PURPLE BLAB

I have said this before but in case you missed it, I’ll say it again.

It took Todd and me two years to get Huge Lips Skinny Hips from our brain to shelves. With new partners behind us, a fantastic and experienced development team, it took five months – FIVE! – to create FIVE new products!

I can’t say it was easy and this time around, I wasn’t in the middle of manufacturing madness, which is a place I clearly do not belong. The ease of working with a team who knows exactly what they’re doing and has been doing this for more than thirty years is such a welcome change, I almost feel anxious because I’m not anxious.

Actually, I take that back. I am anxious, just about different things.

Here’s how the process works – and it’s incredible to see the difference between doing it the way Todd and I had done it (when we had NO clue what we were doing and were figuring it out as we went along) and the way it should be done (the learning scale is off the charts).

The new Purple production brigade is in constant contact with labs, so they have an intimate knowledge of new technology, ingredients, science forward elivery systems. I get the skinny, which often inspires new ideas or helps me take the ideas I have to a whole new level.

Brainstorming goes down.

I had a very clear idea of what I wanted the next bunch of products to be and they are on my exact same page, which helps.

There are two main women I work with, one who handles componentry and one who handles formulation. And they handle EVERYTHING. I just get to be creative and avoid what I know I’m bad at.

With product lab partner, we talk about new ingredients, things the lab may already be experimenting with that could add to an idea Purple Lab has. We talk beneifts, features, textures. The lab turns over samples, which are then tested on all of us in the office, friends, friends of friends. I’m not even remotely satisfied until everyone loves it – not just me.

This is what the (glam) lab samples look like.

I give feedback – “not smooth enough… needs more coverage… add more silk to the formula…”

Meanwhile, I brainstorm names and the “s.o.i.” (statement of identity, for example, Silk Sheets, Purple Lab’s foundation has an s.o.i. of “luxe foundation infused with silk, juniper and almond seeds).

After contemplating Ridicu-lash, Lashing Out, and Lash Addict, Lashionista came to me at 4a.m. I woke up Todd in the middle of the night, saying “Lashionista! Lashionista!” Once you have a name, you’re lucky if it’s not already trademarked. And if it is, I could die of frustration, yet I always wind up on the other side with something I like more. (Luvah was almost “Serial Dater,” “Bow Chicka Bow Bow,” and “Don’t Stop”!)

Back to sampling product. I’m almost obnoxiously discerning (i.e. “the mascara is not the tubiest – I send it back like bad salmon at a restaurant). Sometimes, I’m sure the lab wants to kill me. I often reject something 20 times until it’s the best, best, best product I’ve EVER. I can’t share passion with something I don’t live for.

The girls and I create colors, mixing and matching shades from products the lab sends, adding pearlized, shimmery powders to add just enough sparkle (too much = bad).

Simultaneously, the componentry partner sends various packaging options (dozens live in the closet). I often give examples, sketches, ideas of what I like and she finds matches. We talk about pros and cons of each, where logo and cute copy go, how it fits with the rest of the brand’s identity (everything tends to be square, clean lines, double walled, matte silver or shiny purple with metallic hot pink branding).

Our Art Director mocks up the look/feel until it’s right.

When the formula is approved, I write the copy for the box, including directions for use, the love notes that come within, the web copy.

Next: sample time – we need them for media, web site photography, and press material.

Go there – and the stage of finished product – next time!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

Tags: Makeup, mascara, Purple Lab, Silk Sheets foundation

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 7th, 2010 at 9:54 am and is filed under Lashionista Modelista, Purple Lab Behind the Scenes, Purple Lab Products. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.