Mary Kay: I'll Take That Lipstick With a Side of Lies, Scams, and Misdirection

Recently I wrote a scathing post about MLM marketing schemes that focussed primarily on the Lia Sophia Jewelry company. I had chosen to illustrate the MLM problem using Lia Sophia because I had attended one of their parties the night prior to posting.

Everything I wrote in that post about MLMs was accurate, but, to be fair, I should point out that Lia Sophia has received a lot less negative press than the mothership of all MLM marketing scams: Mary Kay. The website www.pinktruth.com does a good job summarizing horror stories of what it's like to work for Mary Kay.

I've been stalked by the Pink Cougars at the mall on several occasions, "Oh you look pretty--do you want to be a model?" (Translation--come to my skincare show where I will bombard you with products and recruit the hell out of you). I find them to be pushy, obnoxious, and nothing remotely close to shrewd businesswomen.

Mary Kay herself is always hoisted on this pink pedestal, but the reality is (if you dig--you can find this information), the woman famous for cheering, "God first, family second, and career third", was married four times. Four husbands? That sounds like 'family first' to me. Those poor hubbies were probably mortified to be married to an evil mercenary driving a pink Cadillac and pushing cosmetics on every female she passed on the street corner.

If I were senseless enough to join a direct marketing program, I can assure you that Mary Kay would be at the very bottom of my list. For starters, the market is over-saturated and there is almost no demand for product. Next, the inventory is constantly changing. They recently just revamped all their packaging with sleek black boxes which means that Independent Beauty Consultants (suckers!) were left with huge stashes of the obsolete products in the old pink packaging. Finally, I don't like their overpriced make-up and pushy cougar sales ladies.

If I joined Lia Sophia and bought $600 of inventory, then failed to sell it, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Jewelry is giftable. At the very least, I could give it to my friends for Christmas and be done. But what is someone supposed to do with $600 worth of cosmetics? You can't 'gift' make-up easily, unless you know exactly what shades your recipient wears.

Mary Kay reminds me of a pink puff of Cotton Candy. It's all fluff and no substance. Behind the pretty pink packaging (actually it gag-inducing pink) lies a basic pyramid scheme, with the Mary Kay heirs (her sons) and their trust funds waiting at the top.

The fundamental lie that MLM companies tell you (especially Mary Kay) is that you are 'running your own business'. You are not, in fact, running anything, except perhaps running up the debt on your Visa. There are Regional and National Directors above you, and they have a direct stake in your business. If you don't do well, they make less money. Whenever you are in a hierarchy and the performance of someone above you is dependent upon your performance, that person will do everything in their power to pressure, push, and control you in order to get the output they desire. In Corporate America, we call these people "bosses." In Mary Kay they are euphemistically referred to as "Team Leaders" or something innocuous sounding so as not to rouse your suspicions that you are not, in fact, working for yourself.

If you want to work for yourself, start your own MLM marketing company. That's the only way to ensure you're really 'at the top' of the pyramid. Otherwise, you could try becoming a freelance writer like The Fashionopolist. Its very lucrative, you know...