Happy Halloween Everyone!

Have a Very Fun and Safe Halloween! Here is a trick now you can find a treat, yup that is me!

Judge Hatchett says...

I like watching the Court shows that are on tv these days. No, I don't sit and watch them but I usually have the tv on while I am working. During a case the other day as one of the defendant's was making all sorts of excuses for what they did... Judge Hatchett took a minute to give some wise advice. This is what she said and I felt it was so true. She said..
"If you do a bad thing, call it a bad thing. Do not make excuses for it because it is what it is. Acknowledge what you did or you will live a life of excuses.
People are what they do."

I thought it was spot on.

OT...trick or treat!

Halloween is just around the corner! Are you stocked up on candy? Are you eating it all yourself (like me) and then buying more? ;) Got a party planned?

The Monster Mash (Bobby Pickett)

I was working in the lab late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise


He did the mash
He did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
He did the mash
It caught on in a flash
He did the mash
He did the monster mash


From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes


They did the mash
They did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They did the mash
It caught on in a flash
They did the mash
They did the monster mash


The zombies were having fun
The party had just begun
The guests included Wolf Man
Dracula and his son


The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds
The coffin-bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, "The Crypt-Kicker Five"


They played the mash
They played the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They played the mash
It caught on in a flash
They played the mash
They played the monster mash


Out from his coffin, Drac's voice did ring
Seems he was troubled by just one thing
He opened the lid and shook his fist
And said, "Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist?"


It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash
The monster mash
And it's a graveyard smash
It's now the mash
It's caught on in a flash
It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash


Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band
And my monster mash is the hit of the land
For you, the living, this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you


Then you can mash
Then you can monster mash
The monster mash
And do my graveyard smash
Then you can mash
You'll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash
Then you can monster mash!

A Directors's Point of View (Rerun)

I was looking over past posts because I did a very detailed overview of what a Prmiere Club Director earns and was too tired to keep looking but I found a gem that I thought was so worth rerunning and a appropriate response to a recent article on pt. I had to read it several times because as I was reading it, I keep thinking, this sounds just like something I wrote and so spot on.. but I didn't remember writing it.. As I continued to read, the reason I didn't remember writing it is because it was authored by one of our members.

The underlying reason for me wanting to bring this forward again (no I don't plan on reposting past articles because they can be found just reading back in our files) - we will try and reserve "reruns" for the tv series, but pt continues to say that their stories must be true because they all sound the same. My point is that in my circle of the directors that DO "do it" right, all of our stories will sound the same too! Interesting, huh? Perhaps we do "become" like those we hang around. So if one has a great national and a great area, you will learn to do things the way they should be done. You will not use fake team members, activate consultants no longer in your unit, take a new consultant's card and charge way more than you were authorized to do, etc... you will teach your unit members how to present the product and sell the product, and eventually to build a team. You will teach them not to make a nuisance of themselves stalking and aggressively persuing potential clients and to conduct yourself as a professional. You will not manipulate them to buy way more product then they need for prizes, cars, or units. You will not rent storage space to store the product you are buying so that you appear "successful". Isn't it ironic that, most of those that have "seen the light" on pt have confessed to having done things wrong for years but thought it was okay because everyone else was doing it that way too and then when they can't afford to continue to charge their appearances, they now "SEE" the light and repent!

The article from JTA on pt was what prompted this. Just because she was almost in NIQ doesn't mean she can tell us that means she was so successful. Reading her article shows me that she had operated all along to acheive her goals not to help others acheive theirs. Based on info she provided, with the people she had, she would not have made it thru NIQ because the majority of her offspring units were not going to qualify because they were "making" their units happen and couldn't afford to finance JTA's decision to go National. So perhaps she did at this point in her career path take a look at what she had built and it didn't look so pretty, so now what does she do? Build again the proper way or realize it is going to be alot of hard work and time to rebuild and justify her decision not to invest more time in it and blame MK. Of course, she admits that she had been making great money off the backs of others ?? Reading her story, all I think is that she saw it all starting to fall apart and ran away before it totally collapsed.

So for those reading - here is the post from STRT and could have been from me for (the most part) and it was in response to an article on PT at that time.

From 5/17/2008 by Speaking the Real Truth

Yes, I am still happy with my MK business. And, I'm not torqued at those here, but at one of the latest posts "over there".
This is what really gets my goat, is when someone over there tells their experience and then slings it all over the rest of us.
If you want to speak for yourself or first hand stories, fine, do so, but leave me and the other thousands of MK consultants and directors that you do not know out of it.
I too was a monthly Miss Go-Give, well liked and respected and plan to become an NSD. But,-no, I did not fake ANYONE to become a director and do not teach others to do so.-My first line offspring have not faked their units either.

-Yes, I have counseled consultants who I felt were ordering more than they should. I have actually told them to stop ordering until they sell some products!

-No, I have never pumped in large amounts of inventory out of my personal budget to make production...NEVER.

-Yes, I have encouraged another director that I saw doing so to step down, I told her that she wasn't saving anything. (And no, she was not mine, so I was not gaining anything).

-I have counseled my offspring that we do not buy production, we sell enough product to warrant our ordering a significant amount each month, thus taking personal responsibility for our units, setting an example of a successful consultant, and making money at the same time.

-I do not encourage consultants to start with inventory that is over their heads. It's really dumb to do that anyway because a scared, overwhelmed, woman usually does nothing, and like it has been pointed out, it can all be returned. My return rate is very low, and consultants regularly contact me to re-join my unit.

-I am happiest when I know that my consultants are making money and so am I. If you build correctly and train your people correctly, this will be the case. When you help enough women get what they want from their businesses, and they are earning money, unit production takes care of itself. REALLY. That is the way that MK is supposed to work.

Please stop blaming me/us if you and others have bastardized/hijacked the system for your own benefit and now you feel badly about it. We are not all like you. I am glad that you finally got a conscience, but those who are truly repentant, don't need to blame others or sling mud onto others undeservedly.

Fess up for your own crimes, and leave the rest of us out of it please.

My Senior is legit, as is her Sr. and our NSD. I know these women and know the intimate workings of their businesses. They are ethical and they make money, every month. I've been around and I've seen it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and there is some in MK, but please stop acting like there is no good or that all of us are bad.

The Humor found in Hypocrisy

I would like to do more demonstrations but I would like to start with the Article about the TOP lawsuit.

I have been reading some of the comments from the negative site and actually found it amusing. Why? Because they want to have it both ways. I have seen so many things that conflict each other I will try to articulate and not babble but it isn't going to be as smooth as I would like it to be..

Let me start with my opinion. Am I glad MK went after TOP, yes, for my sake and the sake of any consultant. If we are running our business properly, not over buying and selling our products to our clients, we have no need for places like TOP. When a director or consultant that purchased their unit, a car, etc dishonestly.. then she is able to liquidate product and put it out on the market where clients of other good and honest consultants may see it and want to purchase it off that site because it is cheaper? Who is being harmed by this? IMHO, the honest consultant or director running her business by the rules of our agreement. Secondly, actually the person liquidating to TOP because TOP pays them sooo little they are basically screwing those who according to the complainers have already been screwed but TOP is making plenty of money at the expense of the people selling product to them. Many pt posters think it is so great that the owners of TOP make so much money running such a good business - hmmm .. why is it okay for Top to make money as a Company screwing the liquidation consultant them giving them squat for their product, if they are making so much money, then why didn't they pay more for it to the consultant selling it? But pters have so many problems because Mary Kay, the Company operates to make money??

Thought... if there is no place to liquidate products, maybe the dishonest consultants/directors will stop buying too much product because the only way to get rid of it would be to sell it the way the rest of us do. Interesting thought, huh?(that would be by facials, parties, catalogue sales,etc.. imagine that, all of us doing it right.) - They way the Company was set up to operate.

To show what I am saying here is a quote from one of the posters, vintage gold,
"not to mention that many Directors who were "faking it till they made it" bought their Directorships by liquidating with TOP. All those fake Directors have no one to sell to now." (does anyone think I feel sorry for them - ummm not...)

Now here is a quote and well, am I the only one that thinks she sounds unstable?
StrikeAPoseRosie |2009-10-20 13:20:25
"Girls- it is time for ACTION! What can we do??? Start an all day calling spree to directors telling them how corrupt their company is? Demoralize the ranks? Secretly attend meetings and ask directors questions in front of all the guests that point out MK's biggest flaws? Sneak around career conference and hang up signs in the stalls that proclaim the awesomeness of PT? Go to meetings and lurk around outside sticking fliers with MK facts on the windshields of all the cars in the parking lot? Flood face book for a day with messages about MK and MLM crimes? Call MK Corpse all day and night and flood their lines? Start ordering fake orders on Directors websites? Let's get original and DO SOMETHING ALREADY!!! Other ideas???
how about sending anonymous letters to the HUSBANDS to *check their family's credit rating* I know a bunch of Directors that would crap a brick if their husband knew about their secret credit cards. That would be fun...." scary

Nice... they are mad at Mary Kay Corp. for shutting down TOP, so then lets go do all sorts of mean things to any consultant and director we can Internet stalk because we aren't happy with corporate so let's go hurt the consultants?

I thought consultants had to be at least 18 to sign an agreement but these ideas sound like they came from a 5 grader.

What is another major complaint on that site? There are no really clients...except whenever r.b. defends anything - it is they have an almost NIQ, Cadillac drivers, Court of Sales Winners, who sold lots of product, very successful.so who were these people selling to if there were no real clients. Read enough over there and you have them saying... oh I sold alot of product....I just couldn't make any money...
then I couldn't sell anything, no one wanted Mary Kay... and then the one I liked best, oh, I could sell the product and made lots of money but I just didn't like not being told the truth...probably good because if a accountant or cpa had to admit not being able to make money with a product we buy at a 50% discount... one might wonder how credible she would be on any other point. so... now I read this statement:
"First, I'm amazed with how much $ TOP made! Wow now that's a successful business plan!" - now if TOP made that much money from the product they purchased from ex consultants.... obviously there were people aka real customers that are ready and willing to buy it, because if no one was willing to buy it, TOPS wouldn't be making any money....so if most of these top customers couldn't get it on TOP - they would be buying it from a REAL consultant who was doing things the right way.

R.B. says that the only reason MK wants to shut down TOP is because of recruiting... I have had unit members come to me and want to know what to tell there clients when they stumble on TOP and say that they are cheaper and they are afraid they will loose their clients. I haven't had one consultant come to me afraid she was going to loose a recruit over it.... so.... say what you want... but it is hurting sales far more than recruiting. And then if people do get expired crap - then it tarnishes our reputation and I don't like that.

Before this gets too long, in closing... another comment, "I did not get the impression that they were affiliated with Mary Kay in ANY WAY. Only a complete moron would think that they are" of course there is more on this but the point is that if you READ the TOP site it says it is not affiliated with MK..(!!if one reads it!!)..stay with me... many of them are mad because TOP can't tell consultants about about the 90% buyback that MK offers... why should they have to... it is written on the MK website, on lots of MK info.... I don't hear pt'ers calling their posters morons for not having read the Mary Kay website.

Wow, if you read pt long enough, for every point they prove, keep reading because it will be unproved soon enough.

More News From The Mary Kay Foundation

Two posts in one day! Thought this was awesome news and wanted to share it as a nice way to end the week!

Published 10.16.09

Nature Heals Scars of Violence

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Mary Kay Inc. and The Mary Kay Foundation, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, are building Nature Explore Classrooms at five women’s shelters across the United States as a part of its corporate social responsibility initiative, Pink Changing LivesSM.

Nature Explore Classrooms are outdoor learning spaces designed to include nature in the daily lives and learning of children. Research shows that nature buffers the impact of life stress on children, helps them deal with adversity, and reduces or eliminates anti-social behavior such as violence, bullying and vandalism – all of which are common in children who have witnessed abuse.

This is the first time Nature Explore Classrooms have been introduced to women’s shelters. Shelters receiving the Nature Explore Classrooms from Mary Kay are located in Illinois, Texas, California, New Jersey and Georgia. Along with the outdoor area, each Nature Explore Classroom includes a curriculum designed to help shelters and residents maximize the educational opportunities and healing effects associated with the outdoors.

“We know that helping women and children connect with nature during the healing process will empower them,” says Anne Crews, Mary Kay Inc.’s vice president of government relations and board member of The Mary Kay Foundation. “Our primary goal is to enrich women’s lives. Because of this, Mary Kay will continue to be an advocate on the issue of domestic violence and a champion for women around the world.”

Are We Taught To Target Dysfunctional Adults??

I had received a request from one of our readers that I feel is worthy of some discussion, but I just haven't come up with anything that I can be proud to put my name on. When I write it, it comes of as I am being very defensive (as I often do being a sales director and having to always read on that other site that all directors "do this" or all sales directors "do that" and I know what I do and don't do and I know what I have been taught and what I have not been taught and most of what they say is poopoo. This is a great topic and one I would like for readers of the web to have a place to read "the other side" of the article that was titled on that other site:

"Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families: The Perfect Recruiting Pool for the MLM Industry" Written by Raisinberry

Our requester begins: First I want to say thank you for having such an engaging and truly balanced blog for those of us not harboring oddly bitter and seemingly misplaced hatred toward a corporation...(You are welcome!)
I know your blog comments occasionally on the articles "over there", and I don't know if you were planning on commenting on this one but for some reason this particular blame stained article got my goat more so than others and I would LOVE to hear, if you wouldn't mind, your "balanced" take on this one.
Second, (speaking of the devil) I was reading Pink Truth today and they have an article about how MLM's and Mary Kay in particular capitalize on the dysfunctional childhoods of others and how everyone who joins does so because of their dysfunctional childhood and subsequent desire to overcome their own dysfunctions and ignore others'.

I just feel as if this article, this particular subject, of dissecting and projecting, is above and beyond the normal boundaries of blame-ville and I think some other perspective might be interesting, hence my request.
Thank you in advance, if you do decide to post about it, and if not obviously that's fine :) thanks for all that you do post. (Will give it my best)

I wanted to comment on this article the first time I read it and then I actually was totally repulsed that they could write such filth and no one calls them on it. I find it totally offensive in more than one way. And even though it doesn't happen often, I must admit, the disgust of what they try to imply does leave me without much to say but shaking my head in disbelief.

I have never known of anyone in Mary Kay that goes and targets "wounded souls" to capitalize for their own gain. I don't know where some get the ideas that they share but I have never been told to "target" weak woman, abused woman, etc.... nor have I seen or used a questionnaire that ask if a woman came from an alcoholic or abusive family and if she checked yes, then I would work extra hard to recruit her, hogwash...(we all have baggage in our life, how we choose to handle it is up to us)

what I see from an outside point of view is that many who join Mary Kay are looking to fill voids in their lives and receiving recognition (earned or bought) begins to fill those needs. Unfortunately, when the individual starts feeling that she/he cheated to get the recognition, or that they were used or played by another, their self esteem plummets even more and they feel even worse than before. Trying to fill voids in life with Mary Kay isn't going to be anything more than a short term fix, it would be like plugging a leaking boat with a wad of bubble gum, without counseling and total change of behavior, the individual is going to remain, lost and searching. The failing in Mary Kay is just another downer to weight the troubled soul down even more but in many cases MK gives them a scapegoat, something to blame other than themselves and it is always easier to blame someone (something ie:MK) else than to accept the responsibility for your own actions. (I am not saying those that do this are conscious of what they are doing and I AM NOT saying there aren't some directors that abuse or maniupulate consultants, but I do believe, their hate of Mary Kay is just masking the hate of something else. I also feel that many after feeling "wronged" in MK should go to counseling and learn how not to get caught in the trap of their "needing" to be validated by a group. PT is far from that resource. IMHO, pt enables most to continue to wallow in their insecurities and justifies their feelings by complaining with others who are in the same boat. So they all validate one another but no one is is getting any healthier. No support group would encourage people to go over and over and still highly involved with the thing that caused them pain.

I do not see alcholics being told to go sit in a bar for 5 hours, reading the labels on the liquors, pouring drinks, smelling the drinks, etc... to save others from their pitfalls. In order for one to heel, their needs to be distance, acceptance, forgiveness, and then peace. Until the process completes itself, their is unrest. (jk- no different than running on any other treadmill) round, and round, no finish line, no place to get off.

Please everyone help me out her and get some discussion going for our requester as I have not done justice to her comment. I am very emotional and feel deeply about what I would like to express on this whole concept it just isn't translating into the written word and I don't want to keep this member waiting any longer.

One thought I did have before hitting "post" often I think because MK does focus on recogntion and praise perhaps it attracks types needing this reassurance not targets them. - just an after thought~

Please add on and make this a piece that may help many! Thank you

Log your Parties on Intouch For the Party w/a Purpose

This little picture shows us there are two ways to look at everything. Do you see a sweet young girl in the above picture or a haggy old witch? Or can you take a step back evaluate and see both? I would love some comments on what you saw first and then after looking a little deeper?? Please post!!
Interesting, huh?

Very often I find I get so busy, I often don't take the time to go and log my info on intouch but since I wanted my unit to records theirs, I felt I should lead by example. So I started (for them). Guess what?? I received a notice, I was in the top 50! woo hoo. Never would have even realized it - so I guess i will be getting a prize.. Fun since I was only doing what I should have been doing anyway.

I will get busy on our blog again as soon as I can kick this inner ear/allergy/vertigo problem,I have been dealing with. I have two requests from our readers that deserve an answer, I just want to make sure I do them justice. Stayed tuned for me to provide some fun and informative stuff.
Night all! Pink Dreams, mk4me

Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover to the Rescue

We did a magic show on stage last night. I wore MK plus a waterproof liquid eyeliner. On Mr. Gothboy I used stage makeup plus the waterproof liner. When we got home he started scrubbing away in the bathroom. "Help! How do I get this stuff off?" So I handed him the oil free eye makeup remover and some cotton balls. Stage makeup was off in a minute flat.

Nothing else works that fast. Certainly not cold cream.

Something for Everyone

Niche markets are important too. Especially those that use a lot of makeup.

MK's general image is designed to appeal to a broad base of women who wear makeup. That said, if you look at the actual products, there is a gracious plenty of items suitable for gothic looks.

Before I start listing favorites, let me say this. If you're a goth, and you're reading this, let me exhort you not to wear whiteface or try to use your cosmetics to look paler than you really are. It looks silly. All skin tones, properly cared for, are beautiful. Match your skin tone exactly with your foundation and powder. You're striving for a stark, otherworldly beauty, not for looking like a sad clown, OK? ;P

Let's start at the top. Eyebrows: We tend to shape them thinly and then fill them in. MK has eyebrow pencils to match your brows, or if you prefer powder, use coal, espresso, or chocolate kiss with a small angle brush. You can seal the powder by spraying a little hairspray on your brow brush and running it lightly over the brow.

Eyeshadow: Coal (true intense black), Sweet Plum, Raisin, Espresso, and Navy Blue are all very dark colors that blend beautifully. Crystalline and Moonstone are great shimmery pale highlights for your browbone. MK makes pencil or liquid liners, as you prefer...and then there is Ultimate Mascara for thick lashes, or Waterproof if you sweat a lot on the dance floor.

Blush: Pick the lightest blush that's suitable for your skin tone. Then sweep a little bronzer on the underside of your cheekbones, and a little highlighter over the top half. This gives you a sculpted look without overdoing the color.

Lips: For your darkest lip looks there are Dark Berry, Dark Chocolate, and Plum lip liners. You can put on a tiny bit of lip gloss or balm for moisture and then color your lips entirely with the dark liner. It has good staying power. Or for lipstick, try Black Cherry, Rich Fig, or Red, alone or with/over your lip liner.

For makeup that stays fresh all night, try the MK liquid foundation suitable for your skin type, with mineral foundation powder lightly applied over it. You'll look like a flawless doll.

There, I've done all the work for you. :) All you have to do now is apply the products to your face.

Update!!

I am still here and will get a new post up soon. I had a request from one of our readers that I would like to compose soon as I have enough time to do it justice. My personal business and my unit has been incredible (in a great way). I have had 5 unsolicited calls in the last two weeks of people calling us me if I would be willing to do a MK Party for them, now how awesome is that?? Stay tuned, it won't be long. thanks for sticking with us.

Product update: I am really, really loving the new Serum +C, it is amazing!

Woo Hoo!! October Promotion!!!!

Published 10.01.09 on www.marykayintouch.com

Jump on the October Opportunity

Independent Beauty Consultants who sign their Independent Beauty Consultant Agreements from Oct. 1 – Oct. 31, 2009, can choose to take advantage of an exciting opportunity to help them get started in their Mary Kay businesses for just $50 (plus shipping, handling and tax).

(Independent Beauty Consultants will hear the news through an article posted on the Mary Kay InTouch® News Desk later today.)

Lmtd. Ed. Romantic Notions Set

This is a limited edition set featured in the Fall/Holiday Look Book. The set includes a vitamin enriched mineral formula blush that has 3 colors in a swirled pattern that can be used alone or swirled together,it comes in Silk Nector (good for Ivory/Beige skintones and Soft Sable for Beige/Bronze skintones),a professional quality cheek brush with a soft pink handle, and a zippered pink satin w/ lace overlay cosmetic bag. The retail price on the set is $30.00.

The question I was asked was "Did I have clients asking if they could buy just one piece and how to handle the situation." During my open house, I had displayed them with the blush open and with the brush on the cosmetic bag and a Look Book opened to the page where it was shown and listed as a set. Most just purchased it as a set. I did receive a couple of questions, I just explained that it was a limited edition set, not individual pieces but we could try to match up the colors to the regular line blushes. Both bought the set.

Now, I had one consultant call me with the same question and she said that the client was a wonderful client and she really wanted just the blush, and she was willing to break the set and but didn't know what to charge her and wanted my input. After brainstorming a little bit, my conclusion was... the size of the blush is equivalent to what two blushes would be.. our blushes are $10 each... so the blush piece would be $20.00, but the beauty of this is that they are getting 3 colors plus a 4th by swirling, the brush would sell for $10 (we have had other single brushes in the past that had a retail price of $10) so that price is right in line too and often clients need a good brush but can't afford to spend the $48 dollars on the brush set. The cosmetic bag could then be used as a hostess gift or gift with purchase, etc... So as long as both parties agree, this is a win/win situation. Because selling the two pieces - the retail value of the set is collected.

Thanks for the question and I hope this helps!