This year we were inspired by space and the wild frontiers it holds. Imagine a Cosmic Cowboy on his moon ranch, or having a drink at the local interstellar saloon. What would he be wearing? What would he look like? Hell, we even considered what he would SMELL like! Thinking about all of these things is the easiest way to ensure that you are putting intent behind your costume and that youโll be representing a fully realized character. Because, if youโre going to dress up, you might as well โgo big or go home.โ Follow along step-by-step, as we get PrettyMan, Shomari Francis ready for a party off-planet.
It all starts with the getup. Once youโve decided what youโll be wearing, you can easily plan all of your makeup and accessories around your final look to seal the deal. In this instance we dug around in our own closet to source some cowboy boots, leather pants, and a big belt buckle. Then we raided our local thrift & consignment shop for anything western we could find. Thatโs when we happened upon the most amazing bronze suit, and knew thatโs where we wanted to start. To keep it on the sexier side we opted for no shirt under the jacket. Shomari works hard on his โheavenly bodyโ (pun intended) so we wanted to make sure to showcase it. Plus, why do girls get to be the only ones who get to prefix theyโre looks with โsexyโ: Sexy Nurse, Sexy Mouse, or Sexy Tub of Play-Dough (Donโt believe us? Look it up).
Since we knew we were going to be doing a LOT of body makeup, we opted to trim Shomariโs body hair down to the shortest we could get it. Itโs important to remove the length of the hair because powder pigments and cream colors get caught in the roots of it, making the product look textured and visible as makeup. Not to mention, Shomari called it to our attention that a trimmed body helps your muscles to look more cut and defined, which is why professional fitness competitors keep themselves smooth.
We love using the Philips Norelco One-Blade Hybrid Electric Trimmer and Shaver for body hair because it has a razor-like tip that yields a razor-like result. Without the knicks, and cuts. Another reason we use this guy is that you can shave all the way down to skin without needing shave cream, or even a shower for that matter (even tho the device is waterproof and designed for it). This makes the One-Blade perfect for working on set . If youโre a professional mens groomer, itโs also important to note that this trimmer features easily removable blade heads that can be interchanged quickly from person-to-person. We even label the blades with each clientโs name so as not to cross contaminate. While trimming, make sure to keep the skin taught so that the device glides effortlessly across the surface at a 30 degree angle, this will guarantees the closest cut.
Next up, we wanted to play around with different finishes and textures on the body to achieve some other-worldly effects. We used all sorts of extragalactic goodies to add more and more dimension with metallics, shimmers, and glitters.
We started by bronzing Shomari down by mixing Body Tan Gel from Makeup Forever with Iconic Londonโs Illuminator Liquid Highlight in the shade Glow which gave his skin a surreal, android-like perfection. Then to add a little dazzle, we gently brushed over the larger areas of skin with Fenty Beautyโs Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil, which caught glints of golden, solar light.
After the sun went down, we opted to add a metallic finish to the high points of the bones & muscles of his face & body for a more futuristic feel. However, to keep it interesting we chose to try an unexpected tone that would contrast all the bronze shades weโd previously applied & to cool the look down. Mehronโs Lavender Metallic Powder was the perfect choice because it had just the right amount of warmth to prevent everything from turning too ashy or being too hard to blend into Shomariโs skin. The overall outcome was almost alien-like or robotic in a way that looked even better than expected! This professional grade, but highly affordable product comes in an array of six spacey shades to create all sorts of cosmic characters.
Shomariโs final look was inspired by the man in the moon, literally. We covered him in Moondust Face & Body Glitter [shade: moonspoon]ee by Urban Decay which made his skin sparkle like the stars themselves. The silver pants, the chrome braids, and the cowboy boots all together with the makeup made Shomari look โout of this world!โ
One thing we forgot to mention earlier, is that this concept was also largely inspired by two stellar fragrances from Tom Ford. Metallique & Ombrรฉ Leather are both rather enveloping scents that each pack a Big Bang. Wearing either of these [layered or worn alone] will have people gravitating towards you in no time, and youโll most certainly catch the vibes that our gaucho-from-another-galaxy would don when he wanted to feel extra special. Described as a metallic sheath, Metallique is a dry, powdery/aldehydic scent powered by the wildly intoxicating heliotrope flower. Heliotrope has been known to calm and sooth with light undertones of vanilla and marzipan.
Ombrรฉ Leather, on the other hand, is grounded in warm & spicy notes that sport a divinely masculine essence. Amber and Musk heat up the fragrance as if it was warmed by the sun, and patchouli & vรฉtiver add the last layer of ruggedness to our ranchero. Surely after a long day catching comets and shooting at stars, this is exactly the type of fragrances to supply a celestial spirit to your costume and truly bring this persona to life.