Mention Mary Kay cosmetics, and most people think of the company’s iconic pink Cadillac.

For decades, the storied beauty company has offered the use of the pearl pink car as an incentive for sales force members to up their achievement level.

Earlier this month, Kathy Puglisi of Springfield, an independent sales director for Mary Kay since 2003, received her third Mary Kay car for outstanding business achievement.

But you won’t be seeing Puglisi driving the pink Cadillac. Puglisi, who has lived in Springfield for more than 30 years, received a Chevy Cruze, one of the options Mary Kay offers to its star sales members, from Jim McKay Chevrolet in Fairfax.

“I am so proud to be a leader of such a great group of women who have helped me earn the honor to drive this new Chevy Cruze,” said Puglisi. “Earning this reward to drive free means we, as a unit in Mary Kay, are enriching women’s lives both with our products and with our business opportunity and that is a great feeling. I also want to thank my family and especially my husband, Rob, for the support they give and the belief they have in me.”

The company’s car program includes the Chevy Cruze in white, Chevy Equinox crossover in black, Toyota Camry in black, Ford Mustang in black and the iconic and coveted pearlized pink Cadillac. Mary Kay career car qualifiers also have the option of selecting cash compensation in lieu of the car.

“Cars earned by the independent sales force through this program serve as a symbol of their hard work and success in their Mary Kay businesses,” said Darrell Overcash, president of Mary Kay Inc. U.S.

Since the inception of the car program in 1969, more than 141,000 independent sales force members have qualified or re-qualified to earn the use of a Mary Kay career car. Currently, 5,927 Mary Kay career cars are on the road nationwide.

“Being recognized and rewarded for sharing this product with others and making women feel special is just one of the many reasons I love this company,” said Puglisi, who recently attended Mary Kay Inc.’s annual seminar in Dallas to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary.

During the seminar, Mary Kay’s beauty consultants were encouraged to bring gently-used professional attire to donate to domestic violence shelters as part of the annual Mary Kay “Suits for Shelters” program. Last year’s “Suits for Shelters” effort resulted in the donation of more than 2,500 career outfits for domestic violence survivors seeking jobs.

Mary Kay’s 50th anniversary played a prominent role at this year’s seminar, Overcash said. “The theme ‘One Woman Can’ pays tribute to company founder Mary Kay Ash and the idea that one woman can change the world.”

“It feels wonderful to be a part of a company that is making such an impactful difference in the lives of people all over the world. My passion to do my part in changing lives has been elevated to a whole new level,” Puglisi said.

*To learn more about Mary Kay’s 50th Anniversary, the legacy of Mary Kay Ash and the future of Mary Kay Inc., visit marykay.com.