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Q: What encouraged/inspired you to follow the path of a cosplayer? 
A: First and foremost, thank you so much for this opportunity and taking the time to interview me. It's an honor to be featured in your blog.

I've always been into anime, manga and video games ever since I was small, and until now they are a big part of my life. I have been going to conventions since the early 2000's during my high school years, so I have known what cosplay is. However, during that time, the community was so small and people do not have the resources yet that cosplay wasn't that socially accepted yet. Back then, cosplayers were considered weird when they were seen walking around malls in costume. But before I actually became one, I used to look at costume sites, and wanting to wear costumes just for fun. I have always wanted to try it out ever since, but I only had the guts and the resources to do so 2 years ago. It was perfect timing too that cosplay was becoming more and more mainstream and there were plenty of shops that cater to cosplayers.

My main reason for cosplaying back then was to be more comfortable of my looks and how my body feels. It was a really personal issue back then, and over time my goals have changed. After becoming a bit more confident, I continued cosplaying for basically wanting to be my favorite characters, plus for the attention (I'll be honest and say I had that phase; I go to cons for pictures) and then it changed to expanding my knowledge on makeup and other cosplay-related skills and started to experiment on newer things (like crossplaying). Now, I cosplay not only to show my love for unknown or underrated characters, but also to gain more friends in the community. My cosplay experience was truly a big journey full of ups and downs until now.

Q: When did you start engaging yourself with the hobby?
A: I first started cosplaying last August of 2011. I was already working, and I didn't know any cosplay shops back then, so I had my first costume made by a fashion designer (as referred to by a friend). It was expensive, but it really had good quality. I did switch to having my costumes made by a cosplay shop soon after, since they were more affordable.

I remember the first event I attended was TorCH at SM North Edsa. It was quite fun to attend it with my friends who supported me in my first cosplay, and I had the taste of what it's like to cosplay in a convention.
One of my friends also registered me in the cosplay competition that day. I was nervous and wanted to back out, but they urged me to push through, so I did. I didn't even have a skit or anything planned, so I just did some poses and tried to act in-character. I was surprised that a lot of people, apart from my friends, cheered for me so much that I almost won the round. It was a very memorable experience for me since it gave me a lot of confidence to pursue more cosplays.

After a year of cosplaying girl characters, I decided to try out newer things, most especially crossplaying, even if I didn't get it at first. I initially just wanted to try it out just once and experience it for myself. When I had finally completed my first crossplay, I had received a lot of positive feedback about it. I also had my first photoshoot with my friend, which was also successful since we had a lot of great pictures. It gave me so much more confidence and encouragement to crossplay more characters that it took me quite a couple more crossplays before I went back to doing girl cosplays.

Currently, my cosplans include a balance of both cosplays and crossplays.



Q: Who was the first character you ever cosplayed? Can you explain why you chose that character?
A: At first, I was deciding whether to cosplay as Simca from Air Gear or Karina Lyle from Tiger and Bunny. I initially wanted to cosplay something with a really cute costume, and I've always loved their outfits too! They were also characters whom I really like. However, I figured that it was easier to make Simca's outfit better, so I chose her as my first cosplay. I did pursue cosplaying Karina Lyle after a few months though.

My first crossplay was Xion from Bloody Roar. Initially, I wanted to do the male Wizard from Ragnarok Online as my first crossplay, but logistically, it wasn't possible before, so I had Xion's costume made, just in time for a con. I chose those characters because they were from games I really loved way back in High school, and also, I loved the designs of their costumes.

As a cosplayer, I admit I am still quite insecure that I get discouraged when I see a lot of great cosplays, which is why I avoid doing mainstream characters, or characters from mainstream series. I cosplay characters from series that I truly love, and especially characters whom I feel need more love. A lot of the characters that I cosplay haven't even been cosplayed yet, and this inspires me to do even better to give them justice with my cosplays.

Q: What got you into make-up? Can you tell us how you got interested in experimenting new looks for yourself?
A: Well, just a disclaimer, I'm not a professional makeup artist or anything like that. I'm basically just a cosplayer who likes doing makeup.

Before, I have always thought that make-up could only be done by professionals or makeup artists, or by other people. I was never into makeup in high school or in college, but I was truly blown away by how much makeup can make one person look different and more beautiful when I saw this video.
Click to see the video

I realized that it all it took was some dolly lens, eyeliner and false lashes to complete the look. I was surprised at how easy it was, and that anyone can actually do it. That was how I got sold to the "power of makeup".

Since then, I read, watched and studied countless of tutorials to learn more about the basics and new ways on doing things, as well as new looks. I'm the type of person who likes to analyze on how things work and what kind of effect they produce, so I basically also analyze what makeup is best for the character, take some ideas, and try it out to suit each of my cosplays.

Q: Can you share your first make-up experience and compare your make-up skills now from before?
A: When I started out cosplaying for the first time as Simca, I thought that only eyeliner was enough to make me look prettier. Of course, at that time, it did, and eventually, I learned a lot more techniques and enhanced my makeup skills, both for crossplay and girl cosplays. I learned newer ways and looks in applying eyeliner as well as eyeshadow, and how to do contouring. If before I only did a few things (putting powder/foundation, eyeliner, lipstick), now I do a lot more, even for the most basic of character makeup (like coloring my brows, and contouring). Now, whenever I see my old pictures, I sort of think that I could have done a lot better.


Q: For you, what's the best part in applying make-up?

A: Well, before I answer this, let me just share a few things about my makeup:

-I'm the type of person who is very practical, and likes to do things with the least amount of effort but still produces optimal results. I like to find ways on doing things easier and faster with just a few products, like I use certain products for a lot of things. Quality over quantity I guess, and this saves me a lot of time and money too.

-I've never had any formal training, so all that I know is from experimentation and tutorials. I basically just stick to whatever works and what looks best for me. I also honestly believe that there is no right or wrong way in doing things too. Just do whatever feels comfortable for you.

-Before I start with any cosplay, I usually already have an idea on what kind of makeup I'll be doing for a character, then I would do some trials and ask my friends for some feedback if it looks good or not.
- I put contacts on first, since that is when my hands are most clean. I use dolly lens for girl cosplays and for some crossplays (if the character calls for it) and a pair of light brown 15mm lenses for a fiercer look for crossplays.

- I put a layer of foundation, then some face powder. I also use this on my lips when I do crossplays to make it look paler.

- Next, I do my eye-makeup. This depends on the character though. Generally, for girl cosplays, I put 3 shades of eyeshadow (lightest to darkest, from top to bottom), then white eyeliner at the bottom (if needed), then outline with black eyeliner, and finish it off with some false lashes.

For crossplays, I usually just apply my eyeliner, and draw a fake crease to make it look more masculine.
Afterwards, I apply some colored eyeliner to color my brows in. Some people conceal it first (I find glue plus face powder effective for me), but I usually don't do that.

- Afterwards, I do some contouring with dark brown eyeshadow (especially for crossplays) and when I do girly makeup, I add a bit of blush on my cheeks.

- For girl cosplays, I finish it off with some lipstick.

The best part in applying makeup for me is the eye makeup. I have always believed that makeup plays a big part in cosplay, and eye makeup makes a big difference in portraying the character well or not. For me, I see a big difference on how I look when I do eye makeup.

When I do cosplay/crossplay makeup, I always focus on the eyes, and I try to keep it different each time to avoid looking the same in all of my cosplays. I like to experiment on drawing different eye shapes and trying out new pallettes for eyeshadows. However, sometimes it also takes a bit of balance between accuracy and what actually looks good.



Q: What kind look or make-up style do you usually enjoy applying? Can you explain why?
A: I equally like doing both crossplay and cosplay makeup. Sometimes I feel like looking masculine, and there are times when I want to bring out my feminine side. Doing both makeup styles is fun for me as well, and they both require the same time and effort. Crossplay makeup looks like it's easier to do, but I do a lot of contouring. Cosplay makeup looks hard because of all the eyeshadow and the blending, but for me, it's actually quite easy to do (especially doing smokey eyes since it's okay if you mess it up), but it looks amazing afterwards. I like the way both makeup styles look afterwards, and the fact at how different you look when you compare both looks. For me, being able to achieve a wide range of different looks is the beauty of makeup.

Q: What kind of tips can you share whenever someone should buy make-up?
A: Buying makeup can be confusing for beginners, since there are so many products and brands all over. I look at both the price and quality in buying makeup, and some brands are more suited for your skin than others (especially if you have allergies). Just always go for what you think is best for your skin, and which is easy for you to use. What you can do if you're not sure which brand to use is to buy some small samples and try it out yourself. Reading brand and product reviews also help as well.

Q: In your opinion, what products should every girl have in her make-up bag?
A: It's really up to what you would actually only need. Some people need more products than others. It also helps to research to what each product is for, but you can also experiment on products that can be used for other things (using lipstick to color your brows pink, or eyeshadow for contouring).

For me, the basic products you need would be:

- face makeup to cover blemishes or to give off a flawless look: powder, concealer, foundation, BB cream, etc.

-eye makeup: contact lens and solution, eyeliner (pencil, liquid or gel; I find pencil easiest to use), eyeshadow, false lashes, etc.

- cheeks and contouring: blush, bronzer, etc. 

-lips: lipstick, lipgloss, etc.

- hair/wigs (optional) bobby pins, hair spray, wax, etc.



Q: Do you have any favorite make-up brand? Can you share to us the pros and cons of that brand?

A: Well, let me do this by product:

-Foundation: Body Shop extra virgin mineral foundation. It has a powder finish so depending on how you use it, you don't need to put on powder.

-BB cream: Face Shop. It applies on smoothly, although it only comes in one shade.

-Face powder: Shu Uemura. The powder itself is fine and smooth, so it's easy to apply.

-Pencil eyeliner: Nichido Girl's Night Out. This is my main eyeliner brand since it comes in a lot of colors. It's very soft, so that makes it easier to use for me. 

- Eyeshadow: I use different brands for different colors, but the best brand that I've used so far is Saizen. The powder itself is very fine, so its really easy and generous to apply and it blends well too. 
-Lipstick: I think this depends on the shade that you are looking for, but I like Nichido's since it has a matte finish and a lipgloss you can add on top of it.




Q: For you, what are a few things a girl/cosplayer should remember whenever they're applying make-up?
A: Well, I've said a lot of things and tips about makeup, but I don't think there's really a right or wrong way of doing things. It's really up to you to discover what works or looks best for you or not, and you shouldn't be afraid to experiment or even mess up. Just go easy on it and have fun. I guess all you need to remember is to at least be sure to know what you are doing and go for whatever is comfortable for you.

Last thing!

Is there anything you would like to say before we end this interview?

A: Well, this blog is mostly about cosplaying, and I think that cosplaying is a hobby that encompasses a lot of hobbies and other fields (like photography, makeup, fashion, etc.) I guess as a cosplayer, my advice is to also have fun and take it easy. Like with makeup, there is no right or wrong way in doing it; it's all up to you. Everyone has their own reasons, styles and strengths when it comes to cosplaying. Even your own goals change from time to time and that's okay. I guess what's important is that you have fun and improve, and more importantly the relationships you have with fellow otakus, cosplayers and the friends who support you in this hobby. At the end of the day, cosplaying is a journey we all go through; don't rush things and let things happen on their own and savor each experience along the way.


There you have it everyone! I hope you all had fun reading this article just as much as I had fun making it. Remember to keep in mind the tips Tiffany has shared with you! You never know when it can come in handy ♥ I'd like to take this time to formally announce that Tiffany will be sharing a lot of her make-up tutorials here in Kyohakuhime! She was so kind enough to agree on this and I cannot thank her enough! Stay tuned to see her tutorials and get inspired to work on your own looks as well!

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Labels: bloody roar, cosplay, cosplay article, hatsune mikuo, kyohakuhime, make-up, sally, sally's spa, shenlong, tiffany sy, tips and tricks, vocaloid, xion

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