in your skin. It also gently resurfaces your skin, getting rid of all that dead skin and blemishes for a fresher face in the morning. This cream can also help get rid of age spots and sun spots.
Business Opportunity
Plexus offers the opportunity for customers to earn money by becoming “ambassadors” (distributors).
To register, you must pay a one time fee of $34.95 as well as agree to an auto-ship of products, before you are authorized to receive pay and any additional bonuses.
This autoship agreement must total a minimum of $100 every month. On top of this, your own personal volume of products must be at least $100 in value.
The initial $100 in retail sales does not actually earn you any profits – it is only after you exceed this value you take commission.
The commission starts at 15 percent from between $100, up to $500 in total retail sales. Once you cross the $500 sales mark, the commission increases to 25 percent.
The same rule applies for any distributors you have signed up in your “downline”.
Both they, and you, do not get any commissions until your downline has hit $100 in sales.
Ambassadors will be provided with their own website to help them set up and manage their business.
Plexus FAQ
1. What does Plexus sell? Plexus sells weight loss products, nutrition boosters, skin care products, gut health and wellness supplements.
2. What are Plexus’s most popular products? Plexus Slim, Plexus Block and Plexus Boost.
3. Are Plexus’s products safe? This is probably the most controversial point about Plexus. There have been countless claims and articles about the dangers of drinking the Pink Drink, including an official warning from the FDA. Many of Plexus’s other products aren’t as heavily scrutinized as Plexus Slim, but it’s safe to say many are still skeptical.
4. Is Plexus vegan? Plexus Slim is marketed as vegan, non-MSG and gluten free. However, not all of Plexus’s products are vegan. If you eat vegan, you know enough to check the ingredients before you take a bite or drink of something new. The same rings true for Plexus products.
5. How much does it cost to join Plexus? $34.95 + $100/mo autoship. In addition to this, you must also maintain a personal value of $100 in products at any time.
6. How much do Plexus ambassadors make? According to the income disclosure statement Plexus released in 2016 (12), 82% of ambassadors only make an average of $300 per year. This number climbs as the ambassador ranks go up, but only around 1% of all ambassadors make anywhere near a livable annual wage.
7. Is Plexus a scam? No, we do not believe Plexus is a scam. However, it can be difficult to make any money. In order to remain a qualified distributor, Plexus requires an ongoing commitment to invest in products on a monthly basis. Furthermore, no commissions are given on sales under a total value of $100. Therefore, you shouldn’t sign up to Plexus unless you are confident you can make a return upon your investment.
8. What is Plexus’s BBB rating? A+ (12)
9. What are some common complaints about Plexus? The most common complaint about Plexus is that Plexus Slim doesn’t assist at all with any kind of weight loss. The complaints about safety and ingredients are the next most common complaints. Finally, like with all MLMs, there are many ex-ambassadors who claim they were duped into becoming an ambassador and spending pointless money to do so.
10. How long has Plexus been in business? Plexus was founded in 2006.
11. How much does Plexus make in yearly revenue? Plexus gross annual income for the year 2017 was $255.8 million.
12. How many Plexus distributors are there? 750,000 independent ambassadors.
13. Have there been any lawsuits filed against Plexus? There has been a couple of lawsuits filed against Plexus. One in particular involved a defamation complaint amongst the founders of the company. Another was regarding a failure to inform customers about the potential for lead traces in their products. (13, 14)
14. What companies are comparable to Plexus? Isagenix and Herbalife
15. Is Plexus recommended? You must be able to afford the regular financial commitment to purchase products and be confident you can sell these, as well as recruit others to do the same. If you like the product, you may find this to be a solid deal, especially with discounts, but don’t count your pennies. When you compete with 750,000 other ambassadors for sales, you might find yourself not earning any money at all.
Summary
Plexus is a well established health, nutrition and wellness company which has a number of popular and well known products.
The weight loss products we have investigated here contain quality ingredients with clinical backing, although it’s suspect that exact dose details are withheld in some cases.
In terms of the income opportunity as a Plexus ambassador, the potential for making money is decent. The weight loss market is huge and there will always be people who want to drop pounds and improve their health.
However, the size of the market is both a benefit and a drawback. Because this niche is so popular and profitable, it also means it is very competitive and crowded.
If you are not already active in the health and weight loss scene, you will likely struggle to sell your products at a level that will bring much monetary return. Especially when you remember you must cross the minimum sales value of $100 before you actually see any profit.
Those who are best placed to earn as a Plexus ambassador are those who are already well established in the weight loss industry. Personal trainers, fitness instructors and nutritionists can possibly benefit from selling plexus products as an add-on to their existing clients. Plus, they are more likely to be viewed as authorities, with a more respected recommendation when it comes to product sales pitches.
Furthermore, influencers who have a large and engaged social media following in the health and fitness niche could utilize this to sell products to their audience.
In conclusion, Plexus does offer a viable opportunity to increase your income, but it is best pursued if you have you already have an established network.