Halloween Beauty Spells

Double, double, here comes beautiful trouble! The witches are brewing up some powerfully frightful concoctions in their cauldrons, using all-natural ingredients from the kitchen. Try these sinister DIY beauty spells and cast yourself any Halloween effect you crave.

Blackberry Beet Blood

1. 1/2 beet, boiled and pureed

2. 1/4 cup ripe blackberries, mashed

3. Small travel-size jar

The fake-blood averse can create an easy DIY alternative that’s edible and full of healthy antioxidants. Boil the beet, then puree it in a blender for a few seconds after it cools down. Mix the pureed beet with mashed blackberries to give the blood a glutinous, mucous texture. After you reach the consistency and color you like (the color will be more purple-pink and less cherry), drip the bloody fruit stain around the corners of your lips and wherever you need “wounds.” Since beets and blackberries are some of the most color-rich fruits available, your faux blood effect will last all night, even after you’ve licked it all off.

Oatmeal for Brains

1. 1 flat microwave-safe plate

2. 1 packet instant oatmeal

3. 4 Tbsp room-temperature water—enough to form a runny consistency

4. Spirit gum

5. Liquid latex

Want to get monstrous skin without store-bought prosthetics? Surprisingly, dried oatmeal makes the perfect chunky base for cool brain effects. On the flat plate, mix dry instant oatmeal with water and form it into the shape you want to apply on your skin. Put the plate in the microwave and cook on high for 20 to 40 seconds, depending on the size of your zombie brain and your individual microwave settings. After it’s ready, take the plate out of the microwave and let the oatmeal cool on the counter. When you think it’s cool enough, slowly peel off the dried oatmeal appliqué from the edges. Decide where on the skin you want to place your “brain,” then spread a thin layer of Spirit gum on that area. Let the adhesive become tacky to the touch, then apply your brain over it. Once you’ve secured it to your skin, give it an undead effect by painting on liquid latex. Be sure to thin out the latex on the edges for a seamless application. When it’s ready, use foundation, shadow, and fake blood to gore your brains up! If you need a little more guidance, watch this tutorial on how to make oatmeal brains.

Bleached-Out Banshee

1. Baby powder

2. Fan brush

3. Aloe vera gel

4. Hair spray for hold

Powdery white hair is the perfect complement for a Baroque aristocrat or a howling banshee. Fortunately, you don’t have to resort to hard-to-remove acrylic spray paint or thick waxes for washed-out locks. First apply a thin layer of aloe vera gel over your hairstyle. Use a fan brush to dust a coating of baby powder on top of the gel. Wait for the gel/powder to dry, then lightly mist hair spray over the powder to seal the effect. Continue alternating powder and spray until your hair reaches the desired opacity, but be sure to let the hair spray dry in between layers. Whether you’re going as Marie Antoinette or a glamorous ghoul, this gel-powder-spray technique lets you style your strands ghostly in a pinch.