Cosplaying Junko Enoshima

Ever since the increasingly popular Dangan Ronpa made it's way into international attention it's become somewhat cool to cosplay the infamous Junko Enoshima, a super gyaru model, especially amongst those who consider themselves gyaru. I've cosplayed her, someone you know has probably cosplayed her and your pet cat has also probably cosplayed her. At every convention it's not unusual to see at least a handful of this super endearing character.

But the thing that grinds my gears about people who cosplay her the most is that people who mess up on her make-up. For someone who doesn't know that she's supposed to be gyaru that's okay but for those people who do and don't make an attempt on the make-up? Oh dear.

I'm going to cover the most common make-up mistakes I see for Junko.


1. Circle Lenses

These aren't optional unless there's some sort of medical reason why you're unable to wear these. Junko has blue eyes - implied to be natural - but as Junko is gyaru we're wanting to go for the full look. Try and obtain a pair which have a dark limbal ring for that dramatic effect such as G & G Max Pure Blue or Super Pinky Blue. The main purpose of this is to prep your eyes for the dramatic gyaru make-up Junko would wear and to give your eyes her colour.

2. Eyelashes

In order to stand out in photos, I recommend rokku or agejo styled make-up as this shows up on camera better and considering Junko's personality I feel like she'd opt for one of these styles. The main focus is going to be your eyelashes. The best brands to go with for this are Japanese lashes that are intended for gyaru such as Diamond Lash or Jewerich, especially in their bolder and more dramatic styles. Dolly Wink doesn't work for Junko as the lashes aren't dramatic enough for her.

For her upper lashes you're looking at one of the bolder styles as opposed to a half lash. It's best to get the 'spiky' kind of lashes as opposed to fanned out lashes as these look more dramatic and more 'old school gyaru' which is what we're going for with Junko. Diamond Wink has plenty of lashes in their Series 1 and Series 2 collections which are suited for this!

For her lower lashes you're looking at something that you're going to be able to use to extend your lashline. Personally, I think it's a good idea to make a good investment in these as I think the eBay lashes are a bit harder to make look nice. I once again recommend Diamond Lash as I've never had a problem with their lower lashes.

3. Cheeks

Pink blush. Lots of it. Do it.

Gyaru are famed for their pink cheeks so it's important to apply this to Junko. It's even more important if you want the blush to show up on camera. It's an infamous cosplay secret to do your make-up to drag queen levels so it shows up on camera and it shows. It can look a little ridiculous in real life but on photos I guarantee it'll show up.

4. Lips

"Oh, she's a fashion model who wears lots of make-up. I'll give her a red lip!"

If that fits your line of thinking stop right there. As we've put a lot of emphasis on her eyes with the circle lenses, false lashes, eyeliner and all of the other important make-up we don't want to be having red lipstick for Junko. The best thing to do in this case is to use a neutral lipstick or a light pink shade to let Junko's eyes do the talking.

After all, she is crazy. Better let it show.

5. Nails

Most girls do her nails false and red which is completely correct, but my favourite thing in the whole wide world is when girls gyaru-fy Junko's nails. We're talking about accents, beads, nailart, sparkles, claw shaped nails... whatever suits. It's not necessary and the standard red nails will work, but adding that extra detail just goes the extra mile for Junko's personality.


That's it. Those are the 5 things about Junko Enoshima that bother me the most when people cosplay her. Of course, there's the outfit but I always tend to harshly judge people by their make-up when I see cosplays of her. Even though I've cosplayed her three times myself I'm still unhappy about my own rendition of the character.

It never ends.

Stay sweet! ♥

Eyes

Gyaru Makeup CHEAT SHEET

Make-up. Every girl uses it, whether they love it or hate it.

I personally adore make-up as it allows me to change myself into someone who looks better than they usually do. Make-up is absolutely essential in gyaru; without their trademark eye make-up a gyaru is nothing. Not even gyaru. Nope. Don't even try arguing that you are when the basics just aren't there.

But not to worry, I've brought what I call a cheat sheet for you girls.


★ BREAKING DOWN MAKE-UP ★


The first step is breaking down gyaru make-up. Most gyaru will wear the same kind of make-up but how heavy they wear it is completely optional on what style they're going for. Someone embracing oraora-kei is going to want to wear more eyeliner than someone who is himekaji. An agejo girl is going to have darker and more prominent blush than a girl who is dedicated to onee-gyaru.

One of the gyaru who wears the most 'natural' make-up to me at the moment would be darling Tsubasa Masuwaka.


Forgive the crude image, I'm terrible at Photoshop. Truthfully she probably wears more than this but my arrows won't fit that much sadly! As you can see there's, well, a lot of product there and that's without including her hair styling. A gyaru's make-up is important to her whole look and looking gyaru. I did a post on before and afters which shows the sheer difference that gyaru make-up makes.

See the below image of Serina. She wears a lot of the same kind of make-up as Tsubasa but applies it differently, giving her a heavier make-up look but still distinctively gyaru.


Her eyelashes are a lot more dramatic than Tsubasa's and her contouring is a lot more noticable but they essentially are using the same make-up types. The difference is that it's applied differently.

Something to note is that although both girls are wearing nude eyeshadows, it's not uncommon for gyaru to wear bright eyeshadows and others. I used browns for the sake of this comparison.

A gyaru tends to have a nude lip but some gyaru choose to wear brighter lip colours such as red on occasion. It's not usually a day to day thing.


★ CONTOURING & HIGHLIGHTING ★

Contouring is amazing. It can make you look like you have a completely different face from the one you were born with. Recently make-up artists have praised contouring, particularly in the Western scene, but contouring has been a thing for years in the gyaru scene. It can change the shape of your nose, give you cheekbones, etc.

I mentioned contouring being a part of Tsubasa and Serina's make-up and I've made the below image (v. high quality as you can tell) to show where contouring would be. Contouring is in brown, highlighting is in the pale pink.


Contouring around the face gives the illusion of a slimmer face. Contouring around the chin gives the illusion of a smaller chin. Contouring around the nose gives the illusion of a smaller nose.
Highlighting the cheekbones helps bring out the illusion of cheekbones you created by contouring. Highlighting the bridge of the nose makes it seem more prominent.

It's all simple. Draw out and draw in what features you like and create shadows and depth on your face.

Contouring is important and is actually really simple to learn.


★ THE CHEAT SHEET ★

I've compiled a little cheat sheet for you. This has the basics as well as some extras that you might find useful for your look. I hope that this helps someone.


I'm certain I've missed something so any tips you guys want to share would be fab!

Stay sweet! ♥

GALOWEEN 2014

Halloween is one of the only times of year that it's acceptable to go out looking like a total weirdo. No one will bat an eyelid at you if you go out in dresses adorned in eyeballs, bats hanging from your ears or even blood cascading from your eyes. Okay, maybe that last one might get you some looks but most likely not. Either way Halloween is meant for fun and there's no better way to do that than dressing up in a creepy costume.

With the rising popularity of creepy cute on the Internet it's now easier than ever to find some perfectly ~spooky~ items for people who don't want to particularly dress up. There's also a billion costumes to do, with some gyaru stores catering to them as well as the cheap options from your local party store.

If you haven't made your mind up for what you want to dress up as for Halloween, here's some ideas!

1. Generic cat Easy peasy. A black/leopard print dress with a matching pair of kitty ears is stupidly simple to do. Teamed with some whiskers drawn on your face (and perhaps a cute little nose) there's absolutely nothing complicated about this costume at all.
2. Devil Also another generic idea. Devil horns and a black or red outfit. It's easy to find horns that are different colours so if red isn't your thing you could run with pink, blue, purple, green... the possibilities are endless.
3. Vampire Wear a perfectly suitable vampire outfit - something black perhaps. Paired with blood leaking from the corner of your lips and a pair of fangs you're a more legit vampire than Edward Cullen.
4. Ghost Dress in an all white outfit with white shoes and white skin make-up to match. With the addition of a black or white wig you're bound to look like a fashionable ghost - or spooky. Much cuter than wearing a bedsheet with eye holes cut out.
5. Doll I can't be the only one who finds wind up dolls creepy, right? With the use of make-up in the correct places it's easy to turn yourself into a puppet or a doll. Pair this with a blank scare and you're bound to scare someone - even me.
6. Zombie Use makeup to make it appear as though, well, you're dead. Bruises are super simple to make using eyeshadows and with fake blood you're bound to look like you're craving some flesh. For extra authenticity rip up your clothes. Or don't; fashionable zombies exist too!
7. Mad Scientist This one is super easy! All it takes is a lab coat - smear it with fake blood or other nasties for the best affect. Use make-up to your will and backcomb your hair until it's a crazy, untamed poof. It'll definitely make you seem crazy.
8. Werewolf You're going for the same look as the generic cat here, but with extra fur. Awooga, baby.
9. Spider Queen This is an interesting one. Wear all black and adorn the spider webs you can buy from Halloween stores on your outfit. Wear a black veil and add little spiders all over. Not recommended for those with a spider phobia.
10. Frankenstein This one is almost all exclusively make-up. Using green face paint, paint yourself green and do your make-up as usual. Add one or two stitches with either liquid eyeliner of black body paint and BAM! Done.


What're your plans for Halloween? I'm completely undecided still so I'd love to bounce some ideas off you all.

Stay sweet! ♥

10 Convention Beauty Commandments

As an avid cosplayer I'm no stranger to the world of anime conventions. I've braved the heat and the crowds for the sake of a photo or to meet a new friend and I'm all too aware of how little sleep I'm getting; socialising and drinking all night is fun at the time but it soon takes a toll. There's the stress leading up to conventions and remembering to pack absolutely everything and if you're staying far away, there may even be the event of dragging a heavy case across the country.

Usually you wouldn't put gyaru + anime together but with more and more brands such as MA*RS, GOLDS Infinity and those from other sub-styles more fashionista types are heading there. As these brands can be difficult to obtain in the West it can sometimes be cheaper just to attend these events.

It's perfectly fun at the time but it's playing havoc with your skin. No one looks good with pimples. Or wants them. Ever. End of.

That's why I'm going to impose the 10 Convention Beauty Commandments on you all!

♛ 1. Thou shalt pack in advance

It seems like it's pretty foolproof but I've been super guilty of not doing this. I've forgotten parts of outfits, part of coordinates I've had planned, I've left major parts of costumes back in my closet 200 miles away... and it's a nightmare no one wants. At the past London Expo I left my false lashes at home (and luckily the Dreamy Bows stand saved my makeup for the weekend) and at Kitacon I left a part of every costume at home. Oopsie. By making a list you won't forget anything. Also bringing a full make-up kit is a big no-no. Set a separate make-up bag aside and fill this with make-up samples, your can't-live-without essentials. You don't need to bring four kinds of mascara with you after all. One will do for a few days.

♛ 2. Thou shalt continue with face care

I'm 100% guilty of dropping most of my facial care routine at cons. I know some of you are too. Really, we shouldn't be doing this! Most pharmacies and supermarkets will sell travel sized kits of face care such as cleansers and make-up wipes so there's really no excuse not to uphold it. Instead of using a clay based face mask, disposable sheet face masks are a great, lightweight and travel safe alternative. They work just as well too.

♛ 3. Thou shalt remove make-up before going to sleep

This should be a big part of any girl's make-up routine but we've all been guilty of going to sleep with make-up on. Anyone who says they haven't is probably fibbing! Although it may be tempting to crash with a face full of foundation and false eyelashes on make sure you take it off! Make-up wipes are perfect for this situation and it takes literally 2 minutes to do. Your skin will love you for it. If you're like me and apply heavy make-up twice a day for 3 - 4 days in a row your skin will definitely love you for it.

♛ 4. Thou shalt wear circle lenses for no more than 8 hours

This is also common sense but sometimes in order for our make-up to be extra cute we force our eyes to strain and continue to wear these. Not only can it get uncomfortable and painful but it's super unhealthy for your eyes. Personally, I wear them if they're part of a costume and forego them on the evening because sight is precious.

♛ 5. Thou shalt sleep for no less than 5 hours

Sleep is good. In fact, sleep is great. So why forego it even at a convention? Granted you should be getting somewhere around the 8 mark or whatever is normal for yourself but sometimes it's tempting to stay up and continue talking to people. By making sure you have at least 5 hours sleep you'll prevent the unsightly under eye circles and bags that tend to pop up with a lack of sleep and the pimples that may pop up if your body deems you to be stressed. Sometimes sleeping at overnight at a convention can mean less than optimal sleeping conditions so eye masks and ear plugs will be your best friend. It's a small investment but the dividends it reaps is worth it.

♛ 6. Thou shalt stay hydrated

This is stupidly important and it amazes me how many people forget about this. It's absolutely important to stay hydrated, not for your skin but for your own health. Alcohol and coffee won't give you the hydration you need so it's really important to carry a bottle of water with you in your bag. With more water your skin is more likely to stay clear and glowing which is important considering all of the make-up and lack of sleep it'll most likely already be enduring.

♛ 7. Thou shalt carry extra beauty supplies

Do you know what really sucks? When your false eyelashes are pulling themselves free of your eyelid and you have no glue to shove it back in place. Carrying your essentials for reapplication such as mascara, lipstick, etc. is almost common sense but it's always surprising that people don't think of carrying their eyelash glue with them. Conventions tend to be hot due to the amount of people that get crammed inside and that can cause your make-up to melt - not a good look. By carrying a few extras you can fix up your make-up in literally seconds. It's worth the investment instead of needing to go back to your hotel room.

♛ 8. Thou shalt wear sunblock

Conventions take place at all times of year but summer is when the majority of them pop up. Summer weather tends to lead for beautiful photos except it's sunny and if you go outdoors you're risking sun damage to your face. That's why it's important to wear sunblock. Nowadays a lot of make-up carries SPF in it from BB Creams to even lipsticks. Sunblock that sprays onto your skin as opposed to a liquid is also available. There's no excuse not to apply these and it'll stop any sunburn and most importantly wrinkles.

♛ 9. Thou shalt have have clean hair at all times

The amount of people I've met at conventions who forgo washing their hair in favour of wigs is just... ugh, no. You'd think it's common sense but because of wigs I've met some people who think wearing a wig to hide their dirty hair is acceptable. Even if you're wearing a wig make sure you have clean hair. Having dirty hair just makes you feel gross and the oils from your hair can affect your face and clog your pores. After all, you're not going to sleep in a wig! Dry shampoos exist for a reason and it's easy to pick up at any beauty store. Really, there's no excuse not to do this.

Don't be gross.

♛ 10. Thou shalt sanitise, sanitise, sanitise!

Conventions tend to attract large crowds of people, each with their own unique sense of being. That being said, it's easy to pass bacteria along in big crowds. Not only can this lead to sickness (which is gonna make you look haggard) it can lead to bacteria and other nasties being transferred into your cosmetics if you touch them without washing hands. Hand sanitiser can help stop these from being transferred and potentially ruining that pretty face of yours.


As well as beauty tips, there's plenty of other tips to learn for conventions. Basic etiquette such as asking a cosplayer for a photo before snapping is polite and looking up the con schedule in advance to plan your days can be a total life saver.

Do you have any more tips? Let me know!

Stay sweet! ♥

Ordering from Mbok

As a shopper, I'll admit that the thought of using a shopping service to purchase from different websites is terrifying. I've always worried about what will happen if there's a dispute or I fail to receive goods. Which, to be honest, is the reason why I've always hidden behind eBay, behind webstores, etc.

However, no more! I've discovered how easy peasy it is to order from Mbok which makes it easier to get my hands on dresses from certain brands that I've been after.

Ordering from Mbok was probably one of the easiest things I've ever done.

I used the Japonica shopping service which was super duper easy to use!

http://www.mbok.jp
It helps if you can read katakana in order to browse the site but it's still easy without it. I was able to pull up lots of Liz Lisa items just by searching for 'liz lisa'. Same applies with MA*RS, La Pafait, etc. The clothes are second hand of course, but often run cheaper than what they would be if you were to buy them brand new.

I've decided I want to purchase the below Liz Lisa dress:


It's really pretty, right?

The Bidding Price starts at ¥6990 (£40.69)
The Buy Now price is ¥19900 (£115.84)

These prices are without the shopping service's commission or shipping to yourself.

Not all listings will have a Buy Now price as some may be auction only. Whilst you can save a lot of money via bidding there is no guarantee of you winning your item which could lead to disappointment and not winning your items.

The shopping service I'll be using for this is Japonica Market. Japonica Market also offers shopping services for Yahoo Auctions Japan, Shibuya 109, Rakuten, etc. so it's a shopping service to keep in mind.

In order to place an order with Japonica Market you have to e-mail them with a form sent to them via e-mail (order@japonicamarket.com). I've filled out the below form as though I was ordering from them.

E-Mail Subject: Mbok Order

[ Auctions / Shopping Order Form ]

Seller ID : lzakiraさん
Item Name : 激可愛完売★LIZLISAリズリサ刺繍リボンレースチュニックワンピ
Auction ID / Item URL : http://www.mbok.jp/item/item_442380897.html?_SRC=li_i0
Max bid Price : 19900 yen
Bidding Options : Buy it Now

Payment : Paypal
Shipping Options : EMS
PayPal Account : xxx@genericwebservice.com
PayPal Confirmed Shipping Name and Address :
Rachael Claranee
444 Madethisup Way
Swagcity
Swagville
SW78 9AG

note :

~x~

It's that easy. Once the form is filled in all we're waiting for is an invoice from Japonica as this is a Buy It Now option. I believe they don't ask for payment until they've secured your auction item.

I put an order in for three items.
Japonica sent me an invoice. 16 minutes after I'd paid I received an e-mail from them confirming they had secured my items.

Once the item arrives with Japonica they send a final invoice which includes shipping to your address. Once this is done and paid they send your items.

It's stupidly easy to do! ♥ If I had known it was so easy I would have start buying from Mbok earlier.

I hope this helps some of you who were having doubts about purchasing from Mbok!