[Maomao Cosplay] The Apothecary Diaries Maomao Cosplay Makeup Test & Looking for Jinshi Partner in Shanghai

This dark green wig is the core of restoring the character's spirited essence. The top loop bun complemented by two golden flower cluster hair ornaments, along with braides hanging on both sides of the cheeks adorned with red and teal double-colored beads, immediately brings out a rich sense of layering. My personal habit is to fix the bangs and frizz of the wig first before securing the fluffiness of the top bun with clips, so that the head shape looks round and full on camera.

Next is the contact lenses and makeup part. Wearing bright blue contact lenses actually places quite high demands on eye shadow blending. This time, I used a pink-toned shimmer shadow extended slightly at the outer corners, paired with slender eyeliner. I tried to maintain a clear, innocent look while bringing out the sharp perceptiveness and charm unique to an apothecary girl. For lips, I chose a softer matte pink to give a natural complexion, which blends with the overall facial palette without stealing the visual focus from the wig and outfit.

The color combination of this Hanfu-style cross-collar gown is extremely eye-catching. The outerwear features large-area pale pink spliced with grass-green wide borders, while the lining combines deep magenta and white. This high-brightness, high-saturation color blocking could easily look frivolous if worn incorrectly, but the tailoring and fabric texture helped tremendously. To create more natural dynamics, I designed several subtle gestures, such as gently touching a white silk scarf to my cheek, slightly cupping hands as if holding an item, and playfully covering mouth and nose. These movements show off the lovely sky-blue lining at the cuffs while letting the colors of the outfit flow naturally.

The matching accessories also carry a great sense of story. The delicate chain around the neck with yellow, green, and red beads, along with long gold earrings featuring green teardrop drops, add vintage and refined accents to the whole styling in detail. During shooting, under indoor soft lighting, the even glow made my complexion look very fair and translucent while beautifully rendering the soft folds of the garment.

Speaking of which, doing the makeup test and adjustments myself in the studio took quite some effort. Wig styling, makeup touch-ups, garment wearing methods, and belt tying all tested patience. However, finding the state that best fits the character in front of the lens and feeling fully immersed in it was wonderful. Considering the final results of this photoshoot, I am personally most satisfied with the photo where I gently press the white cloth to my lips—my eyes really seem to hold that curiosity and insight belonging to Maomao.

Finally, as a side note, I am currently based in Shanghai and really want to find a Jinshi partner who is also interested in The Apothecary Diaries and has complete makeup and styling ready. If you happen to be in Shanghai for Shanghai cosplay and have shot or plan to shoot Jinshi, maybe we can get together for a joint shoot! After all, the interactive dynamic of this classic duo is truly worth recreating. As a makeup test record, this photo set achieved my expected results. If there's a chance for an outdoor shoot in the future, it should present a completely different atmosphere.