It's that time of year again.

As the weather steadily begins to warm up, every able bodied human being with an affinity for well-crafted beauty confections is on the hunt for those perfect products to compliment their new spring glow.

With that, we couldn't think of anyone better to talk all things beauty with than Karen Robinovitz, founder and creator of the recently launched Purple Lab cosmetics. In our little chat, the very busy (and equally sweet) Robinovitz discusses how her brand came into fruition, the meaning behind its name and products, and much more.

1. Hey, Karen. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My background is as a journalist, writing fashion/beauty/lifestyle/entertaining/basically anything that was frivolous and fabulous for magazines like Elle, Marie Claire, Bazaar and the New York Times. But along the way, I wrote books, wound up doing television spots on shows like VH-1’s Fabulous Life, and then found myself on the marketing side. When my first book came out, I wound up doing so much of my own marketing and promotions to get it out there and I fell in love with exercising that part of my brain. So in a way, my entire career has prepared me for this moment, having a brand of my own. I’m so excited, I can’t even see straight!

It wasn’t part of a master plan, yet it was meant to be. I was with my husband at a fashion week party and found myself eating so many hors d'oeuvres that I suddenly had that ring around the waist feeling. You know, when your pants start feeling one size too small! I jokingly said to Todd, my husband, that I wished my gloss would plump my lips and not my hips as I went digging for my lipgloss. And then it hit me – my dream product would be a lipgloss with plumper AND appetite suppressant. I picked up the phone to call a friend in the industry to tell her my idea – I wanted her brand to make it so I could buy it. But then my husband grabbed the phone away and said, “YOU make it!” And here we are! Doing this together!

3. Was the transition from beauty journalist to beauty brand founder a natural one?

I think every step along the way of my career lead to the next step, so while it may not have been an obvious transition on paper, it all makes sense when I look at what inspires me and the kind of projects I have always been attracted to. There is, of course, A LOT to learn about the operational side of things and every day is a new challenge. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Courtesy of Purple Lab

4. What made you settle on “Purple Lab” as the name for your brand?

Purple is my favorite color – I love the energy it has. It’s fun, glamorous, sexy, playful, chic at once. And those are the adjectives that I would use to describe everything about the brand. The “lab” part is two-fold. One, I was pre-med in college and applying to med school, majoring in biology. I interned for doctors, once a neurosurgeon! So I joke that I traded my lab coat for my fab coat when I decided to not go to med school and move to New York to be a writer in fashion and beauty! And two, lab refers to my brain which is constantly thinking of how to mix and match things, from formulas to benefits, much like a mad scientist.

5. Who is the Purlpe Lab customer?

She’s the type of girl who likes to have fun – there’s a sense of humor to her style, whether she’s a Vogue-reading tween, a doctor who revels in Prada under her lab coat, a drag queen with tear sheets of Naomi Campbell on her wall, a trendy girl about town, a wall flower who likes having a secret weapon in her bag. I can go on but I think you get it!

6. So far, Purple Lab only makes lush lip glosses right now. Does the brand have plans to branch out into other products?

We do! We are in development for two new products for the fall and we have innovations planned every season, thereafter. I can’t give any details away just yet but everything will be about double or triple duty beauty and carry the same sense of fun mixed with chic sophistication as Huge Lips Skinny Hips.

Courtesy of Purple Lab

7. What would you say most women get wrong when trying to select the right shade of lipgloss for themselves?

I think that it’s important to not think about trends and really focus on what looks good on you and what works with what you’re wearing. Just because a certain color is hot at the moment doesn’t mean it’s the right shade for you. I have been wearing some of the same shades ever since I started wearing makeup.

8. The names of your products are almost as cool as the product itself. How did you choose those names, in particular?

The names of the colors are just my favorite things – my philosophies and icons of inspiration. So that was the easiest part! I love the red soles of Christian Louboutin heels, hence “Red Sole.” I take pole dancing lessons weekly and my gay best friend calls me “Kitty Poledancer” so that was the perfect name for the pinkish nude color. “Love Your Thighs” is my personal mantra – something I tell myself no matter how I really feel. And so on…

9. What can we expect, as far as future projects, from Purple Lab in 2009?

Shhhh… it’s still a secret. But the next product will be soooooooo sexy!

** While I appreciate those who decide to link back to this interview, please don't copy and past the entire piece. Thanks.