Tangled Rapunzel Basic Makeup Tutorial

One of my favourite cosplays thus far has been Rapunzel from the animated movie, Tangled. Not only is she such as fun character to portray because of her spunkiness and sense of fun, the costume and wig are fairly easy to move around in too, just that the wig is bit heavy because of its length but its still manageable.

I'm gonna show how I did her makeup, but of course many others have their own methods of doing her makeup as its subjective to one's interpretation of the character. This is just my take on it.

Clean base here after concealer and foundations. If you want to know the exact products I used, just check out my earliest cosplay makeup post here, I haven't changed any of my products used, except for my loose powder and powder foundation to Majolica Majorca and Candydoll.

Brown eyebrows as shown in the movie. They are a gentle curve to reflect her soft, sweet nature instead of a high arch that's usually used for fiercer characters.



Brown and gold eyeshadows were used as well as double eyelid tape to enlarge my eyes. I chose these colours as they look the most natural and to me, she seems like a person very connected to nature and Earth, metaphorically speaking of course, not literally.  



Liquid eyeliner

Top lashes added and contouring was done.



End result. The makeup was fairly natural for cosplay makeup standards as she isn't a person who looks like she puts on makeup. I also drew white eyeliner on my lower waterline as there is an obvious white waterline on her eyes in the movie (I zoomed in 4 times just to see the details, LOL obsessed with details much). Lashes were more natural too. Most importantly, I used a peach blush and nude lipstick and gloss as those were the colours used for her skin tone.

Overall in effect on camera. As you can see, the result is fairly natural looking, especially the peach blush and nude lips, as was the intention. Photo by William Tjhin

I know this tutorial is fairly basic but I'm not really good with makeup tutorials, so these are just the low downs on the colours used. If you have a questions any thing, don't hesitate to comment or email me or something, I'm always willing to share whatever I can with others.



Teatime with Steph

Steph and I met up the day before to catch up, we also had high tea at Antoinette. We shared the afternoon special set, it wasn't cheap but having been there before, I knew that it would be well worth the price and I was right. They gave us 3 tiers worth of goodness, a mixture of sweet and savoury buttery pastries for the bottom, savouries for the middle and tiny sweets at the top that were packed with flavour. I left the place stuffed to the brim. 

It's hard to pick any favourites as they were all so so good!

Accompanied with tea to wash everything down. Mine was Porcelain Rose while Steph had Earl Gray

While we were there, these 2 ladies of leisure who were sitting at the table next to us, asked if they could take pictures with us. It was totally surprising and extremely flattering.

Outfit:

Dress: Jouetie

Garter leggings: DollsKill

Wig: Taobao

Floral headband: Taobao

Flower Princess and her super fashionably decked out bodyguard hahahahha

Been itching to wear my black lipstick out on a normal day. Its an Anna Sui Limited Edition that I had bought for cosplay ages ago. I also placed my blush right below my eyes and above my cheekbones.

Did some window shopping and I spotted a lipgloss that I will probably get next month. I did go home with these babies though:

Leather engineer boots from Payless to replace my previous pair that had crumbled away. Hoping it'll be as comfortable as my old pair so that I will be able to use it for travelling and stuff. 

Been focusing on work as I really wanna be converted to permanent staff soon, I do mess up occasionally but I'm really crossing my fingers and hoping they'll just give me a chance. If they do, I'll be able to save up for more cosplays and a trip to Japan. So praying really hard!

Baby Metal's Concert

Hey guys! I am so so very sorry about how waaay behind I am with my posts!! I have a tonne of things to write about as I've been keeping myself rather busy lately. 

Work's been rather tiring and to destress I end up packing my weekends with activities and despite recovering mentally, I wind up physically exhausted to do much else and the cycle continues. So kinda realised that I need to scale back abit and take some time off.

Anyway, I'll be writing bout the Baby Metal concert I attended late last year!

The band consists of 3 young girls who head bang to metal despite their outwardly cute appearance

At the concert venue. I hardly ever attend concerts but Steph managed to score free tickets so I figured why not?

The stage light show were pretty amazing that night

Video they showed midway through the concert. If you look closely, it's actually Singapore's Merlion and Marina Bay Sands structures hahahaah!! Steph and I were incredibly amused by it.

The concert was pretty short and I understand why, because the girl are fairly young so they don't necessarily have the energy and stamina to head bang and dance and jump around non stop, though they did give it their all during their performances. Their energy really roused the crowd and I quite admire them for being so into their performance. 

It was generally an interesting concert. I hardly listen to metal but my dad does so I knew what to expect, however I found it kinda jarring to listen to the metal music only to suddenly hear screams of "aishiteru" and "kawaii" in the typical cutesy Japanese manner. It was quite unnerving for me, maybe because I'm not used to their style. 

I was also quite upset with this group that started to violently mosh, I mean I understand the whole moshing thing at concerts, but these were the kinds of people who didn't do it with respect and just randomly hurled themselves at others. It was especially dangerous considering one guy had on a vest with at least two dozen or so metal studs and they were the sharp not rounded kinds of studs. I wanted to punch them when they kept banging into me and laughing at me, though luckily Steph quickly stepped in and dragged me to safety. Wouldn't have been cool if I did aim a punch at them.

Selca with my sister from another mother

Finally got to dress up Rokku gyaru style after so long! I was fretting bout how I was gonna style my hair, so the goggles came to the rescue!!

Outfit: 

Inner Zip Camisole: Tutuha

Red off shoulder top: Tutuha

Ripped jeans: GoJane

Tattoo choker: Taobao

Spiked bracelet: Forever21

Rose chain link bracelet: Thrift store

Boots: Git from Blacklash

I really have so many things to update you guys about, so I hope I can finish writing my posts soon! In the mean time, hope you're enjoying 2014 and perhaps consider giving Baby Metal's music a whirl.

Halloween Night 2013

Been a really bad blogger and haven't updated here for the longest time. Cosplay and laziness kinda got in the way, so apologies there. Gonna blog about my first ever Halloween party though I'm like 2 weeks over due but hey, it's my first time and that's what counts for me especially when my country celebrates Halloween in the most minimal way possible. It's more of an excuse to dress up and party or for kids of expatriate families to have fun, and considering I dress up pretty often as a cosplayer, it's bit of a meh sometimes.

Anyway, I didn't really want to spend much on my outfit for Halloween so I decided to do a Shironuri inspired style and pulling together stuff I already had. Steph and her other friend, Eileen popped by my house to get prepped since the bar we were heading to is walking distance from my place.

My makeup that night. Used white face paint and painted on a gazillion layers to get it this white! I also used red eyeshadow, black eyeliner, fake lashes, double eyelid tape and black lipstick. Everything came out of my makeup box so I didn't need to buy anything.

Outfit:

Top: Gift from Mom (it's a high neck shirt with lots of ruffles and lace, though it's pretty hard to see here)

Belt: Nichii

Skirt: 2nd hand from Mom (she kept it from like the 80's or something, so LOL vintage I guess)

Shoes: Gal Star

Lace gloves: borrowed from Steph

Top hat: Taobao

Corsage (pinned to hat): Can't remember 

Bag: Chanel 

Wig: Blue Whale

Steph did the makeup from one of the KISS band members, while Eileen did her own intepretation of the skeleton girl makeup.

With the lead singer of the band playing at the bar (Can't remember her name). I love her outfit and makeup! 

Camwhore with Eileen

The band played alot of rock classics like Bohemian Rhapsody and some Bon Jovi songs and others I can't recall which bands they came from. The band members also dressed up that night, as Hellboy, Willy Wonka and Monopoly dude. 

Steph won a prize for being one of the best dressed that night! Yay!

My makeup actually started to crack and chip away through the night probably because I alternated between the white makeup and loose powder, but it gave me a broken doll kinda effect. 

It was a simple Halloween party, but it was certainly memorable and fun.  

Makeup Kit for the Makeup Virgin

I still remember when I fell head first into my love of makeup at the tender age of 16, I had just finished secondary school and was hoping for an image change when I started in my new school especially when I had been a total nerd back then. I didn't have a clue bout makeup, my mom refused to help me and there weren't many makeup gurus on Youtube back then. I ended up experimenting alot with drugstore makeup but eventually, I learnt what worked for me and what didn't. Knowing the awkwardness and fear of being in aisles full of makeup and not wanting to appear dumb to the snooty makeup counter girls, here's my take on a beginner's makeup kit for the makeup virgin:

1. Concealer & Foundation

The most tricky but the most important makeup to me. I recommend using powder foundation for beginners, because there is less chance of having to deal with a mess and having to feel sticky and oily when using liquid or cream foundations. I wouldn't reccomend BB cream as the shades are limited and often do not conceal blemishes as much as I would like. Try getting a liquid or cream concealer from the same brand as your beginning foundation and dab it gently with your fingers or a triangle sponge on the area you want to conceal, then gently dab the powder foundation all over the concealed area trying not to remove the concealer as much as possible before applying on the rest of your face.

The trick to finding the right shade is to apply a streak right on your jawline, if you can't see the colour, it's the perfect shade for you.

2. Eyebrow Pencil

Never use black eyebrow colour! It looks too harsh on your face and too fake, always use a dark brown shade if your hair is dark and go lighter if your hair colour gets lighter. The easiest method to colour your brows is to use a pencil and gently shade it into you existing eyebrow shape. It'll be alot easier if you get your brows professionally shaped first, alot of manicure places do it for like $10 or so, it hurts when you tweeze your brows but the pain is well worth it because you get slower regrowth.  

Personally, I recommend the eyebrow pencils from Canmake, these retractable brow pencils do not even require sharpening. Just remember to brush the colour and use small, light strokes to achieve the most natural look, you do not want to look like you just used a crayon on your brows.  

 3. Neutral Eyeshadow Palette

The easiest colours to begin with are the brown/beige palettes, they're great for achieving natural looks or even darker, smoky looks if you use more colour. You can always experiment with them and brown suits most occasions (you wouldn't wanna wear glittery blue to a serious event right?). Most drugstore brands have a wide array of brown palettes, I personally adore Kate's. However, the best bargain find I've ever gotten was a Daiso eyeshadow palette, I know it sounds iffy but its seriously great for it's price of only $2! I use this 4 colour palette, but they have other choices depending on their shipment

4. Eyeliner

For beginners, the easiest eyeliner is the pencil version. Simply close your eye and gently pull your eyelid straight sideways, then go along the lashline with your eyeliner. Once you get the hang of it, you can always move onto gel or liquid liners for a different look. Black is a favourite colour but brown is more forgiving as any mess you make is less obvious, the choice is really up to you.

I reccomend Sana Super Quick slated pencil liner. It's a dark black, doesn't smudge easily, retractable without needing you to sharpen it and best of all, it's slanted on an angle making it easier for you to draw your eyeliner.

5. Eyelash Curler

Hold the lash curler as close to the base of your lashes without actually hurting your eyelid and gently squeeze and hold for about 10 seconds. The most natural curl I've achieved was by holding and curling the lashes in 3 sections (base, middle and close to the tips) for 10 seconds each but it's really time-consuming to do it. As much as I will like to recommend a drugstore version of a lash curler, I'm afraid I'm too used to Shu Uemura's version as I've been a fan of their lash curler for years. At $30++ for one, it isn't cheap, but it's a definite investment that lasts for years. However, if you're a poor student like how I was when I started out, you can always experiment with Daiso versions or brandless ones from the drugstore.

6. Mascara

After curling your lashes, quickly brush on your mascara to retain the curl of your lashes for an eye-opening effect. Brush on just enough to coat your lashes but don't go crazy and wind up with spider leg lashes, it isn't pretty. Also remember to let the mascara dry before deciding to close to your eyes tightly as you might wind up with panda eyes.

Recommendation is Deja vu's mascara, they have the Lash Knockout version for a thickening effect or the Fiberwig version for a lengthening effect. It depends on what effect you are looking for or you could also combine the two for a really intense look! Just remember to let the first layer of mascara dry first before applying the next layer, this will prevent clumping. Deja vu mascaras are also easy to remove, just apply running warm water and rub alittle bit, the mascara comes right off!

7. Blush

Gently pinch your cheeks till you see the colour on your cheeks. That's the most ideal shade of blush for you but the general rule is that pinks look better on fairer skin while orange tones look better on tanned skin. The trick is to add a natural glow to your face and bring back some colour after applying foundation. Powder blush is the easiest to control, just swirl a large blush brush in the colour and apply on the apples of your cheeks (smile and the curves you see on your cheeks are the apples), apply in a gentle sweeping motion in a "C" shape towards the sides of your forehead, but make sure most of the colour wind up on your cheeks not your forehead!

Cheap but good, Majolica Majorca's Puff de Cheek range maybe limited edition but I've seen quite a few stores still stocking them. Their colours suit most skintones and if you're really unsure, just use the peach tone as it's a nice cross between orange and pink, plus who can resist those adorable tins?

8. Tinted Lipbalm

 A multi-purpose item, it will help you moisturise your lips (chapped lips are not a good look) while adding colour. As a tinted lipblam you get more bang for your buck and alot of drugstore brands are now producing tinted lipbalms in a variety of colours to suit your skintone and preferences. 

I started by using a tinted Nivea lipbalm and it served me well for a few months before I decided to move onto proper lipstick and glosses, you could try Nivea's pearly shine lipbalm. It's moisturising, adds some colour and with the hint of shine, you'll look like you've also applied a hint of gloss.

9. Makeup Brush

The most basic brush to start with is a large blush brush, it can be used to not only apply blush but also for your powder foundation if you prefer a more natural look. Synthetic hair is alot cheaper then real hair and of course suitable for you if you're into the whole "save the animals" thing. Natural hair does last longer and is immensely softer then synthetic but I personally find synthetic to be more then adequate for most of my makeup needs.

The best beginner's makeup brush is Body Shop's blush brush and not the retractable version. Get the original as the hairs are more spread out resulting in better application while the portable, retractable version tends to get alittle splotchy as the hairs are pressed closer together. 



The trick to starting with makeup is to try and look like a better version of you and not some whacked out celeb wannabe. Once you've got the basics of application down, you can always move onto more challenging makeup such as contouring and applying fake lashes. Makeup takes practise and I find it easier to learn by reading magazines though many of my friends often watch makeup gurus on Youtube.

Just remember that makeup is meant to be fun so don't forget to experiment some times and also good makeup starts with great skin, so don't forget to take care of your skin.

Jormungand Cosplay Shoot

Thanks to the long weekend last week, I was finally able to get a photo shoot, which I had been planning for the longest time, done. It was for the series Jormungand, and I cosplayed the protagonist, Koko Hekmartyer, who's little bit insane but always calm-headed and very cool.I had also managed to rope in Selicia to cosplay her brother, Kasper Hekmartyer and with the help of friends, we managed to get an awesome shoot done.

I was lucky enough to have friends who gave me suggestions for locations and after discussing with the photographer, Rescend, we settled on an abandoned building to give it that slightly war-torn kind of a feeling to our pictures. I also managed to ask another friend, Joshua, to loan us his car to not only get to the location but to also use it as a prop.

Esther managed to take plenty of behind-the-scenes pictures, so here they are:

Concept shot of Selicia and I. Will explain the reason for our poses when I get the actual pictures next time.

 



We were busy exploring the location and found these cool, but kind of scary exposed lift shafts

 

Selicia looking bishie as hell when we were busy shooting in the car

 



No shoot goes by without a picture of the amazing team that made it happen. There's Selicia on the left, Joshua, Mini, Panda-kun is Esther and Rescend with his famous 8D pose LOL

 

Final picture with my lovely "brother" who had to ruin her bishie-ness with the silly skeleton hand clip hahahah. Thanks a lot for partnering up with me for the shoot.

 



Rescend was extremely fast and by the next day, he had sent me this picture of him editing the lighting and stuff. I'm getting impatient to wait for him to send me the awesome photos.

 



Shot taken from his camera for one of my favourite shots that day and the one that took the most work. Gotta thank Joshua and Mini for repeatedly throwing the papers all around to create the fabulous effect.

 



Last but not least, one must never leave a shoot without Selicia doing something funny. In this case, a plastic comb left in her wig and she failed to notice it till everyone was laughing and pointing at her.

 

This shoot was a lot of firsts for me, it was the first time I had ever done a shoot in an abandoned building, which isn't easy when the entire area is caked with dust, broken glass, dangling wires and lots of debris on the floors. It's also a lot harder when you're all dressed in white and need to move around while praying that you don't get a grey/black patch on your clothes. It was also the first time I had ever taken pictures in a car, as a few photographers weren't as keen on the idea when I brought it up,  and the first time I've ever worked with Rescend on a more personal basis. I also had to do my makeup completely differently as I had to make myself as fair as possible (Koko's skin tone is literally white) and I also used white lashes for the first time ever.

 

Overall, it was definitely a learning experience and I'm glad everything went smoothly. Now I'll just go back to pestering Rescend for the pictures hehehehe.

 

 

On a side note, I may do a quick tutorial on how I did Koko's makeup. Quick as in very basic as I forgot to take as many pictures as I ought to and I did fairly basic makeup for most of it to be honest. I'll try to write up the post when I can catch some free time.

Birthday Celebration: Day 3 (Boyfriend's Date)

Last post about my birthday, sorry that it dragged so long.

On my actual birthday, I took leave from work and spent some quality time with the bf. We didn't do anything too fancy, just a day out together. It doesn't sound like much but it means a lot especially when I'm mostly too tired to bother to dress up and go out lately.

Wore this Dolly kei inspired outfit:

Inner shirt: Uniqlo

Lace Corset: 2nd hand from mom

Skirt: Snidel

Shawl: Borrowed from mom

Bag: Borrowed from mom

Shoes: Itti & Otto

 



Makeup was light with Dollywink No. 2 lashes and only mascara on my bottom lashes. Basic contouring was done and blush was applied just below my eyes.

We shopped abit before catching the movie Despicable Me 2 and had dinner at our favourite Japanese eatery.

Saw this sign on a display piece at Franc Franc, so funny!

The bf was pretty happy with the gift I got for him from Cosfest. It's a cat from the Monster Hunter game and for a home made toy, it's done exceedingly well! The body and tail can be bent to fit snuggly on your shoulder and attached by a pin on its belly.

 

Got some gifts from the bf too, he's always surprising me on my birthday, but he always gives me a clue to what he gets for me and I'm usually able to figure out from the clue hahah

Mawaru Penguindrum artbook!

It's so beautiful! I love the sketches and looking at how much planning it took for all the poses, there are at least 3-4 sketches with just minor differences in the hands and angling in a lot of scenes from the opening song and the Princess of the Crystal's entrance. It reminds me cosplay, where such minor details also affect the overall look and feel you get from a photo

 



He also got me a Princess of the Crystal nendroid. She's accompanying me at work now and yells at me to stop slacking off and get work done!

 

 

I had a really great time during my birthday this year and I'd just like to thank everyone who sent a birthday wish.

 

In the mean time, work has been getting more intense, I almost feel like I'm at a breaking point, but I'm telling myself to just ride it out, get tougher and learn from it. So apologies if I don't update as often as I'd like to, I'm just usually too tired to muster up the brain power to write a post. I do have some posts lined up, so I'll definitely get them out as soon as I can.