Hi everybody, long time no posts...anywhere. My Facebook and Youtube have been silent lately as well. The reason is I've been horrendously sick, I'm currently in a lot of pain and unable to get out of bed- I have not been having a good week, y'all.
While I'm stuck not being able to do much, I thought I'd make a little post on one of my favourite subjects- makeup!
I've been cosplaying for 6 years now, and while that's nowhere near as long as some more experienced cosplayers I know, I like to think I've picked up some skills along the way, partially due to the fact that I friggin' love makeup.
Before going on I want to add that you in no way have to follow this, and no one has to wear any makeup at all if they don't want to. These are just some things that I do for myself, because I like to.
While I'm stuck not being able to do much, I thought I'd make a little post on one of my favourite subjects- makeup!
I've been cosplaying for 6 years now, and while that's nowhere near as long as some more experienced cosplayers I know, I like to think I've picked up some skills along the way, partially due to the fact that I friggin' love makeup.
Before going on I want to add that you in no way have to follow this, and no one has to wear any makeup at all if they don't want to. These are just some things that I do for myself, because I like to.
I'm certainly not perfect and have a lot to learn, but here are my main pointers for drawin' on yer face.
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1. You don't need the ultra-expensive stuff to look good.
How makeup looks very much depends on how you use it. I have a few pricier pieces in my makeup bag, but it's backed by an arsenal of drugstore-tier goop that I got for cheap. ELF and NYX are forever reliable favorites, more mid-range stuff like Revlon and Covergirl are good as well.
It's a pretty pervasive lie that the more expensive stuff will automatically make you look like a magazine cover- while it can do amazing things if you know how to use it, a MAC brush will not automatically give you the skills of a professional makeup artist.
That being said, if you do want to go for higher-end stuff, splurge on your skin stuff, particularly foundation and concealer. Most eyeshadow colors are available just about anywhere, but having nice, even skin makes a great base for whatever else you want to put all over it.
One of my personal favorites is the Lise Watier Concealer Wheel. I've only seen it available in drugstores in Canada, and it ran me about $36 CAD (now equivalent to around $butt in USD, Christ Canada get it together) but I believe it's also available on their website or on Amazon.
I could talk all day about how awesome this stuff is- one palette has lasted me about a year before even hitting the pan, and it's the only product I've ever found besides aggressive Photoshop that covers up my terrible undereye circles. When I bought it, it was the most expensive single piece of makeup I owned, but it definitely paid for itself in no time.
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| pictured: fairy dust and unicorn tears |
Some other concealers which have done me well are the ELF undereye concealer and highlighter ($3) and the CoverGirl invisible cream concealer ($5.99)
I have naturally clear skin so I don't use any heavy foundation, the one I currently use is the CoverGirl Clean liquid foundation ($6.99) since it's pretty light, but if you have skin problems you may want to go for something thicker.
As far as I can tell there's no ultimate way to find your perfect foundation/concealer the first time around, you just have to keep trying with different products. Most stuff will say what type of skin it's for, or you can look at recommendations online.
2. Honor thy falsies
...but I've found for cosplay they actually work great, since they're so stiff and shaped. Cosplay is a place where you want your makeup to look unnatural.
2. Honor thy falsies
I have a pretty serious false eyelash addiction, I won't lie. Especially for someone like me who has very small eyes, they're great for making your eyes pop like an anime character's.
Side note: if you search around and find a bunch of super expensive ones, go back and read #1 again. Most of the ones I have were from Ebay in a box of 10 for around $1-2, and they haven't failed me yet.
Some people harp on them for their cheap quality...
Some people harp on them for their cheap quality...
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| people who need to LET ME LIVE MY LIFE photo // Hey Bad Cat |
...but I've found for cosplay they actually work great, since they're so stiff and shaped. Cosplay is a place where you want your makeup to look unnatural.
One thing I've found is that the shape of them can completely change your face!
We live in an age where you have endless resources at your disposal, take advantage of that! Flick around on YouTube and find what you like, there are lots of different makeup tutorials for all different face and eye shapes.
If you find yourself with some spare time and makeup, take a while to sit down and follow along with tutorials to learn new techniques. You'll never know what works for you until you try!
I've been seeing this happen less often as time goes on, but I shudder at the days where even skilled cosplayers would skip doing their eyebrows for cosplay.
I personally don't like to do my nails too crazy since it gets distracting in pictures, but that's honestly up to you. I will usually file and/or buff them and put on a clear topcoat before going out to a con. I don't like looking down and seeing dirty nails, so it's just a little thing that makes me feel more "finished" and ready for the long day ahead.
The most important thing is that you feel confident and complete in your cosplay!
4. Get creative!
Lashes come in all sorts of styles and shapes, try experimenting with that works for you and gives you the look you want.
For instance when I cosplay older and/or more mischievous characters, I use a slanted pair to give me more of an elongated cat's-eye shape.
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| photo // Phantom Photos |
For younger, more innocent characters I'll break out my spiky ones, which shaped in a curve that tapers evenly on both sides.
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| Photo // Alex Rose |
Lashes really do make a huge difference, and they're not nearly as scary to wear as some people think they are. I consider them a necessity for cosplay makeup!
3. Watch tutorials and learn new skills
When I was younger I was under the impression that I could be ENTIRELY self-taught, with no help from anyone. This led to some pretty embarrassing looks, which I will not be posting pictures of.
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| Here's one of my terrible early Photoshops to makeup for it (get it? GET IT?) |
We live in an age where you have endless resources at your disposal, take advantage of that! Flick around on YouTube and find what you like, there are lots of different makeup tutorials for all different face and eye shapes.
If you find yourself with some spare time and makeup, take a while to sit down and follow along with tutorials to learn new techniques. You'll never know what works for you until you try!
Don't be afraid to branch out into tutorials that weren't originally meant for cosplay, they can still be super helpful and often contain more info about certain products than you generally get in most cosplay ones. (I'm a huge fan of Stephanie Lange's channel, and Jessica Braun has a bunch of videos about cheaper makeup and dupes. I also love HeirofGlee and Nickeil Genesis for their creative looks!)
I'd take a look at drag makeup tutorials as well, they have great stuff for dramatic looks, especially contouring on a level you wouldn't see on a daily basis.
One thing that's very important to remember here is that YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES. It's inevitable if you're learning something new, don't be afraid to let it happen! No one is born with perfect makeup skills, you can only get better through practice.
I'd take a look at drag makeup tutorials as well, they have great stuff for dramatic looks, especially contouring on a level you wouldn't see on a daily basis.
One thing that's very important to remember here is that YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES. It's inevitable if you're learning something new, don't be afraid to let it happen! No one is born with perfect makeup skills, you can only get better through practice.
4. Little details, big improvement
Go the extra mile and make the little stuff count too!
Particularly eyebrows and nails, which a lot of people don't think about too hard when it comes to cosplay.
Go the extra mile and make the little stuff count too!
Particularly eyebrows and nails, which a lot of people don't think about too hard when it comes to cosplay.
I've been seeing this happen less often as time goes on, but I shudder at the days where even skilled cosplayers would skip doing their eyebrows for cosplay.
If you have a wig that's a different color from your natural hair, coloring your eyebrows to match it helps make your cosplay look a lot more finished.
There are a few different methods to do it, depending on how dramatic a look you're going for, and it does take some practice to get right. This is another place where drag tutorials come in handy!
For a less crazy look, you can go over your eyebrows with concealer or a white eye pencil, then pat in eyeshadow in the same color- or if the wig is a light color, you can go one shade darker since it'll blend better and the hair in your eyebrows is usually slightly darker than the hair on your head.
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| Don't forget to take lots of selfies to spam your blog with. |
I personally don't like to do my nails too crazy since it gets distracting in pictures, but that's honestly up to you. I will usually file and/or buff them and put on a clear topcoat before going out to a con. I don't like looking down and seeing dirty nails, so it's just a little thing that makes me feel more "finished" and ready for the long day ahead.
The most important thing is that you feel confident and complete in your cosplay!
4. Get creative!
One problem I've had in the past (and still do to some extent) is getting stuck in a makeup rut- I'll do the same makeup for every cosplay, and while it's good to have a few tried-and-true methods to fall back on, it can start feeling boring after a while.
I stand by saying that makeup is an art form- it's a great medium to experiment and play around with, and cosplay gives you so many opportunities to do that! Try some differently-colored mascara, go crazy with eyeshadow colors, do whatever you want.
Whenever I'm in a store I'll always keep an eye out for new and interesting products I haven't tried before, you can find some real gems that way!
Obviously you have the same face every time you put on a cosplay, but it's amazing how much it can change- the only limit is your imagination!
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That's about all I have for now. Makeup is an awesome tool, use it and love it.
Happy cosplaying!
