[Elf cosplay] Midsummer ICOS Beijing Anime Festival: Keeping the Appointment with Elf Makeup and Styling

The convention photos from the 9th ICOS Beijing Anime Festival are finally sorted out. This time, it was held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing during the midsummer of August. It's located right outside Exits E and H of the Olympic Park Station on Subway Line 8, making transportation extremely convenient. I have been looking forward to this largest anime convention gathering before the new semester starts since last winter. With a massive venue of 20,000 square meters, nearly a hundred guests, and a hall full of fellow enthusiasts, the atmosphere was truly beyond words.

I actually spent over half a month preparing this look. The wig was in light blonde, braided and styled with wispy strands, and paired with custom-made elf ears and a white vine-like headpiece, going for an overall ethereal and lightweight style for this Elf cosplay. When applying the makeup, I paid special attention to foundation and concealer. Since outdoor photography and indoor overhead lights have high requirements for skin texture, the base makeup was set quite thin, but I used highlighter to heavily emphasize the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose so that my gaze would look more translucent when the sunlight hit. The eyeshadow chose a transition between light blue and pink-gold, paired with blue colored contacts, perfectly echoing the blue and white color scheme of the collar. It was actually quite hot on the shooting day, but when we went out for outdoor photography, we chose a lawn with tree shade. We took a few backlit shots, and I am very satisfied with the fluffy rim effect of the light spots falling on my hair.

The indoor convention photos were taken inside the exhibition hall, using a white plush mat as a prop. The squatting posture was relatively relaxed, saving me from constantly tensing up, which conversely formed a casual contrast with the lights and crowds in the background. The design of this costume's collar and shoulder straps is quite complex, featuring black panels spliced with blue straps, plus golden buttons and star ornaments. Under the indoor light source of the exhibition hall, the texture was very prominent, especially the reflectivity of the fabric. On the day of the event, I also met many old friends and got to know new photographers. Everyone exchanged retouching ideas and areas for improving our Cosplay makeup and styling—this kind of atmosphere truly makes one forget exhaustion instantly.

Although the convention lasted only two days, every encounter and shutter click is a tangible memory. I hope to come here again next year with new Cosplay makeup and styling and an even better condition, to have a wonderful time together with everyone in this dimensional space.