Valentine's Day Special: Sweet Sensory Treats

Happy Valentine's Day our gorgeous BrainyBeautys!

Whether you're enjoying some time with a special someone or happily flying solo, we got plenty of fabulous goodies to indulge your five senses this most romantical of weekends.

SMELL: Isn't chocolate the unofficial official food of Valentine's Day? Bring that cocoa goodness into the bath with Philip B. Chocolate Milk Body Wash and Bubble Bath, a nurturing blend of cocoa butter, oat protein and wheat amino acids and moisturizing aloe.
The warm scent of this yummy product is enough to put anyone in a calm, sensual mood. Plus, I love the playful yet sophisticated packaging!

 Philip B. Chocolate Milk Body Wash and Bubble Bath, $8-$35.

TOUCH: Get skin that begs to be touched with CapriClear Moisturizing Spray. Accepted by the National Eczema Association this handy spray is hypoallergenic, fragrance free and made with 100% fractionated coconut oil.
I am totally diggin' on this stuff right now- the spray makes application wonderfully convenient for even hard to reach places like your back, and it also leaves a sexy sheen before it quickly dries.

Capri Clear Moisturizing Spray, $10.99 for 1.2oz at Ulta. 

SIGHT: Do your favorite date night heels take your swagger from sexy to sad? Sticky Shoes are your answer! The ingenious Sticky Shoes are adhesive stripes designed to keep your feet from slipping out of high heels. Simply adhere one strip to the heel/insole of each shoe and you're ready to strut your stuff all night long. So simple, so useful, so very awesome.

 Sticky Shoes, $8.95 for 24 double-sided strips. 

TASTE: Sure, a box of chocolates isn't a revolutionary Valentine's Day suggestion, but trust me when I tell you that Edward Marc Chocolatier chocolates are NOT your ordinary sweets! Not only is the packaging sumptuous, but every confection is melt-in-your-mouth DELICIOUS.
The Vintage Heart Box ($35 for 16oz.) comes filled with an assortment of Edward Marc's best selling chocolates. Choose amongst yummy coconut, luscious creams and caramels made with milk from America's dairy farms.

 But the 5oz. Chocolate Lover's Heart ($10) truly stole MY heart. It's edible right down to its Valentine's Day box of molded milk chocolate (drool!) and is filled with the tastiest non pareils I have ever eaten.

 I urge you to try these treats and also check out the rest of Edward Marc Chocolatier extensive assortment ASAP—you and your Valentine will thank me!

SOUND: Your boo will be fixated on every word you say when you wear one of Illamasqua's amorous scarlet lip shades from their "I'm The One" Collection.

 Maneater Lipstick is an intense, full coverage formula that's designed to last through date night and then some-wink! It's a gorgeous true red with blue undertones that will make your teeth look brighter and whiter too!
Feisty Lip Pencil is a bright rouge, perfect for creating a precise and alluring lip.
You can qualify to win these and more pieces from Illamasqua's "I'm The One" Collection too! Just shout out @illamasqua on Facebook and Twitter with a red lipstick selfie and include #ImTheOne through February 15. Simply ravishing!

Cheers to a fabulous holiday all!

Philip B.'s 4 Bad Hair Habits

Hollywood's preeminent hair treatment expert, Philip B. gives us his four most unthinkable BAD HAIR HABITS and his advice on how to break them. I know I am guilty of two (1 & 4--feast or famine)...:

1. Brushing wet hair - Your hair is weaker and more elastic when wet, so brushing it can lead to breakage and split ends. Make sure to follow this styling commandment: Comb hair when it's wet and brush when it's dry.

2. Overdrying - If you have color- or chemically-treated hair and flatiron it often, beware! Heat styling tools and chemical treatments burn precious moisture out of your hair. Unless you replace that moisture with frequent botanical oil treatments (2-4 times per week), eventually it will start breaking off. To keep hair healthy, turn down the heat as much as you can and treat your hair to frequent oil treatments. I love my Rejuvenating Oil for this, but plain olive oil can work in a pinch.

3. Not protecting bleached hair - While it was tempting to dive in the pool during the hot summer, I’m sure it left your bleached strands looking a lot like greenish straw. Bleach is drying and makes your hair more porous, and chlorinated water also strips moisture from your hair – plus, it contains metals that can seep into your hair and leave a greenish tint. Now that summer is officially over, treat your hair by soaking it in a vinegar-and-water bath to help eliminate some of the remaining chlorine molecules. After that, an oil treatment is key to restoring moisture and shine.

4. Neglecting to brush - A good brushing is an exfoliation treatment for your scalp. It stimulates cell turnover to make your hair stronger and healthier, drags the natural conditioning oils from your scalp to your ends to keep them shiny and moisturized and also buffs the hair cuticle to boost overall glossiness. But forget the old wives’ tale about brushing your hair 100 times each night – it's excessive and might be damaging. Instead, aim for 10-20 strokes, depending on the thickness of your hair. Tip: Use a pure boar bristle brush if you have fine, wispy hair; if your hair is normal to thick, look for a brush that contains a mix of natural boar's hair and nylon bristles. I use my own Philip B. brushes. You can also find good boar's hair brushes in fine department stores or salons.

Philip B~Katira Hair Masque

Apply Philip B's Katira Hair Masque to towel dried hair, prior to a blow-out for a boost of strength and a protective layer between your hair and potentially damaging heat. This product smells, feels, and provides results, reminiscent of a salon experience.