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Cosmetics I've been asked by a few people in the guestbook to advise the kinds of cosmetics I use when cosplaying, so I'm simply listed them here, and the order I use them!

To start with, after washing my face and patting it dry, I apply a liquid foundation. I always use MAC products for my face, because they don't affect my skin as badly as some other products. I use Max Factor too, and some GOSH and Barry M make up for my eyes, but we're focusing on face and skin right now!

So! The foundation I use is the MAC product Select SPF 15. Its a lovely water-based liquid foundation, which you can literally paint on with 190 foundation brush. You can apply it with a spongue, but I happen to prefer brushes. Once the base is dry, which is almost immediately, I apply a layer of Studo Fix powder with a spongue. Once again, this is all over the face, and this just adds an additional long lasting layer, and also makes your face look less one dimensional.

Then comes blusher. Use this sparingly, otherwise you'll look overly flushed! I tend to use Max Factor for this. Their long lasting application line tends to work best, and I use a large, round brush with only a small dab of blush on the it.

Once the face is complete its eyes. I spend most of my time on the eyes.

I always start with eyeliner. Either brown or black depending on the character. Occasionally I branch into other colours if they seem more suitable. For example, I used gold eyeliner for Rikku and green for Feena. I buy most of my eyeliners from Barry M and GOSH as their ranges are large, and they have a really nice, big range of different colours and shades that all last.

When I've done characters with different hair colours, I always colour my eyebrows. To do this, take an eye pencil of the applicable colour and back colour (colour against the natural direction of your eyebrow hair) to get the colour on the skin. The colour with the natural direction of your eyebrow for additional coverage. You can also brush some eyeshadow over the top to keep it in place. But its not necessary. If you're naturally dark haired, like I am, and you're having to lighten your eyebrows (as I did with Rikku and Ahiru) don't be disheartened if you can't get rid of the natural colour of your eyebrow all together. If you've coloured as much as possible, having some natural colour will actually look pretty good.

Right, back to the eyes!

I tend to apply eyeliner to the inside of my bottom lid only. This is mostly because I have a really unsteady hand, but also because I think eyeliner on the top of the upper lid looks a bit well... tarty. But it might be applicable for the character you're doing.

Eyeshadow is something you shouldn't scrimp on, after all, you can wear them for non-cosplay related outings. Always think beforehand. Its nice to eye eyeshadow, cause it can be quite focal in a picture but don't over do it. Think about the kind of colours in the costume, and go accordingly. Likewise, think about the character, and how much or how little make up they might wear.

Like with most of my make up, I go for MAC when it comes to eyeshadow. Because they have a really big range of gorgeous colours.

For Feena I used a kind of berry red and an earthy brown, with a sheen to constrast with the green of Feena's costume. The berry red was applied lightly to my top lid, while the earthy brown colour was applied in a thin line, all along the outside of my lower lid.

Rikku was simply a bright golden yellow, and this was applied all over the top lid, again with a thin line applied underneath the lower lid.

Xianghua I used a colour called 'Moon's Reflection' which is a really pretty pale blue. This was one simply line under the lower lid, just to coinside with the blue in Xianghua's costume.

I always use mascara after applying eyeshadow, and I swear my Max Factor False Lash Effect, because it has good coverage. Even so, I then use false eyelashes. I've started using the ones designed by Girl's Aloud (ugh) because the designs are actually pretty nifty! I prefer eyelashes that start short and get longer as they go along to the outside of your eye. They seem more striking to me.

But yeah, once the eyelashes have been applied, that's it! You're done!

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