The Truth About Mary Kay Cosmetics

As a former consultant and sales director, I have seen both sides of the coin with Mary Kay and I wanted to take the time to give my opinion on what I have seen as objectively as I can from my five-year journey with Mary Kay.

For someone who might be considering Mary Kay, it is important that you do as much research as possible and ask a lot of questions. So here is my own observation, both bad and good...

The Bad Side....

Over the last year, more and more women have been making themselves known and their stories told online about their time in Mary Kay. For many of them, it was not a pleasant experience. Many of these women have reported stories of financial strains, feeling taken advantage of, lied to, hurt and angry....from a company whose slogan is "Enriching Women's Lives". Those who are current consultants and directors of Mary Kay will refer to these women as "quitters", "whiners", "complainers", "losers" and "Negative Nellies". They will be also be accused of not working their businesses properly. I myself witnessed these statements being made about others several times when I was in Mary Kay in regards to those who weren't in attendance at MK events, weekly meetings, or had decided to give up their businesses to pursue something else. I always got a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach when I heard other women being discussed in such a manner.

The women who had bad experiences in Mary Kay feel as if their feelings are minimized by those who are pro-MK, they are repeatedly told that their experiences are not the norm (although their is continuing to be increasing evidence to suggest otherwise), and they are accused of not taking responsibility for their own actions. More and more women are breaking out and telling their stories - just as I am - and the pro-MK women are not liking this information being put out there.

What are those who had bad experiences with Mary Kay telling others?

They felt their training was based more on recruiting and not on teaching consultants how to sell product. Pro-MKer's will state that "this is not the norm" for their area and it is not the way the business is to be worked.

Prizes and rewards are based on wholesale orders placed with the company and not on actual sales. Therefore, people who are "buying" their prizes, positions are receiving awards for not actually selling, but ordering. Pro-MKer's will state that the company cannot possibly keep up with over a million consultants' sales and that this again, is not the norm for people to "buy" their way. Personally, I know of this happening ALL of the time.

Saturation of the market. Pro-MKer's will say that only 10% of the market is currently using Mary Kay so there is plenty of room for growth.

They felt they were pushed into large inventory purchases by their directors and were expected to make a decision within 48 hours. (As a former director, I know that this is done quite often because the longer a consultant thinks about it, the more time she has to chicken out of an order, which ultimately affects the director's income for the month). Pro-MKer's will state that the consultant has the ultimate decision of purchasing product and if they were pushed into large inventory purchases it is their own fault.

They state that all of the facts weren't given by recruiter and/or director. In defense of the recruiter though, a lot of times the recruiter probably doesn't know all the facts to give. She is just going by what she has been told by her director. Pro-MKer's will state that again, this is not the norm. From personal experience with the company though, I know that it is taught to only give so much information to new consultants. For example, you are not to discuss inventory options until the consultant has signed the agreement, etc.

They did not make any money. Pro-Mker's will state that the consultant did not manage her money properly, did not work the business hard enough.

Consultants were told to "cheat" to get new people to sign up. For example: activating inactive team members using their own money, sign up "ghost" consultants and placing orders using their own money in order to complete car and director qualifications. Pro-Mker's will state that this is not the norm (although I have personally witnessed this many times myself) and that the company does not allow it (even though I have never heard of them stopping it either).

Although the company's motto is "God First, Family Second, Career Third", many of these women were made to feel guilty if they did not attend every weekly meeting and other company functions, were told that they were using their children and families as an excuse to not work their businesses. Pro-MKers will state that "you have to show up to go up", "short term sacrifice for long-term gain".

Minimum of initial inventory order to become "active" is $200.00 wholesale. Many report that their directors will tell them that $600.00 wholesale is the minimum to begin. The reasoning behind this is because a director earns additional bonus money when a new unit member begins with a minimum of $600.00 wholesale. Pro-Mkers will state that this is not the norm and the consultant probably misunderstood the director.

Expenses of a new director are kept secret until the new director debuts. This can really take a lot of spring out of the new director's steps and immediately upon debuting, feels lied to and tricked. When uplines are questioned about this, new directors are told that it is an investment.

The number of hours required is exaggerated. A director really needs to work 40 hours a week in order to build a unit and to make any money, while they are told that they will put in less hours than at a corporate job. Also, a director basically has to have new consultants coming in every month and purchasing inventory in order to make their required production. This is why there is so many people stating that they were pushed into large initial orders. When a consultant is in DIQ (Director Qualification - 4 month qualifying period), she is told that this is the hardest she will ever have to work. Once she debuts as a director, she is told then that she will have to continue to work her business as she did in DIQ to maintain her unit until her unit reaches a certain size.

Information regarding the company cars that can be earned is not fully disclosed to consultants. They are told that they will pay "15% of the car insurance". When I earned my car in Mary Kay, I had to pay $75.00 a month for insurance - that was more than what I was paying to drive the vehicle I had - a lot more. In order to get the insurance down, a consultant/director must PAY to take a safe driving course online to receive a discount.

Many consultants feel the dress code Mary Kay preaches is too outdated. Mary Kay asks consultants and directors to wear skirts, dresses, pantyhose, and closed toe shoes to all MK functions and appointments. Pro-Mkers will say that Mary Kay doesn't ask very much of them, so they follow her dress code like she asks. They believe it is more professional than a business suit.

Mary Kay consultants and directors are making claims of excellent income but when asked to show proof of such, they will not do so. Mainly because expenses outweigh income earnings and Schedule C's and 1040s will reflect losses and very little net profit. Pro-Mkers are quick to show the big checks and sales, but they don't talk about the expenses.

Was their businesses not succeeding their own fault or is it the way the system is set up? I found I was having less income the higher I advanced up the "career path". A new director can expect to have expenses averaging approximately $800.00 a month. This does not include consultant expenses.

Here are some sites you can view for more information....

My Mary Kay Truth

Pink Truth

Mary Kay Opinions

The Good Side....

Mary Kay has been in business for 42 years and you really cannot go anywhere that their name is not known. They are also in several countries around the world. When Mary Kay started her company, she created the company for women. She felt that women were not treated fairly and were not given the respect and wages that they rightfully were due.

Mary Kay is also a Christian based company and a lot of women have joined Mary Kay because they felt they could freely discuss Christianity and lead others to Him in their work. Mary Kay also has what is called "The Golden Rule" - Do unto others as you would have done unto you. In this day and age though, it is getting harder and harder to find this.

Mary Kay believes in "praising women to success" and in tons of recognition. They feel that if women are recognized more, they will do a better job. So this is one area that Mary Kay really focuses on. Mary Kay also teaches about friendship and teaches consultants to not steal customers from fellow consultants.

Mary Kay also sets a high standard for their consultants - they have a strict dress code, expect only the best, preach about refraining from all negativity, learning how to work through obstacles, setting and achieving goals.

Mary Kay's commission structure is also very good - consultants earn 50% on all products that they sell, they earn anywhere from 4% - 13% for recruiting, and directors earn all of this plus an additional 9% - 13% on their units wholesale orders each month. Quarterly prizes are given by the company for those consultants who reach "star consultant" status and there are many other challenges given as well.

Mary Kay products are better than your normal drug store brands, but cheaper than the high-end retailers products at your local malls. Prices are pretty reasonable for the quality of product you purchase.

Women who are pro-MK report better self-esteem, a feeling of excitement about their lives, a feeling of accomplishment, and financial freedom.

Here are some sites you can view for more information...

Consultant Companion

Mary Kay Voices

Unitnet

My Response To Both Sides:

So, who is right and who is wrong? Well, both sides have a point. There are a lot of women who quit Mary Kay because they gave up too soon and did not manage their money properly. But there is even more women, such as myself, who worked their business very hard, did everything they were told by their uplines, lost money and realized that "the dream" is only obtainable for a very small percentage. Most women struggle to earn a living doing Mary Kay. Many women also are tired of constantly being told that they "need to take responsibility for their own actions". Of course we do. However, what a lot of women who had a bad experience are saying is that they made decisions based on what information was given to them, WITHOUT being told all the facts. Therefore, they were basing their business decisions on half-truths. Is this their fault? I don't think so.

For some women, sales just wasn't for them and Mary Kay just wasn't for them - there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone cannot be a consultant or there would be no customers.

When I was a consultant, I believed totally and completely in the "Mary Kay dream". It wasn't until I became a director that I saw what really goes on and felt hurt, betrayed, lied to and tricked. I then found out that most of the "I" stories I had heard from new directors at their debuts were exaggerated and the "miracles" that happened the last day of qualification were not really miracles at all. It had nothing to do with the power of God - it was all due to the power of the ability to sign up whoever you know and purchase the inventory under their name.

I am all for being positive - being chronically ill I have had to try and find some way to cope. But with this, Mary Kay portrays a sense of superiority and teaches consultants to refrain from being around those who are negative at all costs. For many, they lose relationships with those closest to them because of this and their families and friends feel alienated. Anyone who does not agree with the Mary Kay way of thinking should be tuned out and are negative influences.

Mary Kay also portrays a sense of superiority to those who work in corporate America - it is repeatedly mentioned that women do not have control of their schedules, families, have to wait until someone dies or retires to advance - a lot of women have walked away after hearing this feeling as though they have been put down for choosing the career path they have.

Mary Kay also teaches that those who quit the business didn't follow the "Mary Kay way" and are coined as "quitters", "losers", and "Negative Nellies" - not very Christian like don't you think?

I don't agree with either side calling names - that is just not me. I do feel though that those in Mary Kay have more of an obligation to refrain from behaving this way though because they are representing a Christian-based company.

It took me a long time to come out about my experience but now I feel free in a sense - the hurt and feeling of failure is still raw and it will take me a while to deal with it all, but I will get there!