Pink Truth’s top 10 reasons why you should not get involved with Mary Kay Cosmetics.

10. The minute you sign your agreement, your recruiter and/or sales director is going to put the squeeze on you to buy an inventory package. They won’t shut up unless you buy $600 wholesale, and even if you agree to that much, they’re still going to try to get you to do one of the other packages ($1,800, $2,400, $3,000, $3,600, or $4,800)

9. The prizes they dangle in front of you are mostly dollar-store items more appropriate for your five-year-old.

8. You’re not really allowed to advertise your business or sell through modern outlets such as ebay. Do any of these, and you’ll risk having your consultancy terminated.

7. The market is saturated. If they don’t already have a consultant, they got rid of their pesky consultant, they don’t want a consultant, they don’t like the products, or they don’t want to be harassed by the MK lady.

6. The products are constantly changing. The company uses new packaging or “changes” to the products in order to get you to buy more. If you bought inventory, some of that is now outdated, and the company is hoping that you’ll spend your money on the newest things. (And if you’re really lucky, your sales director who placed your first order for you knew what was being discontinued, and ordered you LOTS of it. That way you’ll have to put in another order sooner to have current products on hand.)

5. You’ll be expected to wear a skirt to all company events. Although Mary Kay Inc. has officially done away with the requirement to wear pantyhose and closed toe shoes, many directors are still requiring it. This dress code is made without regard to the weather, your other obligations, your health, or your preference. (If you don’t follow it, you’ll be ridiculed and asked to not come back.)

4. You won’t really make any money unless you recruit, recruit, recruit. Do you really want to spend your time trying to convince people to try to sell the products you’ve barely been able to sell?

3. Your family and friends will not respect you or your “business”.

2. You will spend most nights and weekends away from your husband and children, attending events, looking for new victims, and trying to sell the products. (I thought Mary Kay was supposed to help you be at home with them?)

1. People usually work to make money. In MK you’ll likely be one of the over 99% who lose money in the venture, and if you do make money, it’ll probably only amount to minimum wage.