Attention Fashionistas!

As you know, Purple Lab is extremely inspired by fashion, hence our creme blush, Cheek Implants in Six Inch Heels and our Huge Lips Skinny Hips lip gloss in Red Sole!

To celebrate the launch of our new foundation, Silk Sheets, we partnered with Chictopia, the ultimate destination for style-obsessed clothes horses (me being one of them) to launch the “Foundation of Style” contest.

We know that every girl has those key items that make up their Foundation of Style, be it your go to shoes that are impossible to walk in (walking is so overrated!) or a fedora, made chic by adding a broach, feather, or a crystal necklace around the base.

Between now and Oct.27, enter the Foundation of Style Contest for a chance to win the latest beauty must-haves from Purple Lab and a chic Balenciaga clutch makeup bag. Plus, we will be featuring our winners on Purple Blab as the guest beauty blogger for the month of November!

For details on how to enter, check out the contest on Chictopia and a few of our favorite looks!

Slicari

Maryvannotes

Red Lipstick

To celebrate our contest you can receive 20% on Purple Lab products using the code “chictopia” at checkout, now through Oct 27!

Cant wait to see your looks!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

This was the big show I was waiting for. Yes, I had already done a 9a.m. But that was kind of a warm up. The 8p.m. That was the real debut. It was where I put all of my energy as far as promotion is concerned.

The big moment, below, with Shannon Smith, the host!

A) I wore purple Lanvin with ruffle detail

B) See, ther are the red patent six inch heels again!

C) Do you see how short I am? After this, I started sitting on two pillows!

There was a massive amount of behind the scenes work for this hour.

1. Sharon and I had sent out the 30 parties in a box to friends, family, and bloggers across the country so that they could host their own screening parties

2. Sharon was hosting a big screening/shopping party for 200 guests in New York at Meet in Soho, where we set up “glam stations” with makeup artists showcasing the products

This is her, wearing Rochas (Olivier Theyskens last seaon, RIP Rochas!) playing with Skype! We were using it to stream in and out of the HSN presentation on TV.

3. Christine, the blogger from Temptalia, was on set with me. And these sets are usually closed, period. But they opened it for her to get the real inside glimpse.

4. My mom and dad had 30 friends over for the festivities

This is mama with Melissa, my brother’s Luvah (and soon to be mother of his child, my nephew, Levi Jacob, who I cannot wait to spoil).

They both use Purple Lab products, of course!

5. I was also announcing the winner of the model search contest - and surprising everyone who tuned in with the fact that in addition to the grand prize winner, the lovely Jessica Harlow (see below) who is coming to HSN with me in April, I would be taking two other winners to model on air in July!  

Meet Jessica Harlow! Gorge! Confident! Sassy! She has all of the elements of the Purple Lab girl!

Here I am on air and in the moment with Susan, the 50 year-old model who looks 10 years younger in Silk Sheets (Shameless plug! I know!). I think I actually told her that in her “after” picture, she could get carded for a Rated R movie!

I was getting the groove of things but there was still a lot to learn.

One thing I picked up (after the fact, sadly): If I’m showing a color or product on my own skin, I should hold my hand on the table and keep it still. I didn’t do this once so when the camera zoomed in, my hand was already gone!

I learned for the next time. And each show got better and better as I felt more at ease with the flow.

I didn’t sleep a wink that night. I was way too excited – and not just because I had a Susan Lucci sighting on my way out. She’s my kind of HSN idol!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

Friday noon was an amazing show. I felt like I was getting my groove except for the ear piece (my Jack Bower), which was bothering me so much that the inside of my ear canal started to swell. Luckily, the adrenalin rush of being on air is nature’s natural healer. 

I donned a green Lanvin party dress with a big bow at the bum along with purple patent leather six-inch heels.

How I love Alber!

Some fun insider intel.

See the products on stands in front of me? As we move from product to product, while the camera is focusing on the models, someone rushes in and switches them out.

And this is so funny. Amy Morrison, the host I was with (Love her!), was doing a show right before ours. The second that show ended, she hops in a wheel chair and someone rushes her over to our studio, which is on the end of the building (probably one to two city blocks long).

As the shows went on, we realized that the pre-produced before/after shots could be better. The reason – the models were pretty close to perfect before.

But apparently, I’m far from perfect!

After a good look at me in the morning without makeup, the producers asked if I’d be willing to be the before/after girl. My dark circles and bags (more like luggage) under my eyes were THAT BAD! 

Here it is – not so good before, but thank you Luxury Squared, Silk Sheets, and Cheek Implants (I’m wearing the shade Backstage Pass) for this after!

This is the pre-produced before and after. There is definitely a difference under her eyes. Before, they look kind of tired, closed, and the bags are tehre. But my “problemed area” is clearly worse!

She is also wearing Lashionista Modelista in the after. It rocks on her, I have to say!

On to the 7p.m. show!

It was hosted by Colleen Lopez, who my mother lovingly deems the “Oprah of HSN” (she even has her own show of her favorite things – the woman has a way with words like no one else).

I wore a textured, shimmery, flirty black and green Rodarte dress with a bow belt (J. Lo wore a similar one in copper). My brother said I looked like I was on Star Trek.

Colleen did something brilliant during this show.

As she was showing the foundation, which, by the way, she used on her arms, she slathered it on her hands and showed how it smoothed out the appearance of her skin. No veins showing. No fine lines. No dryness.

The minute it happened, I saw Todd jumping up and down in the back of the set, throwing his arm in the air like he just won the marathon.

Apparently, the phones were ringing like the symphony and the foundation was selling like mad. This is what the screen I’m not supposed to look at shows. Note: I didn’t look. Todd snapped this pic.

OMG!

It was a hit!

I wanted to crash but the 2a.m. show was six hours away.

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

February 18th, 5a.m., I woke up in a pool of sweat. In four hours, I was about to be on HSN for the first time. I couldn’t even recall the name of my foundation! And my heart sounded like a bass at a Motley Crue concert.

Everything I had worked for was about to come to fruition.

What if it failed?

Two hours before I was to hear Matt, the producer, say, ”Action,” I was in the green room, getting primped with the models.

There were two makeup artists, producers in and out, and Todd overseeing us all. Skip, one of my partners and someone who is entrenched in the HSN world, along with Lori Wall, who works with Skip and luckily, Purple Lab, acted as my Yoda.

Everyone from HSN had the same advice when they saw me: “Relax. Have fun.” Easy for them to say! (I must have been projecting my fear all over the place, as much as I tried to quell it.)

I wore a blue silk Stella McCartney jumpsuit with a vintage gold belt and red patent six inch heels. Tres Bianca Jagger circa Studio 54.

My shoes!

 Two sound packs were strapped to my bra – one for my mic and one for the “Jack Bower” ear piece, from which I heard Matt giving me directions throughout – which camera to look at, when a call was coming in, when to talk to the animation about the Lashionista Modelista technology, and so on.

That ear piece – Jack Bower as I called it – was too big for my tiny ear canal! They had to shove it – and tape it in place. I am going to have to splurge for the custom one next time because my ear still aches.

Some guests find whispers of sweet nothings in the Jack Bower as a distration. I like it. It helps guide me, especially because I have a tendency to talk too much and when Matt says “wrap it up,” I do. I can’t fib  – when Silk Sheets was “flying” out the door and he gave me the heads up, it only motivated me and made me more excited and animated!

BTW: Sold out of the light and dark Silk Sheets by second day! Nuts! Nuts, I tell you! Nuts!

Todd was on set, holding up little signs of encouragement and acting as my (very maculine) cheerleader. Having him there brought such ease. But it still took me a good 5 minutes to stop hiking my shoulders up to my forehead out of anxiety.

And let me give some major props to Amy Morrison, the host, who is nothing but a gem and so easy to work with. The woman is magic on camera!

In what felt like 15 minutes, the first show was over. I would have been sad had there not been more planned because I was just getting used to it by the time it ended.

More details to come!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix