From complimentary makeovers to relaxing massages, to fine luxury gifting, Oscar weekend 2018 proved to be a whirlwind of fun across Los Angeles!  All weekend long, there was a hustle and bustle in the air as celebs prepared for the 90th Academy Awards last Sunday, March 4th, 2018.

The pre-award events kicked off to a fabulous start on Thursday at the prestigious Kari Feinstein Style Lounge at the Andaz West Hollywood. Her pre-Oscar lounge known at Sundance did not disappoint for the Oscars – as I was introduced to many amazing new brands and products!  First to capture my attention was Honig, a Napa Valley family-owned winery. Their Sauvignon Blanc impressed me by both the smoothness of the wine and the creativity behind the labeling of their bottles.  A perfect first stop!  I then visited with luxury candle brand Votivo, whose aromatic candles are beautiful to view and fragrant to smell. Their new Red Currant line of hand cream and bar soap nicely compliments their signature candles.

Shortly thereafter, I chatted with the ladies of Maidenform, who were gifting fabulous lace bra sets and shape-wear. This iconic manufacturer of women’s bras and undergarments was founded in 1922!  It’s no surprise that their fit and styles are still as classic and wearable as ever.

After a yummy taste of Pinkbox Donuts, I got to know about Babor, a premium skincare line founded by German chemist Dr. Michael Babor.  Their light and rejuvenating products include lifting Collagen Cream, the cleansing Hy-Ol, the 3D Hydro-gel Eye Pads, and the Phyto-active Hydro Base cleanser. Samba Sol drew my attention next, with their fun beach-themed booth that came complete with surfboard and lifeguard chair! This fun, fashionable, and comfy flip-flop brand is perfect for days spent relaxing on the beach… While colorful, fashion-forward sneakers by Hoka One One are perfect for workouts, and in my case, a game of tennis!

On Friday, it was time for some pampering at the ultra-luxurious TMG International Luxury Lounge in the penthouse suite of The Beverly Hilton.  Founder Christine King is the queen of luxury gifting, and she always gets it right when awards season rolls around. Pampering included makeovers by the team at Ginny Cosmetics of Orange Country, and incredible deep tissue massages by Los Angeles masseuse to the stars, Cinthia Dahl.  Manicures were sponsored by O.P.I., but at least I got to take home some colors to try from their new spring line – Infinite Shine 2.

Some other beauty products that I especially loved included the silky, fresh, rapid absorption skincare line by Cirem, and the professional hair care line of products by Ouidad. Zicam was also showcasing their gummies, which I use as a fast-acting remedy anytime I feel cold symptoms coming on and have an important show or recording coming up.

It was fun to make new friends with the Washington D.C.-based founders of the Luxor Box gifting boxes and get to know Joanne Chang, the jewelry designer behind the stunning fine jewelry line Louella Maison de Mode. Finally, after snapping some fun photos at the Cheetos photo booth, we tried on some fabulously funky sunglasses by Xtra Ordinaire Apparel. It was hard to leave this afternoon luxury oasis atop Beverly Hills.

Finally, Saturday afternoon brought big, bright smiles at the Colgate Optic White Beauty Lab!  Set high atop LA in the famed Sunset Plaza House, this year’s event featured some glamorous beauty demos and gifting.  We know I am a Goldilocks kind of girl, and LumaBella was present to offer hair styling with their professional curling and straightening tools!  Although I arrived too late to get my hair done, I was able to take home their Pure Performance Styler to test on my locks at home. Meanwhile, SculpSure gave demos of their FDA-approved light-based body contouring system, and PRIV supplied on-site massages and makeovers upstairs!  It was fun running into Jesse Metcalfe and Jamie King at the event, and I got to snap some fun photos with my friends in the rose-filled Optic White photo booth!  Although the rain came by the end of the day, I left with a bright white smile thanks to my friends at Colgate!

All in all, it was a fun-filled pre-Oscar weekend getting ready for the big night! I feel grateful to LaLaScoop  incredible new beauty products to try and share, and by Sunday felt ready head-to-toe to hit the red carpet on Oscar night!