The Truth About Mary Kay

The New Starter Kit

2012-01-17T21:21:00.000-08:00

I like the way it looks - will be shipping soon.

2012 -2013 Director's Suit Debuts

2012-01-09T10:03:00.001-08:00

I LOVE this coming year's Director's Suit!

Botanical Skin Care Line - Coming Soon!!

2012-01-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

Mary Kay® Botanical EffectsTM Skin Care Arrives Early 2012!
(making its debut at Leadership Conference)

Exciting news! The first botanically-enriched skin care line is about to debut! This is the biggest news since the Miracle Set launched in 2002. What does all this botanical goodness mean to you? It means new selling opportunities, a chance to grow your business, and of course, beautiful skin for potential new and existing customers. Check out the links at left and check back often to get ready, and get set to sell Botanical EffectsTM skin care!

We'll continue to offer Classic Basic Formulas on the Consultant order form throughout 2012.

Inventory is Not a Business Expense

2011-12-31T01:27:00.000-08:00

As we are at year's end and taxes are looming, I have heard many directors tell consultants that ordering inventory at the end of the year is a wise thing to do as it increases your business expense. Formerly from an accounting background this statement has always made me want to scream. Inventory is not an expense, it is an asset. If you need product in December, than order product in December, and if you don't need product in December don't order product in December. The less you have on the shelf, the less you have to count when you do your inventory.

A little piece from our Tax info on intouch is copied below:

You should remember these three facts about inventory/cost-of-goods-sold deductions:
• The amount of this deduction is not the total of all inventory (product) you purchased during the year, unless you sold exactly what you bought.
• The amount of the deduction is not the amount of product you have in stock at the end of the year.
• The amount of the deduction is the cost of product that you sold or distributed as hostess or incentive gifts-with-purchases during the year. Thus, stocking up before December 31 will not increase your deduction.
Inventory is not deductible until sold. (Emphasis was added by Mary Kay)

Any inventory that is purchased but not received before 12/31 will be counted as part of your ending inventory. The ending inventory becomes part of your cost of goods sold computation. All those purchases do is to increase what you have on your shelf.......it does nothing for tax deductability.

and the other little things that makes me want to scream... no we can not deduct nylons and manicures/pedicures. IRS would LOVE to audit some of the consultant's tax returns with some of the things I have overheard.

Remeber when indoubt check with a professional and always error on the side of safety. An IRS audit is noooooo fun.

Happy New Year Everyone!!! Be Safe!!

Enjoy!!!

2011-12-25T18:45:00.000-08:00

Loving every minute of it. Family, friends, love it!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

2011-12-21T22:04:00.000-08:00

I am still here, just extremely busy with Family, Holidays, and my business. I should be back in swing very soon, so stay tuned and I am ready to get going soon. Great Holiday selling season, did my last ladies night last minute shopping night at my house... love to help out my clients!!

Intouch Maintenance

2011-12-15T10:48:00.000-08:00

From Mary Kay Intouch:

Online Maintenance Outage

As a reminder on Dec. 16, online ordering will be unavailable from 12:00 a.m., through 8:00 a.m., Central Time, in order to make the transition of regularly scheduled Fall to Winter Quarter Updates.

In addition major maintenance is being planned for our online communication resources beginning Saturday, Dec. 17, from 7 p.m. through approximately 6 a.m. (Central time), on Sunday, Dec. 18. 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!

Are Cosmetics Recession-Proof? Famous Female Entrepreneurs Who Have Built Branded Empires - ABC News#.Tun8XkA4xAI.facebook

2011-12-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

Are Cosmetics Recession-Proof? Famous Female Entrepreneurs Who Have Built Branded Empires - ABC News#.Tun8XkA4xAI.facebook

Website with great resources and responses to Pink Truth

2011-12-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

I just stumbled on this website and absolutely must share it with all of you.

http://www.responsetopinktruth.com/index.html

According to the "About Me" page, this is another Mary Kay Director that tried to reach out to Pink Truth and was rejected (Shocking... right).

Her responses (found here) are well thought out and organized and her resources (found here) are great.

She remains anonymous, but there is a contact section where you can send a message. Please give her site a visit and send her an encouraging message.

With enough people countering Pink Truth's poison, hopefully less people will fall victim to their lies.

Thanks

(as always, please post your comments and keep the conversation going)

In the Cosmetics /Business World

2011-12-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

Avon's Andrea Jung loses CEO title By Msnbc.com staff and wire

The list of women CEOs in the U.S., never very long, is losing one of its most prominent names.

Avon Products Inc., the global beauty company, said it has begun a search to replace chief executive Andrea Jung, who will remain as chairman. Jung has attracted the ire of investors because of slumping sales and a federal probe about whether the company broke bribery laws overseas.

Jung will be named executive chairman beginning in the new year, Avon said Tuesday, adding that Jung will work with the board to find a replacement.

"The stock has been cut in half this year," Ali Dibadj, analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, said. "The trust between investors and management has been severed. There have been a few times where expectations have been laid out there and have not been met."

Avon in October said that the Securities and Exchange Commission was investigating the company's contact during 2010 and 2011 with certain analysts and other representatives of the financial community. The company also reported third-quarter profit that fell below analyst expectations, with Brazil weighing on earnings as the result of implementation of a new computer system, while tough economic conditions also hurt sales in other markets.

Jung has been Avon's CEO since 1999 and is credited with helping to grow the company in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as it continued to expand, bringing the prospect of a career or even just some extra pocket money to women from South Africa to South Korea.

But in the past several years, Avon has turned in poor performances in key markets such as Brazil and Russia, poured tens of millions of dollars into its international bribery investigation and struggled to stem declines in a sluggish U.S. market.

Aside from saying in October that the SEC was conducting its own bribery probe, the company also said the commission was looking into whether the company violated disclosure laws in contacts with analysts and others.

Avon shares have fallen 44 percent this year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index is down only 2.5 percent.

Though the stock rallied on the announcement of a CEO change on Tuesday, analysts were skeptical about the impact of the move.

"What you can say is the company is going to look for a CEO who hopefully will be able to right-size the fundamentals. But it's too soon to say anything about the turnaround itself," BMO Capital Markets analyst Connie Maneaty said.

Jung is popular with the representatives who sell the company's products, and at one time were known as "Avon Ladies."

That popularity might be one reason Jung is staying on as chairman, Dibadj said.

"Andrea is extraordinarily good at working with the representatives, and letting them down in some sense, very hard, might not be the best business decision," he said.

Jung's successor will need to be somebody who can also inspire the representatives, but at the same time improve operations and set out a vision beyond the "boom and bust" cycle Avon has endured, he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
.

Mary Kay Gives!!

2011-12-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

Published 12.09.11 from Mary Kay Intouch Community

(may I add I am proud to be a part of this Company)

Mary Kay Donates to the NBC Today Show Toy Drive

For the seventh year in a row, Mary Kay Inc. has made a donation to the NBC Today Show Toy Drive. Today, Jill Wedding, Director NSD Services and Communications, appeared on the show to announce Mary Kay Inc.’s donation of more than $7 million in skin care, color cosmetics and toys.

Over the years, Mary Kay has donated more than $25 million in gifts to this important cause that helps bring joy to many families during the holiday season!

New Blog to focus on Pink Truth

2011-11-25T21:07:00.001-08:00

Hi all!

Thank you mk4me for the kind words and the great posts. I would like to announce a new blog.

This blog is hosted by one of our readers - Michelle - and will have a link (along with a quick summary) to whatever Pink Truth is posting. Not sure at this point if it will be updated daily, weekly or what, but it should be pretty current.

The blog can be found here - http://pinktruther.blogspot.com/

The idea here will be that this blog can stay focused on discussing Mary Kay as questions and thoughts arise. The blog that Michelle is hosting will be for responding to things that Pink Truth is saying.

If you have no desire to be weighed down with the garbage on Pink Truth, you can stay here and help keep this community alive.

But if you enjoy occasionally picking a fight, or if you are just frustrated that no one gets to respond to Pink Truth and want to speak your mind, give this new blog a visit.

Hopefully this will keep the two concepts separate, but give room for both of them.

Thanks Michelle.

http://pinktruther.blogspot.com/

Happy Thanksgiving to All of Our Readers

2011-11-22T22:39:00.001-08:00

As I will be cooking for a house full, I wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for being a part of our blog. I know I have so much to be thankful for each and every day. To all of you I hope you enjoy a Very Happy & Blessed Thanksgiving!! Much love to all! Happy Black Friday to all of you too!!
In closing, saw this adorable idea to make the trio lip balms a cute little gift!

The Winter Gift W/ Purchase

2011-11-22T12:42:00.001-08:00

I just think this is so cute! This is the winter preferred customer program gift with purchase for purchasing over $40. It features the new lip glosses in: Icicle,Pink Luster, Red Passion, Beach Bronze, Berry Tart, and Fancy Nancy.This is one of the gifts I speculate will sell out early.

Don't Give Up Too Early!

2011-11-21T18:43:00.000-08:00

PERSISTENCE PAYS!

80% of all sales are made after the 5th call.
48% of all sales people GIVE UP after the 1st call!
25% give up after the 2nd call.
12% make 3 calls and then stop.
5% quit after the 4th call.
10% keep on calling after the 4th call.
And to this PERSISTENT 10% GOES 80% OF ALL SALES!!!!

Don't give up too easily!!

What can I expect?

2011-11-20T21:36:00.000-08:00

momof8 said...
I am so glad I found this blog site. Would you please tell me exactly what to expect if I decide to sell MK? I know the cost of the starter kit. What else is there? Do I get a set of make-up for me--if I'm to be wearing it from "head to toe?" Is the name tag included? and the decal? These sound like relatively inexpensive details, but I can't afford anything unnecessary to begin. I've been out of the country for many years and we're needing income. What exactly can I expect at the beginning?

The starter kit will give you what you need to begin your business... the only thing I feel need extra to start presenting the product are cotton balls. When joining the Company does have the 50 free business cards but after that, the business starter kit which varies in price is a great thing to have, you get business cards, the reorder labels, a stamper with your information on it, and a magnetic name bade (I believe that kits start approx. $39.99) - this is optional not mandatory. The Mary Kay website is a nice option and as a new consultant you get it for half price for the first year so that would only be $25 - but if you wish not to do this, people can still go to www.marykay.com to see everything on line. To process credit cards, there is a fee for propay but if you only do a cash or check business, you would not need add this expense or could add it when you wanted to make paying with credit or debit cards an option.

What can you expect?? There is no definites. Other than if you sell a liptsick for $13 and purchased it from Mary Kay for $6.50, you have earned $6.50.

No, you would not get a set for yourself... however if you sell $200 worth of products, to cover the initial order, you get to select $400 worth of products, so after you order everything your clients needed, you in theory, could then select $200 worth of items you wanted and it would be covered.

Hope this helps, if I misunderstood, just leave me a comment and I will expand on this!

Thinking About Rejoining?

2011-11-20T21:24:00.000-08:00

A great question from one of our readers: 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.

My answer is yes, you would need to rejoin and maybe on the choice, lol. Let's break it down with the November special. If you use the miracle set, mineral poweder foundation/brush, oil free eye makeup remover, and mascara... even at cost those items would come to $76. With the starter kit for $75 - you would receive all of those items plus Look Books, mirror & trays, and lots of other products, you could sell, give away, donate to a woman's center, whatever... and then in six months or so when you need more products, then put in your product order.... or for the $20 second chance opportunity, you get catalogues and some misc. stuff.. and then you could place a minimum order to get all the times you would like.

So, it boils down to if you use all of the proudcts, I think the starter kit would be the way to go with the special, if you use velocity, or don't use the miracle set, or the products you get in the starter kit, then go with the second chance! Either way, imho, it is a win/win for you if you love the products!

A Few Pictures of a MK Display at Vendor Event

2011-11-19T19:26:00.000-08:00

In answer to the question for information on product displays here are a few photos!

HAPPY HALLOWEEEN EVERYONE!!

2011-10-31T11:02:00.001-07:00

More Recognition for Mary Kay

2011-10-27T12:37:00.001-07:00

Published 10.27.11

Mary Kay is a Top Four Finalist

Finalists for the 2011 International Package Design Awards (IPDA) were announced at the recent HBA Global Expo in New York. A committee of 100 packaging executives, designers, suppliers and media, selected Mary Kay’s Thinking of You® Eau de Parfum as one of the overall Top Four Finalists in the Fragrance Mass category. Other fragrances on this list include:

•1200 degrees by L’BEL

•BUD Budapest by The Scent of Departure

•Flight by Michael Jordan by Five Star Fragrance (Winner)

•Thinking of You® Eau de Parfum by Mary Kay Inc.

The IPDA is the only design award that celebrates the year’s most innovative packaging in all beauty product categories and received more than 200 entries.

Just a little p.s. I love,love love this fragrance too!

Next...

2011-10-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

Hopefully I put up some helpful posts today, I hope you enjoy them... and.... Stay tuned the next question I will try and answer will be:

from one of our readers and it is:

momof8 said...
I am so glad I found this blog site. Would you please tell me exactly what to expect if I decide to sell MK? I know the cost of the starter kit. What else is there? Do I get a set of make-up for me--if I'm to be wearing it from "head to toe?" Is the name tag included? and the decal? These sound like relatively inexpensive details, but I can't afford anything unnecessary to begin. I've been out of the country for many years and we're needing income. What exactly can I expect at the beginning?

Another Question from Another Reader

2011-10-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

Question: Hi I'm a 21 year old college student looking to begin Mary Kay. Its a big decision for me. For those of you that started with just a starter kit how successful were you? Any advice. Thanks

I started Mary Kay with my starter kit and no desire but to get my products at a discount. My first order was $180 w/s (that was the minimum back then - we only received $300 - it was a 40% discount on that size order) and most of the order was for myself. I built my inventory as I built my customer base. Now I have a huge inventory to accomodate my over 500+ clients, and it is paid for. I wasn't fast but I was consistant and steady and have been fulltime since 1994, prior to Mary Kay I was a Corporate Accountant working way too many hours salaried. I am much happier in Mary Kay and enjoy the flexibilty of not having to punch a clock Monday thru Friday. One note of caution, take great care of your clients and they will remain your clients for a very long time!

Please let us know how you make out!

Happy 4th Anniversary to Balanced!!

2011-10-11T20:25:00.001-07:00

Thank you to our admin for having this site available as a fair and neutral place for individuals to get the information that will help them! It is hard to believe it has been 4 years already. I am still loving my business & my unit and still making a great income!!

Great Question from One of Our Readers!

2011-10-11T19:53:00.001-07:00

Question: My question to you is..... can you do this business without knowing anyone and are willing to market yourself, your product, and the company?

My answer to you is "yes". Will it be easy? Probably not, is it do-able - absolutely. When I started my business I was new to the area, I knew only a handful of people and none of them were "make up" type people. My business was started and built on people I met while marketing myself as a Ind. Mary Kay Beauty Consultant. Seriously, I think it is easier simply because family and friends don't give you the respect that a stranger would that meets you in your capacity as a "consultant".

How did I meet people? I put out facial boxes, wore my mk pin, put my business cards out in places they were permitted, and did craft fairs, health fairs, bridal fairs, and business expo's. Some of these events can be pricey but during the holiday season I was able to find very affordable craft fairs. I did ask my new clients for referrals and many of them did introduce me to other interested potential clients.

Being on the "shy" side myself, I enjoy having a display at an event, because the people that approach you are at least partially interested because if they weren't they wouldn't stop - I also always have a drawing for a small gift certificate with a makeover but if a person is not interested, they don't register.

If one has the confidence "warm chatting" is another way to meet people. Now, I don't ever go out to "warm chat" but because I am confident in what I do and it is part of who I am, I have found that often when striking up a conversation (ie: waiting in line at a cash register, etc...) the conversation may present an opportunity to present what I do and very often it results in the person requesting more information.

It sounds as if great and honest information has been shared with you and that you will have a great support system. With the awesome promotion going on in October, seriously, if you enjoy Mary Kay products, even if you get the kit and give it a shot, it is a win/win situation. If you were to purchase just items you would use from your consultant, cleanser, moisturizer, day/night solution, oilfree eye makeup, mascara, foundation/brush - the total would be over $150. So get the starter kit, look things over and sell approx. $230 worth of products, you can place your first order, deliver the products that were purchased and still have almost $200 worth of products for your inventory. If you just can't get enough orders, well you just don't continue. Seriously, anyone has a year from purchasing their starter kit to put in a product order without having to rejoin the Company.

So, imho, go for it!! And.. let us know how you make out! We are here to provide any answers we can.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained as the old saying goes.

In closing, I would like to add, that if nothing else use what you have read in the negative websites as an example of what NOT to do. I try to at least scan the posts daily and may I say if I ever conducted myself and ran my business as some of those individuals did, I would not be in business today.

October Promotion

2011-10-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

If you have ever considered becoming a consultant, now is an awesome time to try it out! What do you have to loose. Even if you decide it isn't for you, the products you receive in the starter kit would cost more than $75 to buy! Below is the October promotion Mary Kay is running - so basically you will loose nothing if you decide you don't want to continue once you have given it a shot!!

Directly from Mary Kay Intouch:

“Refer-a-Friend” Team-Building Promotion
Oct. 1 - 31, 2011
Some great things get even better when shared with friends! Receive $25 for each new qualified** team member you add during the “Refer-a-Friend” Team-Building Promotion! And, your potential new team members can start a Mary Kay business for only $75!* Plus, they can receive up to $150 credit on their initial wholesale Section 1 order!

Here’s how it works:
•Independent Beauty Consultants whose Independent Beauty Consultant Agreements are received and accepted by the Company from Oct. 1 - 31, pay only $75* for their Starter Kit and can receive one of the following:

◦A $50 credit on her initial wholesale Section 1 order of $400 – $599
◦A $75 credit on her initial wholesale Section 1 order of $600 – $1,799
◦A $150 credit on her initial wholesale Section 1 order of $1,800 or more

To receive one of the credits above, the initial order must be placed in the agreement month (Oct. 2011) or the following month (Nov. 2011). Orders cannot be cumulative nor will credits apply to any subsequent orders.

•You can receive $25 for each new qualified** team member, whose Independent Beauty Consultant Agreement is received and accepted by the Company from Oct. 1 – 31, and whose initial wholesale Section 1 order of $600 or more is received and accepted by Nov. 30, 2011.

Of course, this fantastic promotion is not limited to the friends you already know – it’s a great offer to use while meeting new ones!

*Plus shipping, handling and tax.
** A qualified new team member is one whose Independent Beauty Consultant Agreement is received and accepted by the Company from Oct. 1 – 31, 2011, and whose initial wholesale Section 1 order of $600 or more is received and accepted by the Company by Nov. 30, 2011.