Basking In #BackItStyle2019 – Toronto’s Most Experienced TIFF Gifting Lounge

They always say you’re not supposed to pick favourites. Don’t say the word best. Don’t prioritize one experience over others.. but sometimes I have to disagree. I’ve attend a lot of TIFF gifting lounges and celebrity experiences in my career as a blogger – and most of them have been spectacular experiences leaving me spoiled and feeling appreciated for the work I do.

But if I’m being 100% honest, few have the experience or the power of GLO Communications and their #BaskItStyle2019 gifting lounge. Bringing together 20 of the most influential and innovative brands of the year, I cannot wait to bring you BTS in real time on our social media amid the excitement of The Toronto International Film Festival during our #TIFF19 coverage.

Before the simultaneous chaos and magic of all things TIFF starts on September 5th, the team at Glo Communications will host Julio and I for a gifting experience that celebrities will also enjoy throughout festival season. Consider it a preview of all the exciting moments they too will share – and I look forward to it all year long based upon previous years of working with their team of industry leading experts. This year, the following sponsors and brands await and I am so excited to share with YOU what they have in store for us.

“Taking place during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Bask-It-Style, hand delivers VIP gift bags to celebs on-the-go with a survival-kit of goodies to enjoy while navigating TIFF. From beauty and health to style, tech and food, Bask-It-Style has everything for a star on a busy TIFF schedule. In the past celebrities gifted through our hotel partners have included: Matt Damon, Jennifer Garner, Julianne Moore, Naomi Watts, Colin Farrell, John Legend, Sir Elton John, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan, Blake Lively, Olivia Wilde, Tom Wilkinson, Rachel Weisz, Iggy Pop, Princess Charlotte of Monaco, Elle Fanning, Helen Mirren, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and many more.”

After last year (see below) alongside a good friend, this year with my husband is sure to be magic!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnWZMe2nHrn/

Gifts from participating sponsors include:

Celebrity Gift Bag Sponsor

Amber & Ash: This years celebrities will receive all of their goodies in a limited edition travel tote designed by Amber & Ash exclusively for Bask-It-Style at TIFF (retail value $89.99). This bag includes versatile straps to go from tote to backpack and features several internal and external pockets for accessibility, as well as a compartment that allows the bag to be placed over a luggage handle.

Technology Room

Drive around in style with TURO Looking for a unique, stylish ride to cruise around the city or roll up to a red carpet in? Feel like an A-lister with TURO’s exclusive peer-to-peer car-sharing platform. A pioneer of the sharing economy, Turo guests get to choose from a unique selection of vehicles from a community of trusted local hosts. On display at this year’s event will be the show-stopping cinematic DeLorean from Back to the Future to give guests a taste of what the TURO inventory has to offer.Guests will be treated to a portrait taken with the car. I’ve yet to try the experience but I know that this year will be the reason why I fall in love with being a TURO member!

Wine Room

Take a trip to Spain with D.O. Rueda – D.O. (Designation of Origin) Rueda will take guests on a trip to Northern Spain as they have the chance to taste 17 different wines from eight of the region’s wineries, with Canada’s Master Sommelier, Bruce Wallner. Rueda, a wine region in Spain located in the community of Castile de León which is known for its production of the verdejo grape due to its unique climate and land. Guests will be treated to a bottle of wine to sip back after a long night of film action at TIFF (retail value $15-$30). The wineries being featured; Palacio De Bornos, Finca Montepedroso, Bodega Gotica, Javier Sanz Viticultor, Bodega Verdeal, Sat Rueda Perez, Bodegas Menade, Marqués De Riscal.

Refreshment Room

Steep and sip with Oteas. For all the tea lovers, Oteas will be brewing something special with their limited edition Fan Favourites tea combo-pack. Get your taste buds ready for these unique blends of tea. From sweet to spicy and aromatically energizing these special blends are nestled in plant based packaging and biodegradable tea bags. Good for you and the planet. The Fan Favourite selection, inspired by the fans of films at TIFF, includes the flavours; Strawberries & Cream, Raspberry Leaf, Organic Earl Grey, Organic Green Tea with Peppermint, Organic Lemongrass, Ginger & Cinnamon (retail value $12.95).

Beauty room

All the hustle and bustle of TIFF can take a toll on your skin, the Indigena Skincare team will be on-site with skincare to make you glow! Indigena Skincare’s Glowing Travel Kit (retail value $215) includes: Labrador Tea Day and Night Cream, Rose Petal Eye Cream, Sea Veggie Face Lotion and Blueberry Bliss Lip Scrub. Their rare botanical extract blends are foraged from the Canada’s Boreal forest and the North Atlantic. leaving your skin nourished and rejuvenated instantly. Skincare and haircare go hand in hand when it comes to being red carpet ready. MONAT Global’s intensive anti-aging haircare line (retail value $45-$129) unites the best of nature and science to provide luxurious treatments and styling products that give your hair the all-star treatment. Their team will be on-site offering touch-ups and hair tips, featuring their flagship product, REJUVENIQE™ Oil Intensive, along with their MONAT STUDIO ONE™ styling collection. The MONAT hair product line, which is Leaping Bunny Approved and Vegan, includes a professional styling collection, a men’s haircare and grooming line, a children’s collection, pet care and several targeted hair care systems and treatments. Lastly, no beauty routine is complete without caring for your body. Give your body the star treatment with Tru Niagen’s Hollywood-loved, breakthrough supplement (retail value $40-$67) that supports cellular health. This supplement contains a unique form of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide riboside (NR), which helps the trillions of tiny cells in your body maintain good health by helping maintain your body’s ability to metabolize nutrients, critical for cellular energy metabolism and tissue formation.

Style room

Sparkle and shine with Michael Hill’s gold collection: No look is complete without some great jewellery to tie the look together. Michael Hill will be bringing red carpet worthy looks with their classic and elegant designs. Showcasing this seasons gold essential pieces like their 10k gold mini hoop earrings (retail value $139) and their perfect dainty and stackable 10k gold ring featuring six diamonds (retail value $449).

Reading Room

Explore the latest titles from major publishing houses Back by popular demand, the reading room will offer guests the unique chance to explore a collection of the latest fall titles from two major publishing houses. MIRA will be showcasing its latest title Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison (retail value $21.99), A pulse-pounding new novel that examines the tenuous bonds of friendship, the power of lies and the desperate lengths people will go to in order to protect their secrets. Alongside MIRA, is heavy-weight, DK Publishing, who will be showcasing their new and noteworthy fall title Fashion, New Edition: The Definitive Visual Guide (retail value $65). Learn all about fashion’s trailblazers and trendsetters in this boldly illustrated, definitive guide that charts style from the late 19th century to the modern day.

Some other exciting items in the bag

The gift bags will also include some exciting products from various beauty, food and lifestyle brands. Dr. Bronner’s, Hemp Peppermint pure-Castile Liquid Soap is their most popular scent, with organic peppermint bursts as you lather. Clean your house and body with no synthetic preservatives, detergents or foaming agents EVER! Another great sustainable and natural product is Hanalei’s Kukui Oil Lip Treatment (retail value $20USD). This lip treatment delivers intense moisture and silkiness with the use of pure kukui oil and shea butter, while agave and grapeseed oil provide high levels of antioxidants that will help soothe and keep the skin looking healthy throughout TIFF season. Being fabulous can build up an appetite, which is why we have Green & Black’s to help you indulge with your sweet tooth with their variety of milk and dark chocolates that offers something for every palate. Ginger, current, burnt toffee, hazelnut, sea salt, and almond are just some of the delicious flavours they have to offer (retail value $4.49). Next, you can feel guilt-free about this sugar alternative with LIVA Date Sugar (retail value $13.95). A raw, organic non-GMO sweetener made with only two ingredients, dehydrated Deglet Noor dates and love. LIVA date sugar retains all of the nutritional value of dates and all of the trace minerals that are absent in virtually all other sweeteners. Get three days’ worth of probiotics on the go with Welo’s Probiotic Bars (retail value $2.49-$2.99). Welo’s bars are locally-made and contain only three grams of sugar, they are perfect for any busy lifestyle! For a more savoury snack, Toronto Popcorn company treats us to their gourmet popcorn in the yummy flavours of Garlic Parmesan and Bacon & Cheddar (retail value $2.75), need we say more? With all these yummy treats you can feel guilt-free about snacking on Todd’s Better Snacks, a crunchy treat made with egg white protein (retail value $2.99). With flavours like Sour Cream & Onion, BBQ, White Cheddar and Salt & Vinegar, these flavour filled snacks are packed with 10g of protein! Finally, SHARP magazine takes the pulse of society to bring sophisticated men the information and entertainment that they want and need. SHARP’s pages are full of the latest in fashion, luxury travel, technology, automobiles, food, entertainment and celebrities, as well as feature-length investigative journalism on topics of international importance.

Make sure to follow along with me and everyone (from celebrities to rising stars) by following the #BaskItStyle2019 hashtag.

Thank you again to Glo Communications and all of the participating brands for hosting us during TIFF. We can’t wait to see what the next eleven industry leading years look like for you and we hope to be invited each and every year to share int the excitement!

For more behind the scenes of this and other amazing brands we are working with around the world, make sure to follow along with the #DoTheDaniel Instagram account. We would love to have you join on our adventures! 

Don’t forget to be kind & laugh a little more this year

Daniel Reyes

Mobile photos were taken with my Samsung Canada Galaxy S10+ on the Rogers network

*Please note that this is a sponsored post – our disclosure can be found at all times by clicking here.