Income disclosure reading guide
Mary Kay income disclosure: what to know before joining
If you read only this:
- Start with the company disclosure, but do not stop there.
- Check who is counted, who is excluded, and whether expenses are subtracted.
- Ask what comparable new participants kept after ordinary costs.
What to do next:
- Check who is included and excluded.
- Ask whether the numbers subtract expenses.
- Compare the disclosure with the compensation plan and refund rules.
What the company discloses
| U.S. disclosure | Not located in reviewed public sources |
|---|---|
| Canada (where required) | Typical participant earns no commissions; 86.8% not eligible |
| Commission-eligible average | About $214 (2025) |
| Reported as | Before expenses |
- Mary Kay describes a starter kit and a 30 percent profit on retail sales, and a policy to repurchase eligible unused product at 90 percent of cost on termination.
- In Canada, where disclosure is required, Mary Kay reports that a typical participant earns no commissions or bonuses; in 2025, commission-eligible consultants averaged about $214, and 86.8 percent of the sales force were not eligible to earn commissions.
- We did not locate an equivalent standardized U.S. income disclosure in the public sources reviewed.
What is not clear from the disclosure alone
- Typical U.S. net earnings after expenses, because we did not locate a standardized U.S. income disclosure in the public sources reviewed.
- How much product consultants resell to customers versus buy themselves.
- How many consultants recover their startup and inventory costs.
Common costs to check:
- Product, samples, shipping, and taxes.
- Starter kits, renewal fees, websites, apps, or back-office tools.
- Training, events, tickets, travel, meals, lodging, and childcare.
- Advertising, giveaways, displays, packaging, or payment fees.
- Licensing, exam prep, background checks, or required continuing education.
- Unsold inventory and unpaid time.
Gross income is not the same as money kept after these costs.
Why this matters
Without a U.S. income disclosure, a prospective consultant cannot easily compare typical outcomes before joining.
A Canadian disclosure showing a typical participant earns no commissions is a useful, if indirect, signal.
Not a verdict: This page is not a judgment about Mary Kay or the person who contacted you. It is a guide to
written facts, costs, income disclosures, public records, and questions to ask before making a money decision.
Questions to ask before joining
- Is there any U.S. document showing net earnings for typical consultants?
- How much product do typical new consultants resell to customers in a year?
- What are the exact buyback terms and deadlines for unsold product?
Source notes
- In the absence of a U.S. disclosure, ask for written first-year costs and the buyback policy.
- Treat retail profit potential as a possibility, not a typical result.
Related pages
- Mary Kay company page
- Someone pitched me Mary Kay. What should I ask?
- Income disclosure library
- What MLMs pay, according to company disclosures
- Median vs. average in MLM income disclosures
- Who is counted in MLM income disclosures?
- Expenses not included in MLM income disclosures
- Gross Income Is Not Profit
- What should an MLM income disclosure show?
- Before You Pay
Sources
-
Company disclosure
2025 Statement of Typical Participant Earnings (Canada)
-
Public-interest secondary source
Mary Kay Off-Roads into Deceptive Income Claims
-
Regulator guidance
Business Guidance Concerning Multi-Level Marketing
Correction request
To request a correction, email corrections@boringanddevastating.com with this page URL, the specific text at issue, and supporting public sources.