The Truth About Mary Kay

Loved this!

2012-05-16T18:53:00.000-07:00

Very well put!!

What did you Think about the Live MK Event?

2012-05-16T18:48:00.002-07:00

MKTV Live Education Event Video
Published 05.16.12
Thank you for supporting the MKTV New Consultant Education Event on Monday, May 14. Thousands of you tuned in for a night filled with great education, motivation and excitement. Unfortunately, some of the excitement included some technical glitches.

But don’t worry! We recorded the event and will post the video on InTouch in the near future. Be sure to check the MK News section often for information about where to find the video once it is ready.

Independent National Sales Director Diana Sumpter, Elite Executive Senior Sales Director Mia Mason Taylor and Future Executive Senior Sales Director Leah Lauchlan shared powerful tips and experiences that we know all new Independent Beauty Consultants will want to hear!

My Apology

2012-05-14T15:01:00.005-07:00

I have removed the post that offended Lori,and anyone else. I sincerely apologize. I would never intentionally offend anyone. As for being "racist" Well, anyone that knows me, knows I love everyone no matter what race, creed, color, region, sex, etc.. one & all and God created each and everyone of us. I am the furthest thing from racist there is.

I am saddened that something little and by no means ill spirited can be taken so out of context and be called racist, seeing your reaction perhaps in poor taste but not racist. Also by no means was your comment respectful. I would have removed it immedieately if you had emailed me with your issue with it.

In my opinion I wish some people could just relax and lighten up, we would have far less stress over being "politically" correct all the time. Being Italian - I make comments about me and "my Italian" traits all the time. Also ie: I may say something to my husband about being a "Ram" / horoscope .. and how he likes to butt heads.. it is said tongue and cheek and in good humor with no ill intent. would that make me racist as well? I thought it was cute and enjoyed it and it made me smile. But I will apologize again and it is removed.

I sincerely hope that with the time, energy, and effort put into this blog, you were able to find something of benefit for you. Seeing in the many years since we have been publishing this is the first item I have been rudely insulted and called out. Hopefully there were many articles that were to your liking before you read the one that offended you and you will continue read.

Deadline Reminder!!

2012-05-14T14:52:00.002-07:00

Remember the Deadline for enrolling our clients in the Summer PCP (Preferred Customer Program) is tomorrow night!! This is an amazing tool available to us. It would cost far more to go to the post office and mail the Look Book yourself and that one would not have samples in it!!

My sales always go crazy when my clients receive their new book!!

and remember televised event is tonight 7:30 Central Time, have you registered yet?

First time ever!! Training made easy

2012-05-13T13:56:00.003-07:00

The Live Education Event – “Be a Confident Consultant” for new Independent Beauty Consultants is almost here and you don’t want to miss it!

This FREE educational event will be broadcast live from the Mary Kay Studios in Dallas on Monday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. Central time!

Spanish-speaking independent sales force members can enjoy the event through “live Spanish audio translation”!

Independent National Sales Director Diana Sumpter, Elite Executive Senior Sales Director Mia Mason Taylor and Future Executive Senior Sales Director Leah Lauchlan will educate and motivate you.

Here’s your chance to:
•Learn from some of the best in the business
•Build confidence and get an Action Plan
•Win fabulous prizes!

Independent Sales Directors – make it a “unit meeting” event! For larger events, plan to have a computer with internet access, a projector and screen at your venue to make this a really successful event.

New Independent Beauty Consultants – if you recently started your business –like during April’s “Spring into Something Beautiful” promotion, you’ll definitely want to tune in!

Don’t wait. Space is limited! Register today for this fantastic FREE live webcast! You’ll be glad you did!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OUR MOMS!!

2012-05-13T13:55:00.002-07:00

Spring Limited Edition Inventory Update

2012-04-25T16:33:00.002-07:00

From MK Intouch
Inventory Update: Limited-Edition* Dual Lip Glaze in Glistening Sand
Published 04.25.12
The limited-edition* Mary Kay® Dual Lip Glaze in Glistening Sand (050907), part of the limited-edition* Mary Kay® The Art of Nature Collection launched with the March 2012 quarter product offering, is now sold out at the following branch locations:

•Southern
The remaining Mary Kay branch locations are expected to sell out of this product within the next day or two. We encourage you to check MK® News each day for further updates.

As a friendly reminder, limited-edition items are available only while supplies last; once limited-edition products have sold out, they are no longer available for ordering.

We appreciate your understanding and thank you and your customers for your support!
*Available while supplies last.

Head Up On Intouch Log In

2012-04-25T08:01:00.002-07:00

This morning there have been serious issues logging into intouch and after three attempts one is then locked out. The wait with the Company is over an hour. May I suggest when you go to log in, simply enter your consultant number and click on, forgot password and then change it. You will get right in. When things settle down, you can always go in and change it back to whatever you wish. Hope this helps.

Hi Everyone!!!

2012-04-17T16:50:00.003-07:00

Hi Everyone, please hang on just a bit longer, I apologize for not posting anything new in a bit however, we have two family members going thru chemo/radiation treatments and a parent in very poor health. I am so happy that I can help out and still keep my income coming in, but it is taking time in other parts of my life.. Will try to get some good stuff up soon... and please share with me topics or questiosn that I could answer without taking alot of time - until then!! Take care and make it a great day!!!

AND REMEMBER TODAY LAST DAY TO FILE YOUR TAXES UNLESS YOU REQUEST AN EXTENSION!!

2012-03-27T08:56:00.003-07:00

On MSN Home page... love it... from Good Housekeeping Magazine! Our new liners!

Best New Makeup Finds Under $20

The new crop of lipsticks, blushes, and more comes with rock-bottom price tags and hard-to-beat performance.
4 of 18
©Good Housekeeping
Mary Kay Lip Liner and Eyeliner ($12 each)
These smooth operators (marykay.com) have built-in sharpeners. Try the clear lip liner with any lipstick!

©Good Housekeeping

Do You Have a Question??

2012-03-21T19:00:00.003-07:00

Folks, I am here and apologize for not being more active. I am trying.. Business/unit has been doing great and personally helping with care for two elderly parents- and new grandbabies!! Will hopefully be dedicating more time to this as I know it is helpful to many!! If you have a question, please comment here and that will help me with the next few posts. I try not to bore you with "reruns" but I guess new readers have not read everything I have written. Have a great day!!
Will be off to Career Conference this weekend, so I will have some exciting information to share when I return.

Think Spring - the new spring line is selling like crazy, I can not keep it on the shelf!!

Just to note...

2012-03-16T14:47:00.002-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to Everyone!! Don't party too much!!

and mark your calendars for intouch maintenance:

Online Maintenance Outage Planned for April 6
Published 03.15.12
Major maintenance is being planned for our online communication resources beginning Friday, April 6, from 8 a.m. through approximately 6 p.m. (Central time). During this time the following websites will be unavailable:

•All Mary Kay® Personal Web Sites
•Mary Kay InTouch®
•www.mkitgo.com
•www.marykay.com
•www.marykaymuseum.com
•www.marykaybooks.com
•www.marykaytribute.com
•Desktop Office Manager

During this window of time, anyone trying to access these sites will see a message letting her know that the sites are undergoing maintenance and upgrades. You may consider letting your customers know who could attempt to place orders through your Mary Kay® Personal Web Site during this period. Thank you for your cooperation!

Reader Question

2012-03-04T22:21:00.004-08:00

YoYoMeFeb 15, 2012 05:06 AM
I'm not sure where to post this, but I happened to see that a bunch of the limited edition items for the upcoming catalogue (not this one) are on eBay. I thought we couldn't do that? Doesn't that hurt other consultants?
******************************************
First, my apologies that your question wasn't addressed sooner. I just noticed - for awhile we didn't have the tickler at the right that showed the newer comments and that is usually how I check the comments.. that being said..

We are not suppose to sell any products on ebay. It is also against the agreement all of us sign when we become a consultant. Yes, selling product especially for below retail does hurt honest consultants who are trying to earn money thru running their businesses. The sad part is that there are dishonest people everywhere, even in Mary Kay and they will do whatever they want and they do not care who they hurt or affect as long as they are getting what they want.

Mary Kay Legal does try to catch these people to shut them down - and they do but it is more than a full time job and for ever one they shut down two pop up.

People who have had a bad experience will say hey so what, but if a consultant wants out of Mary Kay - there is the product buyback option available to them & it is always with them because it is a moving year window... - seems obviously to me that if they want out, why would they care if they use the buyback option that they can't be a consultant again, in most cases it is something they know they won't ever want to do again, so just use the buyback... the Company offers it so use it..that individual would get 90% of what they paid for the product back and it wouldn't affect those running their businesses honestly and to earn some money.

From some of the comments from the negative sites that I have read it seems they believe if their experience was bad, that everyone's must be bad - not true... and contrary to their belief - not everyone in Mary Kay is bad or brainwashed. I guess this is a way of justifying doing something that hurts (or may hurt others).

When it is product that is limited edition before it is even available to the consultants - that is even sadder because that probably means it is a director who is suppose to be setting an example of others... but knowing that we received the new products at leadership, and diq's and future directors were allowed to attend - there is a chance that some of those individuals would take that option.

Some people will do anything to win a prize, get recognition, etc... and they will not even give a thought to what is right and what is wrong. We must always remember that just because the decisions we make may be involved in a business... it is still a matter of right or wrong.. and in the end .. I would prefer to have a clear conscious on judgement day.

Mary Kay Named a Top 20 Brand by Brand Keys

2012-03-04T22:15:00.004-08:00

Mary Kay Named a Top 20 Brand by Brand Keys
Published 03.02.12 WE DID IT AGAIN!!!!
Mary Kay clearly is hitting the mark with consumers, as we’ve once again been recognized by independent research firm Brand Keys as a “brand that delights”!
Brand Keys has studied consumer behavior for the last 16 years and just released its annual Customer Loyalty Index Survey. The 2012 survey examined customers’ relationships with 59...8 brands across 83 categories. Mary Kay tied for first as the top brand in the cosmetics category and was listed as one of the top 20 brands overall in the “Brands That Delight” category. This is the second year Mary Kay has been given that unique distinction. Brand Keys describes a “delightful” brand as one that excels at offering meaningful experiences with products and services at a higher level than its competitors. According to Brand Keys, consumers demand more from a brand than just satisfaction with a product’s performance; they demand quality experiences and authentic brand values.
The overwhelming majority of brands included in the “Brands That Delight” list are relatively newer, technology-based brands like Apple, Amazon, Google, Samsung and Facebook. Mary Kay, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, is not only the brand with the most longevity, but also the only cosmetics brand listed among the top 20.
“Being recognized as a brand that delights by Brand Keys offers additional validation to Mary Kay’s steadfast commitment to offering a great opportunity for women, exceptional customer service and products that are simply irresistible,” said Sheryl Adkins-Green, Mary Kay Inc.’s Chief Marketing Officer. “These three critical pillars influence all aspects of our business. We hope that anyone who interacts with the Mary Kay brand can say with confidence ‘I love my Mary Kay!’”

The New Botanical Line

2012-03-04T22:07:00.004-08:00

The new botanical line is wonderful, I have tried it for awhile and I of course being over 25 will stay with the t.w. but I am very happy to have this to offer all my classic basic clients and those clients that t.w. is not an option for. I was pleasantly surprised how wonderful it felt and I do not believe I will have much trouble moving my classic basic clients over to it.

For us to provide the best products to our clients, there are times improvements are necessary. The classic basic is approx. 30 years old and so is the technology and the ingredients. There have been so many advances made, it is time to bring the "classic" into the "present' and that is exactly what this new botanical line does. It is not only enhanced with natural botanicals but the packaging is environmentally friendly which is also a big plus as many of us are becoming more aware of the well being of our plant!!

More info from Mary Kay Intouch:
Great news! Botanical EffectsSkin Care is now available to your
customers who are looking for a simple, effective skin care regimen.

Available in three formulas: Dry, Normal, Oily
Each regimen offers four products sold separately:
Cleanse ($14) Freshen ($14) Hydrate ($16) Mask ($14)

Botanical Effects Skin Care is infused with the goodness of botanicals personalized for each skin type to bring out its healthy radiance. We tested the regimen to make sure those with sensitive skin could share in the beauty of its botanical benefits. And yes, they can! Botanical Effects Skin Care is hypoallergenic and free of fragrance, alcohol and synthetic dyes. Plus, the packaging is gentle on the planet while the price goes easy on your budget. Now doesnÙt that just feel good?

Make the Switch.
Help new customers who are not yet concerned with the signs of aging or have sensitive skin concerns switch from their other brand of skin care to Botanical Effects. And, help your Classic Basic® customers make the switch to new Botanical Effects.

Avon - Update

2012-02-14T14:30:00.001-08:00

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Andrea Jung, CEO of Avon Products.
By msnbc.com news services

Updated at 3 p.m. ET:

It is important for us to stay informed with what happens in the industry.

Soon there could be far fewer Avon sales representatives ringing doorbells to sell the company’s cosmetics directly to consumers.

Cosmetics giant Avon Products reported a fourth-quarter net loss Tuesday amid declining sales and rising commodity costs. Chief Executive Officer Andrea Jung said the company doesn’t expect its margins -- the revenue the company keeps after paying its costs -- to improve this year.

The downbeat forecast comes amid a Bloomberg News report that says the company is planning to restructure its global operations with the help of consulting firm McKinsey. On a conference call with investors Tuesday, executives said they see “immediate” potential savings through reducing headcount, which likely means fewer door-to-door sales representatives in the not-too-distant future.

advertisementThat would surely hurt a company that markets itself as the world’s leading direct seller. Avon markets to women in 100 countries through a network of 6.5 million independent sales representatives, according to information on the company’s website.

Once a thriving cosmetics company, Avon is now seeking to right the ship of its sinking operations after years of tepid earnings and declining profit.

In December it announced the departure of longtime Chief Executive Jung as soon as a replacement could be found. Additionally, Avon has been hurt by an internal bribery investigation that began in China, and its stock has come under pressure over the past year because of the company’s poor performance in countries like Brazil.

Shares of Avon have declined some 60 percent since hitting a high in 2004.

Bloomberg News reports that a company overhaul will include cutting costs in Avon’s North American unit, where sales have dropped every year since 2007 and slid about 7 percent in the third quarter.

Bloomberg interviewed one analyst who was skeptical of the plan's potential success.

“This is a rudderless ship right now, and trying to turn it massively may not get you anywhere,” said Ali Dibadj, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein in New York. “The problem with Avon isn’t that it needs a restructuring, it’s that it has been in perpetual restructuring, literally for the past 15 years.”

2012 Makeover Contest Coming Soon!

2012-02-14T11:38:00.001-08:00

The 2012 Mary Kay® Makeover Contest – Get Beautiful. Give Back. offers more chances for you and your customers to feel beautiful, while helping others at the same time. The contest works the same way as the 2011 Mary Kay® Makeover Contests with the same three phases and lots of great prizes! And coming soon in April is a mobile application for your Apple iPhone and Android device to help you easily enter the contest right after you conduct a makeover!

You can begin holding complimentary color makeovers now as of February 1, and then submit photos beginning
April 4.
1. Entry/Submission – April 4 – June 4
2. Public Voting – June 5– June 15
3. Private Judging – June 15 – July 13
Prizes:

Independent Sales Force Members:

•Early Entry Incentive – April 4 – 18
50 Independent Beauty Consultants could win a fabulous J.J. Winters pink leather clutch embossed with an exquisite Ostrich Print, as featured in the Mary Kay Trend Report advertised in the May 2012 issue of People StyleWatch® magazine, valued up to $195!
• Participation Incentive – April 4 – June 4
Five Independent Beauty Consultants, one from each Seminar affiliation, could win a $100 VISA gift card for themselves and a $5,000 donation to a charity of their choice*
•NEW! For 2012: Independent Beauty Consultants of the three Grand Prize Winners in the Consumer contest can also win:
◦$500 donation to a charity of their choice*
Consumers:

• The top 100 vote-getters in the contest will receive a TimeWise® Trial Miracle Set
• Three Consumer Grand Prize Winners could win:
◦ $2,500 VISA gift card shopping spree
◦ $5,000 donation to charity of choice*
*Subject to sponsor's final approval

Protect Yourself & the Company

2012-02-03T16:18:00.000-08:00

Have an Awesome Weekend Everyone!!

We can all get all excited and say things we don't mean... as in I just "won" my MK car.. when Mary Kay always said, you "earned your use" of the Company car. Yes, for most it is understood, you didn't win it in a raffle but if someone wants to be techincal or nit picky, it is best not to misrepresnt anything about our business or the Company... here are a few "do's" versus "don't's" from our www.marykayintouch.com site.. Always good to know these things.

Don’t say this: >>>>>>>>>> When you mean this:

Win a free car
or company car ..>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...Earn the use of a Career Car

Go into
management ...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....Move up the career path

Job ... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...Mary Kay “business” or “opportunity”

Pay raises ...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....Give yourself a raise

Training ...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....Education

Paycheck ...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...Commission check

Salary ...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...Commissions

NEW! Pages are here!!

2012-02-03T08:21:00.001-08:00

Hey all,

I just added a page! This is long overdue and the page is not actually what I want it to be, rather it is me asking you to help us create what it needs to be.

Look at the top of the page. You will see two tabs. One says "Home" the other "Mary Kay Fact Check" Click on "Mary Kay Fact Check" to see the page and what I am looking for. Please help!

At any time you can click on "Home" to come back to the blog posts.

Post comments here (not there) to let me know what you think about this idea.

Post comments there (not here) to add information or questions you would like answered.

Clear? If not don't worry. Just post your comment wherever you want, it doesn't really matter, just as long as we can make this resource the best possible Mary Kay resource available!

THANK YOU!

New Starter Kit Bag

2012-01-31T22:31:00.001-08:00

NEW PRIZE ADDED TO THE SAPPHIRE STAR PRIZE CATEGORY!!! THE BRAND NEW ...STARTER KIT BAG!!! GET YOURS EARLY AS A STAR CONSULTANT ( Star Quarter runs December 16th-March 15th)!!!!!!

A filigree-patterned Organizer Caddy is included, with adjustable compartments inside and mesh pockets outside for flexibility and organization.

More pics from the Rock the Runway Event

2012-01-31T22:23:00.001-08:00

MK Rocks the Runway @ Leadership 2012

2012-01-31T16:10:00.000-08:00

This was one of the entertainment events during the Rock the Runway party at Leadership Conference 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. 4 Directors won Designer handbags and $1000 Macy's Gift Cards.

The designers of the dresses were so creative. These 4 gowns in the video are designed from Mary Kay product packaging!! It is amazing what they did. Do you recognize some of the items? Must admit, I have never seen the travel roll up utilized quite like that before. Everyone texted in their vote for the favorite and that designer won $3000 and the others all received $500!! ">

Career Confernce! /coming soon!!!

2012-01-31T07:26:00.000-08:00

24 hours of Company Training, Recogniton, Motivation, Fun, and Girl Friend time.... Registration opens for the weekend of March 23 & 24th on February 2nd.. I think this is a great experience and far more affordable than Seminar. Most often, everyone is close enough to a city so airfare is not required, it is within driving distance. We can car pool and room share. My group always brings snacks for in the room and to eat on the trip to help keep costs affordable.

Registration is $80 but when we check in, the Company gives us a product gift, that (IF) we went and sold the product at retail we would recover our cost of the registration. I personally love Career Conference and I just love spending the time with my unit members. It is more like girlfriend time than work. I know that my consultants love it too. Haven't been? It is worth the trip at least once.

Second Chance or Starter Kit?

2012-01-31T07:09:00.000-08:00

And I must apologize because I don't see where I answered this after her post and it was back in November so I am sure she has made a decision and would love to know what you decided! - If you read this please share with all of us.

Music City Mom - wrote:
mk4me, I'd just like to say I really appreciate your blog and your helpful insights. I did MK for about 1.5 years quite a while ago and really enjoyed it, but I also see how people can have bad experiences and need to keep a healthy, balanced perspective. I went inactive/terminated in 2003, so if I wanted to be a personal use consultant at this point, I'd need to start all over right? I'd really just like product for myself at the discount and have no need for the starter kit. Is the $20 deal the right one for me? Thanks again for your helpful site.

Yes and/or No?? If someone uses the 3-1 Cleanser, Age-fighting Moisturizer, Day & Night Solution, Mascara, Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover, and Foundation/brush.... That right there is $158 - - at 50% that would be $79 starter kit at $100 would also give you a the other set of cleanser and moisturizer and several other foundation shades, brushes, color samples, books etc.... so you end up paying $21 (sort of) for the books and supplies.... and then when you want to place your order you would be able to order everythig else you would like personal --selecting $400 retail and receiving the 50% discount for $200 (plus tax on retail/ s & H) ... and then you would be a consultant and would not be required to submit another order for a year without having to rejoin.

or..

Rejoin second chance for $20 --- (plus tax & s/h) - your receive your Look Books and a few odds and ends and then you can submit your $400/$200 wholesale order and get all the products you need.

personally - if money wasn't an option I would select the starter kit because it is so much for the money..... and......it gives you product that if you didn't need anythig else at that time, you would only spend the $100 asap and then could place your inventory order at a later date...

or.... if money was an object... if I could do the starter kit I still would because instead of spending $20 on second chance and then $200 on the wholesale, I would spend the $100 now and then the inventory order later....

unless I needed color and other items right away and money was an object.. then I would do the second chance now and place the inventory order and have everything I needed. (down the road if a starter kit was ever desired - it could be obtained at that time).

Now was that confusing enough??

Have a great day everyone!! Last day of January... Ready to Rock February and Valentine's Day.....

Foundation Info from MK Intouch

2012-01-31T07:02:00.000-08:00

This is just general great information, especially about the benenfit of sun protection in the foundation primer.

Happy New Year Foundations!
Published 01.30.12
TimeWise® Liquid Foundations launched this time last year and we have received lots of wonderful feedback from you. Hopefully they are becoming simple for you to understand and sell to your customers. Using the Foundation Finder Tool and conducting a stripe test is still the best way for you to find your customer’s true match.

In addition to the Foundation Finder Tool, videos and the Foundation Workshop, you can also find the following educational tools on Product Central:
•Tips and Cleaning Instructions for the Liquid Foundation Brush
•A Shade Conversion Chart that you can use as a guide. Just choose the foundation type and shade that your customer is currently wearing, and then select the corresponding TimeWise® Liquid Foundation shades to stripe test.

You can also find answers to some commonly asked questions including:

1.How can I find the best shade for my customer if she is using another Mary Kay® foundation and would like to switch?
You can start by using the Mary Kay® Foundation Finder Tool available now through online ordering and Section 2 of your Consultant Order Form. Simply hold the tool up to, but not touching, your customer’s jaw line and the shade that seems to disappear into the skin is the best place to start. As with all foundations, it is best to have your customer do a stripe test along the jaw line to ensure that the perfect shade is chosen.

2.Can I apply Mineral Powder Foundation on top of the TimeWise® Liquid Foundations?
The Mary Kay® Mineral Powder Foundation is a foundation in a powder form. Therefore, it provides the buildable coverage and the flawless finish benefits of a foundation. We advise that you continue to use Mary Kay® Sheer Mineral Pressed Powder or Loose Powder if you are seeking to “set” your liquid foundation.

3.I read that the Mary Kay® Foundation Primer is now getting a boost with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15*. Is this a new formula?
No. At the time the Mary Kay® Foundation Primer launched last year we were involved in testing to obtain the SPF claim, but we did not want to delay the launch of this fabulous product due to the length of the testing period. Now that the testing is complete, we can confidently include the Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15* distinction to the product.

TimeWise® Liquid Foundations come in 23 shades to offer you an expanded shade palette to meet a wide variety of skin tones – from new very fair Ivory shades all the way to deep Bronze shades.

*Over-the-counter drug product