Mary Kay Vice Chairman Expresses Interest in Avon

The vice chairman of Mary Kay Cosmetics Inc., a privately held cosmetics company that relies mainly on door-to-door sales, said Thursday that he is interested in buying a much larger kindred spirit, Avon Products Inc.

New York-based Avon rejected a $2.1-billion bid from Amway Corp. last week. The direct seller then withdrew its offer rather than make a hostile bid.

But Avon has still remained in the takeover spotlight, especially after news reports said Monday that Mary Kay Vice Chairman John Rochon had expressed interest in the cosmetics giant but was rebuffed by management.