Elf Ear Tutorial: How to apply fake elf ears

How to Apply Fake Elf Ears
Elf Prosthetic Ears Tutorial Instructions
Courtesy of AradaniCostumes.com

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How to apply the ears:
To attach your elf ears to your ears, all you need is a small amount of spirit gum. Spirit gum is one of many prosthetic adhesives available on the market, however we have found that it is the easiest to use, easiest to clean up, and gentlest on the skin. A little bit goes a long way, so when applying it, only use a small amount. We have found that our 1/8 ounce bottle puts on about 100 pairs of elf ears.

When attaching your ears, here are the simple steps to transform you into an elf in no time.

1) Apply a small amount of spirit gum to the following areas of the prosthetic, a little on the front flap and a little on the back curve.

2) Being careful not to get any spirit gum in your hair, carefully slide the ear over your own into position. It is usually a good idea to practice doing this in the mirror without spirit gum, until you are able to slide it on easily.

3) Press and hold the two areas for about 1 minute (a little longer if the temperature is lower). I find that the following hand position is the easiest to get a good hold.

4) There are two approaches at masking the ears and making them look more natural. The professional and involved method requires painting flesh latex to hide the seam. Wait until the latex dries, and paint another layer until you have a nice smoothe transition from latex to skin. Once the final coat is dry use make-up to paint the area and blend it in..

The other method is easier and much quicker (and is the method used by the Bielaczyc brothers and our customers on the road). Use your hair to hide the front flap that attaches to your temple, and use ear cuffs to hide the bottom seam on the back curve.

If you are wearing the troll or large anime ears, we recommend putting a small dab of spirit gum on the lip of the back side of the ear. Because of their height, this helps prevent the larger elf ears from flipping forward over your ears.