This has to be one of the most enigmatic shampoos I’ve ever tried. First off — the price tag, which is $140. I kept wondering, as I turned the jar around and glanced at the golden imperial crest engraved on the lid, how this shampoo (actually how ANY shampoo) could be worth that much.

The Philip B Russian Amber Shampoo feels like rubber. It has a thick, honey-like viscosity and feels stiff to touch. It’s almost incredible that this rubbery texture ends up being lather and foam on your hair. That’s evolution for you!

This shampoo contains a Russian-inspired blend of of Chamomile, Grape Seed, Rosemary, Nettle, Burdock and Sag, along with other gems like amber oil and silk, wheat and soy proteins. Each ounce of shampoo is so packed with some joyous goodness that you need only a dime size (literally) to rub into your hair before it starts frothing like a Dom Perignon bottle.

I took a very little bit of this amber colored shampoo into my hands, almost with some ounce of fear. God, this costs $140, I was thinking. I have to savor every little bit….it’s a freakin’ recession and here I am rubbing some hefty-priced shampoo into my hair. I almost felt guilty, as though I was enjoying some forbidden fruit.

And on it went…

Yes, it did foam quite nicely, and a little bit went a long, long way. The best part of this regimen was that I didn’t really need a conditioner. My hair ended up beautifully frizz-free, on the most humid day of the year. The shampoo ended up styling my hair, polishing it, removing every trace of grime while leaving it conditioned. You can’t beat that.

The Katira Hair Masque ($20-$40) I used post shower to add that extra bit of shine. This “miracle of Persia” hair gel will definitely give sheen, and also some volume to lifeless hair. It is also supposed to fill in weak, damaged spots on the hair cuticle to give smoothness and strength.

Since I don’t have weak and damaged spots, I could not really verify this claim, but I was so pleased with the sleek, January Jones in Mad Men effect that I couldn’t really complain.

Now, the million dollar question: would I spend another $140 on this shampoo?

The answer is, yes. For one thing, it makes me feel like a movie star. It’s just shampoo, but that warm viscosity and extraordinary texture makes this stuff stand out. Like a beautiful nebula in a galaxy far far away. Plus, without a conditioner, my hair usually ends up looking like a grizzly’s. And this shampoo ended up performing the job of a conditioner and personal stylist.

I did need to follow this up with the Katira Hair Masque, however. Blame the 80% humidity on that day. I do love the appearance of the jar. An imperial gold crest on a solid black lid –even the Romanov dynasty would dig like that.