No Filters, Just Facts: Miss Conceptions Reaching Gen-Z, One Myth-Buster at a Time
Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com
In the highly competitive and crowded beauty industry, standing out requires more than just great products – it takes authenticity, relatability, and a deep understanding of your audience. Enter “Miss Conceptions,” Mary Kay’s bold and refreshingly candid social media content series recently launched in the United States and Canada. It is designed to break through the noise and connect with the next generation of beauty lovers and aspiring entrepreneurs. With an eye on the future and a finger on the cultural pulse, the Miss Conceptions social series is helping redefine what it means to be both a beauty brand and a direct seller topping the charts in today’s world – one myth-busting moment at a time.
At the heart of this social series is the character Miss Conceptions herself – a witty, culturally relevant persona who brings humor, clarity, and confidence to the conversation around beauty, business, and the Mary Kay brand. Through her vibrant and playful tone, she tackles common myths and misconceptions with a no-nonsense attitude, delivering the kind of “real talk” that resonates with today’s younger audience. As she puts it best: “No filters. Just facts.”
The irresistible Miss Conceptions has invited quite a lot of attention, with top features including the Business of Fashion press feature highlighting Candie Rodriguez, Mary Kay’s Vice President of Marketing and Sales Support for North America Region, the NewBeauty feature story, and the Fashionista feature story.
In an exclusive interview, Candie shared with us some insights into the viral social series focused on introducing the iconic Mary Kay to Gen-Z in the United States and Canada.
Q: Candie, who is Miss Conceptions?
A: Miss Conceptions is more than just a fun character – she’s a cultural connector! She is a strategic voice created to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation. As Mary Kay continues to embrace new ways of storytelling, social series like Miss Conceptions serve as a powerful reminder that empowerment and education don’t have to be boring. They can be bold, funny, and unapologetically real.
Q: Candie, what exactly are the goals of the Miss Conceptions social series?
A: We are building bonds through bold storytelling. At its core, this social series is all about reaching and engaging the Next Gen consumer – individuals who are not only passionate about beauty, but who are also looking for meaning, empowerment, and community in the brands they choose. Nearly 30% of Independent Beauty Consultants who started a Mary Kay business over the last year are under the age of 351, and as of June, 38% of Mary Kay social following is made up of the Next Gen audience across Instagram and Tiktok in the U.S2. We see so much opportunity to grow with these audiences and support the next generation of women entrepreneurs.
In a nutshell, Miss Conceptions aims to:
- Build awareness and brand recognition among younger, digital-native audiences.
- Shift perceptions of the Mary Kay brand by addressing outdated assumptions with an empowering and modern voice.
- Educate and inform in an entertaining way, delivering valuable insights about Mary Kay’s business model, and products through a culturally savvy lens.
- Create connection and trust by presenting real, relatable content in a tone that is genuine and fun—not forced or overly promotional.
Q: Why Did Mary Kay Decide to Combat These Misconceptions?
A: Today’s consumer is not only beauty savvy but brand savvy. She is bombarded with products and consumer choices, and we saw an opportunity to break through industry noise to tell our REAL story of our Mary Kay brand where beauty and opportunity meet. With so much chatter online, we want to share who we really are in a fresh, humorous, and empowering voice that both aligns with our values and meets the needs (and questions!) of today’s consumers.
Q: What Are the Most Frequent Misconceptions You Hear About?
A: To determine the most important misconceptions to address, we leveraged social listening across key platforms — digging into mentions, comments, and creator content. We also utilized internal feedback and intake surveys that helped identify the most relevant and recurring myths to debunk. Through these efforts, we selected: Is Mary Kay still around? Isn’t Mary Kay a brand for grandmas? Mary Kay is hard to shop! Do I have to attend a Mary Kay party to purchase or sell?
We also understand that direct selling isn’t for everyone, and transparency is key. That’s why we’ve taken proactive steps to ensure our Mary Kay selling opportunity is presented ethically and accurately.” Like any entrepreneurial venture, success with Mary Kay requires effort, consistency, and skill development. But we provide the tools, education, mentoring and community to support the entrepreneurship journey.
Q: What Sets Mary Kay Apart in 2025?
A: Mary Kay in 2025 is not just a beauty company; it’s a global movement rooted in empowerment, sustainability, and innovation. Let me share what truly sets us apart today.
- For over 60 years, Mary Kay has championed women’s entrepreneurship. In 2025, we’ve expanded our reach to over 40 markets, where we are empowering women to build successful businesses, and achieve their dreams.
- Through our entrepreneurship programs, STEM grants, and leadership development initiatives we are impacting hundreds of thousands of women around the globe. We develop high quality products while stewarding our natural resources and engaging on a path of continuous improvement as part of our sustainability commitments.
- Mary Kay was ranked #9 on Forbes’ 2025 Best Brands for Social Impact – the only beauty brand and direct selling company in the top 10. We’re also the #1 Direct Selling Brand of Skin Care & Color Cosmetics globally for the third consecutive year3.
Final Thoughts from Candie
Mary Kay is an icon. We know we own a legacy far greater than simply selling makeup, but today, we know it’s time to look forward instead of only looking back—to honor our legacy, always, but also pursue innovation and growth for TODAY’s woman, by meeting her needs. Stay tuned as we have many exciting innovations and news coming up!
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About Mary Kay
One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.
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1Source: Mary Kay Inc., 2024 U.S. data.
2Source: Mary Kay Inc., 2025 U.S. data.
3“Source Euromonitor International Limited; Beauty and Personal Care 2025 Edition, value sales at RSP, 2024 data”
