Bliss Fabulips Lip Treatment Set

Now's the time - get your skin ready for winter, especially your lips! The new Bliss Fabulips set ($45), launched in August, is the perfect way to prepare for the first blast of cold, dry air.

Fabulips is the only "one-spa-shop" that cares for your lips to leave them full, healthy, and beautiful in four simple steps. Designed to recreate Bliss's popular and unique fabulips treatment in the spa, this pucker-perfecting kit is like a facial for your lips.

Here's the four-step regimen. First, lift impurities and lip color with the one-of-a-kind foaming lip cleanser. Remove everything on your lips, from lipstick to lunch, with the refreshing cleanser. Apply it, let is set for 20-30 seconds, and then rinse off everything that doesn't belong on natural lips. Then, retexturize. Polish lips and remove dead skin with the deliciously sweet, orange-flavored, gentle sugar lip scrub. Apply it in a circular motion and wipe off with a damp washcloth (or rinse off if you wish). It contains finely granulated sugar and almond and walnut shells to polish the skin on your lips (and remove scaly, dead skin cells).

Rejuvenate with the visibly volumizing instant, mint-flavored lip plumper to help your lips reach their fullest potential. Just click it to dispense the product and apply. A cork tree extract and peptide-packed complex delivers long-lasting lushness. Last, seal the deal with Bliss's luscious, moisturizing softening lip balm (which I'm wearing as I write - it does triple duty). It contains shea butter and jojoba and grapeseed oils to leave your lips feeling hydrated and healthy. The directions say to apply it as needed. For me, that means about every 30 minutes. I am, after all, a lip balm addict.

I received my set from Bliss for review. When it arrived, I was afraid to test it - or anything else. I had burned my lips with something, most likely chili peppers. I was a sad mess. My lips were hurt, blistered, and peeling. Once I recovered, I decided to save the Fabulips goodies for the advent of the cold weather season. I'm glad I did. Now I'm feeling quite pampered.

The boxed set is actually a nice holiday gift, but I doubt you'll be able to part with it. It's a great value. Check it out and see what I mean. You can find it at the Bliss Web site.

If you want to watch a funny Bliss Bachelorette Parody, watch this YouTube video. I'm afraid I'm sharing it too late for the free offer, but if you think the Bachelorette is as dorky as I do, you're going to love it.

Photo courtesy of Bliss

Gilt City DC Launch - August 1

Gilt City, the Gilt Group's latest sensation, is launching Gilt City DC tomorrow, August 1. Most savvy shoppers know that they can find superb bargains on Gilt, a fabulous online flash sale site. Gilt City is offering the same concept, but extended to events and services. Now, the DC area has hit the big time, joining Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle, with curated events that are sure to entice you.

With insider pricing, up to 75% off, Gilt City offers tickets to dinners, salon services, sporting events, concerts, exercise classes, and more. If it's going to be fun, it could pop up on Gilt City.

I was privileged to be invited to attend an evening of pampering at the Bliss Spa in the trendy W Hotel in Washington, DC last week to participate in a soft-launch event. The spa was hopping with gals who had seen the offer and jumped. It sold out quickly, like all of Gilt City's offerings, because of exclusive access to connect with your city's best.

"We are thrilled to provide DC with coveted experiences and exclusive offers that will help people explore and celebrate all the wonderful things that define this great city. It possesses the right mix is discerning customers and a rich assortment of local businesses that can support our members' taste-maker lifestyles," said Gilt City President Nathan Richardson. "In the past year, we have built a level of trust with our members that we will deliver premium insider access to the best restaurants, spas, salons, entertainment, and services their cities have to offer. At the same time, we have built a strong marketing platform for local merchants to connect them to the highest-value customers in their communities."

I arrived at the Bliss Spa not sure what to expect. I was greeted by warm, friendly folks who checked my invitation and offered me a choice of two "mini-services" that weren't so mini. I selected a hand and arm massage and a manicure. What a blast! Elizabeth Goodwin, a massage therapist with extensive knowledge of massage techniques, pampered my arms and hands until I was thoroughly relaxed.

Then, I waited no longer than five minutes for Duc Dorocher, my "nail technician." Duc asked me to select a shade from the marvelous in-house brand names, but I pulled my Rock 'n' Romance Mini Nail Lacquer Set from Le Métier de Beauté out of my handbag. I gave him free rein to select a shade for my mini-manicure. After examining all the shades, he selected Chrome Passion, a gorgeous shade - as evidenced by all the oohs and aahs in the room. You can see the final result at this link. My hands look so good, five days later, I'm reluctant to remove Chrome Passion.

Anyone who participated that night and booked treatments for a later date got a 20% discount. What a great way to experience Bliss repeatedly - with a discount!

If you live in the DC area - or any of the cities listed above, you will want to check out Gilt City often. Daily? Blink and you might miss an event you'd love to attend. I know I'll be examining those e-mails closely and quickly when they arrive.

You can follow Gilt City DC on Twitter @GiltCityDC. You can join Gilt at this link. You can also check out the Gilt City Facebook page here. You should be in the loop.

Photos courtesy of Gilt City and Bliss/W