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Friday, 20 April 2012

Friday, 20 April 2012

How to Style Elf Ears

Orcs, fairies, trolls, demons, satyrs, elves and other magical creatures all have one thing in common: pointed ears. And because one of our FAQs is „How do I put on my elf ears?“ we would like to show you how to fit them to your ears and style them to match your character.

Because you want to personalize them! Before you can paint, pierce and „own“ your pointy latex elf ears, you may need to do a little work to turn them into a realistic accessory for your fantasy garb. And here’s how!


1. Fit the ears
Make sure that your own ears are clean and not oily. Now put on one latex ear at a time and check their fit. Note the places where your elven ear is too large or feels strange. Make sure it fits the shape of your ear. Now reach for the nail scissors and carefully remove the parts where it is too big. If you need to, you can also trim the inner part of the latex ear to make a smoother transition from your own ear.

Tip: If you plan to wear very large ears, like our troll ears for example, make sure to leave plenty of spirit gum on the main gluing surfaces of your skin (your temples and ear lobes) so the pointed ears will stay on firmly.

2. Apply spirit gum
Put the elf ears on again and note where the latex gluing points contact your skin. Then take them off and use the brush to apply a thin coat of Mastix spirit gum to your skin at the gluing points. Do not forget to apply Mastix to the rest of the places where the latex touches your ear – the back curve, for example. Coat each ear in turn, not both at the same time. Wait a bit until the spirit gum starts to dry.

Tip: Your latex elf ears will stay on longer if you also apply a thin coat of Mastix to the gluing surfaces.

3. Remove excess spirit gum
Take a clean cotton bud and use it to wipe away any excess spirit gum and to dab the spirit gum lightly. Continue dabbing until the spirit gum forms thin threads.

Tip: Of course you can use your finger instead of a cotton bud, but try not to smear spirit gum everywhere!

4. Apply the ears
Cover your ears with the latex elf ears and firmly press them on for a few moments. If the ears are long and heavy, pay special attention to your ear lobes and temples. Go ahead and use the palm of your hand to press the latex ear down – that will help fantasy ears stay in place. Now apply the other ear in the same way.
Use a cotton bud and Mastix remover to carefully wipe away any patches of spirit gum from your skin.
5. Hide edges and apply make-up
After the Mastix has dried, you can make the edges of the latex ears almost invisible by using a cotton bud to apply a thin coat of Horror Skin from maskworld. Use several cotton buds as required to prevent the sticky liquid from leaving rough, jagged edges. Use a hair drier to dry the Horror Skin even faster. For perfect results, apply 2-3 coats of Horror Skin.
After the Horror Skin has dried, you may want to apply a bit of powder to it as a base for the make-up. You can use a commercial make-up powder or maskworld transparent powder.
Then reach for our Skin Tone cream make-up or maskworld aqua make-up in the color of your choice and apply it to the edges and the latex ears.
Remember: Real ears are often a slightly different color from facial complexions.
6. Tips for large elf ears
Paint large sun elf ears and troll ears to match the final look you have in mind before you start working with spirit gum. Fit them as in Step 1, then use normal make-up, acrylic paint or any other solvent-free paint to create the base color and accentuate the shadows and highlights. Avoid the gluing edges of your latex elf ears when applying paint or make-up. Spirit gum adheres better to unpainted latex and you can put make-up on the edges after they are glued on.

Latex elf ears: Removal, care, and storage

To remove the latex ears, moisten the edges with Mastix remover or some rubbing alcohol and simply pull them off. You can also use Mastix remover or rubbing alcohol to remove any spirit gum remaining on your skin.
Remember: You should always remove the make-up from your latex ears to prevent them from becoming brittle and tearing. To do this, blot the latex ears with a bit of kitchen roll to dry them. Moisten a cotton bud or facial tissue with Mastix remover and remove all of the spirit gum from the latex first. Now remove the make-up from the latex ears as recommended by the make-up manufacturer – for example, with water.
If you use an oil-based make-up remover (for example, a lotion), remove the remaining grease with some Mastix Remover or alcohol. Make sure your latex ears are completely dry after cleaning, and store them in a dark, dry place at room temperature.


Enjoy your pointed ears

Even though our easy steps may not seem 100 percent easy at first glance, practice makes perfect! The results will be so realistic that you can amaze your friends and (temporary) foes with your perfect, pointed ears. And you can be the expert who passes along your tips and tricks!

We also have realistic pointed ears for kids (e.g. maskworld Pixie ears). But remember: Mastix spirit gum, Mastix remover, Horror Skin, etc. are not playthings. Pointed latex ears for kids should be applied and removed by adults only to make sure that no accidents happen.

Have fun with your pointed ears – whatever the style and the occasion!

Brought to you by the crew @ maskworld


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