Cerule Cosplay Makeup – Custom League of Legends Champion by Nhan Pham

Cerule, The Mystic Mermaid, is a bubbly character. She is youthful, kind, and fun. Since her face is very natural, I decided to keep this tutorial simple. Drawing markings on the lash line directly below the irises creates an illusion of very wide eyes. I used three blue eye shadows  to reflect her connection to the sea. 14 individual eyelashes are glued to the inner 2/3 of the eyes. The outer third are abstract paper lashes designed by Paperself. These fantasy-like eyelashes were made popular by Effie Trinket in the Hunger Games movie. A pair costs $9 at Sephora. The contouring is exaggerated from the eyebrows to the nasal bridge to prevent the nose from getting lost behind the long, wispy bangs. Aside from that area, I tried to keep the look soft.

Thanks to Nhan Pham for creating Cerule! You can listen to her voice, check out conceptual art, read her lore, and analyze her kit on the League of Legends Wiki:

http://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Nhan-Fiction/(Custom,_Fan-made_Champ)_Cerule,_the_Mystic_Mermaid

ACNE EXPLOSION with Skin79 Super Triple Functions SPF 50 BB Cream

This summer, my face erupted with violent cystic acne and I believe that the culprit was Skin79 Super BB Triple Functions SPF50+ PA +++ cream.

Here’s a quick rundown of the suspected criminal:

PROS:
Sanitary pump dispenser
SPF 50 (excellent sun protection)
Heavy coverage

CONS:
Grayest oxidation that I have EVER seen in a product
Face appears ghostly white in photos
“Dewy” finish becomes “oily” fairly quickly
Must be applied to neck
Difficult to remove completely from every skin pore
Does not come with lip/cheek stain like the Oriental Gold Skin 79 BB cream
Does not come with mirror like the Oriental Gold Skin 79 BB cream
May cause violent cystic acne (from my personal experience)
May cause acne scars in severe cases

I was extremely disappointed. Skin79′s BB creams generally receive rave reviews. The orange version supposedly “makes skin bright and smooth, strengthens skin’s overall protection capacity and blocks melanin formation while giving elasticity to sagging skin.” I cannot confirm or deny the anti-aging claims. However, “bright and smooth” translated to “pasty ash gray” despite my naturally pale skin. I gave this BB cream a shot on multiple occasions! Sadly, I consistently broke out the day after each trial.

This month I purchased Make Up Forever’s HD liquid foundation. It was quite pricey so I have only worn it a twice. Have you tried any Skin79 or Make Up Forever products? What was your experience?

Zyra Cosplay Makeup Tutorial with Poison Ivy Influence

Many products are boxed in plastic packaging. Create a plastic wing that follows the curve of your eyebrows. I attached a sunset red glitter with clear nail polish. Ana Arthur (http://www.youtube.com/user/anaarthur81) has an excellent tutorial covering this technique. I borrowed hints from Batman and League of Legends to create this look.

Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive is my prefered cosmetic glue. Zyra has fierce eyes. I painted a stripe of gold around the lashes to acknowledge her yellow sclera. The splash art is somewhat sinister. To counterbalance the  heavy glittery plastic, I extended the red eye shadow far below the eyelid. A trio of eyelashes intensifies the look. Zyra is a predatory plant, not a woodland fairy! This cosplay demands a dramatic lip. I patted cosmetic glitter over my lips to unify the look. After your photo shoot, be careful to remove any lip makeup before eating or drinking.

Reduce some of the red tones and you will look more like Poison Ivy. You could stipple a hint of leaf green face paint or add some free-flowing vines around the chest.I generally perceive Poison Ivy as a greener character than Zyra. Batman & Robin, Arkham Asylum, and the animated series show different designs for the villainess. Abuse your artistic license to create a special look that suits your taste!

DoTA 2 Templar Assassin Unmasked Cosplay Makeup Tutorial

What might Lanaya, the Templar Assassin, look like without her mask? Does she remove it to eat? (If you want to create a custom green mask, check out my Akali tutorial)

Lanaya has a striking pink gradient around both eyes. High brows provide a large canvas for eye shadows. To make the pinks appear more vibrant, I used NYX’s jumbo pencil in milk as a base. Jumbo pencils create a more defined shape than most eyeshadow primers. The key to this look is keeping everything neutral aside from the eye area. Thick liquid eyeliner will prevent your sclera from getting lost.

The pink perimeter is more organic than linear. You could use a stencil but the outline may appear too rigid. I will upload a tutorial about stenciling in the near future!

Soraka Cosplay Makeup Tutorial

This look is based on Soraka’s original NA concept with a Chinese splash art influence. She is a blue, cursed, unicorn-like creature. According to her lore, she is “determined to once again be one with the stars”. Soraka’s abilities include astral blessing and starcall. I wanted to subtly reflect this stellar theme in the makeup. Sparkling silver glitter is packed densely on the eyelids. Particles also twinkle against the skin.

Soraka cosplayers generally take one of two approaches. The first is to use a blue face paint followed by standard makeup techniques. The second is to skip the face paint altogether. However, I prefer a third, unattractive approach which makes features appear less human. Start by altering the bone structure. A barely-there brow will prevent the face from appearing too masculine. I recommend utilizing the entire lid space to create a strong focal point.

This horn protrudes through the wig but you could try a lower position. Experimental makeup is so fun! I would love to see your Soraka cosplays.

Jessica Rabbit Cosplay Makeup Tutorial

Do you prefer wearing mainstream costumes for Halloween? Perhaps you are more familiar with Disney’s Jessica Rabbit than Riot’s Miss Fortune.  Starting today, I will be mixing it up especially for you! Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a film released in 1988. It spawned an SNES game with the same title in 1989. Developed by Rare and published by LJN Toys Inc., the game required players to call a  real phone number to collect hints. It’s hard to remember a time before online walkthroughs!

In my opinion, Jessica Rabbit is one of Disney’s most glamorous cartoon characters. Her character design is very distinctive. Heavy purple eyelids, pouty red lips, voluminous auburn hair, and drooping eyelashes accentuate her old Hollywood style.  I tried to retain that animated look. My goal was to make the lips and eyes appear two-dimensional yet believable at the same time. The most difficult aspect was changing the upper facial ratios.  My real eyebrows became part of the upper eyelid. The false brows lie at the top of my forehead.

“I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way.” – Jessica Rabbit

Ayane Dead or Alive Cosplay Makeup

The release of Dead or Alive 5 in September 2012 offers new renditions of favorite characters. My makeup is centered around soft, warm tones with contrasting eyeliner. The dark kohl directs the viewer’s focus to the iris. Ayane’s face is  more round than angular. Her body is curvy and strong. Therefore, I prioritized a healthy pink blush over harsh contouring. Do you have a favorite ninja character? I can’t decide between Akali, Ayane, and Yuffie.

Gyaru PA Nail Seals Review

This was an easy process for a nail n00b like me! First I applied a light, pearly pink polish by Winwax. Next I used rubber seals from Dear Laura’s PA eternal sticker collection (~$5).  The flowers are slightly raised  but not thick like acrylic roses. Finally, I added tiny Glossyblossom silver droplets to the center of the flowers ($2 for 68). The spheres are shiny like rhinestones.  These products are a convenient alternative for people who can’t paint well.  Finish with your favorite shiny top coat!  Gyaru/agejo nails are typically very 3-dimensional with acrylic roses, raised gems, and ribbons. However, I prefer PA seals because they do not get stuck between keys while I am typing. In addition, Glossyblossom and Dear Laura are inexpensive compared to nail art at salons.

Crystal Maiden Cosplay Makeup Using Gyaru Techniques

Icy eyeshadow, dramatic lashes, and gyaru eyeliner are the backbone of this look. I skipped bronzer, blush, and lipstick to avoid warm tones. Instead, I applied a frosty blue to both the lids and lips. A dark taupe from the Urban Decay Naked Palette 2 blended smoothly into the eye sockets. I also employed a few Japanese makeup tricks. Circle lenses really help. My Princess Mimi Sesame Grey lenses are a whopping 15 mm in diameter! The upper and lower eyeliner intersect far from the outer corner of the eye. Applying half a strip of lower lashes on an artificial eyelash line creates a widening effect. You can intensify this illusion by creating small under-eye circles with a taupe shadow.

Do you like Asian fashion trends? Koakuma Ageha is one of my favorite magazines. Agejo style is really exciting!

Lion Dance Kog’Maw Hat Tutorial

Lion Dance Kog’Maw shoots the most brilliant fireworks! This hat is lightweight, inexpensive, and perfect for Independence Day in the United States.  Plastic leis, ping pong balls, paper cups, and note cards are the primary materials. How do you celebrate Founding or Independence Day in your country?