Mary Kay Launches Global Philanthropic Campaign

Mary Kay Inc. announced today a global philanthropic effort that will harness the collective power of employees, independent sales force members and customers to change the lives of women and children around the world. The Beauty That Counts(TM) campaign will allocate 100 percent of its profits to causes focused on women and children, particularly in the areas of health and well-being.

The campaign kicks off today in honor of the birthday month of late founder Mary Kay Ash. All profits from the sale of Mary Kay(R) Creme Lipstick in Apple Berry - one of the Company's top-selling lipstick shades, with universal appeal among women of all skin tones - will be donated to a worthwhile cause of each market's choosing, provided its focus is on women and/or children. The campaign, which runs through December 31, allows Mary Kay markets throughout the world to contribute to a global effort while making a profound impact on the lives of women and children in their local markets. While Mary Kay has long been known for its charitable activities at the local and regional levels - both within the Company and the independent sales force - this represents the first global philanthropic effort in the Company's history.

"Mary Kay Inc. has a rich heritage of giving back to our communities," said David Holl, president and CEO. "Mary Kay Ash was a firm believer in the 'Go-Give' spirit, and throughout this Company's 45-year history, the Company, our employees and our hundreds of thousands of independent sales force members worldwide have given their time and resources to countless causes. This campaign presents us with an orchestrated opportunity to raise our bar even higher."

The suggested retail price of the lipstick, packaged in a custom gift bag, is $13. Mary Kay Inc. will announce its total worldwide donations when the campaign concludes at the end of 2008.

"Mary Kay once said the very foundation of her Company was based on the premise of helping others, and reaching out to just one person was enough to make a difference in the world," said Darrell Overcash, president of Mary Kay U.S. "It's incredibly gratifying to know that regardless of geography or cultural background, our employees, independent sales force members and their customers are working together to help ensure that Mary Kay's legacy of giving lives on. Issues like domestic violence, teen dating violence, date rape, health care and economic independence, among others, are of critical importance to women and their children and are among the charitable causes Mary Kay subsidiaries throughout the world will support with the funds raised through this campaign."

In the United States, Mary Kay Inc. is proud to support Break the Cycle in its efforts to stop domestic violence before it starts. Break the Cycle's mission is to engage, educate and empower the nation's youth to build lives and communities free from domestic and dating violence. Through this partnership, Mary Kay Inc. will sponsor a groundbreaking domestic violence prevention curriculum and Ending Violence DVD - invaluable tools for educating teens and young adults about how to build and sustain healthier, happier relationships.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Pink Changing Lives(SM), Mary Kay Inc. and its subsidiaries have a long history of philanthropic commitments at the local and national levels, including:

-- Since 2000, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation has awarded more than $14 million to domestic violence prevention programs and to women's shelters across the country. The Foundation awarded $20,000 grants, totaling $3 million, to 150 shelters in all 50 states each year from 2005 to 2007.

-- Since 1997, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, with support from Mary Kay Inc., has funded nearly $6 million toward research grants to fight cancers affecting women.

-- Together, Mary Kay Russia and the independent sales force raise funds to support Operation Smile, a nonprofit organization known for lending highly qualified surgical assistance to children who are born with facial deformities. Mary Kay Russia also supports KidSave, an organization that works with communities worldwide to get older, overlooked children out of orphanages and foster care and into permanent, loving families.

-- Mary Kay Inc. has made extensive financial contributions toward Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief, including $5 million in cash donations, in-kind and product donations.

-- The Company joined forces with Habitat for Humanity(R) to sponsor six houses to help families become first-time homeowners.

-- Since 2001, Mary Kay Mexico has helped create, construct and operate numerous domestic violence shelters for women throughout the country. In keeping with this tradition, in May 2007, Mary Kay Mexico donated 1 million pesos to this cause. So far, the resources donated through the DAR Program (Give Love and Hope) have created seven of the 40 shelters that exist in Mexico. In these shelters, more than 1,200 families and more than 10,000 women have received legal and psychological assistance.

-- Employees at Mary Kay Germany raised funds for the German Cancer Foundation, SOS Kinderdorf (Help for Children in Need) and distributed information packets to cancer patients at more than 60 clinics around the country.

-- The primary focus of Mary Kay Kazakhstan's charitable activities is to provide aid to orphans and sick children. For the past seven years, Mary Kay Kazakhstan has been a supporter of local orphanages, providing equipment and much-needed supplies. Recently, the independent sales force joined Mary Kay Kazakhstan in a project to raise money for children with infantile cerebral paralysis and provide surgeries for children with limited auditory abilities.

-- Mary Kay China established the Mary Kay Women's Small Business Fund in 2001, which offers a zero-interest, one-year loan designed to help unemployed and underprivileged women establish their own small businesses.

-- In cooperation with the All-China Women's Federation, Mary Kay China and the independent sales force supported the Spring Bud Project to provide access to school for female children living in poverty; and funded scholarships at Peking and Zhejiang universities for female students from impoverished families.

Mary Kay Inc., one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics in the world, achieved another year of record results in 2007 with $2.4 billion in wholesale sales. Mary Kay(R) products are sold in more than 35 markets worldwide, and the Company's global independent sales force exceeds 1.8 million. To learn more about Mary Kay or to find an Independent Beauty Consultant, log on to www.marykay.com or call 1-800-MARY KAY (627-9529)