Financial Management

Does MK send out 1099s to everyone? I bought over $4000 in product but my return from MK when I sent my stuff back was arounf $1400. My figures say that I lost over $2000. Do i need a 1099 when I file my taxes this year? or are my calculations good enough?

OK I am a make up lover and just came back from a MK Event. My SD is an awesome person and I mentioned to her, I wanted her to be a mentor. She said I was an answer to her prayers. Can someone tell me HONESTLY is this a good business..

In MK, "mentor" means she's going to show you how to use your credit card to her benefit.

She also said that she "Prayed to for a woman that she could lead.. Or something like that.. Have you heard that before, She wanted me to be a Woman of Courage. I love Makeup and being a beauty Consulant would be a great thing for me. I am a makeup FANATIC... But I am kinda hesistant after finding this website..I went to an event tonight.. 15.00...

She will tell you anything to get you to sign up and buy loads of inventory. That's how she gets paid, not by "mentoring" you.

Let's see, makeuplover...woman of excellence, woman of courage, women of leadership, praying for someone they can lead, praying for someone who will step up to the position of leadership...it's the same tripe we all heard. If you really love makeup, go play at ULTA and Sephora -- have fun with all different brands. Getting sucked into a soul-destroying business and a company that has no problem squeezing the life and money out of you is NOT the way to go. You found this site for a reason -- keep reading. You'll know what you should do. Not a single one of us has to tell you. Promise.

Just remember, getting your family in debt to buy things from Mary Kay that you don't know if you can sell is not courageous, it's irresponsible. (Yes, I'm calling myself and a lot of my good PT friends irresponsible here, but that's exactly how we all felt about ourselves after we realized what we'd done.)

Makeup is fun. But getting to close to your sales director is not a good idea. The things she is saying sound manipulative to me, and that is bound to lead an experience that's emotionally damaging for you, even if you're smart and strong enough to avoid buying product you don't need.

I just told my SD that I wasn't interedted in the business. She replied I guess you weren't that imterested. I can't lie I wanted what she had or what she represented money and success. Then I realized I'm allready a success God has blessed me with life. I'm still a makeup lover and will become a makeup consulant but this just wasn't for me and besides everyone on this site can't be lying. A friend told me she made 1500 the first one. As I'm getting older and pray for wisdom I realize that everything that glitters isn't gold

Sorry meant to type 1500 first month excuse the typos. Not feeling well today

makeuplover...the woman of excellence woman of courage line is flattery to get you to sign on---but you probably figured that out already.

elitism sells in Mary Kay. It's the main course. Its the undercurrent of everything the organization does. They specificaly target the neediness in prospects and then exagerate it, and by mixing in a sustained and targeted attack on your self esteem, you will be constantly reminded that you have NOT arrived at the big girls club.

It's the M.O. Make you feel like you need Mary Kay, and then make you think you need every career level or else you are an unfocused loser.

1500 in a month was sold to friends and family. Same old same old. 40% was what your friend "made". She's likely to already have 2500.00 in charged debt on a credit card also. What she made and what she profited are not the same thing.

I have spent the last two weeks quite frustrated with My mary kay buisness and my sd. She can be downright pushy and I am really not one to be pushed. FIrst it was a 115.00 for the starter kit,25 for the website, then the list of things my SD says i need. I am a single mother that has to pay rent, bills and make 704 strech which is why I got in to mary kay to begin with. Its such a joke to my friends and family my own mother blew off my debut and when I asked why sent me here. Now i know that especilly with the internet that there a good and bad to everything you do but this website is nuts how is it this company still exists if your saying that all these people hate the products, the business ethic and were not making any money, It seems to good to be true the sales pitch my SD seems to be like something she memorized! I never get to speak my concerns and feel like shes hearing me she just returns with if you give up before you get a chance to build your buisness your gonna miss out. But I do know this I am missing something and thats money and quite alot of it and Its not just me I had to friends I recruited that are also not imoressed and me and my best friend signed up together and both feel like ok where is this promised income I have been waiting 2 months and have made for mk 300 but not at all even made money for myself this is crap ansd I am looking for some advice I do have a lot of classes book and my debut was only a couple weeks I am not intereested in a large order I am thinking of ordering as I go would that be ok?

Hi MKNew,

I'm sorry your SD lied to you. It's not going to get any better. You will only lose more money.
Your SD makes a commission off you every time you order. That's it. That's all she cares about. Not you. Not your friends.
I hope you (and your friends) send back your inventory and get your money back.
Also call Corporate and terminate your Consultant #. Otherwise your SD will use it to put more orders in.
Good Luck.

I am a single mother that has to pay rent, bills and make 704 strech which is why I got in to mary kay to begin with. As you have already seen it's just a money pit. The chances of making more than minimum wage are slim, and the chances of losing money is very high.

how is it this company still exists if your saying that all these people hate the products, the business ethic and were not making any money, Until very recently it was difficult for women to compare stories. The were convinced the problem was that they were doing it wrong ... the problem is that Mary Kay is an MLM.

This bitch-fest of a website is opening some eyes!

It seems to good to be true the sales pitch my SD seems to be like something she memorized! It is called a script, and we have a large collection of them.

But I do know this I am missing something and thats money and quite alot of it and Its not just me I had to friends I recruited that are also not imoressed and me and my best friend signed up together and both feel like ok where is this promised income I have been waiting 2 months and have made for mk 300 but not at all even made money for myself Get together with your friends and send your stuff back, pay off what you can and learn from the lesson. It won't get better.

Here's the clue: If they are selling a product, they shouldn't be recruiting you to sell too .. only MLMs do that, not legitimate businesses.

The best thing to do is quit and try finding a real job, where you know exactly what your paycheck will be ... one where you don't have to pay them in order to work.

I have to post because this thread is so one sided. I don't know if I missed how much inventory you said you and your friends bought but you can run things your way! I DO NOT reccomend large inventories! I started with $600 and let it grow as needed. I have even gone inactive (even though I have a team) because I just didn't sell enough that month. You need to think with your own head on this and just because there is a prize dangled doesn't mean you have to buy inventory to get it! If you didn't sell the product then you didn't EARN the prize. I never reccomend keeping colors unless you have a specific customer for it. (IE 2 customers use mocha freeze ALL THE TIME so I keep 3 of them on hand). Other than that I would ONLY suggest to have 1-2 face washes, lotions, mascara, (black) eyeliner. People will say "if they are a real customer they will wait". Please tell me how many of you will seriously wait a week to wash your face again? I do have a full time job but I keep a VERY SMALL inventory for my resale customers. This is not a get rich quick company. If this isnt for you then its not for you and send your stuff back. But just know both sides of the story and make your OWN educated decisions. DONT be pressured. Think for YOURSELF.

lovinlies:
You must be lovin' 'em to buy into 'em yourself.
I urge you to read, read, read here and to remember that this is an anti-MLM site.

Hey Lovinlies,
This thread is not one sided. This is an ANTI-MLM website. We are here to warn women about the dangers of MK and help them get out if that's what they want.
Your Pro-MK post does not belong here.
I am letting you know nicely. Do not post your Pro-MK post here.

Also Lovinlies,
Read the Welcome page. It explains what we're about and the rules for posting here.
Yes, there are rules. Yes, you must follow them.

thanks, ican, for covering it quite politely yet firmly

I'd like to start off by saying, I never have liked the color pink, and I felt something funky from the first time I went to a Mary Kay meeting. I thought the opportunity was a God-send, but I just kept getting this uneasy feeling about it. When my recruiter took me to that first meeting, which seemed phony, I was informed that she had "adopted" into the unit, and that her original Director "doesn't run her business the way we run ours". Go figure. That didn't hit me til I found this site four days ago. I have been learning so much reading this site, that I have TOTALLY boycotted purchasing any of my orders thru Intouch. I would rather pay the extra dollar per item to get things on ebay or discount mary kay dot com than to give that chick any penny in commission through my sales. Also, when I placed my first order, she failed to let me know that i needed to place at least a minimum $400 retail order to qualify for the discount. She was more concerned with trying to convince me to buy inventory. AND SHE ALMOST HAD ME, HOOK LINE AND SINKER!! I got so upset with my husband for not taking out a loan to "support me". I can't thank him and the Lord enough for not going through with that. Anyway, so thank you to the founder of ths website, and thank you ladies for having the courage to speak up, despite the scrutiny and ridicule we may get for "not having enough motivation" or lack of sales. I love the products, and will continue to use them (until they prove not to do the things they have done for my skin), but I will not be representing myself as a Mary Kay consultant....

Thanks Kenpo. :thumbsup:

Purple, welcome to PT
I urge you to keep reading and to consider that even buying the drek at EBAY, though you may be helping some poor soul liquidate inventory, indirectly feeds the pink beast. I suggest a scavenger hunt of sorts wherein you match MK overpriced products with those you can find at any Target or Wal-mart (yep, even Wal-mart. You will be pleasantly surprised Been there, done that. I am confident that you will be able to free yourself 100%.

"This site is not one sided. it is an Anti MLM website"

HMM let me think about that one DUH

Exactly! Now you're beginning to understand!

You missed the point there.

lovinlies,
If you don't agree with this website and it's purpose then why are you here?

I am here because the website is called the pink TRUTH. I want the TRUTH not one sided unfair extremes.

Well, then, you're out of luck. Because that's what MK is - one sided unfair extremes.

"This site is not one sided. it is an Anti MLM website"

That was a misquote. She originally said, "This thread is not one-sided. This is an ANTI-MLM website"

The whole place is meant to show our side. You want Mary Kay's side, there are certainly plenty of places to go.

As far as truth goes, I'd like to ask you a question. With this small inventory, how much are you actually making after expenses? How much time do you put into it?

Please tell me how many of you will seriously wait a week to wash your face again?
Of course we don't wait to wash our faces. We order more before we actually run out. And someone who orders for the first time, obviously already has some other way to wash her face. Your question is giving a distorted view -- waiting for a product is not at all the same as waiting to wash your face.

Lovinlies,

Perhaps your giveaway is in your username....

Maybe you don't want truth. If that's the case, I'd suggest you stop wasting your time here 'cause that's all you're going to hear from the real PTers. BTW, if you really think that what you're reading here is

"one-sided unfair extremes"

you may be either floating on top of that pink cloud inside the Pink bubble OR are dangerously close to getting sucked into the CULT. Like me, you may be a woman in need of some attention, recognition, something to do and some fun....DON'T do it...phone a NON MK friend and take her to lunch. DON'T talk about MK...talk about HER. LISTEN. Buy her a really nice lunch and give her a gift that you paid at least $15 for and expect nothing in return. That will make you feel great! THAT will be fun and it will build up your relationship with your friend and make you feel good inside....maybe one of the things that you're really needing right now.

If you are i need of money, I suggest you go get a real JOB. If you are looking at MK for income, RUN as fast as you can from MK.

Get involved in MK and you'll be out there spending your money on holding parties, samples to give away, free hostess gifts, and hostess discounts will cost you you from your earnings (I didn't say 'profits') and you will be expecting things from other people that you won't get in the time and quantity that you will need....and it will make you angry, frustrated, tired and BROKE....now there's some TRUTH.

I'm just saying....we really don't want to see you get caught in the trap....the thousands of posters on PT are not making this stuff up, so if you really don't want truth, please go away and come back when you do...we'll be here to welcome you with kindness and empathy...

Rachel-
in answer to your questions I PROFIT about $100 a month. Not looking to get rich. I don't spend money on expenses because my customer base either works with me, goes to the same bar as me, or is a relative of the previous. If answering a text for something they need then I spend about how many seconds per order received. My expense to ship a new order is about all I got there. BTW IMO your answer is giving a distorted view.

Let me explain something. I hate the scripts. I hate the half truths. I hate the attitude when you aren't giving into the "why didnt you sell bs from my SD" MK has become quite greedy. I personally would love to see change. I don't go to meetings, I dont go to events, I don't hold parties. I am not PRO PINK MK cloud but I am not ANTI MK so that leaves me ....????

Well girlfriend "that leaves you" completely confused!

Seems to me you need something more to do because you're only here to stir something up.
We've seen your kind many times before!

"...so that leaves me..."

Making money for your upline. Your Recruiter, your SD, even your National gets a commision off every order you place. Also Corporate loves you- they're getting their cut as well.

Welcome to every business everywhere.

No, lovinlies (what an appropriate handle), most people get paid for working so hard. In MK, you don't. You like MK -- you like the money you say you make. You insist you aren't injured by it. Great. This isn't your site. This is for those recovering from pain from MLMs, specifically MK but many others, or for those truly seeking the truth to determine if they should get out. You aren't, as shown clearly from your posts. You are perfectly happy working for a company that sucks out and destroys women's souls. Yay, you. Move on.

We all need to IGNORE lovinlies.

No more responses, just ignore her. When you see her posts, don't read them. When she sees the light (whick is NOT pink) she will need to change her username to get read. I personally don't want to hear what anyone who professes to love lies has to say.

Outofthepink, what?

You may personally not want to hear what she has to say, and you may not want to respond. But many of us here prefer to respond so that lurkers hear what we have to say to ridiculous arguments such as hers.

PLEASE don't tell members what to do!

Welcome to every business everywhere.

Just in case you are thinking that you "have a business", Lovinlies, I hate to break it to ya, but you don't. You are merely an undervalued representative of a reprehensible con artist company.

lovinlies - If you can present verifiable facts to disprove any statement on this site, please do so. That statement will be corrected.

Does MaryKay.com or the upline give the statistics on how many consultants never sell their initial order? Do they give data on what the expenses of a director are? Do they explicitly explain charge-backs, minimum order requirements to get the discount, and the 12-month rolling window for product returns?

OH NOES!!! They iz wun-sided too!

duped,

I'm sorry...i won't do that again...really didn't mean to offend anyone

No offense taken! ((Hug))

I'm very glad...

Hello! I am a new MK consultant (for the moment, anyway) and a brand new registrant here on PT. I am not sure how to post, so I am going to just start writing...

I have been out of a job since my husband died exactly 2 years ago. I've been depressed, of course, and no matter how much I do, I can't seem to find a job. "Keep networking" everyone says. I know that they are right, but I'm shy (at first)But, I finally went to a Breakfast for Women Helping Women (in business, etc) and while getting out and doing that was probably a good thing, I immediately fell prey to the Mary Kay lady. I know that MK is an MLM, but I also know (or thought I did) that people DO make money that way, if they are upline. You just have to (literally) swim upstream. I have a pretty good BS detector, so I was able to seperate the obvious scripts from what she was improvising or really believed. I really thought I was such a skeptic that I could listen to her Sh** and sort of scientifically observe it. I was even willing to part with a small amount of money (I have no kids to feed) to carry on this fasinating experiment, because I was so lonely and she was paying attention to me and acting like an actual friend.
I went to her huge, like million dollar, house and sat up in her Mary Kay decorated loft while she "borrowed my face." I have always liked MK products, so I knew that I was going to buy the 100.00 set of the new Timewise or Timewarp or whatever the skin care basic line is called this season, so when I saw that it was the same price as the starter kit and LO and BEHOLD, exactly what I wanted was included, anyway, along with some other stuff, I figured I was pulling one over on her!! So, I signed up. BUT listen to this! I had left the house without my wallet. (not on purpose)Something I had told her the minute I walked in, because I was also out of gas, without a penny in my pocket! So when she signed me up, she trusted me to call her with the info when I got home and actually lent me 5 dollars for gas! She also gave me (most unwillingly, I know now) her own special gift for joining. A kit with different kinds of scent on one end of an aplicator and lip gloss on the other, all in a pretty box. She sort of flung it to me at the very end, like "so long, nice gift"
So I left her house with a MK bag full of stuff that I was going to get anyway, a couple extra face washes and 3 in 1 creames, samples, books, teaching stuff and several mirror demonstration kits, samples of various kinds and at least 8 new mineral powder foundations (mostly very dark)but a couple I can use.
Little did I know, though, that really and truly, she had hooked me. When I got home, I immediately called her and gave her all my info (she was flabbergasted that someone could be so honest! Kind of insulting! BUT If I only knew then what I know now!) I listened to the CD's, went online and bought a website (does anyone know if I can get out of that? or what I should do)and the brainwashing commenced in earnest. When I looked at those stacks of inventory in the pictures, I wanted them so bad! even though I knew for a fact that women are almost conditioned to wait for their Avon or Mary Kay. What's this stuff about instant gratification? Then I started to compare the different levels and the products in them and their "bonus" deals. When I was finally able to even find a price list in all that material I had, the "wholesale" stacks of stuff didn't look like twice as much as you would get retail. (how many of you have seen the original movie "The Manchurian Candidate?" I kept going in and out of this (pink?) fog and reality would set in. then I would remember something else she said and off I'd go again.

On the training CD I got, the woman says that all of the product you are allowed to return for 90%, is destroyed. "Would YOU want product that has been sitting in someone elses house or trunk?" Well, when you sell it to someone, where else HAS it been besides in your house or car??! That one thing...that the stuff is destroyed...was my rubber innertube. I hung on to that, because it was such an obvious lie. I mean, come on, it is AT LEAST given out by National Directors to their housekeepers at christmas!! LOL
This has gotten really long, and I have real errands to run (not MK)but I am so happy to have found you. BTW I found you by looking for MK on EBAY. My SD said ebay was a big no no, so of course,I looked and I wrote to one person who was selling it to ask some questions. She was, like so timid and scared! but she told me about you guys and I thank her for that. I told my SD (or whoever she is) that I had no interest in any prizes or free product, I only needed income, badly! She was very surprised that someone wouldn't want say free face cream, but like everyone here says...I NEED A JOB. I wish i could find one

Hey Lovinlies,

Wherever I have worked, I have always been paid. I have also never gone into debt from any other job I've had.

Hello Pawdeb,

Welcome to PT.
Wow. Your SD is a true vulture. If I understand you right - you have a Starter Kit but have not ordered Inventory yet. Is that right?

icanbecomesane ,

I went into about $1000 worth of debt and paid that off within 6 months. I opened a new credit card just for inventory. Mary kay has paid off all my stupid credit cards that I maxed out in college. Now I only have my student loans to pay off too. I have been with this for 2.5 years. I don't do parties. I guess I am an exception to the rule but please don't underestimate me.

I have to say that I am sitting at work (where they actually pay me) and reading all of these posts and at the same time wishing I would have found this 2 years ago. I had a huge cloud of guilt over me for so long. Feeling guilty about spending the time and money that I should have been spending with my family. Feeling guilty when my director tells me that I need to do for myself if I want to do for my kids. This was immediately after I was crying while telling her of a serious problem with my son which had kept me away from meetings. She still had the nerve to tell me to think of myself first (meaning keep ordering product and smiling like an idiot), because if I am not happy, how could my son be happy. I am so mad right now I could scream! Anyway, thanks to all of you for saying things that I wanted to say for so long.

Awwww, Lightshade, I am sooooooooo sorry.

But I'm glad you found PT. You won't believe the compassion and understanding you'll get here. I just escaped from the trap. Like you, I experienced a lot of guilt...I hope you are free from that...learning about the depth of deception and manipulation you were under...when you wanted good things for your family...will hopefully help you.

Read a lot of the posts....especially go find
"Soar LOOSER"...read that one from the first post....be prepared to LOLROF!

Oh, I already read that beauty of a post. Although it took me awhile with all of the misspellings and ramblings. Anyway, my husband and my SD actually knew each other first, which is how I met her. They were in the same line of ork, which takes 4 years of college, plus an internship. My SD actually gave up a really good job and her certification to do MK full-time. My husband was mortified. He said "what if it doesn't work out?" "she will have to do her internship and the exam all over again??!!" I just smiled and said, well, she really wants this and believes in it! And my SSD is a VERY well known one in the Diamond seminar and she is even full of more crap. Ugh! My husband was right when he told me to stop drinking the kool aid - don't tell him I said that!

same line of "work" that is

Lightshade:

Wow, I've said this before..."when we think they've sunk as low as they can go..." That's woman's lower than pond scum.

There's been so many stories like yours - of directors saying similar things when people are tending to critically sick children or parents, or even when a loved one dies. All this "life" stuff that threatens to put the skids on their personal financial goals is just too damn inconvenient for them!

Just keep reading, and welcome!

"Life happens...go to your party place"

How ridiculous is that?

Well, I can tell you one thing....my party place is not an MK party, its a glass of red wine and a cheesy reality show!

Pawdeb "On the training CD I got, the woman says that all of the product you are allowed to return for 90%, is destroyed. " ... No, it is not. I have a picture of product one consultant received in her order, with the old consultant's stickers still on the bottles.

Return the starter kit, cancel the contract, and buy from Craigslist or eBay if you want the products.

GETTING JOBS: Submit an application to EVERY temp agency in your town. They are always looking for people who can do quick-notice and short term stuff, and that leads to longer assignments and then you have a work history and it gets easier.

Thank you LG! Good advice. Do I have to return the kit? I did pay for it and she said it was non refundable.
Can I trust her to cancel my contract or should I call some one else in the company?

Pawdeb - Your SD will not, and can not cancel it for you.

Click the "Return Inventory" tab and call that number. (972) 687-6300

Ask for "Purchasing" or anyone who can cancel your order ... tell them what you want. If the starter kit stuff is unopened and it's been less than (I think) 30 days, you can send it back too.

eeeuuuuu on the recycled product......not that we "retired" IBCs, SDs are gross or anything...but MKC doesn't know that....that ought to be reported to FTC....

Lovinlies,
You have a new credit card for your inventory. Do you pay it off each month?
As long as you have MK debt, you are not making a profit.
I am sure you could be successful at whatever you choose. I keep asking questions because MK is set up for 99 out of 100 consultants to fail.

the reference i just made about "recycled/returned produst" was from "Lazy Gardens" post 3 or 4 before......seriously gross/dangerous potential......Soooooooooooooo glad to be OUT....

Yes after I paid off that card it has not been used since. The little inventory that i have has been bought with profits. I have no MK debt just student loan debt :-( stupid me for not going to a school where I got a HUGE discount because my mom worked there...noooo i choose the overly expensive private school! Booo me lol

(in fact the card it literally in my boyfriends wallet so I don't buy any coach purses while we are trying to save to buy a new house!) dang responsibility!

Yes, you can make a few (very few) bucks here and there with MK. But you are supporting a company whose mission is to deceive women, and which causes unbelievable destruction to thousands of womens lives every year.

Lovinlies, do you lie to yourself about that as well?

hmm paying off $4000 worth of credit card debit in 2 and ahalf years seems sooo little to me. You make me laugh.

credit card debit

When you charge on a credit card, it is a debit. What you owe is debt. I'm laughing too.

I notice you are ignoring the moral implications of supporting a corrosive company...interesting.

Oh, Dupie, you know . . this one is soooo much smarter . . .
I'm not laughing.

Well Lovinlies, You seem determined to continue in MK. I can not wish you good luck because the company causes so much debt and destruction.
You do not want out of MK and you seem to want to continue to tell us how great you think MK is.
Please go to a Pro-MK website and post there. Your posts do not belong here.

Pawdeb, I know just what you mean. Plenty of us are pretty smart, and thought we could separate the B.S. from the grains of truth. But it's harder than you realize. Some of the things they say makes sense, we've heard them before in contexts where they do work, and we don't realize they aren't going to work in this, because the whole system is set up in a way that guarantees failure for most who really try.

Your starter kit can be returned for a full refund IF you haven't used anything in it. If you've used it, you can't return it.

hmm paying off $4000 worth of credit card debit in 2 and ahalf years seems sooo little to me.

Wait, if you are making $100/month profit, how did you pay off $4000 in 2 years? $100/month is $2400 in two years. Since some of what you were paying was interest, it took significantly more than $4000 to pay down a $4000 balance. I'd say at least half of that was paid off with income from your real job.

If customers fall into your lap, and you never buy stuff you don't need (which means, at the beginning, don't buy stuff you haven't already sold, since you can't know yet what you need), and you can really not listen to those in authority who keep trying to encourage you to go for more, and you don't try to have parties, now matter how much you're told that's what you have to do to make money at it... you can probably make the pocket change (and yes, $2400 in 2 years is pocket change) without a ton of effort.

For most of us, enough customers to keep active don't fall into our laps. We have to work hard at getting them. And many of the SDs are very good at talking us into trying to do more with it than we ever intended, especially if we're working hard at it anyway.

We have good reason to warn people not to get caught up in that, and no reason at all to encourage people to have customers fall into their laps. That will either happen, or (more commonly) won't. If it does, there's every chance that good fortune will get people excited to work at it and make even more, and that is what we need to warn people about. The warning is the important part of what we do here.

Telling people the obvious -- that if people just like the stuff & come to you for it, you can make a little extra on the side, just isn't part of our mission here. What we need to tell them is that for most people who do Mary Kay, that isn't what happens.

We have good reason to warn people not to get caught up in that,...

...there's every chance that good fortune will get people excited to work at it and make even more, and that is what we need to warn people about. The warning is the important part of what we do here.

Bravo, Rachel! You could not have stated our mission any clearer.

And way to break the numbers down. They just don't add up. So, Lovinlies, we will ask you to pony up your Schedule C, as we do for all posters with wild claims, be they large or small. We have found that in most cases, those who post claims of income are typically not looking at the whole picture, or are purposefully not sharing all of the details.

PinkTruthers, I ask ya. Why does Lovinlies care about our helping women understand about the manipulation that is rampant in Mary Kay? It makes no sense that she would be perturbed, as she claims that she has not been sucked in to such manipulation...

I don't go to meetings, I dont go to events, I don't hold parties. I am not PRO PINK MK cloud...

Here's the answer. Women like Lovinlies are irritated that we poison the pool of potential recruits.

I want the TRUTH not one sided unfair extremes.

I have even gone inactive (even though I have a team)...

It always comes down to the real deal. Recruiting. THAT is the primary product that they peddle. The physical product is just the lure.

to Dupie, Rachel, and ican!

Roger that....duped....

ya hit the nail on the head....PT is raining on the MK charade, uh, parade....

Good one, Outofthepink!

Well said Rachel and Dupie!

OOTP - The Mary Kay Charade - Good Job! :thumbsup:

Lovinlies,
I truly believe that if things were the way you say they are between you and MK, you would not be spending your time on this site. That leaves me with:
- You are just wanting to cause a commotion and get some attention, or
- You have doubts in the back of your mind that made you come to this site, but it is too hard to admit that maybe you really aren't making any money at all.

If its the 2nd scenario, keep reading. And start really tracking your expenses - all of them. Paying off $4000 of debt in 30 months is great, but I am VERY skeptical that the funds you used to do that were actually MK PROFITS. Now I am not saying you are lying, I think you could actually believe you are making money.

On the other hand, I wonder how you built such a good customer base that you are selling over $200 retail each month just to people you know through the bar, work, or friends. Really? That doesn't fit any other IBC that I know - everyone STRUGGLES to find and build a base of consistent repeat customers.

Kenpo, Right backatcha!

I wonder how many of us went into it even though we saw the inconsistancies and cult-like behavior. And how many of us went into it as a favor to someone (like a relative), went to the meetings, heard the lies, got sucked in anyway. How many of us saw the blatant hypocrisy and reasoned we could still make money and not allow ourselves to become those hypocrites.

Thing is, that's the only way you can ever make a buck in MK. Hypocrisy.

Like all of you other PT'rs I consider myself to be an intelligent woman. I knew it was a scam. I knew I could not afford to lay out a lot of money. I did it anyway, bought a nice piece of furniture in which to display my "store", bought a buttload of schedule 2 samples and support stuff, got the website, and while my credit card was still hot from all this realized... what the HELL did I just do?

It was effortless. Scarily effortless. THAT is why this site is so vital, and why you all have to be pretty merciless to the people like lovinlies.

It's like a 24/7 online intervention, and I for one am so grateful it's here, and that you ARE merciless. But for all that, you are also incredibly supportive and helpful.

SO Lovinlies: read, read and read some more. Think about what you are doing. Be brutal and really examine your finances with a jaundiced eye. You will find you've not only been scammed by experts, you've been scamming your own self.

To: Pink Truth – Mary Kay Spring 2010 Products

How I appreciate what you ladies (and gents?) have done. I was a potential MK customer, until today. I came upon your site when I did a search for why my new tube of Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream has a different scent than my old tube, which had a nicer scent.

Several months ago I received a small tube of Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream from a MK party hosted by my daughter-in-law, getting ready for her wedding. She got a free gift for hosting the party and I won a tube of body lotion. The consultant was so polished and hyper and I couldn’t figure how she could make any money doing this; there were only the bride to be, her mother and grandmother, and my daughter and myself. I think the grandmother of the bride-to-be bought something, but I saw a big waste of time and sample product. Must be kind of like putting nickels into a slot machine – maybe this time?

Anyway, recently I rediscovered the small tube of Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream in my vanity cabinet (the bride to be had given it to me, she thought it was my sample, I said it wasn’t, she said keep it anyway). When I put it on my face it felt so smooth and smelled nice and I used it sparingly for several weeks until it was almost gone. I liked it so much I wanted more, so…

Today I phoned a MK consultant (who is a friend of my daughter), a wonderful young mother with a great family, and a member of our church. I remembered her letting my daughter host a party of her own last year – it consisted of myself and three of my daughter’s girlfriends (my daughter was only 1. The consultant provided snacks, her dining table, her time, and her samples. I bought a tube of lip stuff. My daughter wanted to be a consultant. I told her I didn’t think she could make a living like that.

Anyway, back to my Extra Emollient Night Cream. Our friend the consultant said she had a tube in stock so I drove over and bought it. She said it is also good for my elbows, hands, knees and feet. So on the way home I rubbed some into my elbows. It didn’t have the same scent I loved so much. When I got home I decided to search online to see if I got a different type or why it had a different scent. While I was looking this up I rubbed some more into my elbows. The backs of my hands. My heels. Toes. Feet. Legs. Knees. Arms.

My search brought me to your site and I was captivated by your stories and comments. I started to worry about our friend the MK consultant, how much this might be putting her nice little family into debt, and if she’s figured it out yet. While I worried if I should talk to her about this I rubbed more Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream into my throat, and more on my elbows. And my heels. And my toes.

When I finished reading all the posts I went back to a link entitled “What is Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream made of?” It stated the following:

Ingredients: petrolatum, mineral oil, paraffin, beeswax, candelilla wax, hydrogenated soy glyceride, fragrance, carnauba wax, stearic acid, propylparaben, butylparaben, menthol, d&c red #17.

Then I looked up “petrolatum” and found an article entitled “What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You.” It stated the following:

Petrolatum is a petrochemical that contains two well-known carcinogens: Benzo-A-Pyrene and Benzo-B-Fluroanthene. It prevents the skin from taking in oxygen or respiring waste. It is used in hand and skincare products to form an occlusive barrier on the skin (again, preventing the skin from doing what it is meant to do, detoxify).

I thought I remembered the MK consultant at my daughter-in-law’s wedding party pitching how Mary Kay uses only safe, natural ingredients, not like some other products that contain ground up almond shells that cut your face up like shards of glass, or something like that. So, does Mary Kay use safe, natural ingredients? Petroleum is, in fact, a natural product – it’s natural, alright, but is it safe to rub into my skin? It’s a carcinogenic fossil fuel. Fossil fuels, like, coal, lignite, petroleum and natural gas are non renewable natural resources.

So much for the foolery (lies) of advertising. Many natural substances are unsafe. Like strychnine. And petroleum.

So I just finished taking a long, hot shower, to scrub all the petroleum and other stuff out of my face, throat, elbows, arms, hands, knees, legs, heels, toes and feet.

And I drank a tall glass of water with ice cubes and a splash of lemon juice.

And wondered if I should ask our friend the consultant if she is drowning in debt, and if she is aware of the impact of the ingredients of products her entire family is probably using.

I love you guys.

Thanks for your support!

And tell your friend the consultant what you know. The only reason most of us got screwed over doing Mary Kay is because we didn't KNOW what was going on behind the scenes...we believed what our mentors were telling us, and it's the lies of omission that have built the mary Kay empire. So tell her...she doesn't know what she doesn't know.

Oh man, I used the St Ives apricot scrub for years and liked it. Then I got the MK script (from my sister, the recent MK convert who was just parrotting what she'd been told) that it was all these little knife-like shards of shells that were subtly and relentleslly destroying my skin and it all sounded so plausible.

It all is just so much snake-oil. Layer after layer of chemicals presented as women's best friend.

Gah.

Hello Seriously,
Yes, Absolutely ask your Consultant friend to check out Pink Truth.
Just like Raisin says - We believed our Sales Directors and did what they said. Unfortunately they were lying and only looking out for themselves.

Yes, there are MANY healthier and safer brands of cosmetics available.

So glad you checked it all out.

I wonder if lovinlies has browsed around the site and read that many countries in the world will not even allow corpses like MK to operate legally. MLM's are against the law in many places on the planet. A good thing too. Also, why did she choose such a screen name as that if she wasn't "lovin the MK lies?"

Thanks to everyone who responded to my initial post. I was able to get away with just the starter kit (some of which I have used )but the only reason I was able to resist is because I have recently gone broke. Just a year ago, I probably would have gone whole hog, wanting to show off and fit in with such superior ladies who lunch. But now, I see that my SD's huge,beautiful house was surely bought by her attorney husband, and she rattles around in it all alone.

Regarding getting out. I wrote to her and said I just couldn't do it and she was very nice about it. I asked her what I should do about my "contract" and website, etc and she said to just keep the kit (remember, I wanted to buy the Timewise kit for 99.00 anyway)and give the other stuff away. Or sell it on ebay!! If I ever changed my mind, to give her a call. I have not gotten a call or e-mail in 3 days! I was prepared to be stalked for a year! I can only imagine that she saw me as non-compliant from the start and she didn't need the hassle...since, for her, customers DO seem to fall in her lap (at least according to her daily emails) Or maybe she didn't like my idea of parties for gay men who like to club hop in drag. My hairdresser was very disapointed when I quit!!

Anyway, thanks to PT, I didn't go into debit (sic,) which I surely would have done otherwise. How does that Elton John song go?

"Someone saved my life tonight,Sugarbear (?word)
You almost had your hooks in me,
didn't ya dear?

...you almost had me roped and tied -

pretty appropriate, huh?

Hey Pawdeb, I am glad that you didn't get "roped" into getting a credit card, bank loan, or hitting up your family. These are the "business advice" tidbits that SDs often strongly suggest.

...for her, customers DO seem to fall in her lap (at least according to her daily emails)
Highly doubtful. I have not heard one SD or SSD here at PT ever say that their customers fell in their laps. They had to constantly work at it, usually way more than forty hours a week. They were constantly on the lookout for a new face/recruit. They spent family time in their pursuit, and even schlepped their stuff on vacations. They will tell you that every waking moment was spent on the phone, stalking the malls, or worrying about their "business". And yeah, many who look successful often have a DH who foot the bill for production quotas, seminars, and that fancy house they put up as proof that MK is the solution.

Join us on the discussion boards!

So glad you didn't go into "debit"!

I remember going through a "financial management" training with my director where she outlined the 60-40 split. She had the audacity to say that if we didn't put 50% of our profits right back into more inventory, that it was technically EMBEZZLEMENT! I was shocked.. isn't this MY business? Can't I do whatever I want to do with MY money?

Ugh. I am so glad to have made the decision to be done with MK. I already feel like 100 lbs have been lifted from my shoulders.

I remember going through a "financial management" training with my director where she outlined the 60-40 split. She had the audacity to say that if we didn't put 50% of our profits right back into more inventory, that it was technically EMBEZZLEMENT!

Financial management...in Mary Kay. Now that is an oxymoron if I ever heard one!

Let me get this straight, the training outlined the 60-40, but you were supposed to put back 50? Another dingbat SD! Can't even get her own bullshit straight.

Mary Kay is a business. Businesses don't run by going deeply into debt. I have a fabulous director who says over and over if you do not sell it do not buy it! She speaks out against debt, and never pressures. From the stories I have read hear I am so thankful for her. I can not imagine being under a director always pressuring me to go more and more into debt. For me my husband is my anchor. Together we look at what God says about money. Debt is bad. "The borrower is slave to the lender." He reminds me that no matter how neat the new product, I should never go in debt for it. This is what keeps us going. I put small amounts of time in and get small profits. Good godly business practices are a must, Mary Kay is not able to produce profits from nothing. What work you put in and the debt you avoid is imperative.

Pattie, hon you really need to sit back with a cup of coffee and read more. I'm happy for you that MK "works" for you, but it is NOT a Godly company. There is deception around every corner.

Hey Pattie,
If you're not getting scammed - that's good.
Your situation is RARE.

Yeah, but Pattie is still supporting the Pink Pestilence, thru buying or selling or whatever "Godly" actions she is fogged herself into

I am sorry, I am not claiming that Mary Kay business is godly. I honestly don't know others motives or business principles. I only know my own and those of my director who is a good friend. I was saying looking at the Bible for godly business principles and applying them to my business. Not that MK provides those out right. I don't really know one way or the other about the national corporation.

Here's the thing Pattie. You and your director may be operating with pure intent. I can assure you Mary Kay the company is not. Please consider looking into what you don't know about the corporation. Read the information this site provides. What you find out will be appalling. Are you sure you really want to be a part of that?