PHILIP B Maui Wowie Beach Mist

I had to have PHILIP B's recently introduced Maui Wowie Beach Mist ($22). Could you have resisted this?

Whether you're a Wahine or Wahina searching for the elusive stylistic wave, create an authentic Hawaiian hair experience with PHILIP B Maui Wowie Beach Mist. Maui Wowie Beach Mist gives your hair the look and feel of random texture, body, bounce, and volume. With just a few mists onto your wet hair, enjoy alluring piece-y body, texture, fullness, and bounce.

As PHILIP B Maui Wowie Beach Mist dissipates, this scent-tilating Sea Salt mist temporarily, yet effectively, to thicken the hair's cuticle for an eye-catching, raw, yet defined, sultry just-off-the-beach-look. Maui Wowie Beach Mist's scent-ual combination of orchid and Tahitian gardenia, together with aloe vera and algae extracts, works to strengthen your hair and enchant your senses. Kukui and coconut oils protectively work in tandem with sea salt to ensure a healthy, voluptuous head of beach hair all year round! Even better, the natural, "islandy" scent makes life feel like a day at the beach – great for your late-afternoon revival kit. From Maui to Martinique, PHILIP B Maui Wowie Beach Mist is the perfect solution for your styling wipe-outs!

To use Maui Wowie, spray it evenly on damp or dry hair. Then air dry or blow dry your hair with a diffuser (the idea is not to blow dry it too straight). With your fingers or styling took, shape your hair to the unique style that's ideal for you. For fine hair like mine, Maui Wowie creates lift, volume, and texture. For thick hair, it is said to create body, texture, fullness, and bounce. Word has it that Maui Wowie Beach Mist is an up-do's best friend!

Maui Wowie reminds me of Frederic Fekkai's Marine Summer Hair Beach Waves. I like it too, but I'm enjoying my new PHILIP B treat! It's prefect for those days when I want a tousled look.

Available at PHILIP B's Web site, bluemercury, SkinStore, and Beauty 360 - or you can Google it for more sources.

Photo courtesy of bluemercury

Philip B Cucumber & Blue Orchid Hand & Body Crème

Before bed every night, without fail, I treat my hands and feet to a dose of moisture. A few months ago, I saw a few new Philip B products at Beautyhabit, one of the sites I browse regularly.

How could someone who uses Philip B hair care products not be tempted by new Philip B hand and body moisturizers? Cucumber & Blue Orchid Hand & Body Crème, which is available for $12 in a two-ounce size (or $47 for six ounces), was priced to entice. I ordered one right away!

Here's the description that lured me.

A limited-edition release in 1994, our original Cucumber & Blue Orchid Hand & Body Crème is back by popular demand. Women were still writing to request it, 14 years on! What we kept: The luxurious blend of pure, soothing-yet-refreshing cucumber extract, cooling menthol, and an airy dose of blue orchid essence. What's new: A generous dose of cutting-edge oligopeptide chains (anti-aging ingredients proven to firm and tighten skin), plus pure hydrating aloe and antioxidant vitamins A, B5, and E to normalize cell turnover and your youthful glow. The crème also includes a combination of peptides (lipoproteins) that penetrate the skin's surface to help rebuild collagen, tightening and strengthening your skin's integral texture and elasticity. The moisturizing equivalent of a Bentley GT (that’s how our chemists refer to it in the lab), the crème’s botanical, green-floral scent is just as gorgeous and sexy as ever.

I can't tell you what a blue orchid smells like. I hvae never owned one. Most orchids have no fragrance, but some have distinctive scents. I can tell you that the scent of cucumber shines through. Cucumbers are known for their hydrating, nourishing, and astringent effects. They make a great natural face mask.

I wish Philip would come back and visit us again in the DC area! He used to visit when Neiman Marcus carried his hair care line, but we don't see him anymore. I would love to tell him I'm still using his amazing shampoos, conditioners, and Rejuvenating Oil many years after we last spoke.

If you are in the market for a new hand cream, you might want to give Philip B Cucumber & Blue Orchid Hand & Body Crème a whirl. Join the women who became addicted 16 years ago!

You can find it at Beautyhabit and the Philip B Web site.

Photo courtesy of Beautyhabit

Philip B Peppermint and Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo

I have been using Philip B's Peppermint and Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo ($40 for 11.8 oz) for about 19 years! Is that loyalty? This shampoo used to be my daily shampoo. However, after discovering other shampoos I liked, I started a rotation. Most winter days, I use another Philip B shampoo. When my hair starts to feel like I have some product build-up (from post-shampoo products), I reach for my Peppermint and Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo.

The Peppermint & Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo is a good choice when I need a good cleanse. Formulated with 16 pure plant extracts, eleven essential and carrier oils, and a potent, active dose of 2.3% pure peppermint oil, the shampoo works to soothe scalp tension, stimulate circulation, and leave my scalp feeling tingly fresh and clean. Fabulous!

When you use this shampoo, you awaken in the shower. No kidding! The peppermint is cooling, and as you wash your hair, the peppermint scent, cooling sensation, and cleansing action are stimulating. Not only that, it's exciting to know what the outcome will be: incredibly clean, weightless hair with volume. Both the shampoo and result are invigorating.

I would have named this Peppermint and Avocado Invigorating Shampoo. Of course, someone probably trademarked the name "Invigorating." Trademarking names can be lucrative. I sold one I had actually used for years, but when I didn't need it anymore, someone else was ready to buy. I have living proof that the practice is lucrative. Do I digress? Now you know I have a mind that free associates with ease. :)

Here's how Philip B describes the shampoo.

One of our most acclaimed products, this is a clarifying cleanser and powerfully active aroma-therapeutic scalp treatment in one...The shampoo works as a local anesthetic to soothe scalp tension, stimulate circulation, and leave your scalp feeling tingly fresh and clean. Philip B Peppermint and Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo also lifts away product residue - restoring your hair's natural shine and vitality without without compromising its precious moisture and elasticity. Safe for color-treated hair. Feel the amazing difference on your scalp and hair from the very first use.

I have to give you an enthusiastic ditto! Sometimes, shampooing and conditioning seems like a time consuming drag (there's that comb-out and blow dry too!). I'm in a hurry, and the necessity becomes "10 extra minutes." We all know that 10 minutes for busy women can seem like an hour. This shampoo will make those minutes pleasant - turning a chore into a treat.

You can read about all of the the Philip B products and more on the Philip B Web site, the best source of information on this terrific line. I have found that I can usually get a discount at Hello Gorgeous! or another site. So, rather than ordering directly from the Philip B site or purchasing in a retail store, I go for the discount. SkinStore, Amazon, and other online sites carry Philip B products, and SkinStore often has discounts too. This shampoo comes in four sizes, so make sure to compare size when you compare price.

Philip B's White Truffle Shampoo and Conditioner - Winter Remedies

When I first started Best Things in Beauty, I told you about Philip B's fantastic hair care products - products I can't imagine living without (see link). Today, I would like to showcase his White Truffle Ultra-Rich Moisturizing Shampoo and White Truffle Nourishing & Conditioning Creme - the richest products I use to protect my hair in the winter.

The Philip B White Truffle Ultra-Rich Moisturizing Shampoo ($76 - varies by size) is truly ultra-rich. The herbaceous blend of 23.2% pure plant extracts, including hops, nettle, thyme, lavender, horsetail, and burdock, work to restore the lipids in your hair. Italian White Truffle Oil has been infused into the formula, along with soy protein and panthenol (vitamin B5). White Truffle Ultra-Rich Moisturizing Shampoo leaves your hair feeling nourished, healthy, and alive with shine, bounce, and movement. This rich formula is specifically formulated for normal- to chemically and/or color-treated hair. Philip B says you will see and feel the results from your first use. I'll second that! This shampoo is amazing. It even feels rich as you shampoo. It's luxury defined.

Philip B White Truffle Nourishing & Conditioning Creme ($75 - varies by size) is formulated with 23.3% pure botanical extracts of white truffle, lavender, comfrey, hops, and nettle. The list of beneficial ingredients is too long for this post. Trust me that I have never used a more effective conditioner. Even the owner and stylists at "my salon" are wowed by it, and they've seen everything!

The conditioner provides intense moisture and repairs without weighing down your hair. It is the solution when your hair is parched, dry, or chemically treated and in need of deep conditioning. Made from pure, revitalizing botanicals combined with strengthening amino acids and soothing vitamin E, White Truffle Nourishing & Conditioning Creme will make your hair silky-shiny and leave it with body and bounce. I leave it on as long as I can stay in the shower (usually 3-4 minutes). The longer it's on, the more nourishing it is.

Using both together is a gift to my hair. Using only the conditioner after a nice shampoo (try Philip B's African Shea Butter Gentle & Conditioning Shampoo) is a bit more frugal. Either way, I can see the difference in my hair. It's hydrated, soft, shiny, bouncy, and pretty. Isn't that what it's all about?

The Philip B Web site is offering a value gift collection with these two products in a beautiful, elegant box. Start a new tradition and put this on your New Year's gift list!

You can often find online discounts on these two amazing products. I just found the conditioner at Amazon for $55.06. If you live in the U.K., you can buy Philip B products from BeautyBay.com.

I'd love to try the new Philip B Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo. I just can't afford to buy my must-have, can't-live-without White Truffle treatments and the new one as well. I think I can deal with settling for the best.

Photo courtesy of Amazon

Philip B - Extraordinary Hair Care

Philip B has been my hair care line of choice for about 19 years! How's that for loyalty? I was introduced to Philip and his products at Neiman Marcus when he had just become a "phenomenon" in the beauty business. He is a really nice, fun guy - in addition to being so talented.

I have been using his products ever since. Sure, I mix it up now and then with other lines, but I always come back to Philip B. So, after 19 years, I have a lot to say!

The Philip B products became famous due to Rejuvenating Oil, a treatment you can leave in for 20 minutes or overnight. This botanical conditioning oil is a blend of carrier and essential oils derived from plants, nuts, and flowers. Rejuvenating Oil imparts lipids into dry to damaged hair and scalp. Deep, penetrating, and soothing, it revives and restore the hair's elasticity, resilience, and overall strength. I tend to apply it on Sunday mornings when I plan to read the paper and "laze around" for awhile. Then, I wash it off by applying Peppermint & Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo before adding water (oil and water don't mix well). The result? Soft, shiny, and beautiful hair.

I rotate three of Philip B's shampoos, depending on the condition of my hair. The Peppermint & Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo is a good choice when I need a good cleanse. Formulated with 16 pure plant extracts, eleven essential and carrier oils, and a potent, active dose of 2.3% pure peppermint oil, the shampoo works to soothe scalp tension, stimulate circulation, and leave your scalp feeling tingly fresh and clean. Fabulous!

When my hair is a bit dry, or after highlighting, I use African Shea Butter Gentle & Conditioning Shampoo, a lightweight moisturizing blend of African shea butter, hops, nettle, and comfrey. Additionally enriched with Panthenol (Vitamin B5), this shampoo delivers much-needed moisture to dry hair to strengthen and restore elasticity and prevent breakage.

In the dead of winter or when my hair screams "dry" or sends out a damage warning, I use White Truffle Ultra-Rich Moisturizing Shampoo. I'm convinced that Philip's White Truffle shampoo and conditioner (see below) are the most luxurious hair care products on earth. The shampoo is an ultra-rich, moisturizing shampoo containing a herbaceous blend of 19 pure plant extracts, including hops, nettles, thyme, lavender, horsetail, and burdock; Italian white truffle oil; soy protein; and Panthenol (Vitamin B5) for supreme restoration of your hair.

I use two post-shampoo conditioners: Light-Weight Deep-Conditioning Creme Rinse or White Truffle Nourishing & Conditioning Creme, depending on the state of my hair. The Light-Weight Deep-Conditioning Cream Rinse is a rich, thick cream formulated with pure African shea butter, which provides natural UV protection and has been used for centuries by the natives of the Ivory Coast and Senegal to heal and protect. This conditioner leaves a fine seal of pure protein on hairshafts to volumize, moisturize, and detangle without weighing your hair down.

My treat is a once or twice a week use of White Truffle Nourishing & Conditioning Creme, which is intensely moisturizing and softening. It is the solution when your hair is parched, dry, or color treated and in need of serious conditioning. Made from pure, revitalizing botanicals, it's combined with strengthening amino acids and soothing Vitamin E. My stylist and the owner of the salon where I go for cuts, blow drys, and highlighting are both astounded by this product. I would use it every day if it weren't so pricey ($75 without a discount - more on that in a second).

Last, but not least, another player in my routine is Restorative Detangling Toning Mist, a detangling, leave-in toner for the hair. I lightly wash it out, though - don't know why, just do. This super-lightweight spray toner contains apple cider vinegar as a natural astringent and pH balancer, which allows the cuticle of the hair to seal tightly, leaving smooth, detangled, shiny, gorgeous, finished, and toned hair with no frizz or static, but plenty of shine.

Philip B recently went 100% "green" and introduced new packaging (gorgeous) and products without parabens, phthalates, and petrochemicals. There is a new paraben-free shampoo, Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo, that was featured in the November 2008 Vogue, one of the many magazines that have spotlighted Philip B products. Unfortunately, at $140, I haven't been able to scrape together the money in this recession to try it. I will try the new Katrina Hair Mask ($40) soon.

You can read about all of the new products and more on the Philip B Web site, the best source of information on all of the products, including many I haven't described. I have found that I can usually get a discount at Hello Gorgeous! So, rather than ordering directly from the Philip B site or purchasing in a retail store, I go for the discount. SkinStore also carries a portion of the Philip B products.

Philip B is a definite "genius" choice in my book.

Photos courtesy of Hello Gorgeous and Philip B. Ingredient lists courtesy of Philip B.

A Few of My Favorite Online Beauty Stores

We all have favorite online sites we visit for fragrances, cosmetics, skin and hair care, and other beauty products. Sephora and the manufacturer sites, such as Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, and Clinique, may top everyone's list for the free samples and efficient service. Today, I would like to share with you some of my other favorites - sites worth visiting for the variety of product offerings, fair prices, and goodies with purchase.

I should own stock in Beautyhabit. A "Modern Lux Apothecary," Beautyhabit offers fragrances, bath and body, candles and other home fragrances, skin care, hair products, and more. They always have monthly specials and often gifts with purchase, and their service is tops. They introduced me to Clementine, a fragrance with notes of flowering orange blossoms, honeysuckle, and night-blooming jasmine. Clementine seems to be a celebrity favorite. Beautyhabit's brand list is long, literally offering something for everyone.

LuckyScent is another site for fragrance lovers. They specialize in hard-to-find fragrances. They have always been my go-to site for Kai, a lovely "boutique" fragrance of gardenia and other white flowers.

Hello Gorgeous! is a great site for hair care products, but they have other offerings as well. I usually get my Philip B fixes there. Try the botanical White Truffle Nourishing Hair Conditioning Cream for incredible results. They offer samples, too, but sometimes you have to search on samples to find them before finishing your purchase. Make sure to look. They don't offer free shipping ($4.95 fixed), but their discounts make up for the shipping costs. Deliveries are fast.

SkinWest offers a wide variety of skin care discounts, and I'm a frequent visitor. They have great promotional gifts, such as the current travel skin care set from SkinMedica. They are a great site for Kinerase discounts, and shipping is free.

Last but not least, Amazon has some incredible prices on beauty products. I have been purchasing my Prevage MD there at less than half the retail price! Some of their affiliates offer free shipping, so my Prevage MD comes without shipping or tax. A steal!

If any of these are new to you, check them out and have fun!

Photo of Clementine, a roll-on fragrance, courtesy of Beautyhabit.