The most time-consuming part of shooting this Mavis cosplay was definitely the hair and makeup process. To faithfully recreate the character from Hotel Transylvania, I specially chose large-diameter blue colored contacts. Wearing them required care; because of the outer ring pattern, I worried they might rotate or slip off-center, needing frequent adjustment between takes. For the wig, I selected a short bob, sculpting the signature cowlick on top using hair gel. For the base makeup, I applied an ultra-pale foundation and generously swept pink blush across both cheeks, successfully capturing the character's porcelain, doll-like complexion.
The trickiest part was the mouth effect. Coating my lips completely in black lip lacquer and intentionally blacking out parts of my teeth took multiple coats to achieve the look seen in the photos, leaving my lips exceptionally dry. Maintaining an open-mouthed grin throughout shooting left my facial muscles quite sore. My nails were also painted with black polish to complement hand close-ups. For attire, I wore a black turtleneck top layered over translucent mesh sleeves, a fabric that catches subtle highlights under indoor lighting. Compositionally, I favored the shot with hands clasped across my chest, which felt more composed and elegant in a Gothic style aesthetic, whereas the clawing gesture seemed overly aggressive.
For lighting, we used frontal flat lighting; since the character is fundamentally a pale vampire, heavy side shadows would easily make the face look muddy. Post-processing focused primarily on skin tone—a cool, pale porcelain skin made the photos align closer to the Halloween Dark style mood, while preserving the sharp contrast between the black lips and bold eyeliner. To emulate the animated aesthetic of Hotel Transylvania, contrast was dialed up relatively high and sharpness was slightly increased. This Halloween makeup involved numerous intricate details, demanding attention from eyes to teeth. To prevent the contacts from shifting, I repeatedly applied eye drops throughout the session, which also tested my endurance.
I rarely wear such Dark style shades in my daily photoshoots, so stepping into Mavis cosplay from Hotel Transylvania was a genuinely fun and memorable Gothic style experience. Mastering the blending of the eye makeup and the application technique for black teeth were absolute keys. Looking over the entire set, I feel I grew significantly in conveying character emotion; peering into the lens through those wide blue eyes was a unique sensation, making this a Halloween makeup cosplay project brimming with personal character.