You know I had to ditch my Mary Kay, right? After 22 years of wearing it and 20 years of being a “consultant” (all so I could buy my own products at cost) I finally threw in the towel and mailed all my stock back to the company. Once you make that final decision to return your stock, there’s no going back. Ever. So says the contract one has to sign.
But Mary Kay, Inc. gave me NO indication that they would ever give two hoots about chemical ingredients and women’s health in the same sentence. I held onto my product for eleven months before finally succumbing to the bitter truth and beating the twelve-month return deadline. And I have to say, the more time that passed, the more convinced I was that I could never, ever use those products again.
My purpose for this blog begins with my daughter, as you are likely well aware. She’s nine now, and when that day comes when she is ready to start wearing makeup, I have to be ready with products that are safe for her. So I have to start with myself now, in order to be her example (and know where to shop.)
Meet Lisa at Style Essentials. A while back Lisa had tweeted about some awesome natural mascara, and I decided to snoop around her shop for a while. She sells makeup, skin
care, and jewelry… what a cool find! To start with, I bought a mascara, an eyeliner brush, and a mineral primer. Lisa even threw in a sample of some mineral eye color. And I love them all! (That eye color sample? Really great!!)
The mascara is seriously awesome. No junk in it. You know the ingredients I’m talking about…parabens, DEAs, petro-chemicals, sulfates, and on and on. None of that is in this mascara. I use two coats of it, and I’m good to go. And it doesn’t smudge or smear or flake during the day, but it removes easily when I’m washing my face. I don’t ever wake up with raccoon eyes because my makeup didn’t all wash off the night before. I am LOVIN’ this!!
I have turned to Lisa for advice on colors, products and how-to’s. And she has responded like SuperWoman by dropping samples in the mail to me. She offers to help with color choices, answers any questions I have, and is super-quick to assist in helping me find what I need. In short, Lisa rocks!! I recently purchased a new foundation, concealer and blush, plus got another eye color sample, a lip color sample, and a free handcrafted lavender lip balm. (Do you hear the angels singing the Hallelujah chorus? Listen…) I have loved every sample she has sent me, and I have a growing wishlist of items in her store. I can’t say enough good things about Style Essentials. When I wasn’t sure if I was using the mineral primer correctly, Lisa pointed me to her video files where I saw her and fellow tweep Alison (aka Warrior Woman from Wednesday’s post) together.
{smile…}
You can find Lisa on Twitter and Facebook to stay connected on specials, new products and key ingredient commentary.
But in the meantime, would you like to try a mascara? How about a free one? Comment here and I’ll randomly select a winner. Then I’ll buy you one and have Lisa send it right to you – just let me know if you prefer Black or Espresso Brown. I’ll draw tomorrow morning. Sound good? Come on…let me help move you in the right direction, cosmetically speaking. Whaddaya got to lose? I mean, besides all those nasty chemicals… 😉
MASCARA WINNER UPDATE: Saturday, May 28 8:48 a.m. (Toldja I was gonna sleep in!)
Alright folks, this drawing was facilitated by my nephew with my son supervising. I was going to do one of those random comment pickers on the web, but it got complicated and time was ticking. I figured you’d trust an 8-year old boy who really has no vested interest in who wins mascara. True? So I wrote everyone’s name down twice, folded up the papers and let him draw from a literal bucket. I would have videoed it if only my batteries were charged.
Aaaaaaaaaand, the winner of the mascara is Jessica. Congrats! I’ll direct message ya and find out what color you prefer. 🙂
Lorraine said:
Lori, this sounds like a dream come true. I have never found a makeup that does not irritate my skin. Thanks for sharing this information. I am looking forward to looking at her website and trying some of her products.
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Lori said:
I really like this makeup. And believe me, I have put my skin through the wringer over the last year trying to find good cosmetics.
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Angie Tuckee said:
Cool! I signed up for newsletters from her on her website! Guess it’s too late to send all my Mary Kay stock back! LOL
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Lori said:
Barb, they will take back anything you purchased within the last year and pay you 90% of what you paid for it. It took me forever to finally do it.
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Lisa D Liguori - Style Essentials said:
OK, so I am not commenting to get in on the free mascara (wink), but I have to say a big ol’ THANK YOU Lori!!! This was such a lovely way to start my day. I am so pleased that you have been so pleased with your products and my help. It keeps me going! I am thankful for twitter for helping me to find fabulous women like you! Sending you a big smooch…
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Lori said:
Back atcha, dear! I am grateful that Twitter led me to you!!
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Mary Cone said:
I also did a couple of stints with Mary Kay. I have used Prescriptives, Clinique, and BeautiControl, to name a few. I fall in love with make-up pretty easily. I guess one thing I have not done was to pay that much attention to the chemical construction of the products I have used. I concluded after my Mary Kay experience that any make-up would do as long as it was affordable.
Lori, I’m interested in finding out more.
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Lori said:
Mary, there are so many chemicals to be concerned with. I would have never known if the suggestion of ADHD hadn’t led me to food ingredients, and then I found that all the harmful stuff in our food is absolutely prolific in our skin care and cosmetics. I am the queen of cheap, but I finally realized that quality products are worth paying more for as long as I know I can trust what they are made of. And it has been a disappointing lesson to learn that quality and customer health are not at the top of mainstream cosmetic companies’ priorities.
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Michelle Boyle said:
Excellent, amazing customer service makes all the difference in any business- sounds like Lisa’s got it. That and natural products sounds like a winner over Mary Kay (and a lot of other companies) any day.
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Lori said:
I second that!! 🙂
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Jessica R. said:
I’m so glad to hear you finally found a natural mascara that works! I know how much trial and error you’ve been through with this. Thanks for the makeup recommendation, I will definitely check her stuff out!
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Lori said:
Yes, you know that little mascara wand was worth more than its weight in gold to me!! And now you’ll get to try it out too!!
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Linda Sutton said:
I’m always excited about something new. I actually never could use Mary Kay, it was just too heavy for me. My skin is extremely sensitive, so I am always interested in new products. Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll have to check this out.
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Lori said:
You’re welcome, Linda. Thanks for asking me about makeup a while back. I’m happy to share what I’ve found!
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Lisa D Liguori - Style Essentials said:
I am eagerly awaiting to see who wins the mascara tomorrow morning! If anyone has any questions about anything in regards to the products I carry, or simply safe cosmetics, please feel free to ask. (Thanks Lori !)
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Lori said:
You are very welcome! Thanks for hanging out here for this post and for sharing with your followers!
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Khristee said:
I have only met Lisa on Twitter but I must say that I think she is wonderful and I am so looking forward to trying her products once I move to San Francisco. It’s very hard to find green makeup. It amazes me that when you go to a makeup counter at a department store that the makeup artists don’t really know or understand what is in the makeup. I can’t wait to try out your mascara, Lisa!!! I am so glad that you have alternatives for us. 🙂
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Lori said:
I hope you’ll be getting to San Francisco soon! You will absolutely LOVE her products!
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Sonia Marlow said:
I am a couple of years late commenting on this particular post regarding Mary Kay. I’ve been searching every site for something to say “it’s okay” to use MK. I can’t find the okay. I just love the people and the comraderie (sp?) of a big group of women that get together and laugh & chuckle and are positive minded. I realize others may have had a different experience with MK but mine has been a good one. However, the
Products aren’t aligning with my goals anymore. So bittersweet .
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Lori said:
Sonia, I second that bittersweet comment! I loved Mary Kay and everything her company stood for while she was alive. It shocked me to just be brushed off when I asked them about the harmful ingredients. MK was very hard to let go, but their unwillingness to hear my concerns made it a tiny bit easier.
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Jonita Blount said:
Thank you so much! I have just been researching make up.
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Lori said:
You are quite welcome, Jonita! I hope this was helpful. 🙂
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Patricia A. Muir said:
After being diagnosed with breast cancer recently, I have been searching for proof that MK skin care products are safe. Unfortunately, the evidence is building that MK has known harmful ingredients (parabens in Timewise) even though consultants state that MK products are safe. Also, like several well-known and well-marketed pink-ribbon cosmetic companies (Revlon, Avon), MK refuses to sign the Safe Cosmetics agreement.. The most unfortunate part is that a well-known program for introducing women with cancer to feeling better via cosmetics actually distributes MK and Revlon samples. Blatent exploitation of women’s cause. Feeling betrayed.
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Lori said:
Patricia, I know how you feel about the being duped part. We all have to pay more attention to what we put in our bodies and on our skin, I believe. I was such an MK fan. And now I’m soooooo not. Peace to you, friend.
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kim p said:
hi,
I went to a Mary Kay “training” today, thinking I was just there to have questions to ask to support my friend who is just starting out. The MK rep was a high level person who is helping coach my friend. I walked in not realizing that the lady was trying to get me to sell MK too. I felt “trapped” in a way but the lady was an absolutely wonderful woman. Great triumph over low self worth and very “real” not fake in any way. I had already read about MK and harmful ingredients and also that they test on animals. Thank you for this site to help me understand the MK hypocrisy. How can someone say they will pay to help research cancer, the own cancer their products may be causing… are they secretly atoning ? I just cant sell items that I wouldn’t use myself. That’s unethical.
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Lori said:
I agree completely, Kim. Thanks for writing. Sorry I’m so late in responding.
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Stephanie said:
Hello,
Can you tell me what ingredients were the concern for you? I am considering joining the company but don’t want to do that if there are ingredients of concern in them! I currently look for make-up without parabens and sulfates, does this makeup have those?
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Lori said:
I am so glad you asked! After twenty years of using and nearly five years after ditching my Mary Kay, I am still blown away that they gave no consideration to my concerns as a customer or a consultant. Here are some of the ingredients I remember finding in the Mark Kay products that were in my drawer at the time (it took some digging as I recall.) And yes, unfortunately the parabens and sulfates run rampant through Mary Kay’s lines.
Sodium Laureth/Laurel Sulfates
TEA Laurel Sulfate (I actually identified my own skin allergy to this in one of the MK body scrubs back in the 80s)
Diazolidinyl urea, DMDM Hydantoin – formaldehyde
Talc – known irritant, suspected organ system toxicity
Any ingredient with a number in its name (lots of them in the Timewise line, I recall). Peg-6, etc.
Certified artificial colors (Red 30, Blue 1, etc.)
ALL of the parabens, and in no short supply.
I came across BHA in my MK foundation back in 2010 when I started this journey – that was the catalyst that sent me over the edge!
When I sold Mary Kay, only consultants had access to full ingredient lists. I always thought this gave the impression that the consultant was the “expert” on the product – if you had an allergy, only she could help you determine what ingredient was the culprit. This didn’t bother me at the time, though – neither as a consultant nor a customer – because I fully trusted the brand. I feel so much differently now. Visit the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website to see general lists of ingredients you want to avoid and why. Then see how many times you find them in the listings for MK products (Google helps if you don’t have ready access to the ingredient book). Once I learned what all these ingredients do to our bodies, I was insulted that a company so concerned with empowering women cared nothing for protecting our health.
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Lori said:
Stephanie, I’m not sure I answered the right question… Lisa’s cosmetics at Simple Beauty Minerals (formerly Style Essentials) does not contain any of the garbage. I trust her lines completely. I hope this helps. 🙂
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MJ said:
Thank you for posting your experience and research on the Safe Cosmetics vs Mary Kay. I went to a MK party & loved the way the makeup felt, but the MK woman was sooooo defensive when I asked about the usual suspects (phalates, talc, etc) that I figured something was up. Sure enough. Oh well, my makeup search continues. Right now I use Tarte, but it’s spendy. I’m going to check out the Style Essentials next. I love your writing style, btw!!
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Crystal said:
I just read your blog and it’s great to see I wasn’t alone when I made the choice leave Mary Kay and stand for what I believe in. It breaks my heart to know that they aren’t willing to change and make safer products. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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