IGNITE, A FIRE LUXURY GIFTING LOUNGE

This was a new entry into the gifting arena. And they did an excellent job. The Ignite Gifting Lounge was packed to the rafters with sponsors and guests. My trusty co-writer, Laura, (fresh off the plane from a few weeks in Thailand!,) and I were happy to be included.

Ignite was held at the new-to-us boutique Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica. It took place mainly right on the front patio, so anyone walking by must have been intrigued by all the hubbub. Laura said, “This chic hotel provided the perfect backdrop for the event, adding to the overall ambiance.”

Before we get to the highlights of the happenings there, I have to tell you about a tie-in to someone special to me over the years. This lounge was organized by former associates of the late, great Doris Bergman, who always put on the most stellar gifting event luncheons. It’s been a little over a year since we lost her in a tragic fire, a loss few of us are over yet. So it was lovely that we all shared a champagne toast to her that afternoon.

Now on to happier thoughts on the proceedings, such as the plethora of Asian-fusion food. Everywhere you looked there was another treat. One side buffet had all the cold appetizers, like stuffed grape leaves and crudite, and another one offered desserts. We both especially admired the gorgeous fortune cookies with sparkly colored sprinkles.

The servers also passed heartier treats, including hummus in cucumber cups, tuna tartar on chips, and Chinese take-out containers that had Chinese chicken salad and peanut noodles. Laura said it was “all delicious.” But my favorite of everything was chicken potstickers. Yu-um!

We discovered so many new products, which made the experience all the more fun. Here are the highlights of them, in categories this time:

COSMETICS

F.A.R.A.H.—This cosmetics company gifted an octet of different powder blushes which Laura tells us are “formulated to compliment a diverse range of skin tones and undertones, ensuring that everyone can find the perfect shade to enhance their natural beauty.” She was also impressed that the monikers of the blushes were “inspired by Urdu poetry and love stories, which adds a touch of cultural pride” to the brand. I was impressed with how beautifully presented the entire gift was—the gold boxes of blushes were separated by red and gold paper confetti. And they were all housed in a clear case, and finished-off with a big red satin bow! I’ve never seen a more festive gift anywhere! www.shopfarah.com

Marissa’s Brow & Beauty Bar—Marissa, who was gifting a quartet of her brow products, looked so fabulous herself that I trust anything she’s offering in the beauty category! Laura agrees with me, adding that Marissa is “a testament to the quality of her products; her own perfectly groomed brows speak volumes about the effectiveness of them.” www.marissasbrowandbeautybar.com

Blanche—This lip care company gifted each guest a lip gloss in a choice of mouthwatering colors, along with a lip liner and the cutest tiny lip balm I’ve ever seen. All of it will fit in even the tiniest purse, which is such a bonus, especially for awards show evenings! (And they put an adorbs eye mask in the bag to help you sleep after those crazy nights. Very thoughtful.) On an informative note, Laura was impressed that “their formulations are paraben-free and mineral-based, ensuring that you’re not only adding color and shine to your lips, but also nourishing them with vitamin E.” www.lablanchelifestyle.com

Libra Lash & Lip Co.–Laura speaks for both of us when she says that she was “captivated by the blinged-out box that these very fun false eyelashes came in. She gave it an “A+ for the packaging.” And we both did the same for the lashes themselves, which came in a wide variety of styles, along with detailed instructions and the tool with which to apply them. This company thought of everything! www.libralashandlipco.com

ATA Cosmetics—With jade rollers for your face being all the rage for the last few years, this company went one better by introducing their jade cosmetics applicator! Laura says it’s a “remarkable tool designed to elevate your makeup routine.” Besides putting your serums and creams on with the added benefit of the jade, it keeps your products bacteria-free because you’re not putting your fingers in them anymore. www.atacosmetics.com

Void Space Technologies—The reps for this interesting company chose essential oils specifically for each guest’s preference, along with a rosewater spray and an eye cream. Laura looked them over and tells us, “These are not your run-of-the-mill essential oils; they are Source Oils infused with an 8th-dimensional Source Seed technology, resulting in a truly unique and transformative product. The infusion process imbues the oils with a living energetic field, creating a dynamic product that is alive with its own biophoton field.” What she said. www.voidspacetech.org

Royal Kingz Skincare—Laura says, “With so many skincare brands primarily targeting women, it often feels like men are overlooked.” So we were happy to see this company giving-out little blue gift bags containing a scrub, a toner, and an under-eye collagen mask, all specifically for the “royal king” in your life! www.theroyalkingz.com

Beauty Kitchen—Laura says, “As the name suggests, this company aims to demonstrate that beauty can be achieved using simple, pure ingredients that can be found in the…kitchen,” of course. Each guest received a little mesh bag containing a rose water toner spray, a moisturizer, and one each of a lip and an under-eye mask. www.beautykitchen.net

ACCESSORIES AND SUNDRIES

Art Lewin—Laura said, “You know an event is classy when men’s clothier Art Lewin is there!” This time, he was gifting a tie and matching pocket square in a choice of monochrome colors, which is such a hip trend right now. Laura notes that Art “ensures impeccable attire for every occasion.” www.artlewinbespoke.com

Camilla Seretti Jewelry—This fun jewelry designer was rocking soooo many items from her line. (I was green with envy, of course, which was perfect for St. Patrick’s Day which was just a week away!) We wanted them all, but she very wisely narrowed it down for the guests by giving each one a choice of different earrings or rings. Laura said, “Each piece is jam-packed with rhinestones and bling, exuding glamour and elegance. I found myself falling in love with Camilla’s bold and extravagant designs.” www.camillaseretti.com

Kids Excelling In College Foundation—This charity was repped on-site by the classiest-looking woman. In addition to giving us the info on what their important organization does, each guest received a book and a cute little mirror. But the best part was that, to make sure we remember them, they gifted adorbs little boxes of seeds that grow into forget-me-nots right in the box! www.kxic.org

Barbie Layton—This “energy healer” gifted a trio of helpful items: a beautiful “manifestation candle,” her “manifestation spray” in a choice of reasons to use them, and a corresponding soap. On top of all that, the guests at the suite will also have the opportunity to have a twenty-minute healing session with her by phone, which I’m sure everyone needs after that hectic day! www.barbielayton.com

Hidden Hills Coffee Company—I bet that everyone can guess what this company’s gift was. A bag of coffee, of course! And a mug and cute golden spoon to go with it. They were serving it right then and there, but neither Laura nor I drink coffee, so we can’t tell you what it tastes like. However, I heard another guest say it was “fresh.” www.hiddenhillscoffee.com

Tri Sprout—This company was giving-out full-sized samples of their products which contain Kratom. World traveler Laura tells us that Kratom is “a plant that has a long history of use in Southeast Asia, where it is commonly known as ‘thang.’” That’s a coincidence, because I’m commonly known as “Miss Thang!” www.trisprout.com

Ophora Water—The guys gifting these very attractive big bottles of still water may have saved my life, literally! I was choking, and the tenders of the actual bar told me they didn’t have water! So somebody pointed me over to this corner table, and they poured me a glass right away! It was delicious, too! www.ophorawater.com

BOOKS

The Reading Room—This most stylish woman ever, Ann-Marie Zoe Coore, was gifting different children’s books, such as Hawk. That’s the one Laura and I saw, but each guest received a bag without knowing which story was in it. As a mom of two, Laura looked Hawk over, and was glad that it “warns children to look out for the bad people in the world.” Ann-Marie showed us that she also makes cross-body bags out of recycled tires. When I saw one, I immediately envisioned drifting down a river in an inner tube! www.thereadingroom.world

Resilient A.F.–Laura checked-out this book, and deemed it to be “a powerful collection of real-life examples of resilience in the face of adversity; the tales inspire and uplift.” She adds that “each story is a reminder that no matter what challenges we may face, we have the inner strength to overcome them.” I guess she hasn’t met my siblings! www.theglobalresilienceproject.com

Your Purpose is Not For You—Laura said, “I’ve never been so intrigued by the title of a book. How could my purpose not be for me? I can tell that this is a perspective shifter; I love books like this!” And I just love how the cover of it feels! Yum!  www.noticeandre.com

One more highlight of the day was the Vanderpump Dogs Foundation, which had a penned-off area right as we entered the event; it featured adorable puppies all ready to adopt on-site! We were asked to bring bagged treats for them, a request Laura and I were more than happy to oblige.