Robin Roberts'beauty Routine

There's never a good time to be told that you're among the nearly 200,000 women diagnosed every year with breast cancer, but when you're on TV every day, this news presents a raft of challenges -- including the beauty kind. As expected, chemotherapy caused Robin Roberts, 47, to lose her hair, including her eyebrows and eyelashes. The treatment, which interrupts normal cell functions in the entire body, also turned Roberts's skin "as dry as the Sahara," says her makeup artist Elena George. "Some mornings I would stare in the mirror and not recognize the image staring back at me," says Roberts. "Then Team Beauty -- my angels Elena and [hairstylist] Petula -- would work their magic. I felt like Humpty Dumpty being put back together again." Through trial and error they learned how to keep Roberts high-definition-camera ready. Since beauty advice for cancer survivors is hard to come by, Roberts is proud to share hers here.

Reduce Skin Dryness: George searched without success for a moisturizer that would prevent Roberts's dry skin from "drinking" in her makeup before landing on a classic: Vaseline. "I would put on a little bit all over her face and wipe it off in less than two minutes," says George. This quick routine created a smooth layer between Roberts's skin and her makeup.

Change Foundation: George switched to a more highly emollient foundation, Bobbi Brown Extra SPF 25 Tinted Moisturizing Balm, $50, which is better for dry skin, due to super-rich glycerin and shea butter.

Adjust Eye Makeup: Roberts's upper eyelids darkened, a common side effect of chemotherapy, which dictated George's shadow choice. Instead of contouring Roberts's eyes with the usual dark-brown shade, George relied on plum-based shadows that matched the colors that were coming up on her lids.

Lots of Lash: Roberts had always worn false lashes on air, but with her natural lashes gone, George had to position the fake lashes even more carefully. (Try Ardell Fashion Lashes, $3.) Eyeliner along the top lashline helped hide the lash strip.

Build New Brows: At first George filled in sparse brow spots on Roberts's face with Shiseido's The Makeup Fine Eyeliner, $27 ($13 for refills), but as Roberts lost all of her hair, George switched to MAC's Eye Brows, $14, a pencil with a soft, thin point. "I follow the impression of where the hair used to be," says George. Not as skilled as she is? Then try a stencil kit or an eyebrow wig -- yes, an actual eyebrow available in four shades -- $24.95, from www.invisiwig.com. "Nobody would ever know!" says George.

Originally published in Ladies' Home Journal, May 2008.