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!
 

Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Eye Treatment - review

Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Eye Treatment cream

Today's guest post courtesy of MontyC, who has been using the Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Eye Treatment cream now for six months or so.  Take it away, C...

Trish McEvoy Treatment Foundation SPF15 - review

Trish McEvoy Treatment Foundation

I was really excited about trying this one out - after all, it's not everyday you spend €73 or thereabouts on a bottle of "face tint".  Then again, I didn't spend that either - I bought it in the recent Harvey Nichols event a couple of weeks back at (I think) 20% off.

Still, even with discount, it was not a cheap foundation.  And a few weeks of usage later, I'm still waiting for the magic to happen :-(

The Christmas Edition 2013

I was speaking with a couple of friends about Christmas - and it did occur to me that I am not feeling it this year.  The run-up to the festive season couldn't have been more different for us here this year, and by "different" I mean "monumentally uninteresting".  Our usual trip to London didn't happen.  For personal reasons, we had to cancel a lot of our usual pre-Christmas visitors and visits.  I'm not complaining, I'm simply musing on the whys and wheretofores of what happened and why it is not Christmassy yet in my head!

Anyhow, I have decided that each and every day between here and Christmas is going to be Christmassy.  I'll do that by scheduling some meetings with friends for Christmas drinks.  By attending some Christmas parties.  By gatecrashing one or two others that I was kinda-half-invited to (if only for a drink and then leave!)  By wearing Christmas makeup - either from Christmas collection purchases, or typical OTT sparkly gold-y-ish makeup.  And lashes.  By deciding I'm not going to do my roots, and treating myself to a salon visit for a balyage refresh instead.  By digging out my skyscraper heels and treating myself to a blister pack of, well, blister packs ;-) in the local chemist in their honour!  By taking out some sparkledy earrings and fancy frocks and pairing one with the other.  By putting all of my wrapped Christmas gifts underneath the tree, ready for gifting on the day itself.  And last, but not least, but inventing cocktails and calling them something "Christmas-related" ;-)

 And I'm starting all of this by re-capping on the Christmas posts I've produced this year - by far the most I've ever done.

Molton Brown Vita B3 Eye Concentrate

Out and about this evening and don't have time to edit down my two half-prepared posts, and then it occurred to me - but I've been using this stuff for the last two weeks, why not post about that!

I was surprised, pleasantly surprised, to find it really, really good...

La Roche-Posay Lipikar range for Eczema - review

La Roche-Posay Lipikar range of products 

Did you know that over 50 million people in Europe alone suffer from eczema?  As a child I had bad eczema on my arms - I have memories of my elbows being bandaged on a daily basis.  Although it has been a long time since I suffered from the dreadful itch and attendant dry skin associated with eczema, I know of others who suffer badly.  My brother's hands used to get so bad they'd literally crack, and look like they'd been cut to shreds.  Thankfully, although he still gets the odd (usually stress-related) attack, he's no longer afflicted as badly as he used to be.  My other half also gets eczema, usually a low-grade, persistent tiny rash on the backs of both of his calfs, which is barely perceptible, but still drives him mad scratching it.  So he seemed like a good candidate to try out the Lipikar range from La Roche-Posay.

Yves Saint Laurent Youth Liberator Serum Foundation - review

YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation

Foundation has come a long way baby.

Back when I reached the age where I discovered makeup, my options (which were few to begin with) were limited and foundation was just foundation - all it did was cover your face (panstick, anyone?), and let's not even talk about colour matching - that was the luck of the draw!  These days, the notion that foundation is just foundation is almost alien.  Nowadays, just like you have winter and summer clothes, you can have winter and summer foundations.  Depending on what you want, you can now buy foundations that mimic, sooth, hide, blur, highlight, you name it.  The options (and price points) are endless.  The latest stage in the Evolution of Foundation is the foundation with skincare benefits.  I believe that this is the future of foundation, especially for us ladies with more mature skin.

(Today's guest post is provided by the ever-lovely MontyC, thanks as always C!)

Elemis Pro Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm - review

Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm

Flash balms are one of those weird products.  Not quite a moisturiser, not quite a primer, not quite a luminiser, not quite a serum.  Designed to be used either to replace moisturiser under makeup, or as a primer (on top of moisturiser and underneath makeup), these are supposed to give your skin a bit of a boost glow.

I got a half-sized GWP of the Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm with recent Elemis purchases.  I am a fan of the Pro-Radiance range so I was looking forward to trying it out.

Chanel Sublimage Essential Comfort Cleanser - review

Chanel Sublimage Essential Comfort Cleanser

OK so... when I say I'm about to review an €80 cleanser (a cleanser, what the eff?!) some people will feel that I've lost the run of myself.  But read on, because expensive and all as it is, it's a beaut...

Today's post very kindly provided by my occasional guest writer, the lovely Ms MontyC, who has the same regard for Chanel's skincare as I have traditionally had for Crème de la Mer (but she's slowly converting me!)  Thanks so much C!