2013: The Year in Review

I started out this post thinking I'd do a recap of the products that I discovered this year and loved, then realised, nope, Make Up For Dolls has come a long way in the last year, and I wanted to do a recap, not in a boasty way, but just as a reminder of some of the highlights - things I got up to, things I posted about, stuff that was fun and different and interesting!

Of course the absolute crowning moment for me this year was the creation of my very own red lipstick, following on from a lot of researching and back-and-forth on the subject with the fabulous folks at Cosmetics a la Carte in London.  Read all about it here.  Go on.  I'm not remotely excited about this one, still, a year on :-)

As for the rest?  Well... read on!
 
Moving on to something non-makeup related: what I got up to in February last (something I'd always always wanted to do!) involved sewing and swearing (in equal measures!) and there was a little bit of makeup-related stuff too at the event itself.

A lipstick or a piece of pottery?  I got this Berber makeup as a gift from a family member who had spent a month travelling around Morocco.  Sharing it here as it's just a little different than what we're used to in the West :-)
I also attended one of the Illamasqua launches - this one for ImPerfection and had my caricature drawn by the very talented Achraf Amiri (I really must frame this, it's very cool!)

I told you all what I thought of my experience with laser hair removel, a year on...
And I showed you how you could have an entire makeup kit (brushes and cosmetics) for less than €160.  Look here (although I'm not certain that Lauren Luke brushes are still available - but I can supply alternatives to anyone who wants more information - just get in touch, or look at my suggestions for where to purchase makeup brushes from, here).
Make Up For Dolls blog also got its own app for Android devices!  Although I didn't spend a huge amount of time on it, and it must be side-loaded, here are the step-by-step instructions for installing it - it looks complicated but it really isn't, I promise you!

In between all of this, I attended product launches, I used and reviewed products, I held a bootcamp class, a bunch of pamper parties and some occasional makeovers (bridals, debs, Christmas parties, the usual).  I held a lot of giveways and competitions when I hit some interesting statistics/targets.  I've met some wonderful people (bloggers, makeup artists, PR reps and more!)  And I even tried to get away from the computer and have a life, a bit.  It takes a lot of organizing, this life thing, in between the blogs and the two jobs!!!

On that note, this will be my last post before the Christmas break - I was going to try to post every day this week but honestly, I need to go and get the gifts and the house sorted out, or there will be no Christmas Chez Nous.  I'll be back in the new year with a bang and some announcements about the blog and hopefully, if I've had time, a bit of a facelift.  The blog.  Not me :-)

I just wanted to take a few minutes to recap.  And to be thankful for the very full and very productive year I've had.  And to say thank you to all those who have supported me (the makeup artist), the blog (including the facebook page, google+ site, twitter and other social networking mechanisms I half manage to partly maintain!) There have been some difficult times this year, personally for me, and I know for some of my readers also who are in occasional contact.  I hope that next year finds us all well and that you all enjoy the holiday season, if you're celebrating it!

Xx
Siobhán