There are a million face-mask recipes online. But while we like the idea of using ingredients from our fridge, it can be hard to decipher which ones are worth the work. So when you find a formula that doubles as a blood-curdling Halloween look — as if it were straight from a Scream Queens promo — you run straight to the kitchen.
Beauty blogger Farah Dhukai shared such a mask in an Instagram video. It's made from hibiscus tea bags, water, and agar agar — an algae-derived powder that turns gelatinous when mixed with liquid. Sounds fancy, but putting it together costs less than $10.
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What’s more, you don’t have to be a whiz in the kitchen to concoct the mask: Just boil water, add tea bags, and whisk in agar agar until it bubbles. Let the brew cool slightly before applying (test on a small area first to assess the heat level). After you apply, the red-tinged goop hardens and can be pulled from skin in a swift motion.
It's important to note that any type of tea can be used, although Dhukai emphasizes hibiscus for its laundry list of skin benefits. Among them: evening out your complexion and soothing inflammation.
Another reason to like the red, gooey mask? It's the perfect twofer for Halloween. If you don't want to slather it on your face, just paint it on your hands, throw on a nurses uniform, and go as Chanel Oberlin. How’s that for a Halloween trick?