Pink Papaya Home Spa and Beauty Products

Pink Papaya started with two sisters. Susan Huneke and Karen Woller had talked about running a business together since they were children. They put the idea on hold while they raised six children between them. In 2004 they began developing a line of home spa products, and California records show Pink Papaya LLC was registered in October 2004.

The product line took close to three years to develop. Pink Papaya launched as a direct sales company in 2006 with more than 80 beauty products and fewer than a hundred Consultants. Susan Huneke served as founder and CEO. As the company grew, it tripled its product line and passed a thousand Consultants. It joined the Direct Selling Association and, by its final years, listed its home as Los Gatos, California.

“In 2006, Susan and Karen came together to make a reality of their vision by creating a company whose tagline has been its cornerstone from the start: Inner Balance ~ Outer Beauty.”

Pink Papaya, “Our Story” page (pinkpapayaparties.com), archived 2017

The company described itself as family owned and operated, and it promoted a young, hip image. It added a men's grooming line and, around 2017, a hair care line.

Pink Papaya sold botanical spa and beauty products, made in the USA. The company said its products were never tested on animals and that it offered paraben-free options from head to toe. Its catalog used plant ingredients such as aloe, chamomile, papaya enzymes, lemongrass, tea tree, jojoba and marine extracts.

• Skin care: cleansers, toners, facial scrubs and polishes, serums, day and night moisturizers, masks and eye cremes.
• Body and bath: body cremes and gels, hand scrubs, cellulite scrubs, foot scrubs, pedicure balms and Himalayan salt soaks.
• Aromatherapy: essential oil blends, massage oils and candles.
• Professional color: foundation, tinted primer, pressed powder, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, lipstick and mascara.
• Men's and hair care: a men's grooming line sold under the Murray Hill name, and shampoo and conditioner added late in the company's life.

Prices were moderate. In 2016 its best sellers ran from a $16.50 Lavender Mint Pedi Balm to a $41 Facial Defense Triple Protection Gel, with the Exotic Body Creme at $18 and the Pumpkin and Goji Berry Anti-Aging Facial Mask at $25.

Sellers were called Consultants. Most sold at home spa parties, where guests tried scrubs, masks and makeup for themselves. The company called itself a “show, not tell” party company. Consultants also sold one-to-one and online, and placed orders through a back office, so they did not need to hold inventory. There were no monthly minimums.

Starter Kit

New Consultants bought a starter kit. The old Direct Sales Aid profile listed two: a $99 “Try It” kit and a $199 “Go For It” kit, both with product samples, catalogs, flyers, invitations and sign-up forms. In 2017 the company's homepage still advertised “Start your own business for $99.” A host who held a qualifying party could use host rewards to buy a kit for much less.

Pay and Host Rewards

The old Direct Sales Aid profile listed a 35% commission on personal sales. Consultants who sponsored new sellers could earn a share of their team's sales, and top sellers could earn bonuses, recognition and trips. Hosts earned 10% to 25% of party sales in free product, plus up to four half-price items and host-exclusive products. Pink Papaya's detailed team commission plan is no longer available, so these figures cannot be checked against the final plan.

Pink Papaya did not publish a closure announcement that we could find. The record shows a quiet wind-down. Its official site, pinkpapayaparties.com, was still advertising parties and $99 kits when the Internet Archive last captured it in June 2017. After that, no further working captures exist. The Consultant back-office domain, pinkpapayaparty.com, was listed for sale by a domain broker by early 2019.

On July 27, 2018, Pink Papaya LLC filed a dissolution and cancellation with the California Secretary of State, according to OpenCorporates. Its US trademarks for the Pink Papaya and Murray Hill names later lapsed. The company gave no public reason for closing, and we do not speculate on one.

Today the brand is gone. Its products are no longer made, and former Consultants cannot reorder. People who liked the home spa party idea can look at live skin care and makeup companies on Direct Sales Aid, for example Mary Kay, or browse the cosmetics and skin care companies.