Giving up Mary Kay

I was a dedicated Mary Kay consultant and consumer for almost 2 years, when I found out this weekend that they were decieving me all along.

I remember, almost 2 years ago, in May- going to my first Mary Kay party- trying all of the skincare and loving it. There was a question and answer period, and I asked: "Are your products tested on animals?"
The consultant confidently answered, "No. Mary Kay has a firm stance against Animal Testing. Mary Kay was an animal lover and she wouldn't stand for it."

Shortly after, I became a consultant, began selling and using the products, and loving it. At every party I had, I shared the wonderful news that my clients were buying 100% cruelty free products, and I had a lot of friends who truly appreciated that.

Then came this weekend. PETA posted an article stating that Mary Kay, Avon and Estee Lauder were secretly doing animal testing. I went to Mary Kay to research this and make sure PETA had not made a mistake: after all, this is the company that time and time again, confidently boasted that we would never test on animals.

Soon after signing in to my Mary Kay Consultant account, I found a letter from Mary Kay President: Darrell Overcash. This is what it read:

UPDATE: A Message from Darrell Overcash
Published 02.17.12

Some of you may have seen or heard that PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the animal activist organization, has changed the status of Mary Kay and other cosmetics companies on its website, moving us from its list of “Companies That Do Not Test on Animals” to its list of “Companies That Do Test on Animals.”

Let’s set the record strait: Mary Kay is committed to the elimination of animal testing. Mary Kay’s policy has always been consistent- nothing has changed. Our commitment to the elimination of animal testing has never wavered. We do not conduct animal testing on our products or ingredients- nor do we ask others to do so on our behalf – except when absolutely required by law.

Regulations on cosmetics constantly change, but Mary Kay has never wavered from our commitment to use alternative testing methods. There was only one country where we operate, among more than 35 around the world, that by law under certain circumstances require cosmetics to be tested on animals: China. Please know that none of the products you have purchased here in the United States have been tested on animals.

Rest assured that our commitment to the elimination of animal testing has never wavered. We have been working to continue to work very closely with the Chinese government to demonstrate that alternative testing methods ensure safe and effective products. For more than two decades, Mary Kay has been a global leader in helping to develop alternative testing methods for product safety.

If you receive questions from your customers, you can assure them that despite whatever they may hear from PETA, at Mary Kay, nothing has changed: we remain firm in our commitment to eliminate the practice of animal testing.

Thank you for your support of this great Company.

Darrell Overcash.


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Now that you have read the letter as well, I'm sure you can understand that what I got out of this letter was this: "We don't animal test, except for in China ( but that doesnt count because it the law!" right?

I posted this on Facebook and was met with many remarks from my consultant friends that read things like:
"Well, why dont you call Mary Kay and see exactly what KIND of animal testing they do. It might not be dangerious to the animals."

This set a flame in my mind: Well what the heck does it matter what kind of testing they are doing? They are performing Animal Testing. They are confining animals to cages in laboratories and performing tests! These animals are not free to live their lives. They are most likely scared, and in pain, and not FREE.

Maybe I'm being overly eccentric here, but since when did an animal's Life become less important than a Human life?

So I quit.

I am no longer selling Mary Kay, and am getting rid of the rest of my inventory at 25% off, weaning off the rest of my supply of home use products ( because I also don't belive in wasting what you have), and shopping for a new line of cruelty free, skin care products.

Suggestions?