DexKosu · Guide
What to buy, the order to apply it in, and how to keep it on your face for twelve hours on a convention floor. Every section links to character builds in the archive you can practise the technique on.
Specialist items — body paint, prosthetics, wound kits, coloured lenses — are per-build purchases. Check the character dossier before you buy.
Clean skin, a light moisturiser, then a gripping primer. Every layer above this is only as good as the surface underneath — flaky or oily skin is where con-day makeup fails first.
Match the base to the character, not to yourself. Most stylised characters read as one flat tone lighter and less red than real skin, so a thin colour-correcting layer under foundation does more work than a heavier foundation would.
Anime and game faces have a narrower jaw, a higher cheekbone, and a smaller nose than most real faces. Contour is sculpting, not bronzing — use a cool-toned shade under the cheekbone, along the jaw, and down the nose sides, then highlight the centre of the face.
The single highest-impact step. Build the exaggerated shape first in a soft pencil, check it in a mirror at arm's length, then commit in liquid liner. Lower lashes and a lifted outer wing do more for the character read than eyeshadow colour does.
Body paint, scars, burns, scales, freckles, cel-shaded blocking, or prosthetic pieces go on after the face reads correctly. Patch test everything at least a day ahead.
Powder, setting spray, then a small touch-up kit in your bag. At the end of the day, oil cleanse first and dedicated remover for any adhesive.
Each dossier lists the makeup-relevant details for that character — eye colour, hair, key pieces, and vetted retailer links.
Big-eye liner, lower lashes, and a flat stylised base — the default anime face.
Non-human skin tones: correcting, layering, powdering, and sealing large areas.
Dirt washes, bruising, scar wax, and blood placement that survives a full con day.
Hard-edged shadow blocking and painted linework that photographs like line art.
Glue-on ears, brow blocking, and blending prosthetic edges into your own skin tone.
A colour-matched foundation or cream base, a setting powder, a neutral contour and blush, a black liquid or gel eyeliner, mascara or false lashes, and a setting spray. That kit covers the vast majority of anime, game, and fantasy character faces before you touch anything specialist.
Anime eyes are about shape, not colour. Extend the upper liner past the outer corner and thicken it toward the middle of the lid, drop a soft lower lash line about 2-4mm below your real one, and fill the gap with a pale base or white pencil so the eye reads larger. Add individual lower lashes rather than a strip for the doll-eye look.
No — they are a finishing touch, not a requirement. If you use them, buy only from vendors that supply the lens base curve, diameter, and water content, never sleep in them, and never share them. Prescription wearers should get the lenses fitted by an optometrist.
Prime, work in thin layers, powder between layers, and finish with a setting spray. Carry blotting papers, a small powder, and the one or two colours you will actually need for touch-ups. Avoid heavy cream layers under a wig cap or a full-face mask.
Use paint sold as cosmetic or FDA-compliant body paint — alcohol-activated or water-activated theatrical brands. Never use acrylic craft paint, house paint, or hair dye on skin. Patch test 24 hours ahead on your inner arm, keep it off broken skin and mucous membranes, and leave breaks in coverage on hot days.
Build in layers: a thin correcting layer to cancel your natural undertone, then the character colour, then a slightly darker shade stippled into the shadows and a lighter one on the high points. Powder each layer before the next or the colours will lift.
Use an oil or balm cleanser first to break down pigment, then a gentle second cleanse. Prosthetics and their adhesive need a dedicated remover — never peel a glued edge dry. Follow with a plain moisturiser and skip actives (retinol, acids) that night.
Around 40-80 USD builds a reusable base kit that will cover dozens of characters. Specialist items — body paint, prosthetics, wound kits, and coloured lenses — are per-build costs and are worth buying only for the character that needs them.
