New Product Coming Soon

and... I am loving it!



We received a sample and I have been using it. Absoluely love it and can't wait to order it when it is available. More Seminar Info to come, just have to catch up from all our social events! Yikes, I need some time to work! All this partying is hard on an old bag!

Second Chance Seminar

Five years ago I went to Seminar for the first time. I was a fairly new consultant back then. I had been in Mary Kay for about one year. I had one team member and I was doing OK with my sales. I was #3 in sales in my unit. To be honest, I hadn't enjoyed it much more for personal reasons than anything the company put together. I decided I would never go back until I could at the very least pay for it entirely with my Mary Kay money. I think that first year I could have, but hadn't planned real well in advance. This year was different. :)

Although I wasn't in the top 10 in sales in my unit this year, I stepped up my game in the past few months enough to make my business an integral part of my income. My business paid for this trip! I planned my trip better this year and started by flying in a day early. I was determined to tour the corporate headquarters and manufacturing plant and was able to do that. What fun tours! My friend and her husband were my travel buddies and it's always more fun for me to have someone to share the experience with while I'm there. I didn't really have that the first time around. My husband was going to come with me, but decided he wanted to stay home and focus on his own business which was probably a wise idea given the situation. I think next year he will come and I think he would enjoy the manufacturing tour. :)

This year was a little different, too, in that I was able to sit in the arena! Last time I was in Hall A. This year they had room to fit us all in the arena and now that I've been in there I will make sure I qualify to be in there again! I'm going to be a four quarter star this year and I'm on target to do that. I'm tracking court of sales so hitting four quarters of stardom shouldn't be too difficult with that larger goal in front of me.

I did get a little bit of recognition at our local future area dinner. My unit voted me as their Miss Go Give this year. That is humbling. My director honored me with a certificate that she framed as well as a pretty pair of earrings which I wore to the awards night.

Awards night was amazing. I loved the entertainment. I suppose that is the dancer/performer in me. The Friends of Tyme do an excellent job. That would be a fun dance job!

And of course I was so excited to meet mk4me in person! :)

Now that I'm back I'm ready to get back to work. I have a party this afternoon!

Shine On 2009 Seminar

Day One as we open with the National Sales Directors (for any pt readers, please don't get excited, this is not the new director debut picture). I enjoyed today very much! The Friends of Thyme performances, the information we received, the national speeches, and lots more. Lots of fun prizes were given away. Consultant numbers worldwide up to $2 million!!!!!! The Red, White and Blue Luncheon was excellent and guess who performed?? Can you guess? Her photo is above. As I am giving you this update I am testing out our up and coming new product Timewise Replenishing Serum +C. Love the way it feels!.... Crossed the stage a few times today. Took lots of notes. Our seats are perfect, perhaps one can tell from the direction of the photos. Hugged and chatted with seminar girlfriends that I only get to see a few times a years but the most very special part of toay: Shades and I were able to meet face to face, waving to Shades! It was so great "seeing" you!
Small update on our awards area night - My unit was in the Top 3 for Unit Sales and Unit Sharing, I was in the Top 2 for Personal Sales and Personal Team Building. Two special awards and prizes: I received our area Go /Give Award and special recognition for the Best All Around Director in my National area. It was a bit overwhelming by the end of the night, I end up with tears of happiness running down my face and feeling like a dork, but it was soooo meaningful. Lots of neat prizes from my national too!!

Tonight was a laid back night, chilling with my unit - casual clothes and bistro, and I sent them to bed so we can have a fun time tomorrow night at awards night an our late night (yummy breakfast) after it. It is the one night of the year I pretend the bacon has no calories! (mama mia, do I have a heck of a time getting my rings on in the am!) anyway... will the more detailed stuff will follow enjoy the fluff stuff for now....but until next time.... this is mk4me signing off - from on site at the Dallas Convention center.

Saving money for a purpose

Most people have something to save for. Maybe short term or long term. Mine is hopefully more short term. I am taking a hiatus on buying things for myself other than necessities. My partner's little brother is graduating from college into a world full of no jobs, and he has loans to pay back. He is going bananas applying for jobs, selling things on craigslist, etc. and his fiancee's job can't cover all the bills for both of them. So we decided we will help him the best we can so he can keep the electricity on and food in the fridge while he finds work. This is no slacker; he deserves the help.

I won't be absent from here; I just won't be able to do my usual "oh, shiny, gimme!" for a while. Lil' Bro needs food more than I need makeup.

Greetings from Dallas!!

Hey y'all anyone been missing me? I arrived in Dallas yesterday - weather was 77 and sunny!! Spent a delightful day with my national, at the vendors, mellow dinner, chilling in the room. This am I slept in, worked out, met a relative who came into the city to visit me and now.. drumroll... tomorrow is Day 0 of my seminar!

So stayed tuned for news as I report live on site at the Shine On 2009 Seminar!

How did my flight go? Well, I always like to sit near the front of the plane and on an aisle because I am a little (lol) alot spazy when I handed them my boarding pass at my layoover - they said, "oh we reassigned your seat because of an equipment change" and the very nice lady handed me another boarding pass. I looked at it and saw 24D and wasn't happy but just told myself it was only a short flight, deal with it and proceed on to the plane... boy am I glad I didn't complain. The picture is the room I had in front of me as I settled into my new seat!! It had more leg room than business class, now just how cool is that? Great start to my trip!

More Company Info available online!

Mary Kay Launches Two New Exciting Web Sites


We’re celebrating the launch of two new Web sites today that honor our proud heritage!

The Company is doing an awesome job making information available.

Posted on www.marykayitouch.com

The Mary Kay Museum Web site provides information and highlights about the Mary Kay Museum, located inside the Mary Kay World Headquarters in Dallas. It’s a tribute to Mary Kay Ash, the Company she built and the millions of women who have embraced her vision for nearly 46 years. Check out the site at www.marykaymuseum.com.

The Mary Kay books Web site is devoted to books written by Mary Kay as well as those written about her. The site also contains a biography of Mary Kay Ash and a link to purchasing opportunities, including e-book and Kindle editions of The Mary Kay Way: Timeless Principles from America’s Greatest Woman Entrepreneur. Go to www.marykaybooks.com.

New Information - Director Car Program from MKay!

Grand Achiever Career Car Program Changes for Independent Sales Directors
from www.marykayintouch.com

To be announced onstage during the Leadership Meeting for Independent Sales Directors on Day 2 of Shine On!SM Seminar 2009, the return of the Independent Sales Directors Grand Achiever Unit Program with the option of selecting the Career Car (Chevy Malibu) or Cash Compensation.

Effective July 2009, Independent Sales Directors can start qualification/requalification for Grand Achiever status using their net adjusted unit wholesale production. The first group of qualifiers/requalifiers will use July 2009 through December 2009 production to qualify.

On-Target requirements are $19,500 in net adjusted unit wholesale production in one calendar quarter.
Qualification/Requalification requirements are $39,000 in net adjusted unit wholesale production in two consecutive calendar quarters.

Please note: Effective November 2009, Independent Sales Directors will no longer be eligible to qualify/requalify for the Grand Achiever Program using their team prod

From mk4me: I think this will help directors at this level - making the production based on unit instead of team, it will line up with tracking production for the unit. I could see where it would be easy to make a mistake if a director was tracking production for her unit but then had to track production for her team if she had the car under the team leader guidelines.

Note: if one takes a Company car, it is always a wise move to take a safe driving course. It reduces the portion of insurance we pay for the career car. If you have two drivers both covered, both may take the safety class and reduce your copay on the insurance even more. If I could just get mr. mk4me to sit down and take the couse, it is even online!!

Looking professional without the pain

I found some foot products that are real life savers when wearing high heels. Doesn't matter if they are kitten heels or stripper shoes. I've tried many things (many, many!) and there are two brands that are far and away the best.

Insolia high heel arch supports. They're tiny, clear gel, have REAL adhesive, and really work. Take up no extra room in shoes at all. Don't buy other brands that look the same...the adhesive in the other brands sucks and the pads will come unstuck after one usage. I found this out the hard way.

The other thing is Foot Petals products. There are different kinds of pads for different needs. What I buy is the ball of foot slip-stop/padding products and the Strappy Strips that you put inside your shoes to stop rubbing and blistering anyplace you need (but particularly the straps at the back of your heel or strappy toe area of sandals).

So if you decide you want to look your best in high heels at your MK event or some other place, these things don't cost that much and the pain they can save you is immeasurable. (PT people, if you haven't thrown all your high heels in the trash, go get some of these foot pads. I read about y'all's high heel pain experiences. This stuff will put an end to that.)

Balanced Mary Kay is visited most by this state...

Of the states listed, Texas (voted for most in this poll) lost to only one state and only by 1 1/2 percent. Good guessing guys.

Pennsylvania actually edged out Texas.

The top visited states, in order of visits (from most to least) is as follows:

1 Pennsylvania

2 Texas

3 California

4 Illinois

5 North Carolina

6 Arkansas

7 New York

As promised (or, more accurately, as asked), the state with no visits was Vermont.

If you know someone in Vermont, please tell them to visit the site. ;-)

And, the most popular day of the week for visiting is Wednesday.

For the current poll, please feel free to leave your "other" responses here.

Finally, as noted in a comment, the auto play feature for the music has been disabled. If you would like to hear the music, you must now go to the bottom of the page and click "play".

Thanks

Makeup techniques: contouring

If you, like me, have no visible cheekbones and have to fake them, this post is for you! lol

Materials: MK makes highlighters and bronzers. Those products have shimmer. So, for contouring areas you want to diminish, you can use a darker shade of powder.

OK. So first you apply your concealer, foundation and powder (or all in one foundation/powder product.)

Now, before you put on your colors, you can contour.

If you don't have much in the way of cheekbones: Use a blush brush to lightly sweep bronzer right under your cheekbones. You may have to actualy use your fingers to feel for the bones in your face if you're like me. Start in front of the ears and sweep inwards so that the color blends out. Use a very light hand. Better to do 2 or 3 very light applications than one heavy one so that you won't have stripes on your face. Then apply blush directly on cheekbones. Then apply (lightly!) the highlighter on the top half of the cheek area.

If you have a little extra chub at/under your jawline, this time get the darker powder. You don't want sparkle in areas you are minimizing. Get a big powder brush and lightly dust the darker powder on the jowl and under-chin area. Blend up into jawline and chin and down into neck. Do this lightly; you want to create an illusion and not a visible difference in color that others can detect. If your jaw is really square/prominent, put the powder *on* your jawline (not under) instead to soften it.

For a prominent nose, do the darker powder maneuver again (lightly, again).

Unless you have a really prominent forehead, dusting a tiny bit of highlighter on it adds glow to your face. If you have a small nose, a tiny bit of highlighter on the bridge can look cute.

Contouring isn't just for your eyes, and if someone is going to photograph you, this can make a big difference!

Product Review: Mary Kay Sunscreen SPF

My DH and I belong to a community club that has a swimming pool. I have been trying to use it as much as possible this summer (every weekend!). I just received my shipment last week, which included the sunscreen. Before I received it, I had tried a Banana Boat spray sunblock, but it felt greasy to me (even though it advertised it was not) and it left kind of this weird sheen on my body. Anyway, on Saturday after taking a shower I applied the sunscreen in place of lotion. This is the way you should really apply sunscreen (in the buff). That way, you don't get areas under the straps, etc, that shift during the day and you get burned. I thought it would leave a bit of white cast on my skin, I have olive colored skin. Once it absorbed, I didn't notice anything.

You are also supposed to use 1 ounce of sunscreen per use! Think about that, that is approximately a shot glass full of sunscreen? Who uses that amount? Not many, but you should if you want to be protected and I think I good reason to stock up :-)

So, I went to the pool around noon and stayed until 4pm. I didn't really swim as the pool heater was turned down, brrrrrrr! Guess what? No burn! In fact, less color than I wanted (I know I know, tanning is bad!).

Thumbs up! Not greasy, stayed on, and worked!

product review: tinted lip balm

Highly recommended. It has a good moisturizing texture that stays put; not waxy or gloppy. Also the color stays and doesn't either get patchy or feather out. The pigment level is medium. It could be a good lipstick alternative for women who are older and changing to a softer makeup look. Also good for when you want to look natural, but not bare.

Mascara Application (Good info)

For years I would put my eyeliner, eye shadow, and then it was time for the mascara...I would start the top lashes layering (one coat let, it dry, another coat) and repeat on the other side on top. Okay, liking the way they looked, it was now time to do the bottoms. It never failed, I would end up with little "star" marks on my eye shadow. The lttle "ping" marks that you get if our top lashes touch the area right under your eyebrow. Of course, I would mutter under my breathe, take out the oil free eye makeup remover and remove the star marks and then fix the eye shadow.

I was sitting at a color clinique and the instructor was saying that since "we were all consultants we knew to do our bottom lashes before our top lashes". - Believing that I was a semi intelligent person, I was too embarrassed to ask why, fortunately the instructor was a good teacher and went on to explain that "if you do your bottom lashes first and then proceed to your top, - you will not end up with those "spots" because when you are leaning forward or opening your mouth to get your mascara to go on the bottom lashes there is no mascara on the top to leave marks". :)

It was a humbling moment because I swear I felt like a sign went up over my head that said - duh, why did I never figure that out myself? -

The reason for not evaulating my technique before the teacher opened my eyes was because the way I did things were habit to me.

I know share this "gem" with every facial or show that I have. I have been so surprised at how many have thanked me for the information. Very often, when I do my closings and I ask, did you learn anything new today, you may not have known? The most common answer is, I never knew about doing the bottom lashes first, but you can bet I am going to apply it that way from now on. (Peek a boo, I see you!)

If you are reading this and thinking - wow, that is good news, remember it takes approx. two weeks to develope a habit. So don't give up after a few days, keep on and soon you will not even be able to apply your top lashes before you bottom ones.
P.S. When applying multiple coats of mascara, allowthe coatto dry before applying the next, this lessens, clumping and the "spider eye's".

Weekend Humor

Busy social weekend so I don't know how much I will be around but as I was reading pt one of the issues they were discussing is how directors must put on apperances - picture perfect life, home, family, etc... haha.....
my life is a zoo, my home is far from clean, I can go from heels to late model raceteam pit crew, and as far as the rich "GQ husband", lol, I wanted to share with all mr.mk4me's newest piece to his wardobe! I do wish pt would stop stereo typing all of us directors! Please, I couldn't be any more real if I tried, and another point if anyone saw my "crazy, zooey" life, it would show that anyone could be a director (if they did the work & it suited them), you don't have to be perfect or have the perfect life!

Poll: How does your skin react when starting a new skincare regimen?

I was perusing PT and saw that many were disputing the adage that when you start a new skin care regimen that you may get some breakouts because toxins are releasing, etc.

So, I did some research and although I wasn't able to find any article out there (anyone?)-- it did seem to be a truism, that when you start something new, you may get breakouts, etc. I must admit, starting back up on MK, I am currently in a break-out stage, but this could be due to multiple reasons, including, but not limited to: hormones, too much sun, 4th of July food/drink, etc.

Anyway, the ladies on PT were scoffing at this idea, but I disagree! When I look at myself when I was on MK regularly, my skin was much better. So, a few breakouts seem within the realm of reason!

What do you all think?

MK on FB

Published 06.26.09 From www.marykayintouch.com

Beauty That CountsTM Charitable Campaign Now on Facebook

With this new application available through Facebook, you can help create awareness about the Mary Kay Beauty That Counts™ charitable campaign and our commitment to kissing domestic violence goodbye. Facebook is a social networking Web site where users can interact, share information, chat and tell others about the causes they support.

And now, you can show your support for this special cause when you use the Beauty That Counts™ application to send a cute array of "kisses" to your customers, friends and family. And, in turn, they can send kisses on to others, too. It's a fun and easy way to show your support for ending domestic violence. Go to http://apps.facebook.com/marykaybeautycounts to start using the Beauty That Counts™ application to send kisses to everyone you know! Together, we can make a beautiful difference.

Mary Kay Concealer!

PRODUCT INFORMATION FOR THE DAY:

Our concealers are:
Lightweight, creamy formula
Long-lasting
Waterproof
Seven great shades

Application Instructions
Before applying foundation, apply a small dot on targeted area.
Gently pat with sponge or fingertips until blended.
*Notes about Application Instructions
Please note that the Yellow shade may help reduce the appearance of red in the skin tone.
(& if you are really fair you may need to utilize the yellow to neutralize the red but THEN layer with an ivory concealer before foundation so that the yellow doesn't show thru the foundation - this is a great technique for those that are really plagued with coloring they can not concealer but have a desire to look flawless.)

Ingredients
Water , Isononyl Isononanoate , Cyclopentasiloxane , Sorbitan Isostearate , Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone , Lauroyl Lysine , PTFE , Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate , Propylene Glycol , Cetyl Dimethicone , Hexyl Laurate , Sodium Chloride , Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Hydroxypropyl Polysiloxane , Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil , Beeswax , Nylon-12 , Tocopheryl Acetate , Diazolidinyl Urea , Retinyl Palmitate , Methylparaben , Propylparaben , Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract , Lecithin , Cyclohexasiloxane , Titanium Dioxide , Talc , Iron Oxides , Zinc Oxide
May Contain Ingredients
Ultramarines

Career Car Qualifications - News

Direct from www.marykayintouch.com (More news from Mary Kay!)

imho, this lines up so that the car program and directorship progam are in line with one another!

Published 07.07.09


Grand Achiever and Premier Club Career Car Program Changes


It has been more than seven years since Career Car Program production requirements have increased. However, due to year-over-year cost increases, we are announcing the following Career Car Program changes:

Effective November 2009, Grand Achiever qualification/requalification production requirement will increase from $18,000 to $20,000 in one to four months and the active personal team member requirement will increase from 12 to 14.

Effective October 2009, Premier Club qualification/requalification production requirement will increase from $48,000 to $54,000 in two consecutive calendar quarters.

Effective October 2009, the six-month waiting period for Grand Achievers selecting the Career Car option will be discontinued allowing them to move up to Premier Club at any time.

Cadillac production requirement remains the same at $96,000 in two consecutive calendar quarters.

New DIQ Requirements - Non. Confirmed & Actual!

I know everyone is very interested so I am going to post what I have from a national sales director. The rules were up for a little while yesterday on intouch(7/6) but then taken down, so I am guessing there was something not clear or an error or typo. I am sure we will probably see it today. Since we are all so interested I am posting what I have seen from a National but please remember unitl we see it from the Company, it is not official! Enjoy! (Keep reading for the FACTS from MK)

NEW DIQ RULES
TRANSITION TIME BEGINNING IN JULY- MAY USE EITHER SET OF RULES CURRENT OR NEW. Then in JANUARY 2010- ONLY NEW RULES.

Here are the Current/Old Rules:
~Start DIQ with 8 active.
~1-4 months to grow to 30 active UNIT members.
~Minimum production is $4000 a month and total qualification production is $16,000. No more than $4000 from DIQ personally.

New Rules:
~BEFORE SHE CAN SUBMIT TO DIQ SHE MUST BE A STAR CONSULTANT THAT PREVIOUS QUARTER OR A STAR ORDER IN THAT MONTH.
~SHE MUST PERSONALLY ALSO DO $1800 WHL DURING THE DIQ PERIOD
~MUST HAVE 10 ACTIVE TO START QUALIFICATION
~MUST HAVE 24 UNIT ACTIVE TO FINISH AND A MINIMUM OF 10 OF THOSE MUST BE QUALIFIED WITH $600 WHL OR MORE
~MUST DO TOTAL OF $18,000 WHLS (NO MORE THAN $4000 WHL CAN COME FROM THE DIQ) AND MINIMUM OF $4000 A MONTH

FROM WWW.marykayintouch.com
Published 07.07.09


Director-in-Qualification Program Changes


When an Independent Beauty Consultant submits her Commitment Form to the Director-in-Qualification Program, we know she’s serious about her Mary Kay business. She’s ready to invest the time and energy needed to build a business that will enrich her life, her family’s life and the lives of other women for years to come. With that philosophy in mind, we’d like to introduce a series of changes to the DIQ Program designed to strengthen new Independent Sales Directors and help them experience that success.

With the significant increase of new Independent Beauty Consultants this year, our renewed priority as a Company and as an independent sales force should be to retain all of these new team members — and ensure they have the tools, the education and confidence to build a solid customer base and a successful Mary Kay business at all levels. These changes to the qualifications to become an Independent Sales Director help ensure that DIQs put their businesses on a firm footing and have the best possible chance to form solid, high-performing units.

And here’s something all of the Team Leaders and future Independent Sales Directors in your unit will be excited about: These changes officially go into effect on Jan. 1, 2010. However, beginning with Aug. 1, 2009, debuts through Jan. 1, 2010, debuts, Sales Directors-in-Qualification have the option to debut under the new rules or the current rules. If they choose to debut under the new requirements during this “optional” period, they’ll qualify for special “Superstar” recognition at Leadership Conference 2010 (they don’t have to meet the new pre-qualification requirements; they just have to finish with the new production and team member requirements)!

All Class of 2010 Sales Directors will receive a special seat cover, early admittance to all general sessions and a dazzling zebra-accented Sales Director wrap. Sales Directors who debut under the new rules during the optional period will receive all of these items plus an invitation to an exclusive luncheon during Leadership Conference 2010. (Their Senior Sales Directors will receive an invitation, too!)

So let’s have a look at the new Director-in-Qualification requirements (effective Jan. 1, 2010):

Pre-Qualifications for Potential DIQs (requirements to submit a Commitment Form):

(NEW) Must have 10 Active team members.

Must be personally Active (A1, A2 or A3 status.)

(NEW) Must be a Star Consultant in either the previous quarter or have at least $1,800 in personal cumulative wholesale production in the current quarter.

To help you better understand the Star Consultant pre-qualification requirements that are effective Jan. 1, 2010, here are a few scenarios you’ll want to share with your unit members:

If you submit your Commitment Form Jan. 1, 2010:

You will have needed to be a Star Consultant in the Sept. 16 – Dec. 15, 2009, quarter.

OR

You must have placed at least $1,800 in personal cumulative wholesale orders between Dec. 16 – 31, 2009.

If you submit your Commitment Form Feb. 1, 2010:

You will have needed to be a Star Consultant in the Sept. 16 – Dec. 15, 2009, quarter.

OR

You must have placed at least $1,800 in personal cumulative wholesale orders between Dec. 16, 2009 – Jan. 31, 2010.

If you submit your Commitment Form March 1, 2010:

You will have needed to be a Star Consultant in the Sept. 16 – Dec. 15, 2009, quarter.

OR

You must have placed at least $1,800 in personal cumulative wholesale orders between Dec. 16, 2009, and Feb. 28, 2010.

If you submit your Commitment Form April 1, 2010:

You will have needed to be a Star Consultant in the Dec. 16, 2009, to March 15, 2010, quarter.

OR

You must have placed at least $1,800 in personal cumulative wholesale orders between March 16 – 31, 2010.

Debut Qualifications:
(NEW) $18,000 cumulative wholesale unit production in 1 – 4 months. At least $14,000 wholesale production toward the total $18,000 wholesale requirement must come from your DIQ unit members. A DIQ may contribute up to $4,000 in personal wholesale Section 1 production toward the $18,000 cumulative unit wholesale production during the qualification period.

At least $4,000 per month wholesale unit production.

(NEW) DIQ must have at least $1,800 in personal cumulative wholesale production.

(NEW) 24 active unit members (includes the DIQ.)

(NEW) At least 10 of the 24 active unit members must have at least $600 in cumulative wholesale production (does not include the DIQ herself) during the qualification period.

Please note that while we transition into the new DIQ qualifications, you will have access to two reports that will track both options on Mary Kay InTouch®.

New DIQ Requirements FAQs:

Do I need to be a Star Consultant to enter DIQ?

Starting with the Jan. 1, 2010, Commitment Forms, pre-qualifications will require that you must be a Star Consultant in either the previous quarter or have placed at least $1,800 in personal cumulative wholesale orders in the current quarter.

Do I need to meet the new prequalifications for DIQ in order to earn the special “Superstar” recognition at Leadership Conference 2010?

No. You only need to debut under the new requirements, which begin with the Aug. 1 debuting class.

What if I’m already in DIQ? Can I still earn the special “Superstar” recognition?

If you’re already in DIQ, you may choose to debut under the new rules, where you’ll earn special recognition.

Who is eligible for the special “Superstar” recognition at Leadership Conference 2010?

Independent Sales Directors who debut Aug. 1, 2009, through Jan. 1, 2010, under the new rules only.

Do I need to have $4,000 wholesale production the month before my first month of qualification?

No. When the new rules become effective (Jan. 1, 2010), you must be a Star Consultant in the prior quarter or have placed at least $1,800 in personal cumulative wholesale orders in the current quarter.


Do I count as one of the “24 active unit members” under the new rules?

Yes. You are counted as one of the “24 active unit members” and you must be active at the end of the final month.

Do I count as one of the 10 who must have at least $600 in cumulative wholesale production?

No, you do not count as one of the 10.

What if I personally do more than the maximum $4,000 personal wholesale production towards the $18,000 cumulative unit wholesale production requirement?

Any personal production over the $4,000 personal wholesale maximum will count toward the $4,000 minimum wholesale monthly unit production requirement. But at least $14,000 wholesale production toward the total $18,000 wholesale requirement must come from your DIQ unit members.

If I have questions about the new DIQ requirements, whom do I call?

Please contact the DIQ Department at (800) DIR-SOON (347-7666).

Majority of Balanced Mary Kay Readers Like This Site - Who Would Have Guessed?

I guess you would not stick around if you didn't like it eh?

The current poll (see sidebar) is based on the most recent statistics. The states selected are the ones that had the most visitors during the time period of June 6, 2009 to July 6, 2009.

Just for fun (and the always pointless bonus points) try to guess:

- Which state had 0 (zero) visitors during this time period
- Which day of the week is the most heavily visited

Also, in case you didn't notice, I added a playlist, music player at the bottom of the page. I don't think it will start playing unless you get to the bottom of the page. But if you hear music, that is where it is coming from... If you don't like this feature, please feel free to give me some feedback about it and I will get rid of it. Removed the YouTube feature to make room for this one.

4th of July

Heading down the river (on left), getting in position(above), and wow-perfect! Hope everyone enjoyed the night as much as we did!

product reviews

I'm on vacation typing on chiclets on this little netbook so forgive if I post all messy.

Let's see here. Soft black brow pencil, Timewise lip primer, rich fig/green tea loofah scrubs and lotions, lip liner, lemongrass eye shadow, amber blaze eyeshadow, espresso eye shadow. Accidentally left sheer lip balm samples at home; will test next week.

The brow pencil is a very deep brown, almost black. like my natural hair color. It's well pigmented yet contains enough wax to stay put and not smudge. This totally beats other brow pencils I have tried.

Lip primer: Good stuff. Feels like a light lip balm; keeps lipstick in place (for those lighter colors that need help staying. I'll keep getting this.

Lip pencil: Not waxy or dry; creamy and pigmented. Better than others I've used.

Eye shadows: All 3 colors great for me. Lemongrass is a pale and wearable green with some shimmer. Amber blaze...just what it sounds like. Has shimmer. Espresso is matte and the same super deep brown as the soft black eye pencil. Can be used as a dry liner or in the outer V for depth. Or as brow powder. It's a multi use color.

I like the loofah scrubs better than the sugar scrub. They do the job well but are not scratchy. They, and the lotions, smell good enough to eat!

All in all an excellent haul. OK y'all have a good fourth! I have a pie to bake!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHADES!!

(Sorry, it is a day late :( - I know how old you are now, but I won't tell!
Hope you had an awesome day!

Holiday Fun!

For you, Luckylawgirl! They are topped with hot peppers, black or green olives, bacon bits, or plain. (We have our annual pepper canning party around September).

Balanced Mary Kay add exciting new feature! - Google Voice Call

Hey everybody,

It has been a long time since I have given an update... Not much new to report. Just really busy.

I would like to take this opportunity, however, to express gratitude to the great authors that have kept this site moving along and helping to create an environment that makes it a unique resource for those in Mary Kay, those considering Mary Kay, and those that have decided that Mary Kay is not a good fit for them.

mk4me and Miranda, in particular, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Now, on to the exciting new feature. Google has created a new thing called Google Voice. You can now call and leave a voice message for any of the authors of this blog. It is possible to set this feature up to ring to our phones, but for now it is directed to a message system.

If you have always wondered what my voice sounds like, now is your chance. Click the button at the top right of this site that says "Call Me". You will have to give it your phone number and name. It will call your number first. When you answer, it will ring for a little while and then hit the message system.

Be the first to leave a message for Balanced Mary Kay!!!

Thanks

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!

BBQ'S, FAMILY, FIREWORKS, AND FRIENDS these are our plans for the weekend! I want to wish everyone a very happy and safe Independence Day!

In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States.

Similiarities - or is it Personalities??

When I write I do try to be fair and objective, I may not always succeed but I do try. So please take this simply as observation not an outright attack.

The last several days as I have been reading the posts on pt - the one on ethics, the ones on mlms and the newest on cults. Does anyone one else see the irony of many of the comments? I have been moving away from "disagreeing" with their view points as a way to direct our articles but as I read this grouping, I actually had alot of compassion and sympathy for many of them. (no, I haven't lost it - I will explain). As I read and see the character's personality develope, I see what they loved about MK being recreated on pt and then I see everything they accuse MK of being guilty of doing, being down on pt. I don't want to write a whole book but my first point. The thing that got many so financial doomed in MK was their need for recognition and the respect of their peers or the prizes... Now parrallel it to the commenters swooning over the author of the daily posts, oh "prune", so eloquaint, you have such a gift for words, applause, applause, oh my you are the best, you are so awesome, and you can "see" the authors blushing and just eating it up. Most have this insatiable need for kudos and praise. Now they are not getting it from Mk so they have moved on to pt. They speak as strongly about pt now as they did MK, and then when they cross the line on pt, they will then be devasted again and find another "fix".

Cult think, - go ahead and voice a different opinion - just as fresh out of pink and nutmeg did, don't agree or don't word it right, you are going to be slammed into seeing things their way. Of course, it is now not "listen to your director, etc.." It is listen to us and listen to the tough love of tc. Be too dumb to doubt, just believe us. We love you, we are your friends?? friends?? yes over time we can make internet friends (waving to Miranda) but posting anonomously on a blog doesn't equal a friend. They trusted and got hurt in Mary kay, and now they are trusting and many once again will get hurt on pt. Let them deny it but... come on, yes the are anti MK sites, but there are anti - anti Mk sights!These sites are ex members of pt who formed an anti pt site Duh, ptlies, my pink truth read some of their testimonials and stories, there would be no reason for them to make stuff up. As we are accussed of putting Mary Kay on a pedestal, tc is also put up on a pedestal. Seriously if you would like to see my point bop on a read freshoutofpink's first comment... wow by the time you get to her last comment, you would have thought she came in and raped, pilered, and pundered. (Now mind you she is already feeling "lost" because she now "feels" her MK assosciations have abandoned her, now an internet group just slap her, her need to "belong" is so strong, it sounds of if she is down on her hands and knees, kissing butt, apologizing, confessing, groveling, oh my how sad, it just looks like she thought she was going to feel left out and sad and "nobody" wants me all over again.

On to issues that they have with some of the seminar suggestions:
I go to Seminar, I have learned alot when I attend my classes, (off topic sentence) I would like to share if you happen to be in a class and it just isn't "doing it for you", slip out and slip into another one. Get all the information that you can and if you aren't connecting with the speaker , you aren't going to be learning that much. (return to thought)If you take your Mary Kay seriously and take it like a business, why in the world would you want to take your family along? Yikes, could you see a whole bunch of businessmen showing up a board meeting dragging his wife and kids. And the consultant that brings family might love and adore their kids, but I may not, I paid for the conference and i dont want to be distracted by someone else's child. I remember last seminar a group of pters were going to travel to Dallas and "protest" and pass out pt cards to all seminar attendees. lol A non business/non paid trip without the business to use the expenses of the trip as a write off. Are they going to leave their kiddies at home or drag them to Dallas and lock them in the hotel room or plant them in 100+ degree heat in downtown Dallas in July. So they are ready to drop all this money. Hm, see why there could have been money issues while they were in MK?

I have seen more religous manipulation and using scripture to "boost" their opinin than in mK- hey isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? If one is going to cram scripture down others "eyes" don't contradicte youself. Love this sentence by "prune" - "I WILL FOREVER HATE MARY KAY FOR THIS. It Righteous anger!"

Nothing done wrong is ever one's fault now that they are on pt, it was someone else's fault because that is what they were taught. The "model" is flawed..psshhh - but the same as we in MK are always accussed of sounding the same - do you see that everyone is saying "exactly the same thing" on pt -they all sound the same (isn't that what they say about us kaybots?)

Not disclosing the "whole" truth in MK according to pt is lying. Something misspoken - watch out, you may receive the golden boot award. (No -the last couple of years we can not say that "Mary Kay is America's Best Selling Brand of Skin Care and Color in the Us based on the statics and info based on ind. company xyz..because we didn't participate. But there was a time this was a legal statement. It just isn't current. I see pters get very emotional when a consultant says that MK is taught at Harvard. no - not quite there was a marketing case study - but I could see where someone not paying attention could misquote the the message and their is a "seed" of truth in it. And at last years seminar several universities and colleges had people their to study the principales of the Company. My POINT - Mary Kay is always telling us NOT to over sell, not to exaggerate, to make sure we have our wording correct - they don't support misinformation.

Half truths run all the way thru pt... the one thing that always amuses me - the $ amount of product returned to MK. MK reports sales yearly - to report the returns and not note that it is not just the annual offset it is the cummulative fiugre from the beginning of pt could lead people to believe pt has had a far greater impact on MK than it has.

Another point, MK scripts are always being made fun of... Now - author black nova rights her "script" that she uses when she is invited to a direct sales, party, everyone is now going to use her script because the words are so perfect. lol -

Absolutely love this... pro mkers argue, one shouldn't have argued if you didn't need the product... or but the pressure, yada yada yada... but.... if some ask you to attend a party... here is the response: "Be strong - Just Say No" - intersting,huh?
They did make my chuckl because all mlm's are boycotted EXCEPT the newer "pleasure parties with their sex toys" - I guess it is okay to bend the rules if you want huh... pleasure?

See the similiarities? PT is what they had recreated without the product. It is just like a parrallel universe. It was just the grouping of these articles and seeing that common thread that did help me to see how several ended up so "duped".


We get made fun of for wearing MK sweatshirts pins, (advertising) but something that is so stupid in mk is now a great idea to buy a pt t-shirt?? okay spend money to advertise something that is not even going to give you a snowballs chance in H*ll to earn a dime. We are ridiculed for "warm chatting or stalking" when we pass out a business card or offer someone a facial. But isn't passing out a pt card to unexpecting person still intruding on their space and still soliciating? I think it would be more annoying to have some approach me and hand me a business card "warning" me of the dangerous of mk - at least if she gets hand an MK business card, she at least nows what she is saying yes or no too.

What I see is the "birds of a feather, flock together". It isn't the business model. It is the personality type, and they are going to end up "addidicted to whatever is making them feel full in their lives at the time. This is the type of individual that is probably susceptible to cult followings as they are easily lead. Perhaps the personality types that are stonger or more analytical don't end up on pt. The stories sound so similiar because the personalites are so similiar, imho.

In closing, rb, askes this question: "Many of us here were "successful" by Mk standards but not by our own. For example..an ethical statement might be, Suzy, this is the last day of the month, and although our Unit could use the production under today's date, you actually lose one entire month of active status. If you are planning to keep selling weekly, this wont affect you, but if you think you will be struggling with new contacts after your perfect start and intend to go slowly,it would serve you best to put the order in on the 1st of the month to have the entire 90 days of active status. True or not true? And who among us has ever uttered those words? ( maybe no one answered her on pt but I would like to answer her, yes, I have and many of my sister directors, - our theory, care about others and you will be rewarded 10 fold. It has proven to be true over and over again.

Eyeshadow technique: Foiling

Foiling means to apply a powdered makeup product with a damp brush.

Well, there's more to getting the look than just that, which I'm about to explain. If you want your eyes to really have impact, this is the way to do it.

Get out your eye makeup, a little cup of clean water or sterile saline solution, a paper towel, and a medium sized soft, thick/firm eyeshadow brush, and clean makeup sponge. No sponge tip shadow applicators or little fluff brushes for this technique.

First, put on your shadow primer. Then apply your lid color and your browbone color dry. Now dampen your brush (not soaking. just damp) and pick up more of your lid color and apply that on top of the dry shadow already on your lid. See how awesome the color looks now? Dry your brush on the paper towel and apply your crease color. Now dampen your brush again and pick up the darkest color for your outer V. Apply that. Give it a moment to dry. If you have any edges that need blending, dry off your brush again and use a touch of your crease color to lightly blend out anywhere along the outer V that needs it. Finally, take a clean makeup sponge and swipe it along the outer edge of the eye area where the shadowed part meets unshadowed skin. This gives you a clean but soft line at the end of the shadow.

Now, your liner and mascara and any eyebrow products you use.

Try this and tell me what you think!

2008/2009 Ends 2009-2010 -A New Seminar Year!

It is that time of the year when we look at what we achieved and what we had expected of ourselves. See where we perfomed strong and identify our weaker areas so we can improve on them. Contrary to the negative sites, not achieving a goal doesn't mean you failed (as in you are a failure). It just means you didn't achieve your goal. Some believe that setting goals are bad. I don't agree. To improve and grow in any aspect of life we need to stretch and improve our skills and keep learning. Something as basic as being a new parent, for example. Things may be done very differently with the second child than the first because the parents now have experience and are better prepared to handle different situations by the time baby #2 comes along.

To set goals, first you must figure out what you want and/or need and then work up a "plan" or "map" on what it will take (your "route" to get there). Things very rarely happen if you are not working in the direction of what you want. Working your business without some sort of a plan would be just like leaving your driveway with no map, directions, gps, etc... and expecting to end up at your destination by just driving around. It just isn't going to happen. If you have attempted something several times and continue to have poor results then perhaps it is time to examine what you are doing and adjust it to produce different results. (I love the saying "the definition of insanity is doing the same exact thing over and over and expecting different results".

I would like to share my goals for 2008-2009 Seminar year (please do not think I am "tooting my own horn" I just want to be able to use a good illustration. I know from experience that if I want the type of income I need for my lifestyle, I need to be court of sales level (at least $36,000/yr) - when I see enough faces to sell this amount, I also see enough people that I can build my team without canibalizing my customer base. If I recruit 1 for every 10/15 clients -I continue to grow both my client base and my team. If I tried seeing less and recruiting more, I would be setting myself up to get in trouble. How do I sell this level? 2 to 3 selling appointments a week. I am so proud to share that my senior challenged us to do a year of powerstarts. 30 faces/10 interviews a month..... I am pleased to report, I took the challenge and had actually finished my 12th consecutive power start on June 22!! I do the work. .SEE THE PEOPLE SELL THE PRODUCT Yes, I am a director, yes I EARNED the Pink CTS last year, yes I have over 100 unit members, and YES I am still the best consultant in my unit and probably will be right up until the point I retire or go National - why... because your Mary Kay business must be based on strong selling consultants (including us directors). How can I expect my consultants to do something I am not willing to do. They see what I do and I lead by example. I am not a "do as I say, not as I do type of person". And I loved doing shows and facials. It is fun, why would I give that up?

My goals for the Seminar year that just ended were Triple Star (Court of Sales, Court of Sharing, and Unit Club) and to earn the Cadillac. My youngest graduated this month and I am now ready to work a little more than I have been. Well, I would like to report to you that I accomplished 3 out of the 4. I completed Sales court (with actual sales to actual (real) clients of $36,000 retail (if I remember right it is my 13th sales court)- I have run out of fingers for the rings so I opted for the cash because I can't grow any more fingers and I don't want to wear them on my toes and I also completed court of sharing with 25 new team members 24 who are qualified and one that isn't. (It is my 6th court of sharing) Some did come in with $600 but many started with the minimum order $200 wholesale or even nothing and built thru the year.) May I add that if I finished the court of sharing it was done along with the court of sales. There was never a year that I did only the Court of Sharingbut there have been years where I only did Court of Sales.

We picked up the Cadillac the Saturday after Thanksgiving based on real production not whipping out credit cards. The quarter after we finished qualifiction I did have a partial co-op payment but between working so hard to finish (we were all tired), the election, the depression about the Economy, and Christmas - I was expecting and had planned for it. plus ($1000 bonus for earning the Cadillac) Had it continued I would have had to reevaluate my decision to have taken the Cadillac. If it was costing me money to have it, it would make sense to step back and take the cash, get a car and make the payment with the money from the cash comp. (Okay my pride would have taken a hit but... last I knew no one has died from hurt ego)- I think these are situations that teach us to be humble and keep us from being too pompous. If others allowed their pride to cloud their judgement, it is not MK's fault they choose to continue charging and going into debt. The Company is so gracious if you want to step down to a Saturn level. Could you imagine what pt would have to say if the Company made a director step down to Saturn level if they made two quarters of full coop payments. - The Company would be evil then too.

Back to my goals, Unit club didn't happen. We were close. We were less than $20,000 away from the $300,000 unit club, but the orders that had been placed were justified by sales. We had worked hard, we had booked our shows, and sold our products, right up until the end. (Only 10% of our June production came from our new consultants) But when the deadline came, there was no more time to keep working. Could we have chiseled that amount away, probably, could I have called consultants and asked them just to put in $xx.00, sure - did I? - NO. Why? because I would have had unsold product stressing an overstocked consultant out, interest building on her debt and then would end up watching a good consultant quit. No thanks... We did a respectable amount. I wasn't "charging" my recognition. Guess what? we have production in July already, guess what? We have a new unit member today. Our "journey" didn't end June 30. It was the end of a chapter not the end of the book.

Today, I felt a little melancholly for not acheiving triple star but still proud of my/our other accomplishments. When I cross the stage I know I EARNED my recognition and prizes... I can look at myself in the mirror, hey if someone else is doing it wrong and wants to stand up and take the glory, that is on them not me. Noone can take away my accomplishments. The key is that I know I did the best I could and did it ethcially and honestly and truely caring about both my clients and my consultants. Pt can say that you can not be successful in MK nor can you make money...and if you are making money than you have thrown ethcis and morales to the wind- to that I say B>S> . I have a brain and I use it. Have I made mistakes? Yes but I learn from them. I don't keep making the same mistakes, over and over. Yeah, keep claiming your were fogged and brainwashed and just did what you were taught....... I can understand if you are new...but year after year...blah...blah...blah.... - why are they surprised when they set them selves up for failure and then it happens?? duh... you can only do it wtong and cheat for so long. Bulding a house of cards... well it is going to tumble.

Sorry for the ramble but I so believe this can be such a great opportunity and I am so sick and tired of the ones that do burn and churn hurting the rest of us and I am sick of reading the statements from a few on pt - their proof is no more proof than words on a page. If I say I earned $40,000 after expenses, it is not proof but if they say no director making money in Mk is ethcial (knowingly or unknowingly) that becomes proof. -not-

I had a delightful day yesterday... will share in another post but I encourage ever consultant to think about what you want to acheive and work out a plan to assist you in your journey. It might even be fun to share some of your goals and cheer each other on throught the year. What do you all think? - Miranda's goal is going to be mk4me's favoritest/bestest client! (Who'd have thunk it?) - and I even had one consultant a few years back.. her goal was to have no goal for one year. She knew she wanted just to service her reorder clients for a year while she took on another project. No, it wasn't what we think of as a goal but she knew what she wanted or in her case didn't want :)

Have an incredible day. It is just as easy to be happy as it is to be miserable - you make your choice.

Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
and Today is a Gift! That is why it is called the "present" - don't waste it or throw it away!