Ever wish what you put ON your lips could help you make better choices on what to put IN them?  Karen Robinovitz, founder and “creatrix” of Purple Lab, pored over that very notion, inspiring her to create a distinctive line of plumping lip glosses cheekily coined “Huge Lips, Skinny Hips.”  The six mischievously-named shades are formulated with Hoodia Gordoni Extract, which is derived from a cactus-like plant and is known for its appetite-suppressing effects.  So while you plump your pucker for a soiree, you also get some help in sidestepping the sausage skewers.

Karen gave BeautyXposé an up-close-and-personal look at her philosophies behind the brand.

BX:  What inspired you to create Huge Lips, Skinny Hips?

KR:  I was at a cocktail party with my husband and plowed through literally all of the hors d’oeuvres. I was so full that I turned to Todd (hubby) and said, “We have to go home. I have ring around the waist!” (You know ring around the waist — when you eat so much that your pants suddenly feel one size too small and leave a red ring around your waist?) He was like, “We just got here.” And I jokingly sniffed, “If my lip gloss would plump my lips and not my hips, I wouldn’t be in this mess.” That’s when the idea struck. OMG! If there was a lipgloss with plumper AND an appetite suppressant, it would be the best product ever. I blurted out “Huge Lips, Skinny Hips!” I started to call a friend who worked for a beauty brand to tell her about the product so I could buy it, but as I dialed, Todd ripped the phone out of my hands — very cinematic — and said, “You do this. You make the product.” And here we are two years later.

BX:  Do you recommend women use this as a weight-loss supplement?

KR:  Firstly, I don’t say or claim that this IS a weight loss tool. This is a gloss that has an appetite suppressant, and hopefully this will help women feel the kind of support we all need when we want to be healthy and mindful. Saying “Skinny Hips” does NOT mean we should all be a size 2, 4… it is just a cheeky way of saying we all want to fit into our skinny jeans, be they a size 24 or a 6. Appetite lives between the ears. And it is mind over matter. The other day, I had such sore muscles from a yoga class and my husband gave me a holistic muscle relaxer. After an hour, I said I felt so much better. He started cracking up because he gave me Vitamin C! Hoodia is all natural, which is why I like it for this gloss. And it has been my secret weapon since the first sample came back from the lab.

BX:  What do you say to people who are afraid Hoodia is bad for you?

KR:  I don’t believe every product is made for every person. There are Hoodia lovers and naysayers. Truth is, it comes from a plant that has been used for centuries as an appetite suppressant. And it is in the lipgloss in a very safe dose, so you can’t overload on it.

BX:  What’s your favorite aspect of the product?

KR:  The glamour. The colors. The fact that it is super moisturizing and light on the lips, not sticky or tacky. You’ll never find yourself pulling strands of hair off your lips. The plumper doesn’t sting. It smells divine. It’s light. It has an appetite suppressant so it helps shift my consciousness of what and how I eat — no one wants to be double fisting cupcakes when they’re full, and it’s never good for you to keep on plowing through a king-sized dish of carbs when you’re already stuffed (and I’ve done it many times). So it’s the combo of all of those things.

BX:  What color do you personally wear most?

KR:  I really wear them all. What I love about Red Sole is that it is not an intimidating red — it is quite soft and shear, so it gives the lips more of a bee-stung look. Many women are afraid of going red so this is a way to do it subtly. I also dig into Worship Kate quite a bit!

BX:  What’s your favorite customer story?

KR:  I worked so hard to make sure the gloss formula would be the best gloss ever — after being in the industry as a journalist and marketer for 15 years and trying everything there is to try, I had very high standards. So when I hear women tell me that it IS the best gloss they wear, it feels like such an accomplishment that I can’t help but blush! One user has told me on Facebook and Twitter and has said she bought two of each color — one for her handbag, one for her makeup drawer. I just about passed out!

BX:  Do you plan to open up new distribution channels?  How about your own e-commerce site?

KR:  I definitely do. Yes, yes, yes to both.

BX:  What can we expect from Purple Lab in the future?  Will you stick to glosses or expand into other lines?

KR:  There is a lot of expansion to come and everything will offer double duty benefits, a bit of humor, a lot of glamour, and science-forward technology. And of course, new colors that are not about trends but about classic chic shades you can wear forever.

BX:  Any sneak peeks you can tell us about?  What’s in store for fall?

KR:  Although I’m not only going to do glosses, we do have a new gloss coming out in the fall that supports breast cancer research and awareness. It is different from Huge Lips, Skinny Hips. But that’s all I can say right now. There are two new fab shades of Huge Lips, Skinny Hips, and soon after, something so fresh and new, I am bursting at the seams for it to come out!

BX:  Anything else you’d like to add?

KR:  Have fun! And note that the message of the product is to feel good and confident. We have a color called “Love Your Thighs,” which comes with a note of mantras about how we should all embrace our thighs, regardless of size. Pucker up!