When it comes to cosplay, we realize that there are so many characters with the special features of eyebrows like Sanji’s from One Piece. You would probably want your eyebrows closer to your eyes when you dress up as a male character and further from your eyes when you dress up as a female character.
The eyebrows play an important role as the impression of the face changes greatly depending on how you style them. However, the position, shape, and thickness of your own eyebrows can be hard to change.
It is not like you can shave them completely, so concealing and erasing the eyebrows becomes a daily routine for cosplayers.
Once you get the skills of concealing and erasing your own eyebrows, you can easily and freely draw them with eyebrow pens or COPIC markers.
Here are 3 types of methods for concealing and erasing your own eyebrows!
Preparation
Before we get started, no matter what method you choose to cover and erase your eyebrows, it is always better to have your eyebrows trimmed for basic makeup and daily life. Make sure to pluck and shave unwanted hair around the eyebrows, and if you have long eyebrows, cut the length of them.
If you especially have long eyebrows, it is a good idea to have an electric eyebrow trimmer with a comb because it for sure will make it easier to maintain.
A Glue Stick
A glue stick is the most affordable product that works well for the price.
This is a very popular method, so even beginner cosplayers have probably heard of it. However, since a glue stick is not supposed to be used on the face, you should be careful if you have sensitive skin. Make sure you test using a glue stick on your face in advance before going to an event!
You don’t want to have any trouble with skin irritations.
Step 1
Using a glue stick, apply a thin layer of glue on your eyebrows.
You can either apply it directly or with your fingers.
Step 2
With your mascara brush, brush your hair upwards before it gets dried.
By brushing them straight upwards, though the size of them gets bigger, you can make the base as flat and natural as possible.
Step 3
Let it dry completely with a hair dryer etc.
Before moving on to the next step, let it dry completely. It is ok to let it dry naturally, but a hair dryer can save your time when you are in a hurry.
Step 4
Apply another layer of the glue over your eyebrows, making sure to fill the gap between each eyebrow hair and between eyebrows and skin.
When doing this, add a few drops of water into the glue stick. This can prevent the eyebrows from getting thick and cracked.
Also, if you have a cosmetics spatula, use it to put the blended glue on the eyebrows neatly.
Don’t worry if you don’t own a spatula, you can use a plastic spoon or a handle of a normal spoon or a fork.
Step 5
Blur the spot between your eyebrows and skin.
If the boundary of the eyebrows and other parts of your face is noticeable, apply water to your fingers or a makeup brush and blur it to blend in well.
Step 6
Apply an orange concealer.
Once the glue is dried, paint your eyebrows with a concealer from COSCOS that is used by many cosplayers. If you powerfully stretch the concealer while applying on your face, it will be smudgy.
So, make sure you gently pat on your face with the concealer. Only one layer of concealer is necessary because COSCOS concealer has a good quality of color.
Step 7
Use powder to blend the concealer to your face.
You can either use a powder foundation or a face powder to do this step. Apply more powder than you do for usual makeup, and lightly press it so it doesn't get smudged.
Step8
Apply another layer of the glue stick again if needed.
You don’t necessarily have to, but if the eyebrows are still not flat and even, you can apply the glue again.
Add a few drops of water into the glue stick, blend them, and press it on your eyebrows.
Step 9
Concealer
After it gets dried completely, use the concealer that best matches your natural skin tone and apply it bigger than the eyebrows you just covered.
In this step, you want to make your eyebrows and skin blend in well, stretching out the concealer to the outside with a brush.
Step 10
Add another layer of powder again.
Apply more powder over the rest of your face.
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When you put the foundation on your rest of the face, apply it to the eyebrows so that it will all bend in well. However, be careful to not scratch it. Make sure you gently press it on the eyebrows.
In order to remove makeup, wet cotton pads or cleansing sheets with water and press them on your eyebrows to be absorbed for a while.
Then gently remove makeup. Start removing makeup on the eyebrows first. It will be easier for you to remove the rest of your face.
Makeup Wax
Makeup wax is used to adjust the shape of your facial parts such as making your nose higher, raising your eyebrows, and making realistic scars etc.
The glue stick we have touched on in the last section is a substitute for a makeup wax. There are various kinds of makeup waxes, but some of them are mainly for covering eyebrows, erasing eyebrows, and cosplaying.
Mayukeshi Shokunin
A product from Assist Wig for cosplaying.
Mayuge Tsubushi
A product from Mizen which is familiar with stage makeup.
Face and Body Wax
A product from Cinema Secrets for special effect makeup.
Step 1
Brush your eyebrows with eyelid glue upwards.
With your mascara brush, brush your hair upwards just like a glue stick Step 2.
In order to do this, you can either use a stick glue, an eyelid glue called eye putti, or a hair wax.
Step 2
Knead
The cream has a hard texture, so knead it to warm it up with your fingers.
A product called Mayuge Tsubushi from Mizen may be a bit hard to be torn off sometimes. In that case, it will be easier to be torn off if you warm it up. (However, pay extra attention to not burn yourself if you use a lighter to warm it up.)
This step is not needed if you are using a Mayukeshi Shokunin.
Step 3
Apply it on your eyebrows.
Lightly press it when doing this.
Use a makeup spatula or a substitute in this step.
Step 4
Blur the border.
Trace the border and blur it with a wet makeup brush.
Step 5
Apply powder.
Once the eyebrows are dried completely, apply either a powder foundation or a face powder on them.
These products are easy to get smudged, so gently apply it on the eyebrows.
Step 6
Adjust color to match your skin tone.
If needed, use a concealer or a foundation that best matches your natural skin tone.
And all done!
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These products might be a little bit hard to use. If you are not used to them, they might get peeled off, thick, and cracked easily.
Also, you need to peel off from the edge when removing makeup.
While you take off the dried wax, the hair on the eyebrows might fall out depending on the product.
In order to avoid that, wet a cotton sheet with water or a cleansing sheet, leave it on your eyebrows for a few minutes to absorb, and take them off gently by following the flow of the hair.
It takes time to remove your makeup gently without getting your eyebrow hair to fall out, so it might not be the best choice to use for an event where you have to rush around all day.
Foundation tape
Foundation tape is used to hide tattoos and scars on skin.
It is said that this product was originally developed for the wife who was worried about scars on skin to be seen for her wedding day.
Even though this is normally used for hiding tattoos or scars, it started getting a lot of reviews among the cosplayers, saying it works well for concealing the eyebrows.
It got very popular because it is safe to use as it is meant to be used on skin, and it is easy to take off. There are even foundation tapes sold mainly for cosplayers.
Mayukeshi Shokunin tape ver.
A product from Assist Wig for cosplaying to conceal the eyebrows.
It has a notch on a piece of a tape to match the shape of the eyebrows.
Foundation Tape
It is the product we have touched on earlier which is originally used for covering tattoos and scars.
Lately, there are many products saying “Use for cosplay or to erase eyebrows” on the package of the products because it got very popular among cosplayers.
There are five different colors. It will be a good idea to try all colors and see which one matches the best to your skin tone.
Nichiban White Beige Tape
It seems like some cosplayers originally owned this for taping and used it as a substitute for covering their eyebrows. However, we would say that this is a bit difficult to use compared to other products.
If you don’t really care about the boundary of the eyebrows and skin, and if you would edit and put filters, this will be a good product to choose as it is inexpensive.
Step 1
Lift the eyebrows upwards.
Brush your eyebrows with an eyelid glue, a glue stick, or a wax upwards.
Step 2
Cut the tape into a suitable size.
Cut the tape into a size based on how big you want to erase your eyebrows.
Step 3
Stick the piece of a tape to your eyebrows.
Before sticking the tape, you just cut, check where you want to stick it and stick the edge of the tape on the inner part of the eyebrow first.
Then slowly stick it toward the end of your eyebrow while stretching it slightly.
Step 4
Put the palm of your hand on the eyebrow.
Use the palm of your hand to warm up the tape and make sure it sticks completely to your skin.
Step 5
Apply an orange concealer to it if needed.
Use an orange concealer if your natural eyebrows are still noticeable, and use a concealer that matches your skin tone if the boundary of the eyebrows and skin is noticeable.
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When removing the tapes, all you have to do is to gently peel off with the flow of the hair of your eyebrows so that your hair on the eyebrows won’t come out.
Summary
We have given instructions of how to get ready for cosplaying that would hopefully be easy to understand for beginners. Did it help you well?
Overall, a foundation tape is the easiest one to use as it is easy to apply on and to remove while a glue stick works well to cover the eyebrows at low-cost. Makeup wax is a little bit difficult to use, but if you get used to it, you can change the structure of your face such as making your nose higher and raising your eyebrows.