Creep yourself out while cleansing your skin.

By Annie Walton Doyle

Don’t you love it when you can turn your beauty regime into a Halloween costume? (Art: Zita Walker)

In terms of giving your skin a treat, there is nothing better than a face mask: it’s a concentrated shot of active ingredients straight to your skin. But have you ever noticed how creepy they can also make you look? Sometimes, they’re downright ghastly.

This gave us an idea. Because face masks have the potential to look so frightening, can certain ones also double as low-key nods to Halloween, perhaps when we’re doling out candy to the kiddies in the neighborhood? We think they can.

Take, for instance, the All In One Facial by Korean brand Hanacure. The mask went viral last year when Drew Barrymore posted a picture of herself wearing it on Instagram — and she looked 100 years older. What happens is the clear mask dries incredibly tightly on the skin, giving the appearance of immediate and dramatic facial wrinkles and rolls — that is, until you wash it off to reveal the true results: soft, smooth, and glowing skin.

Because of its appearance, beauty aficionados have dubbed the mask the Grandma Facial thanks to its horrifying appearance, although to us, it reminds us of the monster in Clive Barker’s ‘90s flick, Nightbreed.

Inspired, we went out in search of some more spooky face treats that can also double as subtle movie references. From peel-offs to sheets and foams to jellies, here are the freakiest-looking face masks money can buy for the ultimate in Halloween multi-tasking.

The Waxy Mask

Freeman’s Sweet Tea and Lemon Mask, $3.99. (Art: Maria Karambatsakis)

If Hanacure is too steep for your budget, there is always this mask from the bargain brand Freeman’s. Made of sweet tea and lemon, it looks appealing in its packaging, with its pale peach shade and lightly sweet aroma. But once you put it on, it’s anything but. Depending on your skin, it either looks like you have jaundice or were dipped in wax, a la Paris Hilton in the 2005 House of Wax remake. Because it has the appearance of actual skin, the removal process is also horrifying. Peel it off in front of your boyfriend to guarantee you’ll never have sex again!

The Witchy Face

Elizavecca Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask, $10.50. (Art: Maria Karambatsakis)

One mask that is perhaps less viscerally scary, but still way up there on the creepy scale is this Milky Piggy mask by Elizavecca. What it has to do with either milk or pigs is anyone’s guess, but you apply the springy, opaque concoction using a spatula and within moments, the gel-like substance starts to froth and foam. Wearing it feels not unlike what I imagine a hundred tiny bugs crawling over my face would also feel like. The resulting look is reminiscent of mold growing on your skin — and who wouldn’t want to see their face looking like that? In fact, if you want to get really horror-inspired, this gives great warty, old witch vibes. After, when you rinse it off, your skin will feel all the deep-cleansing benefits of a traditional clay mask, but without any of the dryness or tightness.

The Second Skin

Starskin Hydrating Bio Cellulose Face Mask, $11.50. (Photo: Maria Karambatsakis)

A classic in terms of creepy skin care is the good, old-fashioned sheet mask. This one by Starskin is particularly terrifying because it clings to your face like a second skin, a bit like Leatherface’s lovely, bespoke skin masks in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. If you don’t mind looking like a serial killer for 30 minutes, then try this mask from Starskin for a good, mid-priced scary treat. It soaks your skin in hydrating serum, so afterwards it’s incredibly plumped and smoothed.

The Blood Bath

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, $7.20 (Art: Maria Karambatsakis)

If serial killer is the look you most desire, look no further than this concoction by The Ordinary. While not a “mask” by name, it certainly is by function: You smear it on, wait for 10 minutes, and then remove it with warm water to reveal even-toned, smooth skin. The scary part comes from the shade of the product. What looks like a deep berry hue in the bottle resembles blood when applied to the skin. Smear some down your face and don a white prairie dress to channel Carrie at her prom, splattered in pig’s blood.