On March 8, Mary Kay, Inc., set a new world record: the most makeovers in 24 hours.
Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc., held the record on March 7 at 403 makeovers. While numbers from around the world are still being tallied, by the end of March 8, Mary Kay had done more than 44,250 in just the United States – and 20 of those came from Lecturer in History Dedra Birzer.
Birzer has been with Mary Kay for seven and a half years and now works as a Mary Kay sales director. On the Global Makeover Day, Birzer did her part, working with friends and clients.
The Mary Kay Global Makeover Day marked the beginning of a celebration of Mary Kay’s 50 years as a company. Founded by Mary Kay Ash in 1963, the company was the sixth largest direct selling company in the world by 2011 and reaches women in over 35 countries with 2.8 million salespeople worldwide and net sales of $2.9 billion.
Birzer said she enjoys the job because with six children, it becomes difficult to meet students. Being a Mary Kay consultant gives her a way to do both.
Senior Erin Benjamin has been with Mary Kay since she was 18 years old. She initially signed up to get her skincare and cosmetics for half price and to generate some extra spending money in college.
Benjamin, who didn’t take part in the makeover day, said she didn’t do much with the job for the first three years she was a consultant.
“Within the past six months, I’ve decided to really develop it,” said Benjamin, who intends to make a career out of Mary Kay upon her graduation.
“You can spend more, but you can’t buy better,” Birzer said. “Hillsdale being Hillsdale, your choices for quality cosmetics are really non-existent. You can get Walmart or Walgreens, which are not exactly quality.”
Birzer finds her college clientele drawn more to the mineral powder, moisturizer with SPF 20, and Mary Kay’s Lash Love mascara.
Mothers with young kids and professional women, however, have a larger client-base than college students.
From her own experience as a mother with young children, Birzer realized the need for simple purchasing of cosmetics which led her to become a consultant. She has women come to her house to test products and allows their children to come along with them, something that can’t be done at a department store makeup counter.
“It just makes things easier for them,” Birzer said.
