Mary Kay Myth: Mary Kay is Recession-Proof
Written by SuzyQ
I attended a conference far far away in another state last week and because I work in a field that affects mostly women, there were mostly women at the conference. And because we are women, there was make-up touching-up going on from time to time.
And guess what? No Mary Kay products anywhere. Now granted, I did not accompany every woman to the bathroom, but those who were on my bathroom schedule were observed applying lipstick/gloss.
Notice, I said, we were applying lipstick and gloss in the bathroom. NOT AT THE TABLES. I never understood that practice. Talk about inappropriate social behavior, but, that’s another myth, “Mary Kay women are classy and professional. “
I digress.
Mary Kay is not recession proof. Make-up is, but Mary Kay isn’t. Women use make-up, even in these hard economic times, to boost their spirits. You can see people in the make-up aisles in grocery stores slipping an eye color or a lipstick into the cart along with their other purchases.
There is a huge difference in a Wet’nWild purchase and a Mary Kay purchase. It is much easier to justify Cover Girl or L’Oreal than a miracle set or a lip set. Mary Kay is not any better, it is just more expensive. Those who have money will continue to buy Lancome, Estee, Clinique and Chanel. Those who don’t will spend $3.99 on a HUGE jar of Jergen’s face cream at WalMart.
And guess what? It’s pretty good stuff! Not fancy, but it works.
And the anti-aging stuff? The 94 step MK skin care system with all the supplements? They don’t work. Really. I am being objective here, and have really done some research.
What DOES work is good genes, avoiding the sun, and not aging. Learning how to apply make-up makes a difference, and we are all familiar with the extensive training we get in MK so we can teach people how to apply make up.
So, dear foggettes… you are in hot water insofar as your “business” is concerned. Mary Kay delivers over-priced under-functioning products.
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Comments (18)
Melissa
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That is so true! As an ex-bot I would rather go to Wal-Mart or the grocery store to get what I want then to deal with a Kaybot and/or have to wait for my order. I tried to deal with a friend who is still in the fog but it took her two weeks to deliver the products even though she claimed to have them, could have mailed them as I suggested. Then she tried to get me to have a party ugh! Since then I have used Ebay or a grocery store.
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morningstar
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Nice Post!!
What struck me is the number of MK supplements and manners.
The supplement line is totally out of control with MK. The current beauty book is a mess from a technical standpoint however it does try; separating the lines for young, middle age, gracefully aging, men, with this it creates the aura of “have to haves”. The strategy to promote this huge supplement line for kaybot orders and keep up with the trends. So expensive even at wholesale, it is out of control. This begs the question; How could a sales person from the cosmetic industry (who would be boggled) promote all the items in the line. The reality for the MK seller is they are in the garage, while they are carrying the pleather purse for the 2400 order? Just oppressive to think about. Anyone remember the vitamin sales?
As important it is not cool socially to freshen up at the table, thanks for this manner reminder. In the forties/fifties movies that was dramatic and a different time, and movies.
Top directors will use a beauty blotter at the table (a piece of linen when pressed on skin takes oily shine away). Uh mind if I floss my teeth?
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Copperm3
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As a former MK consultant, I now purchase my make up and skincare at Sephora; they are so much better.
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Trinity1
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Made my first visit there Saturday!! Heaven!!
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Copperm3
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I like the Christian Dior foundation they sell called Diorskin Forever.
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GP
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It is perfectly acceptable etiquette to reapply lipstick or discreetly powder one’s nose at a table. Anything else should be done in the powder room, yes. But to say that MK Consultants are classless for reapplying at the table and that doing so is socially inappropriate is petty and incorrect.
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TRACY
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You’re wrong GP. It is generally considered poor etiquette to do any grooming activities at a dinner table. Lipstick is sometimes okay if done quickly and discreetly, but only with close friends and family. Any other situation… it’s poor etiquette.
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Maggie
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Here’s what Emily Post has to say:
It’s okay to quickly apply lipstick at the table if you’re with close friends or relatives in a non-business situation, and at a non-deluxe restaurant. In general, personal grooming should be done in private for the simple reason that it can be annoying and it’s tacky. But putting on lipstick without using a mirror and without fanfare is one grooming ritual that can sometimes be performed in front of others. Still, think first! When in doubt, don’t do it, such as when you’re at a business meal or with people you don’t know very well.
Personally, I find it tacky. I would have been appalled at any business lunch or dinner if I saw women at the table doing so.
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Tee
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Nice post! I have to agree with you. I have been using mascara for smokey eyes for several years and used two lorreal brands that really agreed with me…right amount of coverage, and gave the bold effect I wanted in my lashes. Then I signed up for Mary Kay and started using their ultimate mascara which was….ok, but way too subtle for me. So I tried lash love mascara and omg, that was terrible! The bristles feel sharp. But, I digress. I kept using the ultimate mascara since I conveniently had a bunch of them for half off retail, but recently got fed up and treated myself –yes treated myself– to my long lost lorreal mascara at CVS. I about shouted and jumped for joy around my boyfriend saying “I had ugly eyes for months, look at how great they look now!” hahaha
My point being… just because you overpay for Mary Kay does not mean its better than drug store brands. Buy what YOU LIKE. In fact, I’d say it’s pretty on par with them as far as make up is concerned.
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Tory
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I must be the only person on this board who doesn’t use expensive beauty products. All my skin care are CVS versions of Neutrogena and Olay. My color cosmetics are from Revlon, Maybelline, and Cover Girl. I’ve never had much money in my life, so I economize where I can, but I must admit I don’t look too shabby!
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gotheart
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MKC contributes to the recession by providing a false plan to earn income, thus causing many people to be in debit.
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Tory
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MK feeds off people’s dreams and breaks their hearts. They prey on women with low self-esteem; those who are trapped in dead-end, low-paying jobs; and those in abusive relationships. These women come to MK hoping it will improve their sad lives but leave worse off than when then came in.
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Copperm3
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So true.
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NoMoMK
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MK cosmetics goes on like its been sitting in an abandoned garage for 20 years. It doesn’t go on smooth and many times the folks wearing it look like overly made up clowns. This stuff should be banned, the chemicals in it are horrible!!!!
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Sanjdhara
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You are right. Make up is recession proof, Mary Kay isn’t. For some reason Mary Kay business did not pick up in India and I heard some news that they have decided to close business in India. From what I know, the reason they have given for closing business in India is regulatory environment. What is the real reason? Is it recession or something else?
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Lazy Gardens
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India has a poor infrastructure for making deliveries (nothing like FEDEX) to potential IBCs.
And perhaps more important, India has cracked down on any form of business that expects participants to make money by recruiting recruit more people to do the same thing … and that’s the essence of an MLM.
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PinkPhoenix
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I was only in Mary Kay for a couple of years but I found it very difficult to sell not only to my friends and family (who purchased mainly to ‘help’ me in my business) but to complete strangers as well. I’d have customers that told me their previous consultant always gave them a discount & others that flat-out told me X product was too expensive and they already found something similar for less elsewhere. My friends that were on a tight budget wouldn’t splurge on Mary Kay and my family members with more ‘upscale’ tastes wouldn’t dream of giving up their prestige brand for Mary Kay either! How can Mary Kay possibly compete with drugstore prices, try-before-you-buy places like Sephora & Ulta, or even eBay where someone can buy their MK at cost and (in many cases) get free shipping? Not to mention you don’t have to deal with a pushy consultant at any of those places! Cosmetics may be recession-proof, but Mary Kay? Not so much.
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enorth
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“How can Mary Kay possibly compete?”
I don’t believe it’s trying to compete. MK is not about selling cosmetic/skin-care products, it’s about selling a dream.
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