Bobbi Brown's Makeup Rehab

Makeup maven

Blush, bronzer—or both? And what are all those brushes used for exactly? Bobbi Brown knows her way around a makeup counter. 

All-day base

How can I get my foundation to last longer?—Phyllis Katz, Newton, MA
Bobbi: I really believe using the right moisturizer for your skin type makes all the difference. Of course, there isn't one moisturizer that work for everyone, but if your skin is dry, a hydrating balm is the perfect base. And if you're oily, a gel moisturizer is all you need.

For All Hair Types

"The [raw] egg is really the best of all worlds," says Janice Cox, author of Natural Beauty at Home. The yolk, rich in fats and proteins, is naturally moisturizing, while the white, which contains bacteria-eating enzymes, removes unwanted oils, she explains.

To Use

Frizzy Hair-Homemade Hair Treatments

Home beauty experts swear by avocado—and not just to repair damaged hair. Its oils (which are light and moist like our own natural skin secretions) and proteins boast the best combination of nutrients for smoothing and weighing down unruly hair, explains Cox
To Use
Mash up half an avocado and massage into clean, damp hair. Let sit for 15 minutes before rinsing with water. Amp up moisturizing power by combining

For Dull Hair

Styling products (as well as air pollution) can leave a film that both saps moisture and dulls shine—but dairy products like sour cream and plain yogurt can help reverse this damage. "Lactic acid gently strips away dirt while the milk fat moisturizes," says Lisa Belkin, author of The Cosmetics Cookbook.

To Use

Itchy Scalp

To fight flakes—brought on by poor diet, stress and climate, among other factors—try a lemon juice and olive oil mixture in your hair. "The acidity in lemon juice helps rid your scalp of any loose, dry flakes of skin, while the olive oil moisturizes the [newly exposed] skin on your head," says Cox.

To Use

Limp or Fine Hair

To add body to hair, reach for an unlikely beauty beverage: beer! The fermented drink contains generous supplies of yeast, which works to plump tired tresses, explains Cox.

To Use

 
Mix 1/2 cup flat beer (pour beer into a container and let it sit out for a couple of hours to deplete carbonation) with 1 tsp light oil (sunflower or canola) and a raw egg. Apply to clean, damp hair, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water.

Dry or Sun-Damaged Hair

Whatever your hair-dehydrating demon—hard water, sun overexposure, your trusty flat iron—nature's sweetener can help. "Honey is a natural humectant, which means it attracts and locks in moisture," says Cox.

To Use: Massage approximately 1/2 cup honey into clean, damp hair, let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. You can also add

Oily or Greasy Hair

"Used properly, [cornmeal or cornstarch] is an inexpensive way to remove oil and grease," says Belkin.

To Use

 
Pour 1 Tbsp cornmeal or cornstarch into an empty salt or pepper shaker and sprinkle onto dry hair and scalp until you’ve used it all. After 10 minutes, use a paddle hairbrush to completely brush it out. Treatment can be applied every other day.

Residue-Ridden Hair

"Nothing eats through product buildup like baking soda," Cox says. Sodium bicarbonate essentially breaks down anything acidic

 
 To Use

Mix 1 to 2 Tbsp baking soda with small amounts of water until a thick paste forms. Massage into damp hair and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse with water, then shampoo hair. Treatment can be applied every two weeks.

Yogurt hair mask

For dry, frizzed out hair, this recipe will bring back the moisture, leaving your hair silky and manageable

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup plain organic yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions

Banana avocado mask

It doesn't sound appetizing at all, but you aren't supposed to eat it. Instead, slather your hair in this rich mask to bring back its luster

Ingredients

1 medium banana
1 egg
1/2 avocado
2 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp buttermilk
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Yogurt hair mask

For dry, frizzed out hair, this recipe will bring back the moisture, leaving your hair silky and manageable.

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup plain organic yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions

Liquid Moisturizer - For Damaged Dry Hair

Liquid Moisturizer

There are several things that a person can do when they have dry damaged hair, one option is to chop it all off and then watch it grow back. However, if the damage was caused by your hair habits in the first place then it might be prudent for you if you try to fix those habits so that your hair can flourish again. The remedy does not have to be expensive or elaborate. We all know that there are some things that are needed in black hair to make it supple and healthy. Whether the hair is natural or relaxed, one of the main things is to infuse moisture back into the hair strands and to pamper the hair. 

In an eight-ounce spray bottle combine the following ingredients

Basic Moisturizing Deep Conditioner For Damaged Dry Hair

Most deep conditioners need to penetrate the hair shaft so that it can swell and enter the hair and feed it with well needed nutrients. Moisturizing deep conditioners in general are very beneficial to dry hair. This recipe is creamy and can be used once per week for a good moisturizing condition of the hair. You will need the following ingredients:

• ½ cup honey

• 1 ½  cups water

• ½ cup organic coconut milk

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil (olive oil can be used instead but coconut oil is more penetrative)

Blend the ingredients thoroughly in a food processor or blender and heat in

Basic Protein Deep Conditioner For Damaged Dry Hair

Basic Protein Deep Conditioner

Moisture is extremely important to dry hair but so is protein. A mild moisturizing protein treatment will do wonders for hair especially if you want to increase the volume of the hair. You will need the following ingredients

• 1 egg

• ½ cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup plain unflavored yogurt

• 5 drops of your favorite essence oil (a scented one such as jasmine or lavender would make a difference to the scent of this concoction)

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and apply to wet hair. Allow the

Pre-Shampoo Treatment For Damaged Dry Hair

Pre-Shampoo Treatment

Commercial shampoos contain several harsh chemicals so before a good hair wash, it is best to protect the hair from the harsh effects. Using a pre-shampoo can do this wonderfully. You will need

•  1 cup coconut milk

• ½ cup olive oil and ½ cup coconut oil (or 1 cup of either oil)

Warm the mixture together in a saucepan and apply to damp hair. Put hair under a

Homemade skin cleanser

 

Homemade skin cleanser

 

 3 tbsp pure honey

1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp wheat germ oil

1 tsp papaya juice

Mix the ingredients together. Wash the skin with warm water. Gently massage the cleanser onto moist skin, and then rinse well with water. Apply twice daily