JANUARY 12, 2009

A Fan Of The “Pink Lady”

I turned 30 this past year.  There, I said it.

Unfortunately, as a woman, the number 30 usually carries a lot more baggage – literally and figuratively – than it does for men.  (Let’s just say crow’s feet on women don’t look nearly as “distinguishing” as they do on men.)  And so, in preparation of my 30th, I vowed to start taking better care of my skin than I had in years past.  No more washing my face with Dove soap, slapping on some moisturizer, and calling it a day.  It was time to get serious.  Call me paranoid, but it seemed like every morning I woke up to find yet another crease in my forehead, or lines around my eyes and mouth that weren’t there before.

Sure, I knew I could magically look years younger if I took the Botox route, but injecting a toxin into my forehead that paralyzes my muscles just seems, well…extreme.  And so I started looking elsewhere, and discovered none other than the famous (or infamous) Mary Kay Cosmetics.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Mary Kay?  Do you mean my grandma’s Mary Kay?  Are they even still in business?”  I know, I thought the same thing; in fact, visions of Tammy Faye Baker  and Dolly Parton flashed through my mind when a family member suggested that I try it.  But because I trusted this particular family member and because she happened to look fabulous, I decided to give the “pink lady’s” products a try (word-of-mouth works every time), and… I loved them!  Not only do I use the skin care line, I gradually began using the MK make-up line, too.

Over the past year and a half, Mary Kay has undoubtedly earned my loyalty, and in today’s marketplace, being loyal to any product is saying a lot.  And it seems I’m not the only fan: in 2007, Mary Kay brought in $2.4 billion in total sales – they must be doing something right. In addition to the great products (especially the new mineral line), here are some other reasons I like this company:

• Mary Kay spends millions of dollars conducting over 300,000 tests a year to ensure that its products meet the highest standards of quality, safety and performance.
• Mary Kay does not conduct animal testing for its products and is a PETA pledge member.
• Mary Kay understand what it means to be a “socially responsible” company.
• Mary Kay was before its time in anticipating consumer’s most valuable asset - our time.  I value the moments saved by having my products mailed directly to me.

It’s true, I’m not getting any younger, but with Mary Kay’s help, I’m hoping to look as if I am!