April 30, 2021
Hair and Makeup
The following two articles are part of a series that will walk you through the steps to create a cosplay costume, suitable for Comic Con, our local Kitsune Kon, and more. This week, we’re going to discuss hair and makeup in cosplay. Guest columnist Jasmine Hanson is going to explain and demonstrate how to do facial makeup. and I’m going to discuss choosing between natural hair or a wig and options for full body “paint.” Most conventions have rules against paint coming off while roaming the halls, so it’s best to choose a paint that will stay set for a long period of time.
A lot of cosplayers will opt to use tights to add color to their arms/legs and only paint their face/neck. I personally like this option because it saves time and I don’t have to worry about it throughout the day. I’m going this route with the Rainbow Dash cosplay I’m making.
Fake Facial Hair
If the character you are trying to cosplay as has facial hair, and you do not, you come to the question of how to create it. There are facial hair prosthetics that one can order and apply, but for a good portion of them, you don’t know what the quality of the item is until you get it. There is also the issue of money, itchiness, and glue application, which are big make-or-break points to some. So, here is a way that you can do fake hair with makeup instead. I will be doing the character of Aizawa from My Hero Academia.
| What You Will Need | What I Used |
| Reference picture of character | — |
| Primer (color correcting, if needed) | e.l.f. Poreless Face Primer |
| Foundation | L’Oreal Infallible Foundation |
| Contour and highlight | e.l.f. Contour Palette |
| 4 different shades of the hair color of your character (I am using shades ranging from tan to dark brown) | Ucanbe Spotlight Eyeshadow Palette and Maybelline Eyebrow Brush-On Color |
| Fluffy, thin-angled, and thin-pointed brushes | Wet n Wild brushes |
| Mascara (I am using black) | Maybelline Great Lash Mascara |
| Setting spray | e.l.f. Matte Magic Mist & Set |
The Process:
1. Set up your space with good lighting, a reference picture pulled up, and the materials you need. Then, put on face primer, any color correcting if you need to, and foundation. This will give you a smooth base to work on.
2. Sculpt out the cheekbones, nose, and neck with some contour and highlight. Follow the reference picture, as it will show you where some of the shading and highlights will go. Start off light and blend as you go.
3. Once all of that is done, mark out with a fluffy brush where you want the fake facial hair to go with the lightest of your shades, then fill it in. I used a tan for this part. Make sure it is symmetrical (if it is on the character) and that you go below your jaw as well. This is the base of what is to come.
4. Take the second darkest shade that you have, along with a thin angled brush, and start making little flicks inside the shaded area. It is best to flick it across the skin in the same direction as the hair would grow. Also, make the edges you did in step three a bit rough, as hair doesn’t grow in a straight line. Do the same with the third and fourth darkest with the same brush, as this will create dimension.
5. You could stop there, but if you want it to look even hairier, take an old eyeliner brush or equivalent tiny brush, put a bit of mascara on the back of your hand, dip the brush in, and do the same flicky motion as before. Make a few wispies if the character is especially unruffled (like Aizawa is). And once you have done that to your satisfaction, you will have your final appearance.
6. Set the makeup with setting spray so it will stay on, and add any other makeup that your character may have. If you are doing Aizawa like I am, that would include his signature eyebags, eyebrows, and the scar under his eye.
A tip: Don’t do one side and then the other. Instead, move between the two sides as you go, so the makeup flows better.
To Wig or Not to Wig?
Choosing between going natural or using a wig usually depends on which character you’ve picked and how easily you can match your own hair to the character’s hair. For the Rainbow Dash cosplay I’m making, I am using the wearer’s natural hair with a few extensions. Now, because Rainbow Dash has six colors in her hair, we are going to use hair chalk along with setting hair spray to achieve the desired colors. This may be time-consuming, but some people prefer it to wearing what might be an uncomfortable wig.
I’ve mainly used wigs in the past because I have long hair, and the people I cosplayed as had short hair. I usually buy blonde wigs and dye them to my desired color; it is easier to get the correct tone this way. Since actually dyeing a wig can be expensive, I discovered a cheaper option, which I show you below.
What you will need:
- Blonde wig
- Sharpies of chosen color (or alcohol-based markers)
- Rubbing alcohol
- Spray bottle
- Bin (I suggest using a bin instead of your bathtub because the process can stain).
- Small plastic wig stand
Process:
- Color all the hair of the wig with the Sharpie. This can take a long time. I spent a few days making sure the wig was completely colored in. (The wig pictured was dyed with blue and green Sharpies to create a blue-green wig.)
- Set the wig stand in the bin and place the wig on top.
- Fill the spray bottle with rubbing alcohol. Spray the wig with rubbing alcohol.
- Once the colors in the wig look blended/solid and you can no longer see any blonde, let the wig sit and dry. I recommend letting the wig sit for as long as possible before rinsing it to allow the stain to become more prominent. I let the wig pictured sit for 7 months before I rinsed it.
- Rinse the wig until you see no more color coming out of it. (Remember, you may still stain whatever you rinse it in, so wash the surface of the container you used right after rinsing.)
Next, you just have to style the wig (the pictured wig is not styled yet). I recommend looking up a tutorial about styling a wig for your chosen character because styling techniques can change a lot from character to character.
(The wig pictured was dyed with blue and green Sharpies to create a blue-green wig.)