Limelight in the Mail - Using Social Media to Sell

Well, it's been three weeks since I ordered the botanical foundation from Limelight by Alcone.  It finally shipped.  It's in the mail and I am patiently waiting.  I have heard that they are moving to a new warehouse and are working to get this problem resolved.  I certainly hope so!
Three weeks is far too long to wait.

In the meantime, I have been working on my social media plan and have been using Revlon Colorstay while I await my Limelight foundation; I'm chalky. Check it out...

Shopping for College Interview Clothing....

Tascha's College Interview by melolyn featuring a zipper trousers

Tascha need some somewhat professional clothing for college interviews.  It's so hard to find decent clothing but that is age appropriate.  I don't want her to look like a 30 year old.   This is what we have so far.  Still need some shoes.  So much fun!!!

Eternal quest for ash blonde highlights

Yesterday I woke up determined to get my hair done right.   It's been nearly 20 years since it happened.  Back in the 90's I had this fabulous hairdressser John who always nailed it.   But I don't live in Connecticut anymore and I don't know what happened to John.  But I still want ash blonde hair.

I have cool skin and do not want brassy yellow hair.  No matter who does it or how much I pay, I wind up with brassy hair.  But the end of the two to three hours of the appointment, I am always disappointed but cannot manage to ever say, "Why is my hair yellow?  I carefully explained to you that I did not want yellow."   I don't say anything.

Ignore the red face from my attempt to fix my wonky brows

This morning I went to a new hair dresser.  Mandy quit doing hair last Spring, so I have been floating around trying new people.   Mandy didn't get it right either, but she was familiar, so I stayed with her for 1.5 years until she quit.   This morning I met Hannah, young and beautiful, with perfect ash blond highlights.  Once again, I requested ash blond hair, just like hers.  Now I knew this would be a problem, because my last coloring was a fiasco, leaving me with splotchy gold and rust hair.  But we discussed it, pulled out samples and decided on the perfect color.

I got yellow hair.  Of course.

I was pleasantly happy anyway.  She curled the ends and it looked much better than before, but still yellow.   Then I picked up my kids and Tascha said, "How come you are so happy, you didn't get the color you wanted?"    She was right.   fucking yellow hair.  I then continued complaining all the way to the dentist.  While waiting, I played around with Perfect365 and "photoshopped" a picture of me with ash blonde highlights.  Nick says it looks like I have gray hair.

The highlights of my dreams....

Maybe he's right.  Ash blonde is sort of gray.  And now that I'm 44, that's not far away.  I think I need to embrace my yellow hair.  Well at least until my next appointment in June.

This is what I will look with gray.  I will rock it.  But I can wait.

Giant Red Flags - Limelight by Alcone - and Fate

I think fate sent me a sign.  I was preparing a video about all the Giant Red Flags about Limelight by Alcone.  I found all these reasons to run away fast.   But I still wanted to do it.  I was sure it would be an "I-told-you-so" event for Dan, but I didn't care, I just wanted the makeup.  It's like when we go house hunting, if there is a pool, I can't see any flaws in the house.  The pool distracts me.   Well this pile of make-up is blinding.

Fate stepped in.  The kids broke the dishwasher.  I have to spend nearly $600 to buy a new one.   I'll have to wait for frivolous make-up.  So while I wait and save some money and sell some things on Ebay.   Let's talk about Limelight by Alcone again and this time, Let's look for Red Flags....


Red Flag #1  Imperative $300 sales each month to be active and $10 a month website fee. Plus $1 a month fee just so you can get paid. This business will cost you $11 a month.  You have to sell $55 a month to break even.

Red Flag #2  Out of Stock items.  Companies that really are selling a product keep up with the demand. Not to mention how difficult it is to actually sell items when they are never available.

Red Flag #3 Shipping:  Incredibly long wait for shipping. I ordered a foundation 12 days ago. It still hasn't shipped. 

Extreme Shipping costs:  Items are reasonably priced before you add shipping.  Free shipping at over $200. Also, if you pay for pay for express shipping your stuff goes to the front of the line. That means you get priority on the limited stock and people that won't pay that much for shipping have to wait longer for more stock.

Red Flag #3  So many people claiming it's not a pyramid scheme. If it's not a pyramid scheme, then why does this even come up. Shouldn't they just focus on selling the makeup.

Red Flag #4  Significant investment, since you will want to try out the products before you sell them. Leading to pyramid scheme concerns. Beauty guides are expected to demonstrate all the products, meaning you have to buy them all yourself.

Red Flag #5  Beauty guides are not allowed to say anything negative about the products or the company.  You will sign a contract that says in two places that you cannot say anything negative.


My other concerns:

Issue #1  Significant time investment. I worked the numbers out and with just the people I already know and interact with normally, I can not get the necessary numbers.  I need to attract lots of new contacts.  That is work.  

Issue#2  I hate when other people use Facebook to sell their products. What if everyone on Facebook was just trying to sell all the time. 

Issue #3 I don't want to constantly post about Limelight and "how much i love my job". Why do these people seem to care more about getting you to sell than actually enjoy their products.

Issue #4  When I reach out to talk to old friends, I hate that they will be waiting for the sales pitch. And I hate that I would probably make it. 


Time for another video discussing these issues and more...

Recently I have learned about a growing movement #antiMLMmovement. Even if you love MLM and think it's a perfect opportunity for you, it's worth checking out their advice. Plus, this Younique Representative's story is too much fun to miss.

Wonky Eyebrow - public service announcement

In case you didn't notice, I will point it out for you.  I am having eyebrow problems.    I don't think I have ever had perfect brows, but right now, it's as bad as it gets.  I look like this emoji, for real.  look.  Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

I decided to entirely stop maintaining the left brow because it had gotten too thin and too far over.   But now that it's growing out, I like it better than the right now.   So now i have to grow the right one out too.   Please note, in the future, treat your brows evenly, if you stop maintaining one, stop both.   

Giant can of garbanzo beans

Dan and I went to Costco together.  This is never a good idea, because while I might make an impulse purchase; it will be under $20.  But when Dan goes, we really overspend.  I try to stay under $300 a week for expenses total.  Dan's Costco cart is greater than $300.

So the other day we went shopping together and nearing the end with our overpriced cart, this woman stops us and comments on the 8-pack of black beans in our cart.  And then goes on to tell us how amazing this giant can of garbanzo beans is.  It's almost 7 pounds of beans.  And how we can can make tons of falafel and all the different recipes online, but make sure we bake them, not fry them....   Finally I realize she is not going to stop until I put the giant can of beans in my cart.  It's $2.99.  Why not.  Dan thought I was an idiot.

Well so it sat there in my pantry for a week.  It taunted me.  See I had to use it soon or Dan would mention it.   Every day I thought I should have put that thing back, left it with the cashier.   So I opened it Tuesday night, determined to make falafel.   I looked at no less then 10 recipes and figured "hey,  I'm just going to throw stuff together."  And I made them.  We ate greek chicken in pita with tzakiki sauce and falafel.   Nick, Nina, Dan and I ate them,  but Tascha would have none of it.  But that only used 2 cups of them.  Down 2 cups of beans.  Barely making a dent.   

On Wednesday night I decide to chicken curry and chana masala.   At first, I used 2 cups but when I tried to just blend up a tiny bit all of it got sucked into the immersion blended and I had to add more.  So another 3+ cups gone. But there's so many left and now I have ton of chana masala left over.

So I looked up some recipes.  Years ago I made a chocolate cake with chickpeas and no one noticed.  This time I made the mistake of asking them if they would eat it.  "Absolutely no" was the resounding answer, so I didn't even bother.  Finally I scooped out 4 more cups of beans and made more Falafel.  This time using our Seekh Kebab recipe, no meat, just beans.   This was much much better. 

In the end, I had to freeze the rest of the beans, there is no way we can eat any more.
I showed him.

What my children think of me... and more about Limelight by Alcone

I made the mistake of showing my youtube videos to the experts.   You know my kids who spend countless hours watching youtube.  No kid watches TV anymore, it's all netflix or youtube.

I let them watch my video.  In my defense, I know I am horrible at making videos. But I won't get better until I make all the mistakes and make them 1000 times.   I think the real problem is that I completely lack wit.  I am weird and serious and just not any fun. Which is why I married my husband because he makes everything fun, so I don't have to.   But lack of wit and fun makes for a shitty youtube video.

Here is Nina's list.  I know, she's right.  I can stop knocking the table, but i don't know about the rest.  How do you stop looking at yourself.  If i don't look at myself I roll my eyes back and that is just disgusting.
So I decided to go old school and into my comfort zone.  I worked the numbers on this Limelight by Alcone Adventure.  I made a powerpoint presentation of my findings.   So,  Can you actually make money selling Limelight by Alcone.   Watch and see!

I just can't get it out of my head - Limelight by Alcone

Damn you Make Up For Ever.  My HG (Holy Grail) foundation was Face & Body by Make Up For Ever.   But of course they went and reformulated.  It doesn't work for me anymore:(
So I set out to find something better, or at least as good.   Meanwhile, I decided to use up every bit of foundation in my home, looking ridiculous daily in the incorrect shades and pore enlarging rejects.  I haven't stopped trying new foundations either.  At this point, I think Sephora will reject anymore refunds.   Enter Limelight by Alcone.....

I can't stop thinking about opening that amazing kit of all this new skincare and makeup.  A giant Limelight by Alcone, L, on the front.   All the fun new toys to play with.  It's in my head all day long.

Thinking about Selling Limelight by Alcone - what's it going to cost ?

I want to sell makeup!!!!

My sister-in-law, Sheila Robino is selling makeup.  Limelight by Alcone.  She is primarily posting videos online.   Now usually, I am super annoyed by Facebook sales.   Yes, I looking directly at you Rodan & Fields.   But Sheila's videos make me happy.  I love watching her talk about her home and put on makeup.  And she's good at it.  Because now i want some new makeup desperately.   But it's $36 for just the foundation.... but for $169 you can have it all!!!   All of it, well not really all, but tons of lipsticks, and blush and skincare.
The Catch -  you have to sell it.

It's only $169.   But is it?   The engineer in me loves a good math problem, so I had to figure out what it's really going to cost me.   Watch my video to see my brain argue with itself - to sell or not to sell?

The Search for Me, I mean my blog name

So the kids go off to school,  Dan goes to work and here I am running around doing errands and cleaning the house.  There must be more.   In Belgium, I lunched:  I volunteered and I shopped and I socialized everyday.  But back in Maryland, I just homemake.   Everyday, it's an issue.  I want more.  I know there's more.  So I want to blog.  At least temporarily, until I figure this all out.  I am/was an engineer, I like lists, I am not creative.  So why on earth do I want a blog. I don't even know that I can maintain one.  But I can't even get past step one to try...