The hair expert is in - and wants to answer your questions.
ASK PHILIP B.
ISSUE: Body wave gone bad
November 12, 2008 | Damaged Hair
Dear Philip,
I ordered a bunch of your products: shampoo, cream rinse, the toning mist, lovin’ leave-in, and the rejuvenating oil. I learned about your products in a magazine that I read about a week after my stylist RUINED my hair with a HORRIBLE body wave. I received your products just yesterday, immediately put them to use, and now — just one day later — my hair finally feels healthy again.
I just wanted to say thank you, SO MUCH!
Rachel
Dear Rachel,
Thanks for your wonderful email. I get the nicest letters from women around the world, and I’m so glad that you found success with my products. I take great pride in making them! Definitely try my Katira masque, which is coming out this Monday. I’m looking forward to you having more great hair days!
ISSUE: Chemically relaxed hair
November 12, 2008 | Dry Hair
Dear Philip,
I’m black African with chemically relaxed hair, and I struggle with extra dry hair, especially during the winter months. My hair usually breaks off at this time. Do any of your products work well on black hair?
Many thanks,
MIre
Dear Mire,
We make products that are fabulous for black hair. Our light, plant- and flower-based Rejuvenating Oil treatment and African Shea Butter shampoo and Lightweight Deep-Conditioning Crème Rinse (also make with wonderfully hydrating Shea Butter) come immediately to mind, as does our ultra-nourishing Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo. Any combination of these products will address your breakage during the winter months – and probably forever. But considering the degree of breakage you’re dealing with, I’d start with Katira Masque. One application will in all the damaged areas in the hair cuticle, so each strand is automatically thicker, shinier and more elastic. Even after you rinse it out, the masque leaves a weightless film on the hair that protects it from heat styling, too.
ISSUE: Coarse & frizzy
November 12, 2008 | Curly Hair
Dear Philip,
My hair is long, thick, curly, frizzy and red. I’ve tried everything, and it looks terrible when I leave it curly. I mostly straighten it, and that takes forever just to make it look halfway decent. PLEASE HELP MY HAIR!!!!!!!!!!!
Annie
Dear Annie,
All curly hair has a natural wave formation that can be really beautiful. Yet, if they’re dehydrated, curls can turn kinky and unruly, so you need to find a way to silken and soften them up. On coarse hair like yours, I get the best results with this sequence: a Revitalizing Oil treatment; Peppermint & Avocado Shampoo; Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo for moisture, shine and strength; and Katira Masque for incredible softness and manageability. Try it and let me know how it goes. And look on the bright side: Red hair usually goes gray quite late.
ISSUE: I want my fine hair to look thick!
November 12, 2008 | Fine & Limp Hair
Dear Philip,
Your Peppermint & Avocado Shampoo is my Favorite Hair Product Ever. Now I’m just looking for the right styling product. My hair is on the thin side and I want it to look thick and full.
Best,
Shannon
Dear Shannon,
For fine hair, I’m a strong proponent of a leave-in conditioning and thickening spray like Maui Wowie Beauty Mist – it really boosts volume and gives any style a wonderfully cool, piecey feeling. Spray a little on your hair – damp or dry – and work it through with your fingers. Mark my words, your hair will feel about ten times thicker!
ISSUE: Dandruff and Sebhorric dermatitis
November 12, 2008 | Special Cases
Hi Philip,
I’ve struggled with an itchy, scaly scalp for quite some time and tried every over-the-counter product and prescription-based shampoo you can imagine. This week, I made my annual visit to the dermatologist for more of the same, as things have not improved for me. But then I spoke to a friend who recommended that I try your Anti-Flake Shampoo. She also gave me a sample of your Peppermint & Avocado Shampoo to try. I must say that with one application of both products, I’m hooked. The peppermint shampoo removed all the scaly build-up and the Anti-Flake shampoo finished the process by soothing my scalp. I’ve never had results like this.
Should I use the two products weekly until I get my problem under control, and then switch to using it once a month? Also, I like all of the wonderful botanical ingredients found in your products.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Many Thanks,
Nora
Dear Nora,
Thanks for taking the time to write to me. I’m so, so happy that the products are doing the trick. I do think that you might want to stay on a weekly regimen of the Peppermint & Avocado Shampoo and Anti-Flake for a bit and see how it goes. Without seeing your scalp, it’s hard to say – if it’s a chronic problem, you may need to use the products continuously to keep things under control. I make other scalp-soothing products, too: Scent of Santa Fe Shampoo is rich in chlorophyll and makes a great compliment to Anti-Flake and Peppermint and leaves your hair so silky…
That said, if you have an extreme flare-up of dandruff or seborrhic dermatitis, here’s my general rule: Start with one to two applications of Peppermint & Avocado Shampoo, leave it on your scalp for 3-5 minutes; then use the Anti-Flake and leave IT on for 3-5 minutes more before rinsing. I made all of these products for my friends with itchy, dry scalps, and each formula is made of the finest natural soothers in the all the land!
ISSUE: Post-Chemotherapy hair
November 12, 2008 | Special Cases
Dear Philip,
It’s been 2 years since I had chemotherapy, and my hair has grown back very, very dry and very, very curly. I’ve been using Phyto products but I made the mistake of having my hair processed with highlights and lowlights and now it’s like dry straw. Can you help?
Mary Dorsey
Dear Mary,
Yes. Your hair may not go back to the way it was before, but it can still look healthy and beautiful as long as you give back what it needs. I always tell clients that taking care of any type of hair – since hair is made of dead cells – is a lot like preserving wood or leather. You have to use the right kind of moisture, consistently, to keep it supple and shiny. In your case, that means using treatments with strengthening amino acids and hydrators that will address damage, soften the texture of your hair, and give it a great, clean finish that isn’t heavy and greasy or light and flyaway. There are a couple of approaches you could take:
1) On an everyday basis, use a super-nourishing cleanser with amino acids like Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo or my White Truffle Shampoo and Conditioner: I designed both specifically to transform dull, parched, damaged hair. (If you’re local in L.A. you can always call us at the Ava Center for a professional treatment: 310.843.9915.)
2) For an immediate, astounding quick fix, do an oil treatment: To start, apply my Rejuvenating Oil to your hair, heat it with a blowdryer and let it sit for a bit. Then use the Peppermint & Avocado Shampoo: Work it into your scalp, add water, and gradually work the lather through to the ends. From there, rinse and apply my ultra-conditioning, amino-acid-packed Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo: That’s when you’ll feel your hair texture start to change under your fingertips.
3) For extra credit, my new Katira Masque offers a rare type of moisture: It leaves wiry hair soft, fluffy and manageable, and makes a blowout extra smooth and straight. (Rub a dollop of Katira in your hair; comb it through; let it sit for 2 hours till it dries; rinse, rinse, rinse; and voilà: Your hair will be youthful and lush again!)
4) The pH Balancing Rinse would be great for you, too. It seals the cuticle so you get gorgeously defined ringlets.
ISSUE: My hair is breaking!
November 11, 2008 | Fine & Limp Hair
Dear Philip,
I have fine, straight, highlighted hair. I have to blow it out if I want any volume at all, but then I see a lot of breakage.
Jennifer
Dear Jennifer,
That means your hair’s not getting enough moisture to keep it in one piece. Conditioning fine hair is tricky – most people with this hair type are afraid of using an oil treatment, but in this case, it’s key. When I use my Four-Step Hair & Scalp Facial Treatment on thin hair, clients can’t believe the difference it makes: The hair looks ten times thicker and fuller, because I’m lifting away the heavy sebum; filling the strands with moisture; and then whisking any trace of oil off the surface. Also, my Katira Masque is ideal for fine hair. The formula is completely oil-free and you just apply it to clean, wet hair and let it dry before rinsing. While your hair is still swollen with water, the Katira jelly floods into all the gaps and absorbs into each strand. Once the water evaporates, you’re left with a fine, beautiful, weightless film of moisture, to make each strand plumper and smoother. Rinse it out and blow your hair dry – the fluffiness and manageability you’ll get is really and truly (swear to God!) dramatic.
ISSUE: Oily scalp, dry ends
November 11, 2008 | Dry Hair
Hi Philip B,
I have highlighted blonde hair and it’s so greasy that I need to wash it everyday. Still, the ends get really dry. I’d love to grow my hair out but I want it to look healthy and shiny – not dry and dead. What should I use?
Thanks,
Vanessa
P.S. I tell all my friends about your products! 
Dear Vanessa,
The oils from your scalp are a natural conditioner, but even if you brush well, their effects don’t usually stretch beyond the first 4-5 inches. It’s a common problem: the top of your hair is moisturized, but you’re starving the ends. The best way to fix this is with my botanical Rejuvenating Oil. Apply it from the mid-section of your hair to the ends, and heat it up with a blow dryer: The heat thins the oil so it can slip under the cuticle of the hair and nourish it from the inside out. Then wash your hair – twice – with my Peppermint & Avocado Shampoo. Start at your scalp and gradually work the lather over the ends. Once you rinse it out, your hair should feel squeaky-clean: The oil is absorbed inside each strand, plumping it up without leaving it slick or heavy.
I’d use the oil at least once a week. In the meantime, use a conditioning shampoo like Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo, to load your hair up with amino acids and shine. And if you want to feed it something extra, use our unique Katira Masque. It lends a special kind of moisture and volume that oil and shea butter can’t give.
Another tip to keep your hair from splitting: Every time you get it wet, even if you’re not shampooing, put some conditioner on the lower half of your hair, comb it through, rinse and mist on a bit of my pH Restorative Toning Mist to tightly seal the cuticle for a smooth, shiny, frizz-free finish.
And thanks for telling your friends about the products – I really believe in them, too!
NEW! WE’VE GONE GREEN!
September 30, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
We never stop trying to make our botanical products even better — without changing the things that our customers love about them. So the entire Philip B® line is now environmentally friendly, with new paraben-, phthalate- and petrochemical-free formulations. Even better, we’ve slashed the carbon footprint for the journey of our products — from manufacturing to distribution– to the absolute minimum.
NEW LOOK!
September 29, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
We’re excited to announce that we’ve revamped our whole range, taking everything — bottles to labels and boxes and bags — to a whole new level of cool. The chic, elegant redesign achieves the one thing we’ve been missing up to now: luxurious packaging that’s worthy of our luxurious products. (A big thanks to our in-house designer, Alexey!) Plus, we’ve made our instructions and stellar ingredient lists easier to read, too. Enjoy!
NEW! Anti-Frizz Formula 57
September 28, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
The Inspiration: Hong Kong humidity; Philip was visiting during a monsoon.
The Solution: The definitive, climate-proofing mist to help you lock out humidity — even in sticky, triple-digit heat — while sealing in a glossy shine. Not only does this nutrient-packed elixir protect against heat styling, it also tames even the most coarse and unruly hair, miraculously warding off frizz for a naturally glossy, long-lasting blowout. Pure Lavender, Jojoba, Rice Bran and Soybean Oils also lend hair a perfect dose of moisture. The payoff: Lightweight definition, movement and shine without added weight. One drop and you’ll forget you ever had a bad hair-day.
2oz/60ml. $35
Paraben Free Formula
Directions: Apply to damp hair before blow-drying, or style your hair with your fingers and let it air-dry.
New and improved! Cucumber & Blue Orchid Hand & Body Crème
September 27, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
The inspiration: 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!)
The solution: A mix of pure, soothing-yet-refreshing cucumber extract, cooling menthol and an airy dose of blue orchid essence. This time around, the luxurious formula has been updated with cutting-edge oligopeptide chains (proven to firm and tighten skin), plus pure hydrating Aloe and antioxidant Vitamins B5 and E. 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.
6oz/178ml, $47
2oz/60ml, $12
NEW! Lovin’ Hand & Body Crème
September 26, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
Extra-gentle and family-friendly, this deluxe hydrator is surprisingly refreshing – and not at all heavy or greasy. But what really gets us excited is its therapeutic blend of fruit and plant extracts (including Coconut Oil, Shea Butter and Vitamins E and B5), specially engineered to replenish and maintain your skin’s optimal moisture balance. Soothing (it smells fresh and clean) and flattering (just a dab turns dry, chapped skin into velvet). Moisturizing just got a lot more fabulous.
6oz/178ml. $27
2oz/60ml. $8
Paraben Free Formula
NEW! Limited-edition White Truffle Collection Gift Set
September 25, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
PHILIP B® White Truffle Nourishing & Conditioning Crème is our number-one seller for good reason: An intensive reconditioning crème, it restores lost moisture in the most luxurious way, giving even the most fried strands sumptuous shine, body and bounce. The secret: A nourishing blend of 23.3% pure plant extracts: moisturizing Italian White Truffle Oil, Lavender, Comfrey, Hops and Nettle, along with strengthening amino acids and soothing Vitamin E. The matching White Truffle Ultra-Rich Moisturizing Shampoo, another pure-botanical powerhouse, offers dramatic improvement in texture after just one use. Made with Soy Proteins for added moisture and elasticity; Hops and Nettle to provide body; and nineteen botanical essences (including Extracts of Thyme, Chamomile, Lavender and Comfrey) to leave your hair feeling its silky best and your scalp, clean and fresh. Ideal for all hair types, but especially color-treated or chemically-processed hair that’s dry, porous and ultra-fragile. These are two of our most indulgent treatments — a life-changing experience in a box.
$125
Paraben Free Formulas
NEW! Maui Wowie Beach Mist
September 24, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
Availability: Backordered. This product is scheduled to ship on 10/24/08
Easy glamour. A few sprays of our Sea Salt mist conjures up instant fullness and an alluringly tousled, piece-y, just-off-the-beach texture. Spiked with Aloe Vera, Algae Extracts and a good-for-you blend of exotic plant oils (pure Orchid, Tahitian Gardenia, Kukui and Coconut), it also nourishes hair, giving it an amazingly healthy, voluptuous feel. Even better, the natural, islandy scent makes life feel like a day at the beach – great for your late-afternoon revival kit.
5.07oz/150ml. $22
Paraben Free Formula
NEW! Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo
September 23, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
Availability: Backordered. This product is scheduled to ship on 11/1/08
We call this the Fountain of Youth for hair: Our reconstructing shampoo rejuvenates and revitalizes all hair types, giving even chemically-damaged strands a dramatically youthful look, feel and radiance from the first use. The power-packed formula truly heals on all fronts: Eleven life-giving L-Amino acids at active strengths repair hair on a cellular level — quickly restoring its body, bounce and shine. An extraordinarily high dose of Panthenol (Vitamin B5) coupled with a catalyst, Phytantriol, sinks moisture deep into every strand. An artful, Russian-inspired blend of of Chamomile, Grape Seed, Rosemary, Nettle, Burdock and Sage infuses hair with emollients for a healthy gleam-from-withing. Protective Silk, Wheat and Soy Proteins increase elasticity and tensile strength. And Shea Butter imparts a finishing touch of weightless hydration for beautiful, long-lasting bounce and resilience. Equally decadent: The tantalizing scent of PHILIP B® Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo channels the opulence of the Romanov dynasty, when the healing and calming properties of Amber Oil were treasured by a privileged few. Treat your hair like royalty — the Imperial way!
12 fl oz/355 ml, $140
Paraben Free Formula
Directions: Wet hair, apply shampoo to your scalp, and massage in with the pads of your finger tips. Leave on for 1 to 3 minutes.Work lather along your hairshaft through ends in a downward motion. Rinse well. Repeat if desired. Follow with Philip B® Light-Weight, Deep Conditioning Crème Rinse.
Ingredients: Water/Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Fragrance/Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Disteareth-75 IPDI, PEG-150 Distearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide MEA, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-7 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides , Chlorphenesin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)/Butyrospermum Parkii, Caramel, Phytantriol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Arctium Lappa Root Extract/Arctium Lappa, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract/Chamomilla Recutita, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract/Urtica Dioica, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract/Rosmarinus Officinalis, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract/Salvia Officinalis, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil/Vitis Vinifera, Styrax Benzoin Resin Oil/Styrax Benzoin, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Cinnamic Acid, Benzaldehyde, Vanillin, Coniferyl Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Coumarin, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Citronellol, Yellow 5/CI 19140
Katira Hair Masque
September 22, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
Availability: Backordered. This product is scheduled to ship on 11/1/08
Universal Hair Revitalizer - Instant Manageability & Shine Boost
Product Details:A gentle yet surprisingly versatile rejuvenator for all hair types, our unique, clear-gel formula sinks right in to plump up fine, limp strands or calm and smooth coarse, hard-to-manage hair. Think of it as an amped-up, squeaky-clean version of a deep-conditioning treatment: You get all the vibrant shine and silkiness you could dream of – without a trace of added weight or residue. PHILIP B® Katira Hair Masque will make the most of any hair texture, taking lush, light and manageable to a whole new level.
How it works:
- Pure Katira Extract — the “it” conditioner of the Middle East — fills in weak, damaged spots in the hair cuticle for added smoothness and strength. It also gives your hair a slight electrical charge – you’ll feel it during your blowout – that leaves it fantastically light and bouncy.
- A high-tech L-Amino Acid Complex infuses your hair with a perfect dose of weightless, oil-free moisture and nourishing proteins for enhanced control and elasticity. Just one application will instantly revitalize your hair color, speed up blow-drying time, and lock in shine for a sexy, touchable, red-carpet finish.
6 fl oz/178ml, $40
Paraben-Free Formula
Directions: For best results, coat clean hair (damp or dry) with a generous, thick coating of Katira masque. Comb it through from roots to end to distribute the product evenly, then let the masque sit till it’s dry — or blow-dry to speed the process. From there, just rinse well: Don’t shampoo the product out! Style hair as usual to discover the Katira difference and the magic of Persia!
NEW! Our Award-Winning Salon Treatment
September 21, 2008 | PhilipB Treatment Centers
NEW! Our celebrated salon treatment for flat or damaged hair, now available in Beverly Hills!
Let us do the work: Fresh from the exclusive Montage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach, renowned aesthetician Ross Poole is now performing our best-selling Four-Step Hair & Scalp Facial Treatment at Ava M.D. Med Spa. Acclaimed by Vogue as giving you “the hair of a heroine in a romance novel — the hair you always dreamed of” and named “One of the 50 Things Worth Every Penny” by Forbes Magazine, the treatment is great for plumping up fine hair; rejuvenating thick, frizzy hair; repairing badly damaged strands; and invigorating a troubled scalp.
Trust us: It’s a life-changing experience. Book an appointment on (310) 843-9915.
MEET OUR SHIN
September 20, 2008 | PhilipB Inspiration
Shin, a top stylist at the Paul Lebrecque Salon in Manhattan, has inspired two of Philip’s key styling products, but she came into his life ten years ago by sheer chance. “She was an assistant at the Mark Garrison Salon where I was giving treatments,” says Philip. “One Friday night, I really wanted a haircut but all the stylists were busy. Then Shin piped up that she’d cut my hair. As I was explaining why this wasn’t a good idea, she started pointing out all the things she’d do if I’d just let her.” And finally: “Just sit down and shut up.”
An hour later, says Philip, “I left the salon and had only walked one block down Madison Avenue when a guy stopped to ask where I got my hair cut.” The next day, Shin was working on the floor of the salon; the next week she was booked solid; and within months she was featured in Vogue. “I could go on forever about her technique,” Philip says. “Shin is like a fine watchmaker or dressmaker: She just has the eye.”
She was, however, forever begging Philip to make a great shine product. So when it came to designing his working spray, Shin Shine, he used a brilliantly light, modified silicone. Sprayed on damp hair, it stamps out tangles instantly. Even better, the formula cuts blow-drying time by 30-40% and the result is as shiny and frizz-free as it gets. Shin loved it, and so did everyone else, so we gave her a share of the profits.
For their next collaboration — Shinade, a soy-based defining pomade — Shin got alarmingly specific. The product had to give great definition to shaggy cuts or to just calm hair down; it had to be light and water-soluble; it needed to have a clean, refreshing scent; it had to be multi-purpose (great on wet or dry hair); and it had to wash off her hands easily. (Shin hates when she can’t hold onto her styling tools.) In the end, after a lot of back and forth, she and Philip hit on a formula they both love. And, from the evidence, so does everyone else.
Just Some of our Latest Accolades
September 19, 2008 | Accolades
Philip B® Botanicals has been nominated by GQ Magazine (U.K. edition) in three categories:
- Nordic Wood Hair & Body Shampoo: Best in Body (Soaps & Body Washes)
- Peppermint & Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo: Best in Hair (Shampoo)
- Crème of the Crop Hair Finishing Crème: Best in Hair (Styling)
Elsewhere, Philip B® Scent of Santa Fe Balancing Shampoo was named Best Men’s Shampoo by Esquire Magazine (U.S. edition). The award will be announced in the November 2008 issue.
And Philip B® won the Cafe Award is Sweden for Best Men’s Range!
COMING SOON! New Chocolate Milk Body Crème
September 18, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
Availability: Scheduled to ship in February 2009. (Just in time for Valentine’s Day!)
The inspiration: Our best-loved body wash, based on Philip’s favorite childhood treat.
The solution: A lightweight moisturizer that you’ll want to wear just for its cheering, chocolate-y scent (surprisingly light and sophisticated in a crème). But it’s also a potent, non-greasy moisturizer, loaded with good-for-you Vitamins, Aloe and soothing Milk Proteins. Plus, it feels amazing on your skin.
6 oz/178ml, $30
2 oz/60ml, $10
COMING SOON! NEW Limited-edition Chocolate Milk Collection Gift Set
September 17, 2008 | See Entire New Product Line
Availability: Scheduled to ship in February 2009. (Just in time for Valentine’s Day!)
Just thinking about this makes us smile. Our beloved Chocolate Milk Body Wash & Bubble Bath smells exactly like two yummy scoops of chocolate sugar swirled in milk. But the formula has a serious side, too, with Cocoa-Butter for conditioning; Oat Proteins and Wheat Amino Acids to revive and soothe; moisturizing Glycerin; and healing Aloe. Happily, our new matching Body Crème makes the decadent, full-sensory experience last all day. A rich, happy smell – our blend of the finest Chocolate and Vanilla Extracts made deliberately subtle and sophisticated in a crème – is backed by potent botanical hydrators like Cocoa Butter, Aloe and healing Milk Proteins to envelop your skin in soothing moisture. It’s a good-for-you chocolate fix that’s great for kids, even better for your inner child: In short, the happiest gift on earth.
$62.50
Paraben Free Formulas
