Male and Female Cosplayers
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The Must-Have Skincare Guide for Cosplayers

Cosplay and comic conventions are coming back, so it's time to start a skincare routine!

When putting together a cosplay look, it all comes down to the details. You spend hours creating your costume, picking the perfect wig, and planning your makeup routine but don’t forget about what lies underneath it all – your skin. Healthy skin is the best foundation for a killer cosplay look.

The good news is, achieving healthy skin is as simple as maintaining a simple daytime and nighttime routine. With cosplay and comic conventions coming back, now is the ideal time to start perfecting your routine! Here’s what you need to know about skincare for cosplayers.

How Does Cosplay Makeup Affect Your Skin?

Flawless skin is more a matter of luck (mostly genetics) than anything else, but even if you weren’t blessed with perfect skin there are things you can do to support skin health. Just as important – there are also things you should do to avoid making skin matters worse.

Heavy makeup and certain makeup products can clog your pores, putting you at risk for acne breakouts. If you don’t take the time to properly remove your cosplay makeup and hydrate your skin, you may also end up with visible signs of premature aging like fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. It’s important to wash your makeup brushes between looks to avoid transferring bacteria, oil, and other impurities to your skin that might trigger a reaction. Even something as simple as using face tap can stress and strain your skin, causing irritation and premature aging.

A Simple Skincare Routine

Putting together the perfect cosplay look takes a lot of time and effort. Even something seemingly simple like a Power Girl cosplay takes a great deal of planning. Fortunately, daily skincare is actually simple – it just requires a few steps in the morning and evening to keep your skin looking its best.

Here are the steps to include in a morning skincare routine:

  1. Cleanse your skin using a gentle cleanser
  2. Apply a Vitamin C serum to fight the signs of aging
  3. Rehydrate your skin with a daytime moisturizer
  4. Apply eye cream as needed to reduce the appearance of dark circles
  5. Always apply sunscreen, even if you’ll be indoors most of the day

While your morning skincare routine is aimed at preparing your skin for the day ahead, your evening routine is all about cleansing and repairing your skin. Complex cosplays like Sombra from Overwatch or Cammy White from Street Fighter require a significant amount of makeup and if you don’t remove it properly, your skin could pay the price.

Here are the steps to include in an evening skincare routine:

  1. Remove makeup using micellar water or cleansing balm
  2. Follow up with a second cleansing using a gentle cleanser
  3. Apply spot treatments like tretinoin cream to reduce and prevent acne
  4. Follow up with a serum to target other skin concerns
  5. Hydrate your skin with a rich nighttime moisturizer
  6. Finish up with an eye cream to firm the skin and reduce fine lines

If you really want to make an impression, include an anti-aging cream in your evening skincare routine to help minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Additional Skincare Tips for Cosplayers

Your skin is as unique as each of your cosplay outfits, and it deserves the same attention you put into crafting your costumes. By following the skincare tips above, you can keep your skin clear and healthy with just a few simple steps in the morning and evening.

Here are some additional skincare tips to follow:

  • Keep your makeup brushes clean – especially things like your foundation brush that you use on a regular basis.
  • When prepping for a revealing look, give your skin a little extra attention with an exfoliating scrub and hydrating moisturizer.
  • Do your best to follow a healthy, skin-supporting diet with limited intake of acne-triggering foods like sugary snacks, fast foods, and dairy products.
  • Include exercise in your weekly routine to help stimulate circulation that will deliver essential nutrients and oxygenated blood to your skin.

When you’re busy prepping your look for the latest cosplay convention, it’s easy to let other things fall to the wayside. If you want to really wow the crowd, however, you would do well to put a little extra effort into preparing your skin. Healthy skin shows, even under makeup, and it will give you an added boost of confidence to really make a statement. Start following the skincare tips above and make an effort to maintain a simple daily skincare routine – your fans will notice the difference!

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