Oscar Prep Leading Up to 2018 Academy Awards, Discovering New Trends & New Stuff

By Laura Medina

When you're nominated for an award, it is like a fairy godmother tapping you with good luck.  But, it is intense, quick, and hard;..and you've been a slob all your life then you have to clean up and be perfect in a nanosecond.

Don't worry.  Industry professionals and insiders know you need good stuff-quick.

Industry veteran, Debbie Durkin knows it and that's why her Pre-Emmy and Pre-Oscar Eco Luxe Lounge are one of the most desirable prep and prim style lounges for nominees to pick and prep for the big awards day and night.

Running in its second year, Ms. Durkin's Eco Luxe Lounge has been a luxurious, classy garden party meets gifting suite.  An ideal time to slow down and spot some style and health and wellness trends.

Knowing that Awards Week can be hard and intense, her lounge/garden party can be a great time to slow and recharge on her delectable brunch/lunch buffet, at the Beverly Hilton.

The legendary brie wrapped in puff pastry, Brie en Croute, thank god is a brunch stand-by that everybody oh, awe, and admire.  A never fail.  As always, here's an Brie en Croute recipe, https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/brie-en-croute-2-recipe-2115538

Brie en Croute #2

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (package comes with 2 sheets)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 small (8-ounce) wheel Brie
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Directions
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  Defrost 1 sheet of puff pastry for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and unfold (place remaining sheet in freezer for later use). Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute nuts in butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Place nuts on top of Brie and spread jam on top of nuts. Gently roll pastry with a rolling pin to increase the size of the sheet 1 to 2 inches in each direction. Brush both sides of the sheet with beaten egg. Center the wheel of Brie on top of the pastry sheet. Bring all four corners of the sheet together above Brie and twist slightly to form a "bundle." Tie gathered pastry with kitchen/cooking string (tie string in the form of a bow), arranging pastry until you are satisfied with the "bundle" shape. Place "bundle" on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Serve with top-quality crackers.
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• The latest addition to the Eco Lounge Brunch/Lunch spread is the Strawberry Cream Cheese and Vegetable Cream Cheese to the brunch bar...
• Strawberry Cream Cheese, https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/strawberry-cream-cheese-recipe-1957910
• • 3/4 cup sliced strawberries
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • Combine strawberries and cream cheese in food processor. Puree until smooth. Serve.
  • Vegetable Cream Cheese Recipe, http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/veggie-cream-cheese-spread/
  • • 3 packages (8 Ounces Each) Cream Cheese, Slightly Softened
    • 6 whole Green Onions, Sliced
    • 1 whole Large Carrot, Peeled And Finely Diced
    • 1 stalk Celery, Finely Diced
    • 1/2 whole Red Bell Pepper, Finely Diced
    • 1/4 cup Finely Diced Red Onion
    • 1 Tablespoon Chopped Chives (more To Taste)
    • 1 Tablespoon Chopped Dill (more To Taste)
    • 1 clove Garlic, Peeled
    Combine the cream cheese with all the other ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture reaches the consistency you want: it can be chunky, with larger pieces of the veggies, or you can keep going until it's very mixed together.
    
    Transfer the spread to a container and store, covered in plastic wrap, in the fridge. Serve cold with crackers, crostini, bagels, or use as a spread on a veggie sandwich.
    
    Note: Add more or less of any veggie/herb you'd like!
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    Standard breakfast and brunch fare of sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, quiche, and a toasted bagel station with smoked salmon grounded this scrumptious fare.
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  • Move over cupcakes, it's filled Italian doughnuts, specifically, Bomboloni alla Crema, puffy, fried balls of dough, piped in with vanilla and chocolate cream, that are taking over the trendy pastry world.  If not, then it's traditional doughnut rings dipped in fruit-flavored icing.
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    Dolloping greek yogurt into affordable wine glasses then sprinkling granola and fresh berries can "class up" any fare.
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    The healthy fare of fresh fruits, doesn't have to be boring.  At Debbie Durkin's Eco Lounge Garden Party, there are fresh slices of rare dragon fruit, papaya, and starfruit.  Details can make or break a gifting lounge/garden party.
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    Let's get gifting! Artisanal made in LA leather travel luggage and tote bags, showcases made in LA, handcrafted in America.
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  • The cool thing about gifting and beauty lounges is when the newest and latest in European and Asian skincare and beauty are launch, right here, in Hollywood's gifting lounges and suites; and it's those needy celebrities who are lucky to use it first, before anyone.  This is why stars are trend-setters for us mere mortals.
  • Scandinavian skincare is hot right.  Being resourceful and using Nordic botanicals in innovative high-tech ways, such as Madara Cosmetics' using birch water in their skincare serum and Micellar Water.
  • BIRCH WATER accelerates dermal cell division by 25% and protects from free radicals, preventing and reversing both genetic and environmental ageing.
  • Madara Organic Skincare is first spotted, here in the US, at Debbie Durkin's Pre-Oscar Eco Luxe Garden Party Lounge.
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  • If you can't eat it, wear it.
  • That's the philosophy behind the turmeric-based skincare line, Tumerica, https://www.tumericanow.com/
  • Aasha Chang, the founder and CEO of Tumerica, turned tumeric's  anti-inflammatory properties into various user-friendly lotions, cleansers, serums, and hair & body oil, where each item is made up of no more than 4 ingredients.
  • Not only are the ingredients, short and simple, the price points are between $7 to $13 at most.
  • If you fell in Tumerica now, then you can easily find and purchase it at GNC, Publix, Whole Foods, and HEB.
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  • Of course, a good smile is a fundamental of any good red carpet appearance.  My Magic Mud dental care is activated charcoal and bentonite clay that had proven to whiten teeth without the harshness of artificial chemicals.
  • Again, it was here, at Debbie Durkin's Pre-Oscar Eco Luxe Garden Party Lounge that My Magic Mud debut their Activated Charcoal Alcohol-Free Oral Rinse Mouth Wash, consisting of trendy turmeric, xylitol, Vitamin C, Aloe Vera, and Cinnamon.  Despite it's dirty name and using activated charcoal as it's dental cleaning base, their ingredients are pretty clean and natural.
  • You can find My Magic Mud at Sprouts or at https://www.mymagicmud.com/
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  • The Oscars are the highest of award shows, the instigator and the standard bearer of all awards shows.
  • The classiest and the best of cosmetic companies align themselves with the Oscars and their A-list prestige nominees and tradition.
  • But, it never means being a snob about it.
  • Chanel was gracious to share the care, with opening a pop-up at Orson Welles' former home, in the heart of Sunset Strip, straddling between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood.
  • The pop-up shop was an open house for beauty-istas craving for their lipstick fix.  
  • They did first this, the first time two years, with their nail polish bar.
  • This past recent Oscar week, it's durable lip gloss and classic matte lipsticks.
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  • Chanel proves that lip color, whether it be Coco Chanel's lipstick or new generational gloss, is an instant pick-me-up.
  • That Lucite coffee table is a great storage furniture for all your makeup, storage as decoration.
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    Garden parties are Oscar Week's reigning theme, going against the typical Hollywood nightclub vibe.
  • Guests, open to the public who rsvped, were treated to watermelon, strawberry, and blood orange popsicles as frozen smoothies on a stick.
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• Chanel turned Orson Welles' backyard into makeover and store cabanas where guests can try and wear then buy whatever lipstick or/and lip gloss that impressed them.
• They even turn it into a backyard concert.
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• Chanel transforms Orson Welles' old home into a beauty fun house, an open house and dream house for beauty-istas.
• The walk-in closet, which is a whole room, is transform into an interactive funhouse mirror house where guests can try on various makeovers on tablets.
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• One of the rooms was transformed into a Chanel "mood board" for inspiration and trend forecasting.
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• Orson Welles'/Chanel Beauty House rooms were built and interconnected like a rabbit warren.
• The hidden treasure trove was Chanel's gambling bar with a Chanel poker table and bar snacks of glazed pecans, smoked popcorn, sweet potato and potato chips.
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• This is Orson Welles' old vault where Chanel store their celebrity swags and retail merchandise.
• A beauty-ista's dream house, just for four days, only during 2018 Oscar Week.
• Coco Chanel's history and Oscar history go way back.
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• If you're too tired to be hitting the Oscar beauty open houses and lounges, you can fix your hair in the privacy of your own home with... 
• Hairdo Highlight Wrap ($19, Ulta.com)
  Take a fancy to this alluring wrapped up-do. This classic piece easily wraps around any bun or chignon with the secure comfort elastic band holder. It incorporates multi-tonal shades and varying lengths to get you the messy yet elegant style.
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• From pixie to long-haired siren, from day to night, you can flip it with...
  
  
  Hairdo 10pc Straight Human Hair Extension Kit ($299, Extensions.com)
  This 10 piece kit offers you length without limits. The 100% human hair measures 20” long, allowing you to add volume to long hair or length to short hair.
• If you're an industry "behind-the-scene" insider assistant, who have to make do at the drugstore.  A quick run for...
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Berry Lips and Bold Brows

Salma Hayeck, Zoey Deutch, and Gal Gadot all rocked berry lips with bold brows. To recreate this look, use Palladio’s Brow Obsessed Mousse with Fibers ($8) to fill in any gaps, making your brows look naturally full. If you want a more standout eyeshadow like Zoey Deutch, use the Silk Fx Eyeshadow Palette ($12) in Mirage, paired with the Double Agent Lash Extender + Fiber Booster ($12) for full lashes. Finish your lips with the Velvet Matte Metallic Lip Color ($8) in Opulent for a deliciously berry lip. 

Beauty lounges and open houses getting you ready, from top to bottom.