Happy New Year Everyone!!

Will try to get busy here again in 2013!!

Heading into 2013

Wishing everyone a very Happy and Blessed New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Better late than never!! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!

Happy Birthday to our Founder!!

and I am actually starting to get caught up in my personal life --- so hopefully there will be some new articles soon!! Don't give up on me yet!!

Apologies!!

I must apologize for not updating articles and answering some of your great questions, if you read enough of the back articles I do believe almost all of the questions have been answered but I will get to them. After next week, the things in my personal life that have been keeping me hoping should be slowing down and I can dedicate more time to the "extras" that currently right now just aren't on the agenda!! Hang tight I will return!!

Preferred Customer Enrollment!

If you missed the deadline for enrolling your clients for the Winter PCP Look Book, I have good news to share with you!! Message from www.marykayintouch.com LOOK ENROLLMENT EXTENSION! The enrollment deadline has been extended until Monday, November 19th at 11:59 PM CDT.

Happy Veteran's Day

NJ Branch Closed

Northeast Branch Closed Published 10.30.12 Due to severe inclement weather, the Northeast Branch is closed. Please check back later for more updates. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Prayers for Everyone

Just a Little Longer

Stay patient with me, I think I can see light at the end of the tunnel!

From Marykay Intouch... My Customers

We’ve received a lot of feedback lately regarding the issues you’ve experienced since the recent launch and updates made to myCustomers℠ and Customer Delivery Service. We apologize and invite you to view this important message from Darrell Overcash, President, Mary Kay U.S. The video is posted on intouch, so check it out. and I totally agree with him, it has been a pain to negotiate the new system... so glad they are working on it.

I have been MIA - but still here!! Patience Please

To SoCalGrl89 -- I am very sorry, I will be replying to you very soon.. Hadn't been on the site since 9/30!!

So! I got the new cream eyeliner. Phil and I put it on then tested it at the club. Good stuff. It held up on the sweaty dance floor and everything. No irritation/flaking/smudging. I like this type of liner so much better than pencil or liquid, even good ones. It's easier to apply with precision, and it stays put until you take it off with eye makeup remover.

HAPPY 49TH MARY KAY!!

from very humble beginnings to where we are today, the dream carries on...

Remember

Reader's Question!

I think this is a good question so I am going to give you what I believe is the correct answer and then try to verify it. The question follows:

Next month I enter T status. If I decide to stay inactive for the rest of the year and sign back up with someone new will my Propay and website still be availibke to me?

To my knowledge the answer is yes. We pay annually for Propay and your website. I know that there are no refunds if you decide not to be a consultant, my only thought would be if you rejoin you would have a new consultant number and we access our website manager and propay thru intouch so Mary Kay may need to make an adjustment when you receive your new consultant number.

I will see if I can find out more --- but if you sit "t" status for 6 months and got your website and propay they same month you joined the company, chances are the would be up for renewal about the same time you are able to rejoin. If that would be the case, I would like to remind everyone that when you rejoin even with the 2nd chance option, you are treated as a brand new consultant so all the offers are available to you so that would mean the website would be half price for the first years.

Happy Labor Day To Our Readers!

The New Timewise Repair Line... Results!!

I love the new timewise repair skin care line, it works wonderful and the packaging is ezquisite!! Feedback from my clients has been all good... sharing a picture I saw with an actual mk user!

Career Car Changes!!

Update: Mary Kay Career Car Program
Published 08.10.12

The Chevy Malibu, the car option currently offered to Grand Achiever qualifiers and requalifiers, has been redesigned for 2013, and with that redesign comes a significant price increase. So, effective October 2012, we’re changing the car reward option for Grand Achievers from the Chevy Malibu to the Chevy Cruze sedan. The cash compensation option remains the same, up to $375 per month. All other Grand Achiever requirements and guidelines remain the same, and there are no changes to Cadillac or Premier Club.

Although this transition means a smaller car, we’re excited to tell you that the Cruze comes with equipment upgrades you’ve never seen on a Grand Achiever car. Check out the specs and our list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for all of the details on www.marykayintouch.com!

Product reviews, long overdue!

Okay! I have been busy but jeez you'd think I'd remember to pop in and do these. I'm a dork. Anyway! Here we go. Two of the new eyeshadows: Truffle and Gold Coast. Both are shimmery, which is my personal preference. I swatched the on my arm without primer because I was eating dinner and opening mail at the same time lol. These two shades are both lovely. Gold coast is what it sounds like, a shimmery gold, but it's a flattering wearable gold, not like disco queen gold lame' for your eyes or anything. Truffle is a deep brown, as if dark chocolate had shimmer and shine. It can be a liner or crease color to go with many other shades. One of those go to colors. When I went to take the swatches off my arm, they didn't just rinse off. They have good staying power. Lash Love mascara: It looks nice and gives a pretty generous coat. One thing: if your eyes are watering, do the waterproof mascara instead. Excess tears will lift it off your lashes. If you aren't having any problems, wear it with no worries and when you're ready to remove it, you won't have to rub and scrub to get it off. The standard MK waterproof mascara remains my favorite. I have allergies. This stuff stays put until I am ready to take it off with the oil free remover. It does not get hard and crunchy; in fact, none of the MK mascaras do, and I think I have tried all the types. Thus no drying out of your lashes or extra lash loss. I also bought a full size unscented Satin Hands. I really like the scrub in it. It is equally nice on your body in the shower if you're like me and the sugar scrubs are a bit much for you. I got a tube of eye concealer, Ivory 1. This is a light, yellow based cream concealer. I use it to hide zits and any mosquito bites on my legs as well as under my eyes. It has good coverage and a moist feel. Once it dries it is not sticky or conspicuous. To blend it in, pat-pat-pat with your fingertip or a makeup sponge. Let dry for a second, then powder over it. I like to put the concealer on after, not before, my foundation. I get better coverage this way. And the colored lip gloss. I tried a sample set and all the shades are lovely. My favorite is the red one. It's a wearable red, not one that makes you self conscious. But it has a good dose of glamor to it all the same. I think this pretty well catches me up with the MK purchases of new things I've tried over the past few months. I'm still contouring with the matte bronzer. Everything else in life is going well. Two healthy kitties, one healthy fiance, and three jobs. XD Phil's been awesome and after two years together we decided to do it. We're headed to the courthouse in April. hooray!

Olympic Gold Medalist Wears Mary Kay!!

THIS IS GREAT!

Sapphire Seminar Director Debuts

I borrowed this picture from one of my director friends because I thought it was a great angel. These are the directors who debutted at the Sapphire Seminar for 2012! Looks like a great group!

2012-2013 Seminar Year Begins

It is going to be an amazing year as we move to our 50th Anniversary!!

Happy 4th!!

Just in!

Because of the severe storms and power outages effecting so many, the Company is extending month end/year end deadlines!! woo hoo - what a company!!

*** - It's official!! ORDERING has been extended for June until Midnight tomorrow SUNDAY!!

What to do? And Our Company!

I thought this was worth front page. One of our readers made a little oopsie when placing her product order resulting in her not receiving a discount on her order. Upon realizing she asked her and because I just haven't been able to be here as often as I like didn't get her answer in a timely matter. She, smart cookie that she is she did the best thing. She called the Company directly and received her answer and was very pleased. I will paste below the comments for you and really appreciate her sharing this information with us.

I want to EXPRESS that whenever you have a question, please do not take an answer off of a blog. It may be right, it may not.. Double check everything on your wwww.marykayintouch.com site or as this reader did call the Company.

When in doubt, check it out. Better safe than sorry and it never hurts to ask.

From our reader:
I'm fairly new and before my three months were up I made small orders and they added up to the $200 but not $400.
I just put in an order of $200 NOT $400 so I didn't get the discount.
Is there anything I can do about that? Or will I have to just order again and learn from this experience? (I hope not I paid a lot out of pocket)

Replies:
That girlJune 15, 2012 9:34 AM
I got my answer :)
I called the company and they were really nice about it :)
They're going to let me order the other 200 as my discount and, of course, only charge the shipping fee :)
I'm beginning to like MaryKay very much :)
This website helped a lot! :)

Warning to All Consultants!

Here we go again!! Please be cautious and always remember,"if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is". The fake orders are starting again. I heard from the Company today-there is another scam/hoax order situation going on. They said the names vary but many of the addresses have been in Michigan. They are using the Customer Delivery Service. Just because they use a credit card and it doesn't decline, doesn't mean it is a "real" order. The credit card could be stolen and you will be out if Propay doesn't catch it! It is sad that this happens but there are alot of dishonest people in this world willing to pray on an excited consultant.. With all the consultants around the Country, most clients look for consultants close to them so please, please, please, protect yourself!

Attention: Kathleen D.

I left you a response, but the answer to your question is that is very unusual, please let us know if you still haven't heard from anyone. There are more good stories than bad ones, the bad ones just tend to be vocal and tell the same stories over and over and over and over. Please read many of the stories here and decide for yourself.

Please keep in mind... some people don't sit by the phone or the computer 24/7 - -we never know what is going on in someone's lifethings can happen that perhaps made it impossible for the consultant to call you back immediately. I hope you have heard from someone! :)

New Terms & Conditions for Our Personal Website

From Mary Kay Intouch:

Mary Kay® Personal Web Site Program and Consultant Locator General Terms and Conditions

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Personal Web Site is a web based tool offered by Mary Kay Inc. ("Company") to active Independent Beauty Consultants for use in the promotion of the Independent Beauty Consultant’s Mary Kay® business. The Independent Beauty Consultant agrees to use the Personal Web Site only for this purpose.
The Consultant Locator is a tool that allows customers and potential customers to search by name or preferred location for an Independent Beauty Consultant on a Mary Kay sponsored web site. The Consultant Locator can link a customer to an Independent Beauty Consultant’s Personal Web Site or provides other contact information. The Independent Beauty Consultant agrees to use information obtained through the Consultant Locator only for purposes of conducting the Beauty Consultant’s Mary Kay® business.
The Company reserves the right to alter, change, update, terminate or otherwise modify in any form or fashion all or any portion of the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site Program and the Consultant Locator.
The Company reserves the right to remove or suspend any Independent Beauty Consultant from the marykay.com Consultant Locator at any time or to remove or suspend any Independent Beauty Consultant Mary Kay® Personal Web Site at any time.
It is acknowledged and agreed that the Independent Beauty Consultant is an independent contractor and is not a joint venturer with, or franchisee, partner, agent or employee of the Company. It is acknowledged and agreed the Independent Beauty Consultant has no power or authority to incur any debt, obligation or liability on behalf of the Company.
The Independent Beauty Consultant consents to the sharing and release of information used in the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site Program through the marykay.com Consultant Locator and/or the On-line Shopping function.
The Independent Beauty Consultant agrees that all information shared by the Independent Beauty Consultant through the Consultant Locator and the Personal Web Site Program (or any other tool or service that may be offered by Mary Kay from time to time) will be true and correct and will not contain any false or misleading information.
The Independent Beauty Consultant agrees that the Independent Beauty Consultant shall be liable for any and all taxes, duties, charges and licenses that may be assessed or levied by any authority relating to or arising out of participation in the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site Program, and shall indemnify and hold the Company harmless from and against any such liability, tax, penalty, interest or other costs.
THE INDEPENDENT BEAUTY CONSULTANT AGREES TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD THE COMPANY HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY LIABILITY, LOSS, COST, CLAIM OR EXPENSE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ATTORNEY’S FEES AND EXPENSES, COURT COST AND COST OF INVESTIGATION) ARISING OUT OF, OR ALLEGED TO HAVE ARISEN OUT OF, THE INDEPENDENT BEAUTY CONSULTANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE Mary Kay® Personal Web Site Program.
Only one Mary Kay® Personal Web Site is allowed per Independent Beauty Consultant.
Requirements for participation in the zip code search through the Consultant Locator are determined at the Company’s sole discretion. The Company reserves the right to alter, change, update or otherwise modify such requirements in any form or fashion at any time without notice. Details on how the Consultant Locator works are located in the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site FAQ section.
It is acknowledged and agreed that the use of Company trademarks in any form of electronic advertising, including the Internet, is not authorized except through Company-approved trademark standardization programs such as the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site Program and the Mary Kay Social Media Guidelines.
Independent Beauty Consultants agree to respect the privacy of every individual who visits an Independent Beauty Consultant’s Mary Kay® Personal Web Site and shall use information only for the purposes for which the information was provided and for no other purpose.
The Independent Beauty Consultant shall comply with any and all applicable laws and regulations regarding the collection, storage and use of information provided to the Independent Beauty Consultant through the Consultant Locator and Personal Web Site Program. Such obligations include compliance with data protection and privacy laws in the jurisdictions in which the Independent Beauty Consultant conducts her business activities.
The Independent Beauty Consultant further agrees to abide by the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site Privacy Statement as well as the Mary Kay® Consumer Privacy Policy, to the extent applicable to the Independent Beauty Consultant.
Before you advertise your Mary Kay business or use any Mary Kay trademarks or trade names on the Internet or in social media (such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace), you should review the Company’s Internet and Social Media Guidelines within the Company’s Legal-ease Guidelines. The Legal-ease Guidelines are available on Mary Kay InTouch® under the Resources and Tax & Legal tabs.

A Question from one of our Readers

SpecialtyCincyMay 30, 2012 5:04 PM

I have a question? Do you ever keep money for yourself or do you always use your profits to purchase more product? I'll interesting in selling MK and I don't want to buy things to sell to buy more things to sell. I'd like to pay my bills?

My answer is absolutely one can make money.. managing it and reinvesting and taking a profit needs to be done properly. There are several articles on here with details but I will work on a new post and have it up soon.

Thank you for your questions... stay tuned!!

Propay/Direct Deposit

From Mary Kay Intouch:

ProPay® and Direct Deposit
Published 05.25.12
Did you know that direct deposit of your commission earnings is available for everyone? Did you also know that you can enroll online with your bank or ProPay® account as a deposit option? Enrollment is quick and easy! With just a few easy steps you can safely and securely manage your funds using direct deposit. . Some of the great benefits of using direct deposit include:

•Assurance that your Mary Kay commission check will not be misplaced, stolen, lost or delayed in the mail;

•No more running to the bank to deposit checks;

•Quicker access to your funds – they’re available in your account the same day your check would have been placed in the mail; and

•Supports Pink Doing Green®

In addition, listed below are just some of the benefits of depositing funds into your ProPay® account:

•You can use the funds to reinvest in your Mary Kay business through Online Ordering by using your ProPay® balance to pay for your Mary Kay® product orders;

•At the end of the year, ProPay® will send you a statement of all activity in your ProPay® account that may help simplify tax preparation; and

•If you have a ProPay® Premium Account, you can use your MK pink CashSM MasterCard (debit card) to spend your ProPay® funds wherever MasterCard is accepted – with no transfer fees!
Don’t have a ProPay® account? Click here to sign up. It’s quick and easy, and you can get started for as little as $13.32!
To get started in the direct deposit online enrollment using your bank or your ProPay® account, please click here.

Still have questions? Please call the Independent Beauty Consultant Contact Center at (800)272-9333 from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday excluding holidays, and select option 9 then option 1 for Consultant Records.

Hope Everyone Enjoyed Their Weekend!!

Loved this!

Very well put!!

What did you Think about the Live MK Event?

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

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

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

My Apology

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

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

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

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

Deadline Reminder!!

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

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

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

First time ever!! Training made easy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OUR MOMS!!

Spring Limited Edition Inventory Update

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

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

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

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

Head Up On Intouch Log In

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

Hi Everyone!!!

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

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

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

Best New Makeup Finds Under $20

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

©Good Housekeeping

Do You Have a Question??

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

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

Just to note...

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

and mark your calendars for intouch maintenance:

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

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

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

Reader Question

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mary Kay Named a Top 20 Brand by Brand Keys

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

The New Botanical Line

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

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

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

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


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

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

Avon - Update

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

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

Updated at 3 p.m. ET:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012 Makeover Contest Coming Soon!

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

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

Independent Sales Force Members:

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

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

Protect Yourself & the Company

Have an Awesome Weekend Everyone!!

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

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

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


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


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

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

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

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

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

NEW! Pages are here!!

Hey all,

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

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

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

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

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

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

THANK YOU!

New Starter Kit Bag

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

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

More pics from the Rock the Runway Event