DIY Hair Masks

There's nothing like shiny, luscious locks to turn heads, but with blow drying, flat ironing, and color treatments, we're often left with a head of brittle, lackluster hair.

"Damaged, dull hair can be temporarily repaired through the use of conditioners that mend the damaged hair shaft, increasing shine and smoothing split ends,"ChickRxdermatologist Dr. Debra Priceexplains.

Because we can't always splurge on expensive salon conditioning treatments, we've compiled five easy DIY hair mask recipes to get you back to envious hair in no time. Even better: you probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen right now!

Avocado + Egg + Lemon
Combine 1 avocado, 1 egg and a very small amount of lemon juice until mixed well. Apply the mixture to damp hair and leave on for about 20 minutes. Rinse hair with luke warm water-hot water could cook the egg leaving a huge mess! After you've rinsed your hair, shampoo and condition as normal.

Honey + Olive Oil + Apple Cider Vinegar
Mix 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. You may want to heat the honey briefly in the microwave so that is easier to mix in. Apply mask to dry, dirty hair. Comb through with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers. Pin up your hair for 30 minutes to an hour. Shampoo and condition as normal.

Banana + Honey + Yogurt
Mix 1 mashed banana, 1/4 cup honey and about 3 oz of plain yogurt. If you have long hair, you may need to use more yogurt for the recipe to be enough. Coat dry hair with the mixture and leave on for an hour. Rinse and shampoo as normal.

Banana + Egg + Beer + Honey
Mix 1 mashed banana with 1 egg until well blended. Add in 1/2 cup of beer and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix well then apply to hair. Pin hair up (or use a shower cap) and let sit for a few hours. Rinse with luke warm water then shampoo and condition as usual. This mask can be especially helpful if you are looking to add volume and shine to thin hair… and you get to finish off the rest of the beer in that bottle.

If your pantry is looking a little bare, you can also just go with one single ingredient for a quick fix.

Coconut Oil
Apply a liberal amount of coconut to dry hair until strands are coated root to tip and leave in over night. You might want to use a shower cap so you don't get the coconut oil on your pillow. After catching up on your beauty sleep, shampoo and condition as normal. You may need to shampoo twice, depending on your hair.

Registered dietitian and nutritional expert Carlene Thomas says, "I love using a DIY hair mask with either olive oil, mayo or avocado." She instructs, "Spread over hair and let it soak in and hydrate strands, then rinse and shampoo out."

Now Protect
After you've treated yourself to one of these awesome treatments, be sure to protect your revitalized mane.

"To prevent hair damage during all seasons, you should avoid excessive blow drying, chemical processing, dying or perming your hair," Dr. Price recommends. "Comb wet hair with a wide bristled comb and try to minimize brushing while blow drying your hair."

And don't forget your skin isn't the only thing that needs protecting from the damaging UV rays of the sun. "If you live in a sunny climate you should consider wearing a hat during periods of prolonged sun exposure to protect your hair," Dr. Price suggests.

Make sure you're eating healthy, too. Believe it or not, your diet shows through in your skin and hair probably more than we realize. "Hair can really show our diet quality. If the body isn't getting enough calories, healthy fats, and especially protein, it can become dull and lifeless," Carlene Thomas advises.