I have a pile of WWDs stacked up to my knees. I can’t quite find the time to go through them all but yesterday, I stopped dead in my work-tracks when I noticed the cover of Monday’s issue.

The makeup! I die! It was calling my name!

It was an image from Dior’s resort 2011 collection and the eye, which may be hard to really tell in the photo, was deeee-vine! A gray winged cat eye just below a pink liner that started at the corner of the eye by the nose.

I had Sharon drop whatever she was doing so we could recreate the look.

There’s something about her that’s so 60s to me! I always tell her she looks like she stepped off the set of Mad Men (counting the days until it’s back on air). Here we are in the “makeup lounge,” a.k.a. my closet.

Here’s how to get the look:

1. Using Lashionista Modelista’s liquid liner portion, line the top lid. This should be very thin.

2. To get the wing shape in a soft gray, create another line using the same product, right above the first line, but not touching it.

3. Smudge it out with a short bristled brush. As you smudge, it tones the shade from black to gray. The more you smudge, the lighter the shade becomes.

4. With a small eye liner brush, swipe Cheek Implants in Six Inch Heels (a soft pink hue) right above the gray smudged cat eye, like a stripe that extends from the tip of the wing to the corner of the eye by the nose.

5. Curl the lashes and use two coats of mascara for an extra thick lash

6. Using Luxury Squared’s highlighter, add a touch of shimmer under the brow to enhance the brow bone.

7. Add a nude lip. The nude is key because you want the eyes to stand out – a dark shade would be too much at once. I used Luvah in Mama’s Boy.

The final creation:

We recently did a cute segment for Better TV in the Purple Lab apartment (a.k.a. my home/office/warehouse). They shot here once before and I have to say, it’s always fun to have a film crew come over!

The producer, Marianne, is heaven to work with and – I love this about her! – she writes vampire young adult novels (check her out). This was one of her last shoots for the network before she left to write full time (we’ll miss you, Marianne).

The premise of the shoot: Mother’s Day. We had three moms, each a different age group, and I gave them make overs (I have been taking makeup artist lessons).

One quick thing – I wore these super cute harem shorts (right to the knee). Bad idea. Now that I see the pix, well, it looks like I’m wearing Pampers. (Not showing you!)

Anyway, mom in her 30s, was Deena, a friend of a friend. The problem with moms in their 30s? They need quick beauty tips because they’re busy with small kids.

The solution: double duty products save time (and $$$); neutral colors are a must because you don’t have to spend too much time applying, blending out each shade, especially with kids running all over the place.

This was the look I gave her.

All I needed: Four products.

1. Silk Sheets foundation to even her skin tone

2. Cheek Implants cream blush in the shade Backstage Pass. The trick is to use it as a full on eye shadow, the whole lid from the lash line to the crease. It brightens the whole face.

3. Lashionista Modelista, just the mascara. One coat on the top lashes.

4. Huge Lips Skinny Hips in Goji Berry Smoothie (the soft berry shade is out at the end of the month)

Five minutes. Done!

Now on to mom in her 40s (my friend Sally, who I hadn’t seen in far too long). In your 40s, you have a little more time. Your kids are likely in school. You have your days back! So you can play with your makeup.

Don’t be afraid to bring on the glamour with a serious smokey eye – it’s not just for 20somethings. It’s fun to flirt with new looks as you hit your forties, especially when you work with products that have sophisticated formulas but a playfulness to make you feel young and fun.

For Sally, it was all about subtle shine on the lips and rosy cheeks. Here’s her before and after:

Here’s what I used:

1. Cheek Implants in Six Inch Heels. You will feel like a super model while enhancing cheekbones with a pale shade of pink.

2. Lashionista Modelista in After Dark: Just smudge liner with a small angled brush to create a soft yet smokey cat eye. The diamond dust is subtle, giving the eye just the right amount of shine.

3. Luvah in Mama’s Boy. Made to bring out your inner vixen, it’s infused with aphrodisiacs and natural libido stimulants to remind you to feel sensual and beautiful.

For Mom in 60s, we actually played Joan Hirsch, none other than Sharon’s mother! She’s a doll and looks 20 years younger than her age. The issue moms have in their sixties? They want to look younger without going under the knife (well, some don’t mind the knife, not naming names).

The solution? Use beauty products that have anti-aging benefits so you are treating skin all day and definitely do NOT be afraid of color. A pop of color will brighten your whole face and give you a youthful appeal. Lastly, love that highlighter.

Highlighter should be your best friend, especially as you age. It’s the best way to add soft shimmer and draw attention to your best features. Chic tip: A dab in the corner of the eyes by the nose will draw the light away from crow’s feet.

Meet Sharon’s maker – before and after:

Here’s what I used:

1. Silk Sheets foundation equipped with anti aging benefits, thanks to silk, algae, seaweed, juniper, almond seed extract, and more!

2. Luvah in Rich Jerk: Use a bright lip color so lips pop. The double plumping ingredient, “Complex OO,” provides long-term lip enhancing benefits while Vitamin B3 provides immediate plumping, erasing fine lines.

3. Luxury Squared, which is equipped with both an under eye color corrective concealer AND highligher. Both offer skin care ingredients like silk, Vitamin E, carrot oil, antioxidants, algae. And the highlighter’s got my favorite additive – diamond dust!

Happy early Mother’s Day!

Will share the clip when it’s live.

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

Wednesday night, I attended the Women in Need benefit gala, honoring Cindi Leive, editor-in-chief of Glamour (who was announced by Iman, gorgeous as can be in yellow Rachel Roy), and CEO of Lord & Taylor Brendan Hoffman for their commitment to the charity’s cause.

Jet setted there with a few bloggess friends. From left: Aly Walansky, Tracey Lomrantz of Glamour.com, me, Amber Katz from Beautybloggingjunkie.

Lori Goldstein, mega fashion stylist who has a cute new collection called Logo Instant Chic on QVC was in the house. Love her. Major girl crush!

Love the Marni necklace!

Also on hand was India Jewel Jackson from Glam.com with her fierce new do, which I am obsessed with. Takes a bold woman to pull this off and she manages to in the chicest way possible!

WIN is the largest provider of shelter and support for families in New York City but their facility is much more – they ensure every child is enrolled in school; they support moms on job interviews and help them find new homes; they offer each family their own private studio apartment. And their average family is a woman, 32 years-old, with 2 children.

I am blessed to be on their Development Committee and seeing this event come to life was truly amazing.

This is the scene at the Waldorf Astoria. All those balloons – guests purchased them (from $100 or $1000 each); the more balloons you buy, the more likey you’d win a prize (shopping spree at Saks).

OMG! Wait. Funny story.

In the taxi on the way to the event, as I was taking out my brand new Luvah 3D lip stain and gloss from my bag, Tracey mentioned that she received the PR tip sheet and that – amidst the fabulous designers and fashion set (Francisco Costa, Vera Wang, Simon Doonan, Jonathan Adler) was Whitney Port.

I instantly put the product back in my bag. I had to get it to Whit!

She was sitting near my blogger friends and I spotted her Sergio Rossi’s when I was at their table. These are actually her feet, below.

I shamelessly asked if I could take a pic. And then I – even more shamelessly – gave her my product, which she seemed really into. Add her to the celeb list now!

She was sitting next to my friend Beth Thomas Cohen, mega PR honcho.

“Was that bad,” I asked Beth, certain that my actions were a little questionable.

“You’re asking the wrong person,” she said. “I’m in PR!”

For the record: I held myself back from asking if I could take a picture of her using it. Now that would be gauche!

This is them, BTW:

While the glamour was there in spades, Iman spoke and reminded everyone that true glamour is about supporting other women.

And when an 11-year old boy named Taliq, who won the Peter Jenninges Prize for his essay on how he reads to succeed, shared his winning piece and talked about his dreams of being an architect one day, the whole room paused.

The whole point of the event was this moment, realizing we could all help the Taliqs of the world and give them a better chance.

So let’s all do that! Together.

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

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!!!

Getting in the mood to find your Luvah?

Yeah, I thought so!

As we get ready for our speed dating soiree, hosted by Steve Ward, we’re putting together the ultimate playlist for you and your new luvah, who you will hopefully meet at W Hoboken tonight!

Your ipod will thank me!

Downloads for love:

Lately by Massive Attack for some dark, raw after dark action

Wandering Star by Portishead = delicious downbeats with a sultry edge

Venus by Air is totally cool French pop and the kind of think Sofia Coppola digs

Jamais by Charlotte Gainsbourg for some sultry French female crooning

It Ain’t Me by Lina brings in the soul and groove

Locoman by Latin Playboys for the Latin luvah in you

Candy Shop by 50 Cent is downright dirty hip hop – soooo hot!

Positively Beautiful by Lewis Taylor is soulful poetry to beautiful music

Passing By by Zero Seven is simply heaven, like floating

Get Me by Sia (She used to be the lead singer of Zero Seven and has the most beautiful voice ever)

Orestes by Perfect Circle enchants, mesmorizes, hynotizes – trust me!

Hot to Death by Everlast is dirty sexy cool and a little bit hard but not heavy

Meow… I mean… Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

T minus three days until Purple Lab’s attempt to break the world record for the largest speed dating event in history. It’s on!

<—— The W Hoboken floor plan/schematics  for the event, which shows how and where everythign will be set up. Sharon and Tiffany were there the other day for a walk through, which we Twitcam’d in case you want an inside glimpse.

There will be 20 Purple Lab peeps (all of whom are generously lending a hand because, clearly, we don’t have that many employees) working the event, from registration to seating escorts to bouncers (Todd will be one so don’t mess with him!). We’re prepping for some serious Steve Ward luvin’ crashers!

Our fabulous sponsors will be located along one wall with interactive booths so everyone can check them out.

There’s a “green room” (private waiting area, typically used in TV world for talent before they go on air) for Purple Lab staff (we’ll be the ones wearing hot pink Blume Girl tees with our logo). And I will be asking random women if they’d mind trying all of our new products and giving testimonials for HSH who will be on hand with their seriously high-def camera crew.

It must be choregraphed as flawlessly as a carefully orchestrated ballet. One wrong move and the whole thing could come crashing down.

 There are 400 gift bags to stuff, large signs to make, flyers to pass out, lists to organize, a dossier from Guinness Book of World Records to fill out (you know we’re going down in the book, right?), a photographer to coordinate (we have an official “shot list,” event speak for all of the pix to take), about 40 big boxes to bring from my apartment to the W on Thursday, and a step & repeat to hang.

<—- Tiff, resting on the boxes in hallway/kitchen.

You know when you see a pic of someone at an event with a repeating logo pattern wall behind them? That is s a step & repeat. Ours has Purple Lab and W logos all over it. This is  Todd with our step & repeat, which is currently resting on our living room floor. We’ll be doig photos in front of it so that, as we share images across the internet and media, there’s the subtle reminder of Purple Lab.

The day of, we’ll do a run through again, a sound check, the seating plans, set up stanctions, meet the security detail, and Sharon will be escorting Steve to and from all media interviews (tough job, huh?) so that means there’s a car service to arrange.

Oh, we are also printing all of the IDs (G1, G2, B1, B2…) in-house. We could be on our sixth ink cartridge.

Most importantly, we’re eagerly awaiting tomorrow’s delivery of Luvah, our new lip aphrodesiac-infused lip color product, for all the girls. We have stickers with our time and date for the HSN launch for the compacts – and I’m sure you’ll see our tweets all night long as we peel stick and assemble. (RT if you do!)

We’re home grown here, working late and loving every minute of it.

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

4 days until Purple Lab’s World’s Largest Speed Dating Event goes down at the W Hoboken! So I hope you daters out there are getting ready to find your Luvah. As Pat Benetar wisely said, love is a battlefield, so you best be prepared with the ultimate dating tools!

<—- Luvah, a lip stain and matching pearly gloss in one chic, petite compact is called the “ultimate dating tool” because it is formulated with ancient Chinese herbs known to be aphrodesiacs (Dong Quai), Complex OO (two plumpers), Ylang-Ylang, another floral libido remedy, and vanilla/mint for good make out breath.

But there are other dating tools I swear by – and we’re having ALL of them at our soiree.

Here they are!

From left, clockwise:

1. Dentyne - my fave gum for reliably delicious breath (the better to kiss you with, my dear)

2. Luvah - couldn’t resist adding it again!

3. got2b - hair products (did I mention that we’re having touch up stations for girls and guys and our cute mavens will be on hand to style?), but specifically smooth operator, a smoothing gel that’s weightless and sweet (with cashmere!) and magnetik, a guy for guys with pheremones!

4. Schick Intuition Plus – the multi-tasking razor with 4 blades surrounded by shae butter, aloe and Vitamin E (perfect to go with Purple Lab’s double duty beauty). I’m telling you – best shave ever!

5. Skinny Water – I don’t know about you, but it’s really hard for me to drink the required amount of water to be healthy and have good skin… unless I go with Skinny Water, which is infused with vitamins, antioxidants, electrolytes and flavor – sans sugar and calories.

6. Swingle - pheremone-filled fragrance with cheeky names like “man seeking woman,” “woman seeking man,” “man seeking man,” and “woman seeking woman.” We’re going to have spray girls there so you can be sure to lure your Luvah.

7. Blume Girl – Lingerie. Enough said. And they’re donating sexy thoughts to us by way of cute camis with our Purple Lab logo and thongs for the gift bags (you can customize them on their site and get one that says the name of your new Luvah.

8. X-Rated Fusion – sensuous, uber-premium French vodka infused with blood oranges, mangos and passion fruit for the perfect Luvah cocktails (they’re doing sexy recipes for two savvy cocktails just for speed dating)

9. Luxe Press – online dry cleaning service – we’re giving gift cards in the swag bags because you always need your date clothes to look the best!

10. S-Factor - the pole dancing playground for women. Girls, it’s the best way to bring out your inner vixen so we’re giving you a pass to an intro class!

Get your flirt on!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

Next Friday just may be the day you find your Luvah (girls, that’s not only in a man but also with our new product, Luvah, which you’ll get to road test at our speed dating event at the W Hoboken).

<—– Todd, my Luvah!

Yesterday, I posted some relationship tips from our event host, Master Matchmaker Steve Ward (VH-1’s Tough Love). As you gear up to speed date to love, I bring you more of his sage advice.

PL: What is the worst thing you can do while speed dating?

SW: Don’t be negative.

PL: What mistakes do you think women make when they’re looking for love?

SW: They blame everyone and everything but themselves.  They don’t take responsibility for their failings. 

PL: What about men?

SW: Either they aren’t willing to make enough effort and seem like they’re not that into the woman, or they make too much effort and come off pushy and aggressive.  It’s a double edged sword.

 PL: What is the secret to good speed dating?

Keep your comments, questions and answers short, sweet and to the point. 

PL: What kind of questions do you suggest everyone ask each other to make the most of their 3 minute speed dating time?

 SW: Where are you from?  What do you do?  And are you in the market for just a good time or are you in the market for a relationship?  Focus on the person you’re most instantly attracted to and come prepared with business cards or a pad and pen to exchange contact information.

PL: What is the worst thing you could do while speed dating?

SW: Talk about things prematurely, i.e. past relationships, politics, religion, money, etc. 

PL: What do you think daters should wear?

SW: Wear something flattering yet comfortable; clothes you can be confident in.  Wear an outfit that accentuates your style, personality, and body type. 

PL: How can a woman sense if a guy is looking for the real thing or not – and vice versa?

SW: She can’t sense it.  She’ll have to be straight up and ask and then see if she can tell whether or not he’s being honest.

PL: What are the tell-tale body language signs that someone is into you?

SW: They smile, make eye contact and physical contact.  They focus and ignore distractions, like other people or their phones.

PL: Best way to do a first date for the love matches from speed dating (of course, after their drink at W Hoboken)?

SW: The guys should pick the women up at their homes or meet a place most convenient for them.  Then arrange a date where its conducive to a good conversation. You already know there’s at least some physical attraction otherwise you wouldn’t have made it this far in the first place so now it’s time to see if you’re actually compatible. 

PL: Would you be willing to try our product, Luvah, so we can get a man’s take on it? I mean, after all, you could wind up kissing somoene who’s weraing it (not at the event, but in general, because all girls will be wearing it eventually!)

SW: Hmm. I’m sure considering how wildly popular this product is, I must’ve tried it before without knowing it.  The problem with lip gloss is three fold.  One, constant application annoys the hell out of men.  Two, women are reluctant to kiss because they don’t want to rub off the product.  And three, they leave it on everything they put their lips to such as forks, glasses…our faces.

PL: You’re so funny! So… what can we say to the girls who are coming and secretly want to date you?

SW: You’ll just have to tell them I’ve met someone and am excited about being exclusive. 

PL: Thank you so much for being a part of this! What excited you about it?

SW: I’m very competitive.  I love the idea of trying to break a world record.  I’m sure we can do it!

Can’t wait to see you on Friday!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

You may know that Friday of next week is attempt to break the world record for the largest speed dating event as we launch the new lip product, Luvah, the ultimate dating tool (it’s a cute purple compact with a lip stain and matchy gloss, laced with Dong Quai and two plumpers called “Complexx OO”).  Steve Ward, Master Matchmaker and host of VH-1’s Tough Love is hosting.

Anyway, had a little chat with Mr. Ward. (BTW, I cannot tell you how many girls who registered for the event have asked if he’s single. For the record, he’s not and his girlfriend WILL be using Luvah!)

Here are his expert dating tips and dos and don’ts.

5 Do’s in Flirting:

1. 1. Smile.  Nothing let’s a person know you’re picking up what they’re putting down better than a smile.
   1. 2. Make eye contact.  Making and maintaining eye contact shows a person you’re focused, confident and interested in what they’re saying and doing.
   2. 3. Flatter.  There’s no clearer indication that you have a romantic interest in someone then by complimenting them.

4. Take charge.  Take the conversation where you want it to go.  If you expect him to call, give him your number.  But if you want to call him, demand his.

5. Act gracefully.  If he’s unavailable or uninterested maintain your poise and just pretend you never started flirting in the first place.

Steve’s 5 Don’ts in Flirting:

1. Don’t make it obvious and flirt nonchalantly.  Subtle indications you’re attracted to someone are usually the most effective way of getting your point across tastefully.

2. Don’t stare.  It’s important to let the person know you’re interested in them, but it’s important not to make them uncomfortable as well.

3. Don’t overdo it.  A simple compliment will advance your efforts much farther than a fabricated pickup line.

4. Don’t flirt with others simultaneously.  It will confuse and bewilder anyone if you’re flirting with them and others at the same time.  Keep your eye on the prize.

5. Don’t feign interest.  For men flirting is often realized in hindsight.  If you flirt and feign he’ll feel you were just being nice in the first place.

His number 1 ”don’t” for dating?

 Don’t be negative.

Want more Q&A with the Ward? Tune in next time when we talk more about the secrets to speed dating!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix