After months of patiently waiting, it finally arrived. It arrived on an ordinary Thursday, when I least expected. When I first saw it I wasn’t quite sure it was it. It wasn’t until I saw those three words GUINNESS – WORLD – RECORD that I immediately knew. That’s right folks, Purple Lab is officially in the books as the record holder for the Largest Speed Dating Event in Guinness World Record History.

Guinness World Record!

For those of you who are a bit lost and may be thinking why a beauty brand would break a record for a dating event, I’ll refresh your memory. Back in January, Purple Lab teamed up with the W Hotel in Hoboken, NJ to launch our latest lip stain and gloss duo, Luvah, equipped with libido stimulants and aphrodisiacs. How better to launch the sexist lip product on earth with “Find Your Luvah,” the largest dating event on earth?

Speed Dating in Action

To add that extra dose of dating and relationship street cred, we signed on Steve Ward, the expert matchmaker behind the VH1 reality series, “Tough Love.”

Karen and Steve Ward, the hosts

The event was a huge success attracting 313 speed daters which can be seen in the official certificate. The funny part was, gathering 313 people into one room to speed date was a breeze. The challenging part was proving to Guinness that we met the task. To be officially recognized as a record breaker we had to send in the following information:

1. A recap of the event

2. Signed statements from two witnesses that details exactly what they saw us do, including times, scores, dates and the location where the attempt took place. Each statement needed to be on letterheaded paper from the witness’ company, and include their contact details

3. A signature from each speed dating participant (which we collected at the event)

4. Official video footage of the event

5. Official photographs of the event

6. Official press coverage of the event

The above information had to be gathering and sent to Guinness within two weeks of breaking the record. We mailed the supporting materials in February, 2010 and we just received recognition on Thursday, July 1, 2010.

They take their time in London at the GWR head courters.

Receiving the official certificate from Guinness was a very exciting moment for me as I worked extremely hard on the “Find Your Luvah” event. Here I am holding our award proudly!

So its official, Purple Lab is in the books and has made world record history – we may be a small indie brand but how many other companies can say they achieved Guinness Record status?

Mwah!

Sharon
Communications Queen

Sharon, Purple Lab rock star Communications Queen, managed to do something I cannot imagine anyone else in PR accomplishing.

She secured a placement (translation: a piece) in the new Cosmopolitan Magazine!

Now… the reason it was an amazing feat.

Here’s the story. Sharon pitched the beauty editor at the magazine in the fall, when we thought we’d have the product in question… Luvah, the sexiest 3D lip color (both a stain and a gloss in one compact) infused with Dong Quai (an ancient Chinese herb known as a libido stimulant), Ylang-Ylang (used as the floral remedy for sensuality), Vitamin E (a nourishing antioxidant), vanilla mint scent (the better to kiss you with, my dear), and a double plumper I call “Complex OO.”

They loved it.

Problem: Production delays.

When we first started working on Luvah, it was slated to launch by November (and you have to hit up the long lead magazines three, four, even five months in advance). At the time of Sharon’s outreach, there was no sample, but we were close.

Then Purple Lab biz dev got in the way.

Todd and I were in the midst of finalizing a deal with our now partners and this product took a back seat. In fact, everything took a back seat. And you know what, everything in my life is STILL taking a back seat to all things purple. But that’s another story.

We picked our product development back up soon after Cosmo called to request a sample. The issue – we had no sample. The lab was still finalizing at this point. And no amount of my begging and pleading and saying “It’s for Cosmooooo!” would do. You can’t rush a scientist.

We received – and approved – the base of the formula. The “base formula” is the actual product but without actives. The way it works with our lab is that you approve that and then they work with actives, which can change the formula but they now have a standard to meet.

Anyway, we sent Cosmo the sample. They loved the look and feel but it’s hard to write a piece when the product isn’t final. Impossible, actually.

The story was off. But Sharon persisted.

Days before the editors were about to close the issue, we got the sample – wtih actives. Just in time. What I love about Shar – she never gives up, not even for a second. She’s a little bulldog in a cute, petite package with flawless olive skin.

Then they wanted to shoot it. Another glitch: we only had the product in an ugly pot, not the actual packaging. Though we did have a sample of the packaging, so we photoshopped it

It wound up looking like a cartoon. We thought, for sure, the item would be cut. But it wasn’t.  “Don’t worry,” Sharon assured me, “it’ll happen.”

The piece hit newsstands yesterday! It didn’t have a photo, but still… we were in there under “His Picks” and Luvah was called “lust-worthy lips.”

Damn straight!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

The event last week was a smash hit, I have to say! Before I go on, I have to give serious props to Sharon, Purple Lab’s Communications Director. She executed every ounce of this event, from the signage to the sponsors to the layout to the organization to the registration to the gift bags to the… you get the point.

We had to be very careful about letting in ONLY the ones who registered because of fire hazards – God forbid something went wrong! And it pained every ounce of my being to have to turn some away (we did offer them a drink from our bar and suggested they stay because so many singles would mingle after).

Luckily no one threatened us with violence.

Sharon was overseeing the whole pre-party situation while I was in the green room, filming testimonials with the HSN crew. I asked random women to come and play with products and give their feedback for the camera, which you’ll be able to see on HSN.com as well as our debut shows, so please tune in!

At 9:30, the event really kicked off. Steve and I made an entrance and announced the rules of speed dating on stage. Ejai from True Sound Music busted out the sexy playlist.

<—- my friend, Jeannine, who wrote about her night on her blog, Beauty Sweet Spot.

The girls sat on one side of long tables and the guys, across from them. Every three minutes, a siren went off and the guys moved one seat to the right. “I never knew how long or how short three minutes could be,” one girl said, adding “it was long when the date was bad and short when it was good.”

Some matches were definitely made. I caught a couple making out after (thankfully, we provided Dentyne and Luvah is scented with vanilla and mint!). See below, I caught them exchanging digits!

But I can’t say that there were no glitches – what’s an event with 500 people without one?

Twenty minutes before take off, we sent two Purple Lab girls out to wrangle in some new guys – about 20 didn’t show up. All they had to say is “175 cute girls… free drinks… free food… 175 cute girls!”

The other oversight – as the guys moved to the right, the ones at the very end didn’t know where to go. We quickly remedied by sending our team to escort them to the other side of the room, but there was a moment of panic, I have to admit!

While I saw a few people get up and go to the bathroom in mid-date (is it me or is that rude? Couldn’t they hold it in for an hour?), I saw happy faces and lots of gloss application going on.

For the record: if any love matches are made, let me know. I will come do your makeup for your wedding!

As the crowd trickled out, I got down and dirty for clean-up. I brought sweats for the cause and chowed down on the left over brownies and cookies. One day, I’ll be able to afford an entire clean-up team!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

with my Luvah!!!

Luvah is such a sexy product.

Adorable to hold, too.

Below, Rich Jerk (the story of my experience with Rich Jerk comes with the product), a chic berry tone that rocks.

The lip stain and matching pearly gloss is laced with Dong Quai, an ancient Chinese herb known as “female ginseng” that has been used as a libido stimulate for centuries. All of the ingredients are made to bring out your inner vixen – “Complex OO” (a double plumper that works immediately and over time), vanilla mint for some good kissing breath, and Vitamin E.

The other shade, Mama’s Boy, is neutral-nude.

Luvah is inspired by my journey of 150 dates to meet my husband. All the dirty details are on the site.

I HAD to launch it in a totally original way. Because I was a journalist for so long and covered the sickest events, I am kind of jaded. It takes a lot to WOW me. And I need WOW at all times!

The premise of the product: to find your Luvah. In order to do so, I (really, Sharon, is the one making the magic happen) am organizing the world’s largest speed dating event – and going for the record!

January 29th! Pre-register NOW – click here!

The record isn’t too insane to beat so I’m confident we can do it (fingers crossed – will be so upset if we don’t!). Tiffany, Sharon’s assistant, is going through the miles of paperwork.

We have STEVE WARD, CEO of Master Matchmakers and host of the cult VH-1 show, Tough Love, hosting at the chic W Hoboken hotel (purple decor – coincidence? I think not!).

Enter the Luvah Lair at the W Hoboken

He’s a cutie – and his advice is always dead-on.

Steve Ward, our date-savvy host!

Some speed dating in action, our webisode, created by some of Sharon’s old friends, Kevin Delcolle and Spencer Driggs, who are burgeoning film makers and sickly talented. Note: it’s at the W so you can see the sleekness.

We also partnered with brands who, like Luvah, we deem as the “ultimate dating tools.” It’s a complete lifestyle event.

X-Rated Fusion Liqueur is doing up specialty cocktails (The X-Rated Flirtini and Come and Get Your Luvah). Check out le menu and how cute the bottle is!

Here's to your new Luvah! Cheers!

If you can’t read the recipe:

Come and Get Your Luvah!

2 parts club soda, 1 part X-Rated Fusion, served on the rocks with lime garnish.

The X-Rated Flirtini is very saucy!

2 part X-Rated Fusion, 1 part Skyy Infusions (Citrus), 1 part cranberry juice, served in an ice cold martini glass, garnished with lemon. Sip slowly!

Don’t worry, non-drinkers. We have flavored – no calorie! - Skinny Water! Yum!

Bright and tasty, this is the water of choice in our office! True!

For additional sex appeal – GET THIS – Michael Todd Cosmetics launched a genius new fragrance called Swingle (meant for swings to find someone to mingle with – and the bottle is curvy delish).

Luvah in a bottle!

The bedroom-ready scent is packed with pheremones and has cute names like “Man Seeking Woman” and “Woman Seeking Man.” (There are names for the gays, too! Holla at you gays – you know I heart you all!).

Maybe this is a little T.M.I., but the sexy lingerie brand Blume Girl, is giving us cute G-strings so we feel sexy under our jeans – and so we have No Panty Lines (you know there’s a clear Huge Lips Skinny Hips of the same name)! And our team will be wearing their Tees at the event – wtih our logo!

Purple Lab Approved - No Panty Lines, Girls!

To keep that breath fresh (you never know when you’ll want to get close), we’re making sure everyone has some Dentyne!

My fave flave!

All of this to the “mood music” beats from our party-pumping DJs, Truesound Music. They know how to put the groove on!

We’re hitting the streets and pounding the pavements to round up cuties for the day.

And spraying our invites with Swingle!

Oh, this is our invite:

Get your flirt on at our speed dating event!

Here’s to everyone having a new Luvah in the new year!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix