Old Mary Kay Foundations

The new Mary Kay foundations are another one in a long line of product changes. Sure, the products need to stay updated. I won’t suggest MK should never change products.

But every time they make a change, consultants are left holding the bag with inventory. The old products are no longer advertised in the Look Book, so if you don’t already have a customer using a particular product (or shade of product), good luck finding a new one customer to buy it.

Yet the advice is often “stock up!” on these discontinued products. You’re getting them cheaper! They’re classics! Whatever the logic, it’s almost always a bad idea because it’s going to be hard to sell the old products.

Here is a Mary Kay document to “help” you with your issues related to discontinued products. But it’s really no help at all. Evaluate your inventory? Thanks, I’ll think about how I’m not able to sell the old products. I’ll learn about the new products from In Touch. Doesn’t help me sell the old stuff. (You’re probably going to have to reduce prices to sell the old stuff, which is going to reduce your profits, of course.)

Talk to your director. That doesn’t help either. All she cares about is how much you’re ordering. And she has her own stash of discontinued products she can’t sell either. And then reach out to customers (remembering, of course, that most consultants have relatively few actual customers).

(Thanks to BestDecision for the pictures and information for this post!)

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42 COMMENTS

  1. They are also raising prices on some of the products as of May 16th. Things like certain primers, sunblocks, the makeup remover, etc. It’s only a couple dollars on each product, but they are urging IBC’s to stock up while the price is still low.

  2. Maybe Mary Kay should implement an exchange program where they will replace any unopened discontinued product, that reps weren’t able to sell, with the new line. Surely, they want their “sales force” stocked with the most updated product.

    Of course, when uniformed consultants realize they are actually the first line RETAIL customers, my suggestion is laughable. But don’t take my word for it, why not suggest it to your upline and MKC?

  3. They’re already outdated “new” formulas, too! They boast 12 hour wear. I can’t think of a brand that doesn’t already have formulas that do so.

    You’re so welcome, Tracy, for the heads up and pictures. Appalling that the same old is still happening in MK even after all this time.

  4. All these suggestions presume that you have current customers who are actively buying the about-to-be-discontinued products. Lots of current customers, who are buying ALL the products in your inventory.

    All these suggestions are based on the “Fake it till you make it” lie.

    • I came across a director on FB selling the soon-to-be-discontinued foundation. I counted 62 foundations in her two photos.

      You have to visit her VIP Facebook page to see the price, which is discounted, no doubt.

      • I don’t doubt there’s that many because she’d want multiples of every shade and in both formulas. What’s interesting is the document above actually shows MK recommending a loss of profit by selling them at a discount. It’s the first time I can recall MK corporate advising anything less than retail. It’s exactly as many of us have said on here!

  5. Give it a rest woman. You have been going at the company for decades. Let it go. Use your energy for something so much more positive.

    • Awwww… I’m so sorry you’re confused. First, it has only been 13 years. I wish it was longer. Second, and more importantly, I’m not “going at the company.” What I’m really doing is exposing MK for what it is: a wolf in sheep’s clothing. This is all about providing information to women.

      I’m happy to report that there were 14,000 sales directors in the U.S. when we started in 2006. In 2019, there are only 9,000. A 35% decrease makes me happy.

      Our goal here is educating women about the the lies and the nonsense. They need to know that this isn’t a business and they are almost guaranteed to lose money.

      I won’t be giving it a rest. 🙂

      • “I’m happy to report that there were 14,000 sales directors in the U.S. when we started in 2006. In 2019, there are only 9,000. A 35% decrease makes me happy. ”

        WTF! R U serious?

        That’s great, let’s drive it to ZERO.

        • That’s a big decrease! 🙂 Hmmm, I wonder how corporate “spins” at Seminar and 2 the directors. They always made a big deal about how many directors there are, how many new consultants, etc. and everyone cheered. I wonder if long-time sales directors are sitting in their seats thinking “those numbers are awful. 2 years ago the numbers were better, Seminar used to be packed,” or if they just don’t see it.
          Surely the NSDs know that numbers are down and just encourage the SDs to recruit more and order more.

          • They have consolidated the Seminar groups, and changed venues to make the crowd fill the seats … hiding it as well as they can.

            • Yeah, it’s kind of hard to hide empty seats in the Dallas Convention Center arena where they’re all bolted to the floor.

              It’s much easier to hide empty seats in the big exhibit hall. You simply count the registrants who showed up then take down whole rows of folding chairs before the stage walks begin.

    • “Use your energy for something so much more positive.”

      What could be more positive and empowering (especially for an accountant) than SAVING WOMEN from financial harm?

  6. I tried the foundation when I was consultant early 2012, the pink cap and Timewise one. Overpriced for mediocre quality. Since then I have found so much better foundations from drugstore and when I want to splurge, I just added some more money and buy Givenchy or Nars.

    MK people has guts to say they are better and cheaper than Estee Lauder/MAC like lol are you serious? I can buy Maybelline products with better quality than your products.

    They are teaching wrong thing about skincare and makeup application too. Can’t believe I trusted them before.

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    • I felt exactly the same! Horrible streaking and mask-like. Bobbi Brown, Tarte, Clinique, NARS…way better foundations!

      • Yes, I love Bobbi Brown Luxe Matte lipstick. Worth every penny. MK,not so much. Might be better to spend money on ELF cosmetics, cheap and good.

        Nobody wants to be approached by stranger, what makes they think this works? If any MK reps approached me for so called opportunity, sorry I am not gonna acknowledge them.

        I am glad I was in for 6 months only lol.

  7. Sephora has one of their big sales going on, and I could blindfold myself and select a better foundation than these!

  8. A true Mary Kay consultant would never push anything onto anyone. Many women in Mary Kay are genuine, kind, and actually care about the people around them and if not this is definitely not the business for you. A lot of people have misconceptions because of certain people they encounter. So, they think everyone as a whole acts that way. Inventory is never and should never be pushed on anyone, it is only a suggestion. The idea of having “your own business” is so you work it the way it best suits you. Once you are comfortable to have an inventory then you only “stock up” on things your customers love and order regularly. I encourage that you educate and maybe talk to others, not everyone is the same. Just because someone encourages you to do something does not mean you HAVE to do it. You can say no. You can sell what you want and however much you want.

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    • Then apparently none of MK’s sales directors are “true Mary Kay consultants” as they ALL push the opportunity, push inventory packages, push attendance at events, etc.

      There are no misconceptions here. Mary Kay is an abusive company that takes advanatge of women with lies and a fake business opportunity.

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    • From Day 1, we were pressured to buy inventory with the Star Consultant program, and that pressure intensifies once you realize, as a Director, that your order or those that you create falsely will increase your bonuses or car status. There is absolute pressure, similar to peer pressure felt by all of us as teens. And orders are actually a requirement for Active status, so I respectfully correct you there.

      Just where are you in the career path right now?

    • “Just because someone encourages you to do something does not mean you HAVE to do it.”

      Marshall Applewhite encouraged people to commit suicide, they didn’t HAVE to do it.

      Victim shaming victim blamer.

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      • Lmao not blaming anyone. Whenever someone you do something that you don’t want to do am driving it does t end well of course we want someone else to blame knowing at the end of the day it is your money. You can do as you please. Buying cosmetics and suicide are two completely different things. Exaywhy you sound ignorant af

      • I just know how I run MY business. And it definitely is not in the ignorant manner that this bs is described. Lol just wanted to shed some light on the fact that not every person is the same. Ever heard of stereotyping because that’s exactly what this page does.

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        • “I just know how I run MY business.” –

          There’s that false premise rearing it’s ugly head again. It’s not “your” business because it’s not a business. All your arguments in support of your “business” hold no merit because you operate on that false premise.

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  9. I once read a post that said “any business opportunity that requires you to give up money is a scam” do you think that people just start up businesses for free. You have t invest in yourself and have others invest in you. It’s clear none of you know anything about business. Very sad. Stay in school guys.
    All this site does is bash company’s for not doing what they expect. So sorry you got “pushed” into spending all your money like you don’t have control over your own life. Easily Manipulated don’t want to blame everybody else for decisions that you made someone really tried to compare this with a rapist suicide when it is not manipulative don’t want to blame everybody else for decisions that you made someone really tried to compare this with rapist suicide when it is not better that at all. Maybe some are pushy but at the end of the day say no and stick to that. Block the person if you have to but why feed into it knowing that’s not what you want. A lot of you women just aren’t strong enough and that’s fine but don’t bash someone else because you couldn’t get the job done. Lmao I can’t wait to see the comments on this one.

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    • Investing in a BUSINESS is wise. Mary Kay is not a business, and that’s the whole problem. It’s an elaborate scheme that has been going on for decades. Nearly everyone loses money in MK, and yet people like you still run around and pretend this is an actual business.

      You say we know nothing about business. Except 20 years ago I started a business and have more financial success than Mary Kay NSDs. Tell me again how little I know?

    • “like you don’t have control over your own life.” Victim blaming.

      “Easily Manipulated” Victim blaming.

      “A lot of you women just aren’t strong enough” Victim blaming.

      “you couldn’t get the job done” Victim blaming.

      You’re so brainwashed, you don’t even know that’s what you’re doing. I don’t blame you… it’s the Mary Kay CULTure that has warped your thinking so that you blame victims of MKult’s manipulations. They programmed you well.

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    • MLMs are not a viable business opportunity – they are designed to move money from the lower ranks of participants to the higher ranks and the company providing the products.

      • So what I’m getting at is y’all can fan voice your opinion and say whatever you want however you want until someone gives the same back to you but disagrees. You want to bash people all day by all means have tf at it. But I’m free to share wtf I want just like everyone on here. Obviously because they keep letting me post. So. Also. I don’t want to be that person but I am definitely not the only one that needs a grammar lesson up I’m here. Sometimes. I just type how I hear it in me head. So what. I’m not writing an essay. I don’t care.

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        • No, Jessica, you don’t get it at all. You said we didn’t know what we were talking about and we made bad decisions, etc. In fact, we’re well versed in the facts of Mary Kay since that is the whole point of this site.

          You can share what you want on your own site. On MY site, you’ll observe certain rules of engagement, or you won’t participate.

  10. Oh and that Sephora bs you keep buying Is required by law to test on animals. Have fun with that. Half the stuff you buy has chemicals that don’t even belong on your face. I rather get scammed and look like a goddess when I’m 80 than pay for that crap and look like a tore up rag.

    • “required by law to test on animals” NOPE: As long as a product uses only ingredients off the list of previously tested things (maintained by the FDA here, and by the EU in Europe), they do not have to repeat the testing.

      There are labs that do this testing, and they are shifting to higher-and higher tech ways to predict what will and will not pass the tests. By the time they reach any live animal testing the ingredient has already been screened with tissue cultures and other methods.

    • Molecular size. Go look it up. Marketing products out of fear (like all topical products are absorbed systemically) is just as wrong as testing on animals, which, by the way, is NOT a requirement of U.S. law. However, it is required by countries like China. My skin care brand is made proudly in the USA, does not test on animals, and is not exported.

      You’re not dealing with poorly educated women on here, little girl. Your sass is very unbecoming.

  11. Your going to continue to see things your way and attack. Lol. Have fun. I have better things to do. Other than Mary Kay and attacking women. The point I was trying to make was that not everyone is the same. But…..lol. I’m going to leave it at that. You guys crack me up. LMFAO.

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