Some of the best beauty ideas don’t come from a boardroom—they come from real life. On a hot summer afternoon in Arizona, one such moment of frustration turned into a spark of innovation when a simple swipe of gloss led to a purse full of regret. What followed was more than a cleanup—it was a calling.
In this exclusive Q&A, Karen Johnson—one-third of the founding trio behind The TuLIP Tool—shares how a sticky beauty mishap turned into a heartfelt invention. Designed to solve the all-too-common problem of leaking lip gloss, The TuLIP Tool is more than a clever fix—it’s a story of friendship, faith, and the kind of determination that blossoms when women come together to build something meaningful. From a chance meeting over pastries in a church café to patent-pending designs and Amazon shelves, Karen Johnson, Janet Gilliland, and T Murray transformed a relatable frustration into a product that’s already changing makeup bags—and mindsets.
OTC Beauty: Let’s start at the beginning—how did the idea for The TuLIP Tool come about?
Karen: On a sizzling summer afternoon, while driving through Gilbert, Arizona, I reached into my designer purse to quickly grab my favorite pink lip gloss—and was once again met with a goopy gloss disaster. Not only would I have to grab a tissue—if I had one—to wipe off the excess mess, I’d also have to face the smears lurking in my purse. And then would come the tears down my cheek over the thought of spending more money to replace a hardly-used lip gloss and an expensive bag.
I thought to myself, “Oh, this insanity has to end; this beauty problem needs a lasting solution,” and that’s when my ‘genius moment’ sparked. I figured that rather than reacting to this makeup mayhem, how about doing something to prevent the scenario from ever happening again?
So, the idea went from my head of naturally blonde hair to a modern version of an invention scribbled on a napkin, to purchasing a 3-D machine, and taking a crash course in operating it and installing the correct filament for the right elasticity (needed a little more water—ha, ha!). Then came developing the right mathematical formula, which is now in the utility-patent pending phase. The TuLIP Tool 1.0 bloomed into the three most popular shapes and sizes.
OTC Beauty: Were the three of you friends before becoming business partners? How did you all meet and decide to build something together?
Karen: So, what happens when an award-winning realtor, a Fortune 500 marketing specialist, and a major-markets radio anchor bump into each other eating pastries in the church café? Janet Gilliland, T Murray, and Karen Johnson attached like velcro, realizing we had personality chemistry. We also shared the familiarity of personal pain. Rather than carry a tear-stained pillow as a badge, we chose to carry on with an invention for women to feel stronger and more beautiful.
OTC Beauty: Can you describe The TuLIP Tool in your own words for those hearing about it for the first time?
Karen: Girls and ladies, The TuLIP Tool is the game-changer solving the frustration of leaking lip gloss that ‘mysteriously’ seems to happen after you first open your gloss tube, taking out the wand, or even unscrewing the cap on a squeeze-tube. You apply your gloss, tuck away the product, and then often return to find out gravity has outwitted you, again, and you have a mess. Simply choose the perfectly fitted TuLIP, slide from the bottom of your gloss tube to the seam, and your gloss worries vanish. You’ll sleep better at night, too.
OTC Beauty: What inspired the name, and how does it reflect your brand’s personality?
Karen: Easy question. The gripping action of the product resembles a blossoming TuLIP. Looking closer at the word TuLIP – with our creative senses on high alert after a girl’s lunch – The TuLIP, emphasis on ‘lip’ Tool, became the name of this revolutionary product. Plus, in the flower world, tulips are a symbol of love and beauty. What could be a better thought for glossy girls.
OTC Beauty: Who is The TuLIP Tool designed for?
Karen: The beauty science behind The TuLIP Tool is being the premier product to remove ‘another thing to clean’ from your list, while saving money to spend on other necessary items like your Amazon purchase list. Maybe you clean a baby’s bottom, or wipe down the dust from the top of your refrigerator, or clean your oven – even in the world of self-cleaning ovens, you still have the chore of pushing the right buttons. So, who has time to fiddle with finicky gloss? The TuLIP Tool is your new beauty friend you’ll never ‘unlike.’
OTC Beauty: How do you want people to feel when they see or use The TuLIP Tool on their favorite lip gloss?
Karen: Elated and empowered.
OTC Beauty: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the development process, and how did you overcome it?
Karen: Long nights were a challenge as I worked to perfect the mathematical equations that would create the perfect TuLIPs—all while learning the language of engineering for manufacturing and packaging.
Let’s just say I now know why a durometer matters—beauty pros, that’s your hint for the day. Purchase The TuLIP Tool and I’ll give you the answer when you play the next trivia game.
Also, fun fact: The TuLIP Tool team went through a lot of chocolate during those first two years of development.
OTC Beauty: Do each of you play different roles in the business, or do you all wear multiple hats?
Karen: Janet is our meticulous go-to girl–for example, when the task is hand-printing an architectural font for a thank-you note or selecting the perfect ribbon for The TuLIP Tool. T is in charge of contagious laughter, which we all need when I’m asked about the business finances. We all laugh because the answer is usually “How much more red ink can there be in the world?”
OTC Beauty: What has the early feedback been like from people who’ve seen or tested The TuLIP Tool so far?
Karen: Comments from our social media platforms and influencer campaigns are all ‘rosy’ for The TuLIP Tool. Responses include: ‘genius’, ‘someone finally figured it out’, and ‘I’ll never ruin another purse.’ More than 100K in thumbs-up and happy emojis.
OTC Beauty: Can you share a behind-the-scenes moment that brought the team closer or made you laugh?
Karen: While on a fun trip to New York City, we were sailing across the Hudson River, enjoying the view and eating lunch, when an invisible rush of wind with fingers grabbed T’s beautiful, blue scarf and tossed it into the water. We need to sell more of The TuLIP Tool to replace it.
OTC Beauty: Are you currently in stores yet, and how are you creating buzz and getting people excited about the launch?
Karen: The TuLIP Tool is available at your fingertips at thetuliptool.com, Amazon, and SHEIN. We’ve also begun sending bouquets of The TuLIP Tool to retailers.
OTC Beauty: Are there future products or variations of The TuLIP Tool in the works?
Karen: Bulbs are already planted to fit more gloss tubes while tilling more rows in the garden for nail polishes, foundation, concealers, and more. Right now, the product fits approximately 20 different gloss brands, including the popular Fenty Gloss Bombs that seem to be gravity’s best friend.
OTC Beauty: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received that continues to guide you today?
Karen: The true mark of success is having an unvarnished business reputation, not a swollen bank account.
OTC Beauty: What helps keep you balanced while building a brand from the ground up?
Karen: “The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation,” from the heart of Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian survivor of the holocaust.
OTC Beauty: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to other beauty entrepreneurs just getting started?
Karen: Elisabeth Elliott once said, “God never denies us our heart’s desire except to give us something better.” So beauty lovers enjoy the process, and never forget to say thank you to everyone you meet during the adventure.
