StyleList http://www.stylelist.com StyleList http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.stylelist.com/media/feedlogo.gif StyleList http://www.stylelist.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Pychics and Yoga and Lip gloss, Oh My! - Beauty BLabhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/11/20/pychics-and-yoga-and-lip-gloss-oh-my-beauty-blab/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/11/20/pychics-and-yoga-and-lip-gloss-oh-my-beauty-blab/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/11/20/pychics-and-yoga-and-lip-gloss-oh-my-beauty-blab/#commentsFiled under: ,

Guest blogger Karen Robinovitz writes about the trials and tribulations of creating and running her beauty brand, Huge Lips, Skinny Hips. Click here for all of her Beauty Blab columns.

The Didge Project in action. Photo: Courtesy of Karen Robinovitz.

In the new year, there will be a new shade of Huge Lips Skinny Hips, a brownish-berry with slightly pink undertones called Goji Berry Smoothie. The shade perfectly matches the exotic superfruit, which I mix in a smoothie with coconut water every morning.

It also comes with my secret family recipe, which, I guess, will no longer be a secret once it's out.

To pay homage to the shade, I invited F.O.P.L. (friends of Purple Lab - bloggers and Tweeters) to moonlight yoga at the chic Tribeca loft of my teacher Libby McGinley, a spiritual goddess who gave up her career on the runway and the cover of French Vogue for a life of Oms.

The best part of Libby's teaching is that it's not strict-Nazi yoga, but more gentle, fluid, relaxing. And her approach is meditation oriented, complete with soothing voice and a little chanting. To keep the mood peaceful, the Didge Project, a group of three cute guys (the type who wear Thai fisherman pants and have that effortlessly cool scruffy hippie hair cut most people pay Sally Hershberger $700 to get) who play the didgeridoo, a wind instrument made from hollow wood used in ceremonies by Australian aborinal tribes 40,000 years ago.

The sounds are earthy and cool, mellowing, the kind of thing you'd like to hear in a spa. But live! The guys walked through the space, playing the didgeridoo over everyone's body, which has a healing effect. They busted out some African djimbe drums on top of it, creating the most amazing music (we all learned how to play after and then they demonstrated the didge-hip-hop!).

Afterwards, Organic Avenue delivered delicious goji berry smoothies (a mix of banana, coconut milk, and goji berries) and my friend Rebecca Sharzer from Home Grown Love whipped up raw, hand-made goji berry chocolate truffles (no sugar!).

With our yoga, didge, chocolate and smoothie high, Linda Lauren, a renowned celebrity psychic, did readings for everyone by interpreting their hand writing (she said a Purple Lab TV pilot would happen in the near future! I hope she's right.).

It was a night the Dalai Lama would have approved of. Om to that!

Mwah!
Karen
Purple Lab Creatrix

Pychics and Yoga and Lip gloss, Oh My! - Beauty BLab originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beauty-blabgoji berryGojiBerryHuge Lips Skinny HipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipsKaren RobinovitzKarenRobinovitzLibby McGinleyLibbyMcginleylip plumperLipPlumperorganic avenueOrganicAvenuePurple LabPurpleLabPurpleLabNYCyogaKaren RobinovitzFri, 20 Nov 2009 16:00:00 ESTCelebrity Swag: How to Get Stars to Use Your Products - Beauty BLabhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/29/celebrity-swag-how-to-get-stars-to-use-your-products-beauty-b/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/29/celebrity-swag-how-to-get-stars-to-use-your-products-beauty-b/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/29/celebrity-swag-how-to-get-stars-to-use-your-products-beauty-b/#commentsFiled under: ,

Nicky Hilton is a fan of Huge Lips, Skinny Hips. Photo: Getty Images

I'm about to blow the lid on an entire industry - celebrity swag.

You know the "stars have it so good" columns in all the weeklies - who has what, where they're going, etc?

And you know those "candid" shots of - I don't know - say Lindsay Lohan, walking down the street, holding - prominently, I may add - nicotine gum to stop smoking?

Well, they're not always accidents: Brands are paying for this placement.

As every brand knows, being able to say a celebrity has or uses your product is the best implicit endorsement there is. Plus, it's a quick means to instant press. Hence, celebrity gifting. There are a few ways to get your products in the right hands.

1. Get lucky, bump into someone, have your product on you, hand it over, and try to sneak a photo of them holding it. One of my summer interns used to have celeb sightings daily. A-list ones. I gave her a bag of products to pass on to anyone she saw. She got shewed away by Gwen Stefani's nanny once in Gramercy Park. Oh well. It made for an excellent Facebook update!

2. Know someone who knows someone - a friend of a friend. That is how I got to the lovely Nicky Hilton, FYI, though I have met her many times in the past and think she is an absolute doll. Saying her name got Huge Lips Skinny Hips in Life & Style!

Continue reading Celebrity Swag: How to Get Stars to Use Your Products - Beauty BLab

Celebrity Swag: How to Get Stars to Use Your Products - Beauty BLab originally appeared on StyleList on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beautybeauty-blabcelebrity giftingCelebrityGiftingChristian SirianoChristianSirianoEva LongoriaEvaLongoriaGwen StefaniGwenStefaniGwynethGwyneth PaltrowGwynethPaltrowHuge Lips Skinny HipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipsKaren RobinovitzKarenRobinovitzLindsay LohanLindsayLohanlip glosslip plumperLipGlossLipPlumperMolly SimsMollySimsPerez HiltonPerezHiltonPurple LabPurple Lab NYCPurpleLabPurpleLabNycKaren RobinovitzThu, 29 Oct 2009 09:00:00 ESTFashion Model How-To: Walk Like A Supermodel - Beauty BLabhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/21/fashion-model-how-to-walk-like-a-model/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/21/fashion-model-how-to-walk-like-a-model/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/21/fashion-model-how-to-walk-like-a-model/#commentsFiled under: ,

Model Behavior: Purple Lab's public relations director, Sharon, strikes a pose. Photo: Courtesy of Karen Robinovitz


Hips forward. Shoulders back.

Remember: Every man wants you, and every woman wants to be you.

Such are the wise words of Drew Linehan, former America's Next Top Model guest judge and founder of Trew Productions, a model booking agency in New York City. I met Drew once upon a time when I was a journalist and he booked fashion shoots at Mirabella and Marie Claire.

When it comes to modeling, he really knows his stuff. So who better to teach teach us some slinky runway moves?

Why? Because the Purple Lab mantra is to feel empowered, strong, and sexy, and a little self self-modeling for me and my girls helps punctuate that.

"The main thing is feeling comfortable with who you and and confident with what you're presenting," he says.

Watch the video to see Linehan give us modeling tips, and read on for more catwalking advice after the jump.

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Continue reading Fashion Model How-To: Walk Like A Supermodel - Beauty BLab

Fashion Model How-To: Walk Like A Supermodel - Beauty BLab originally appeared on StyleList on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beauty-blabDrew LinehanDrewLinehanfashion modelfashion model how-toFashionModelFashionModelHow-tohow to walk like a modelHowToWalkLikeAModelHuge Lips Skinny HipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipsKaren RobinovitzKarenRobinovitzlip glossLip plumperLipGlossLipPlumpermodel lessonsModeling AgencyModelingAgencyModelLessonsPurple LabPurple Lab NYCPurpleLabPurpleLabNycrunway lessonsRunwayLessonsTrew ProductionsTrewProductionsKaren RobinovitzWed, 21 Oct 2009 19:00:00 ESTBeauty BLab - Kiss Breast Cancer Good-Byehttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/09/beauty-blab-kiss-breast-cancer-good-bye/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/09/beauty-blab-kiss-breast-cancer-good-bye/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/09/beauty-blab-kiss-breast-cancer-good-bye/#commentsFiled under: ,




October may just be the most important month in a woman's life. It's a time when we all ban together to support breast cancer awareness.

I wanted to do something special and original for Purple Lab - not just take an already-pink product and add a ribbon.

Pink Ribbon: A swish of Photo: Courtesy of Karen Robinovitz


I met three inspiring women last year - Malaak, Andrea, and Hayley - all of whom lost their good friend to triple negative breast cancer, a rare and aggressive subtype I had never heard of. Nor had any of my friends.

And when I heard the story of their friend Nancy Block-Zenna who inspired them to create The Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, a charity that supports awareness and research for TNBC, I knew I had to do something.

Too many of us don't know what this type of breast cancer is!

Meet SWAC (Sealed with a Cure, pictured right), a sumptuous gloss formulated with lots of TLC ingredients.

It's packed with echinacea, a purple cone flower used as an herbal immune system booster and mangosteen, an anti-oxidant rich super fruit from the Sundra Islands and Indonesia (true story - I overheard Marc Jacobs saying it was his favorite fruit when I was in his showroom!).

Continue reading Beauty BLab - Kiss Breast Cancer Good-Bye

Beauty BLab - Kiss Breast Cancer Good-Bye originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beauty-blabBreast CancerBreast Cancer AwarenessBreast Cancer Awareness MonthBreastCancerBreastCancerAwarenessBreastCancerAwarenessMonthkaren robinovitzKarenRobinovitzlip glossLipGlosspurple labPurpleLabSealed with a CureSealedWithACureTriple Negative Breast CancerTriple Negative Breast Cancer FoundationTripleNegativeBreastCancerTripleNegativeBreastCancerFoundationKaren RobinovitzFri, 09 Oct 2009 17:00:00 ESTHow To Make An Entrance With All Eyes On You - Beauty BLabhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/02/how-to-make-an-entrance-with-all-eyes-on-you-beauty-blab/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/02/how-to-make-an-entrance-with-all-eyes-on-you-beauty-blab/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/10/02/how-to-make-an-entrance-with-all-eyes-on-you-beauty-blab/#comments

Purple Lab is all about glam, sexy, confidence. Read: A Dita, Beyonce, Bridget Bardot sandwich.

Which is why we tapped Veronica Varlow for a sexy burlesque class to celebrate our shade of Huge Lips Skinny Hips called Love Your Thighs, which is all about self esteem, feeling empowered and enjoying your body.

The juicy part - we learned how to make an all-eyes-on-you entrance. Here's how:

Whenever you go anywhere - a restaurant, a bar, a party - stand at the door for a good 30 seconds. You see, when someone walks in a room, it's everyone's natural inclination to look to the door. So if you stand there for a moment, give a pause, and slowly - ever so slowly - remove your coat/jacket/scarf, you'll get more eyeballs.

Said Varlow, "everyone will wonder who you are."

Now the walk... step with an exaggerated hip. Step right and right hip out. Left step, left hip. The feet kind of cross over each other, criss-crossing.

Ladies, start your boas! Photo: Courtesy of Karen Robinovitz

Continue reading How To Make An Entrance With All Eyes On You - Beauty BLab

How To Make An Entrance With All Eyes On You - Beauty BLab originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Aly WalanskyAlyWalanskybeauty-blabeBeautyDaily.comFashionstylebeauty.comHuge Lips Skinny HipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipsKraseybeauty.comLusciouslifestylediva.comPurple LabPurple Lab NYCPurpleLabPurpleLabNycpurplelabnyc.comThe Gatesthebeautychick.blogspot.comTheGatesVeronica VarlowVeronicaVarlowKaren RobinovitzFri, 02 Oct 2009 18:00:00 ESTBeauty BLAB: Love Your Thighs, No Matter the Size!http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/25/sumo-wrestling-thighs/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/25/sumo-wrestling-thighs/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/25/sumo-wrestling-thighs/#commentsFiled under: ,



I don't know about you, but I've spent most of my life hating my thighs.

I feel like every pair of jeans hugs my limbs like sausage casing. I don't beach sans sarong. Shorts? Not an option.

My thighs have been the topic of many a therapy session. But these are the glutes I was born with, and I've finally come to terms with the fact that I will never have the sinewy gate of Gwynnie.

Hence the Huge Lips Skinny Hips shade "Love Your Thighs," a chic coral reminiscent of the confident women you see prancing, topless, in St. Tropez, whether they have perfect bodies or not. The gloss comes with a little love note, a mantra about loving your thighs, no matter their size. If we all spent a bit less time hating on ourselves, think of what kind of amazing things we could do with that leftover energy!

To get a bunch of our blogger friends, Twitter followers, and Facebook fans on the same page, I hosted a sumo wrestling match.

Yes. you heard me! Nothing like slapping on a fat suit to make you feel good!

Continue reading Beauty BLAB: Love Your Thighs, No Matter the Size!

Beauty BLAB: Love Your Thighs, No Matter the Size! originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beauty-blabhuge lips skinny hipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipsKaren RobinovitzKarenRobinovitzlip glosslip plumperLipGlossLipPlumperlove your thighsLoveYourThighspurple labPurpleLabsumo wrestlingSumoWrestlingKaren RobinovitzFri, 25 Sep 2009 17:00:00 ESTBeauty BLAB - Fashion's Night Out. The Morning After.http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/18/beauty-blab-fashions-night-out-the-morning-after/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/18/beauty-blab-fashions-night-out-the-morning-after/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/18/beauty-blab-fashions-night-out-the-morning-after/#commentsFiled under: ,



Last week I invited you to the Purple Lab Fashion's Night Out party. Today, the recap.

Fashion's Night Out was an epic night in NYC. After months of down economy blues and credit card probation, every store busted out full-on bashes to celebrate retail and shopping fever.

We took over Scoop Street in the Meatpacking district, conveniently located across the street from DVF and around the corner from Stella and Tory. The best foot traffic I could ask for.

For five hours, we doctored the windows (we got to decorate all three), thanks to Sarah Sparkles, a set designer/jewelry designer/sparkle lover, and my husband Todd who personally stuck all of the vinyls with our logos on the windows, strung our boxes from the ceilings, and schlepped about two dozen boxes - and three tables - to the store, while the Purple Labbies (i.e. interns) pounded the pavement, wearing Flashdance style Purple Lab tees and armed with purple feather enhanced cigarette trays to hand out invitations and show off Huge Lips Skinny Hips.


The Purple Labbies hit the streets. Photo: Courtesy of Purple Lab

Continue reading Beauty BLAB - Fashion's Night Out. The Morning After.

Beauty BLAB - Fashion's Night Out. The Morning After. originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Butterflydiary.comCupcake RepublicCupcakeRepublicDJ LipsDjLipsFashions Night OutFashionsNightOutFord FiestaFordFiestaHuge Lips Skinny HipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipsKaren RobinovitzKarenRobinovitzMeatpacking DistrictMeatpackingDistrictPurple LabPurpleLabSarah SparklesSarahSparklesScoop storeScoop StreetScoopStoreScoopStreetVeronica VarlowVeronicaVarlowKaren RobinovitzFri, 18 Sep 2009 17:00:00 ESTBeauty BLAB - Fashion's Night Out & Lip Gloss Giveaway!http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/08/beauty-blab-fashions-night-out-and-lip-gloss-giveaway/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/08/beauty-blab-fashions-night-out-and-lip-gloss-giveaway/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/08/beauty-blab-fashions-night-out-and-lip-gloss-giveaway/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Everyone in NYC is talking about Fashion's Night Out! September 10th, Anna Wintour (her holiness) and Mayor B. are sponsoring a chic soiree to bring the spirit of shopping (AT RETAIL) back. Every major store is having some kind of bash from 6-11p.m. Nonstop!

Purple Lab is having a purple fest at Scoop Street, the gleaming space on the corner of 14th and Washington (875 Washington to be exact) in the Meatpacking District (best nabe, BTW, for unleashing your credit card!).

Here's the dish: We have five adorable models trolling the streets, decked in little Purple Lab tees, zipper-detailed Democracy of Nevermind jeans, and cute Matt Bernson flats. With purple cigarette trays strapped to their bodies, they'll be passing out invitations to the event all over the city (if you see the girls with big helium lip shaped balloons, they're ours!).

When you bring your card and buy two Huge Lips Skinny Hips shades, we'll give you one No Panty Lines (clear) free! And If you're not in NY or you just want a piece of our event, we're doing a sexy give away - one Huge Lips Skinny Hips in No Panty Lines, a Purple Lab Tshirt, and the haute playlist from DJ Lips! Here's what you have to do to win - write a love note and we'll randomly pick one!

More on our event and contest rules are after the jump!

Continue reading Beauty BLAB - Fashion's Night Out & Lip Gloss Giveaway!

Beauty BLAB - Fashion's Night Out & Lip Gloss Giveaway! originally appeared on StyleList on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beauty-blabfashion weekFashions Night OutFashionsNightOutFashionWeekHuge Lips Skinny HipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipsKaren RobinovitzKarenRobinovitzPurple LabPurpleLabScoopKaren RobinovitzTue, 08 Sep 2009 17:00:00 ESTBeauty BLAB - Office Gossip!http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/04/beauty-blab-office-gossip/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/04/beauty-blab-office-gossip/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/09/04/beauty-blab-office-gossip/#comments


Intern Challenge: Get Huge Lips, Skinny Hips on the set of Gossip Girl! Photo: Getty Images

A one sentence round up to get us to day: Shipped to stores! Left Space.NK (long story). Got into Fred Segal Melrose, Kitson, and Bliss! Went belly up - personal savings, down to $58.22! And that is when we found strategic partners and things came together! See more on my own blog!

The office sich (a.k.a. my home) is nuts. Five interns scattered throughout. Hubby upstairs in bedroom with megaphone to tell us to be "quiet on the set." I work full time day-jobs and my girls rock it out all day. But we needed one more intern - a sprightly thing who gets social media, beauty, and PR.

A fashionindie.com blogger I love introduced us to Cristina, a petite blond NYU student whose model boyfriend's father happens to be sound guy on the set of Gossip Girl (xoxo)! She wanted the job (and was thinking of going to Gucci). But before I would hire her, I gave her a mission (which she chose to accept!).

Get our products to the Gossip Girls! if she did, she would be a Purple Labbie! If not, go to Gucci!

Continue reading Beauty BLAB - Office Gossip!

Beauty BLAB - Office Gossip! originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beauty-blabGossip GirlGossipGirlHuge Lips Skinny HipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipsKaren RobinovitzKarenRobinovitzPurple LabPurpleLabKaren RobinovitzFri, 04 Sep 2009 16:00:00 ESTBeauty bLAB - A Date with the Blogesses!http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/28/beauty-blab-a-date-with-the-blogesses/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/28/beauty-blab-a-date-with-the-blogesses/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/28/beauty-blab-a-date-with-the-blogesses/#commentsFiled under: ,



Creator of Huge Lips Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Scoop, Ron Robinson and b-glowing), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch. Everything she's blogging right now has happened already -- it's the background to catch you up on how she got to today.

Now the fun part: We launched the brand to the beauty bloggers.

I wanted to do something totally different and out of the box: a full day tour of the inspirations for each shade of Huge Lips, Skinny Hips, complete with a bus that showed a video of Veronica Varlow, a burlesque chanteuse who "modeled" each lip gloss shade on our site to the sultry tune of "Something or Nothing" by DNA.

Get the scoop full scoop after the jump, or just watch it, below!

Continue reading Beauty bLAB - A Date with the Blogesses!

Beauty bLAB - A Date with the Blogesses! originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beauty-blabHuge Lips Skinny HipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipslip plumperLipPlumperPurple LabPurpleLabPurplelabenyc.comKaren RobinovitzFri, 28 Aug 2009 17:00:00 ESTA Moment of Success (Sort of)http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/21/a-moment-of-success-sort-of/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/21/a-moment-of-success-sort-of/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/21/a-moment-of-success-sort-of/#commentsFiled under: ,



Creator of Huge Lips Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Scoop, Ron Robinson and b-glowing), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch. Everything she's blogging right now has happened already -- it's the background to catch you up on how she got to today.

You've been following me along the way - and it has been a bumpy ride. Our components weren't the only things that were broken....we were now broke. There was literally $58.22 in our account (I was at the point where I was selling old clothes to pay for the little things; there went my favorite Choos - no joke!)

We had 30,000 broken components. We missed shipping dates. We were depressed... to say the least.


Behold, the faulty components and cause of all our frustrations! Photo: Karen Robinovitz

Continue reading A Moment of Success (Sort of)

A Moment of Success (Sort of) originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beauty-blabHuge Lips Skinny HipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipsKaren RobinovitzKarenRobinovitzPurple LabPurpleLabKaren RobinovitzFri, 21 Aug 2009 13:00:00 ESTBeauty BLab - When Good Manufacturers Go Bad! http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/07/beauty-blab-when-good-manufacturers-go-bad/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/07/beauty-blab-when-good-manufacturers-go-bad/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/08/07/beauty-blab-when-good-manufacturers-go-bad/#commentsFiled under: ,



Creator of Huge Lips Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Scoop, Ron Robinson and b-glowing), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch.

Before I go on, note: Everything I'm blogging right now happened a while ago (at this time, the product is actually in stores, but I want to give you all the background to catch you up on how I got to today).

Business plan? Check.
Investor meetings? Check. (Yet no actual checks yet!)
Retailer? Check.

It was all starting to fall into place. We were about to send our product from the lab to our packaging manufacturer, who would assemble, label, warehouse and ship everything. We had the required $3M insurance policy.

Our first order of business -- get the products to London. We paid all kinds of rush fees to speed up our production.

Space.NK offered us the marketing opportunity of a lifetime: Purple Lab window displays in all 62 stores...during FASHION WEEK! Hello?! I was planning to have my burlesque friend -- the one on our website -- dance in the windows! It was going to be sick.

Continue reading Beauty BLab - When Good Manufacturers Go Bad!

Beauty BLab - When Good Manufacturers Go Bad! originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Beauty-BlabburlesqueHuge-Lips-Skinny-HipsKaren-RobinovitzLip-glosslip-plumperlipglossmakeupmakeup-businessPurple-LabSpace.nkKaren RobinovitzFri, 07 Aug 2009 08:00:00 ESTDial B for Business Planhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/07/24/dial-b-for-business-plan/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/07/24/dial-b-for-business-plan/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/07/24/dial-b-for-business-plan/#comments
Creator of Huge Lips Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Scoop, Ron Robinson and b-glowing), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch.

I thought raising money for Purple Lab would be easy. I envisioned talking to some uber-successful executive (say Warren Buffet for example) about my marketing ideas, future products and brand identity -- then he (or she) would be so impressed a check would be written immediately.

I was wrong.

Some of my friends were spawned from incredibly successful parents -- one is on Forbes' list of the world's 400 wealthiest people, while another owns $1 billion in real estate holdings. Plus as a journalist I was in touch with moguls, magnates, CEOs and plenty of well-funded individuals who I could call upon for a meeting. But when I made those calls, they asked to see my executive summary (a concise, professional one-page overview of the brand/offering) and my P&L statement.

Um, my P&L statement? I didn't have the stomach to ask what that was.

Continue reading Dial B for Business Plan

Dial B for Business Plan originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>BeautyBeauty-BlabBusiness-PlanHuge-Lips-Skinny-HipsKaren-RobinovitzLip-glosslipglossPurple-LabKaren RobinovitzFri, 24 Jul 2009 12:35:00 ESTBeauty BLab - I'm No Donald Trump!http://www.stylelist.com/2009/07/17/beauty-blab-im-no-donald-trump/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/07/17/beauty-blab-im-no-donald-trump/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/07/17/beauty-blab-im-no-donald-trump/#commentsFiled under: ,



Creator of Huge Lips Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Scoop, Ron Robinson and b-glowing), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch.

Before I go on, note: Everything I'm blogging right now happened a while ago (at this time, the product is actually in stores, but I want to give you all the background to catch you up on how I got to today).

I will get into how in the hole we were in a minute, but first things first, I have some very exciting current news.

We just launched a really cool contest called KISS & TELL YOUR HUGE LIPS SKINNY HIPS I.D.!

Just pick the color -- from all our cheeky gloss names -- that best represents you. Then upload a pic and say why you identify with the shade.

Which lip gloss are you? Photo courtesy of Purple Lab

Grand Prize: A sexy weekend for two in NYC, where I will take you on a tour of my inspirations for each shade. You'll stay at le chic Smyth Hotel in Tribeca, attend a private pole class, take burlesque lessons from the fabulous Veronica Varlow, learn to work the runway in your haute "Red Sole" shoes, have a Kate Moss moment at Topshop and then some. Trust me!

Continue reading Beauty BLab - I'm No Donald Trump!

Beauty BLab - I'm No Donald Trump! originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>business-planContesthuge-lips-skinny-hipslip-glosslip-plumperlipglossmakeuppurple-labred-soleKaren RobinovitzFri, 17 Jul 2009 10:00:00 ESTBeauty BLab - PR Playbookhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/07/07/beauty-blab-pr-playbook/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/07/07/beauty-blab-pr-playbook/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/07/07/beauty-blab-pr-playbook/#comments

Creator of Huge Lips, Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Scoop, Ron Robinson and b-glowing), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch.

Before I go on, note: Everything I'm blogging right now happened a while ago (at this time, the product is actually in stores, but I want to give you all the background to catch you up on how I got to today).

At this point, I was able to finish my press kit.

PR 101: Editors, writers, journalists, media types, bloggers... they get hundreds of press kits and product samples every week. When you're in their position, everyone wants you to feature their product, so they bombard you with product.

I still have 37 hand creams, 46 conditioners, 7 eye creams, 18 toners, 3 foot creams and an entire shelf of SPF and self tanner left over from the good ole days of my swag-a-licious life as a reporter.

The problem when you get so much loot? You become jaded. The more you see, the more discerning you become and the harder it is for brands to stand out. Ninety percent of the products I received went to interns, my housekeeper, friends or the cab driver on the way home from an event.

Continue reading Beauty BLab - PR Playbook

Beauty BLab - PR Playbook originally appeared on StyleList on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>BeautyCosmeticshuge-lips-skinny-hipsKaren-Robinovitzlip-glosslip-plumperlipglossPRpress-kitspurple-labKaren RobinovitzTue, 07 Jul 2009 07:00:00 ESTSpaced Outhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/06/29/spaced-out/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/06/29/spaced-out/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/06/29/spaced-out/#commentsFiled under: ,



Creator of Huge Lips, Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Scoop, Ron Robinson and b-glowing), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch.

Before I go on, note: Everything I'm blogging right now happened a while ago (at this time, the product is actually in stores, but I want to give you all the background to catch you up on how I got to today).

So, picking up from where I left off last week, I had made it into Scoop, my first choice in stores. Next stop: Space.NK -- the British prestige chain that is "the" place to go for beauty products.

It's sophisticated, sparse, Calvin Klein-esque and houses only about 60 well-edited brands.

The Space.NK chain was making a play for the U.S. and opened four stores, two in NYC. Plus, there was the store-within-a-store deal they struck with Bloomingdale's. A friend of mine knew the Space.NK founder, a very inspiring woman whose initials are, go figure, "NK." She introduced us through an email and the NK team asked to meet me... in London.

Continue reading Spaced Out

Spaced Out originally appeared on StyleList on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beautycosmeticsKaren-Robinovitzlip-glosslip-plumperlipglossmakeupPurple-LabSpace.NKKaren RobinovitzMon, 29 Jun 2009 08:00:00 ESTBeauty bLAB - To Make a Long Store-y Shorthttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/06/19/beauty-blab-to-make-a-long-store-y-short/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/06/19/beauty-blab-to-make-a-long-store-y-short/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/06/19/beauty-blab-to-make-a-long-store-y-short/#commentsFiled under: ,



Creator of Huge Lips, Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Space NK, Scoop and b-glowing.com), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch.

Before I go on, note: Everything I'm blogging right now happened a while ago (at this time, the product is actually in stores, but I want to give you all the background to catch you up on how I got to today).

Purple Lab was on its way -- but homeless.

You can't get any kind of media coverage on a product if there's no place to buy it. So, press kit was put on hold and operation distribution began.

Here's the thing about retailing in today's world. The brick-and-mortar retail model has changed dramatically with the increase of online shopping and the decrease of the economy. Plus, more people are buying from HSN and QVC, which used to be somewhat lowbrow but is now kinda cool.

Continue reading Beauty bLAB - To Make a Long Store-y Short

Beauty bLAB - To Make a Long Store-y Short originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beautycosmeticshuge-lips-skinny-hipskaren-robinovitzlip-glosslip-plumperLipglossmakeupScoopKaren RobinovitzFri, 19 Jun 2009 09:30:00 ESTBeauty bLAB - Money, Money, Moneyhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/06/05/money-money-money/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/06/05/money-money-money/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/06/05/money-money-money/#commentsFiled under: ,



Creator of Huge Lips, Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Space NK, Scoop and b-glowing.com), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch.

Before I go on, note: Everything I'm blogging right now happened a while ago (at this time, the product is actually in stores, but I want to give you all the background to catch you up on how I got to today).

This week's topic: How much is this thing going to sell for? I needed to have a price before I could complete the press kit and what I didn't know then is that in the beauty world, the best way to create a profitable company is to have a cost of goods (COG) that is about 20% of the wholesale price.

For example, if a product is retailing at $20, it is typically sold to a retailer at $10, so the ideal COG would be $2. But you have to sell a whole lot of product to make real money because when you start production, the minimums are so high that you wind up shelling out a lot of dough on the inventory.

Our gloss is far more expensive than $2. To turn the best profit, we'd need to sell the product for $50. Who's buying a $50 gloss? I'm not and I'm the type of girl who can get suckered into buying anything!

Continue reading Beauty bLAB - Money, Money, Money

Beauty bLAB - Money, Money, Money originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beautycosmeticslip-glosslip-plumpermakeuppurple-labwww.purplelabnyc.comKaren RobinovitzFri, 05 Jun 2009 16:51:00 ESTBeauty bLAB - Cha-Ching! The Spending Has Begunhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/05/29/beauty-blab-cha-ching-the-spending-has-begun/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/05/29/beauty-blab-cha-ching-the-spending-has-begun/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/05/29/beauty-blab-cha-ching-the-spending-has-begun/#commentsFiled under: ,



Creator of Huge Lips, Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Space NK, Scoop and b-glowing.com), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch.

Life was stressful. To say the least.

I was a one-woman company, figuring out how to manufacture, manage the finances of it all, deal with the legal aspects and now I was beginning to think about sales and PR.

On the component front, I placed an order for 30,000 (5,000 of each color). I knew I would have to cut a big check, but there is major difference between knowing you have to write a check and actually writing one! And it was -- cha-ching -- time to pay the fiddler. I owed at least half -- 12 k! -- when you're a new client with no credit, you pay half up front and half upon delivery.

Now I had to wait about 12 weeks for the components to come.

This was fall of last year and the launch was slated for spring. Patience... not my strong suit. But for some instant gratification (and to jump ahead for a sec), you can find my products here now!

In the meantime, I worked on the press kit, which is what is sent out to all editors, writers and media in order to introduce them to the product. To get into "long leads" (PR lingo meaning the monthly magazines who work three, four, sometimes even more in advance of the publishing date), I had to start seeding the beauty editors by February. And before I could write a press kit, I had to hire a PR firm. (By the way, did I mention that during all of this, I had a full-time job? Mama needed a salary!)

Remember, I am not a trusfundafarian!

Continue reading Beauty bLAB - Cha-Ching! The Spending Has Begun

Beauty bLAB - Cha-Ching! The Spending Has Begun originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 29 May 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beautybeauty-blabcosmeticshuge lips skinny hipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipskaren robinovitzKarenRobinovitzlip plumperlipglossLipPlumpermakeupmanufacturingpurple labPurpleLabKaren RobinovitzFri, 29 May 2009 11:15:00 ESTBeauty BLAB - Color Me Happyhttp://www.stylelist.com/2009/05/22/beauty-blab-color-me-happy/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/05/22/beauty-blab-color-me-happy/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/05/22/beauty-blab-color-me-happy/#commentsFiled under: ,




Creator of Huge Lips, Skinny Hips Lip Gloss (at Space NK!), Karen Robinovitz takes us through the trials and tribulations of creating a beauty brand from scratch.

We had the packaging look and feel down. I was happy as can be. I now needed to figure out the colors of the six-shade gloss line -- fun, right?

I polled my makeup artist friends - I am blessed with having a few fabulous ones! I asked them what colors they would bring to someone's house if they had no idea what that person looked like or what color their skin tone was. They unanimously came up with the same replies: a light pink or nude, a rich pink, a red, a peach, a color, and clear. Now, some labs have specific color departments where their sole mission is to create a variety of hues. Mine didn't.

C'est moi engaging in my favorite hobby, which inspired the shade Kitty Poledancer. We all have one lurking inside of us! Photo courtesy of Karen Robinovitz.

So I did my colors the old fashioned way - I spent about $800 at Sephora, buying every key shade I could find. I got empty pots and mixing sticks, rolled up my sleeves, and went to town on my coffee table. A few hours later, both arms were covered in what appeared to be Indian paint. There was gloss all over the cowhide rug (oops!). My lips were raw from applying and rubbing off and applying and rubbing off and applying... you get the point. But I had six ultra chic, universally-flattering, sheer shades in front of me that I was dying over! Then the really fun part - naming them! It was like giving birth to six babies at once (call me Angie!).

Their monikers came easily - as if they named themselves.

Continue reading Beauty BLAB - Color Me Happy

Beauty BLAB - Color Me Happy originally appeared on StyleList on Fri, 22 May 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beauty-blabcosmeticshoodiahuge lips skinny hipsHugeLipsSkinnyHipskaren robinovitzKarenRobinovitzlip plumperlipglossLipPlumpermakeuppurple labPurpleLabpurplelabnyc.comspace.nkKaren RobinovitzFri, 22 May 2009 17:15:00 EST