Cosplay makeup brings together all the worlds of love, art and science. Unlike regular makeup, the accurateness required in the cosplay world tin be pretty tricky, especially with the more complex characters.

Don't worry - whether you're a cosplay makeup newbie or a seasoned pro, this guide covers all of the basics, then that your confront can truly make a bold statement.

Prep Your Skin

Studio Pro Anti-Shine

Chances are, you lot're going to be using quite a few different face up makeup products, meaning that skin care should always be your very showtime footstep. The three things you need to do are:

  • Cleanse: removing dirt, oil and other impurities will give you smoother makeup application
  • Moisturize: this volition hydrate your pare, keeping it healthy
  • Prime: a mattifying face primer volition give you the perfect bare canvass to work from, while giving your products extra staying ability

Foundation & Concealer

Studio Pro Matte Finish Pressed Powder

Pretty much every anime and video game character out there has flawless skin, which is where foundation  and concealer come in.

The products you choose should perfectly match your own peel tone, then be sure to test out various shades earlier making your conclusion. Experts tend to hold that the most accurate way of finding your shade of foundation is by testing it out on the jawline, in natural daylight.

Trying out different foundation formulas is cardinal too. There are several out at that place, merely the two most popular options are:

  • Liquid Foundation: tin can provide both light and full coverage, while likewise being more hydrating for the skin.
  • Powder Foundation: like shooting fish in a barrel to utilise, powders provide a calorie-free corporeality of coverage, while also absorbing away backlog oil for a matte finish

One thing to continue in listen when choosing a foundation formula is your skin blazon. If y'all have oily skin, a powder will assist to minimize shine and is less likely to clog up your pores. On the other mitt, those with a drier skin blazon do best with a hydrating liquid foundation, since powders can often cake on dry out skin, exacerbating crude patches.

Contouring & Highlighting

Studio Pro Shade & Define

Contouring and highlighting are both dandy methods for bringing attention to certain facial features, while also drawing focus away from others. Whether your character has a super-slim nose, an ultra-divers jawline, or exquisitely-chiseled cheekbones, highlighting and contour makeup products are the mode to replicate this. Highlighting is also a skilful method for adding some shine and luminosity to your face up, which is especially useful for fantasy or magical cosplays.

Again, when it comes to highlighting and contouring makeup, y'all have a few unlike formula options. While creamy formulas tend to be easier to utilise, many observe powders more effective at carving out the face, giving you a more than dramatic finish.

Incorporating a few different shades is always a good idea besides, as this enables you to mix and match until you have accomplished perfection. For this, palettes are usually all-time, not to mention so much more convenient. Look for a defended palette each for contouring and highlighting, as this will give you even more flexibility when creating your look.

What many cosplayers don't realize is that their contouring and highlighting is but equally skilful every bit their blending. Unless yous are intentionally going for harsh lines, then agreement how to blend volition give your face a softer and more natural look. Brushes work well for this, but most pros turn to a dazzler sponge, not merely for the ultimate blend, merely also to make application easier.

Make an Impact with Your Cosplay Eyes

Under Eye Brightening Powder

Eyeliner

BH Liquid Eyeliner - Black

Intense and defined eyes are fundamental in a successful cosplay wait, making eyeliner a must.

Liquid liners tend to be more dramatic and long-lasting, but they require a steadier hand to apply. Eyeliner pencils are easier to handle and can withal provide sharp definition. A pencil can also requite yous that smoky effect - useful if you're dressing upward as an antagonist and want to mimic those angry eyes. Either mode, the goal is to utilise your eyeliner in a style that makes your optics announced hitting and intense.

Some are able to go full-on with their liner while still achieving that coveted, doe-eyed look, merely others, especially those who naturally have smaller eyes, may need to practice a lighter touch. If a heavily-lined lash line doesn't practise your look any favors, turn your attending to your lashes instead.

Eyelashes

Stellar Lash - Volumizing Mascara

A few swipes of a volumizing mascara volition immediately requite your eye lashes a more noticeable palpitate, making your eyes wait wider and more awake.

If you could practise with a picayune help in the eyelash department, consider false lashes. Bachelor in dissimilar sizes, shapes and styles, simulated eyelashes are easier to employ than you lot would imagine, and have the ability to totally transform your wait.

Eyeshadow

Trendy in Tokyo - 16 Color Shadow Palette

Information technology's common for cosplayers to end after their eyeliner and eyelashes are done, only, even if the character you've chosen doesn't ordinarily vesture obvious eye makeup, an eyeshadow can still take your cosplay await to the side by side level.

Information technology's e'er worth having a couple of different eyeshadow palettes to experiment with for cosplay makeup. A option of vivid and vibrant hues, such every bit in the Trendy in Tokyo xvi-Colour Eye Shadow Palette, will complement fifty-fifty the virtually outrageous of makeup styles, while a more neutral eyeshadow palette will nevertheless raise a subtle eye look.

Cosplay makeup incorporates quite a bit of layering, meaning that blending your shadows well is cardinal. A quality eyeshadow brush set will make this much easier, giving your look a polished and professional finish.

Spending some time learning how to apply your eyeshadow correctly volition help to give you those pronounced eyes that all the all-time characters are famous for.

Eyebrows

Power Pencil - Waterproof Eyeliner

But similar with eyeshadows, the brows are quite an undervalued part of cosplay makeup, but they can really make such a difference to your finished expect.

If your character's eyebrows expect like to yours, so there isn't much you need to do. Simply make sure that yours are well-clean-cut and divers, so that they don't detract from the rest of your makeup.

Many cosplayers tend to struggle when their grapheme's eyebrows are of a lighter color to their own. Yeah, yous can always leave yours as they are and and so fix them on Photoshop later, or yous can strive to achieve a more accurate look to begin with.

The glue stick method is a popular technique, just, if you would adopt to get the safer route, try using a white eyeliner pencil instead. All you need to do is cover your brows with the pencil, before topping with an eyeshadow shade that matches your character's brow colour.

Freckles

Wondering why freckles are beingness listed with eye makeup products?

Considering those same products that work wonders on your eyes can also be used to create freckles on your face. From brow pomade to an eyeliner pencil to a dark eyeshadow color, drawn-on freckles can look surprisingly natural if you use the right products.

Don't Ignore Your Lips

Waterproof Lip Liner - Earth

While lip colors may be quite subtle and light in the cosplay globe, this doesn't mean that you should completely ignore your lips. You have probably noticed many cosplay photos where the character's lips look washed out, and this is usually because they have been left bare. Even if information technology looks as though your grapheme goes au-natural with their lips, a nude lipstick will still really assistance your look to popular, especially in photos.

Begin with a quick exfoliation to remove any roughness. Then, find a lip colour that matches the lips of the grapheme you're dressing up equally. Low-cal pink is ever popular, although yous will likely need to go for a matte formula, rather than a glossy liquid lipstick. A waterproof lip liner tin as well be helpful when it comes to keeping everything in place, besides equally for merely adding a scrap of extra definition.

What should you lot do if your character has a noticeable lack of definition and color in their lips?

In this example, y'all may be all-time off applying a coat of lip balm, post-obit this up with a light launder of foundation. Sometimes, under-emphasizing your lips can make just as much of an impact equally a bright pop of color.

Glitter & Shimmer

Base Booster Glitter & Shadow Glue

Although not as mutual every bit some of the other makeup features seen in the cosplay world, magical characters lend themselves well to the shimmer that a bit of glitter makeup can provide.

Makeup glitter couldn't be easier to apply - whether on your optics, your cheeks, or even on your body, make certain that yous begin with a glitter glue to keep that sparkle lasting for hours.

All of these extra products may seem like quite an investment to begin with, simply the key is to store smart. Regularly check your favorite cosmetics brands for makeup sales and deals - you never know, your newest bargain notice could be perfect for your next cosplay look!

Face & Torso Paint

Many costumes require something a little extra, ordinarily in the form of face or torso pigment. Whether you need to recreate a facial characteristic or completely color all areas of exposed skin, quality paints are a must for so many characters.

The two near popular options for face up and body paint are either liquid formulas or powdered formulas. Liquid tends to be easier and faster to apply, but it does take a while to dry. It can also bring the disadvantage of dripping over time, in one case the sweat and oils from your skin mix in with the pigment.

On the other hand, powdered paints have a bit more than staying power, but do take longer to apply. They usually require at least two coats for their color to be noticeable, but, do dry out speedily.

The Last Bear on

Translucent Setting Powder

One time you're washed applying all of your makeup, there's 1 more thing you need to do…

Finish it off with a setting powder or spray!

Sprays are faster and easier to use - a few quick spritzes and you're ready to become. However, a setting powder with a fine, light-diffusing formula will give your pare a softer and silkier finish, while blurring abroad whatsoever imperfections that may still be showing through.

Cosplay makeup can be difficult to master - this is something that really does take so much practice! Nonetheless, making sure that you lot take the correct products to work with is a great starting time - this volition give you lot the opportunity to experiment with a much wider variety of different character looks.

Need some Graphic symbol-Specific Cosplay Makeup Help?

Here are a few useful tutorials to check out:

Abaddon from Supernatural: https://world wide web.youtube.com/watch?v=-ELYgt4ZhuU

Ashe from League of Legends: http://prettymuchgeeks.com/ashe-makeup-tutorial/

Annie from League of Legends: https://world wide web.youtube.com/watch?v=QRYKO5GpP9I

Asuna from Sword Art Online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1ORrNnBTZw

Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad: https://www.youtube.com/spotter?v=Ii2bbzSqYYI

Jolyne from All Star Battle: https://world wide web.youtube.com/lookout man?v=SFZpt7Zyzsw

Mirai Kuriyama from Kyoukai No Kanata: https://world wide web.youtube.com/sentinel?v=c-buP5637iU

Wendy from Gravity Falls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?5=FipJJLpoDJw

Blood Elf from World of Warcraft: https://world wide web.youtube.com/watch?5=G_X7oHkbBoc

Zarya from Overwatch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?5=UulmeR0Xooo

Face & Trunk Paint Paradigm Credit:: ractapoulous / Pixabay