Before the Curse

Once upon a time, she was the most beloved artisan in the district. Known for her astonishingly lifelike dolls, she worked in a cozy shop bursting with color, warmth, and the faint scent of varnish. Each piece was handcrafted with meticulous detail - glass eyes that caught the light, soft skin painted with delicate blush, lips with a gentle curve.
But admiration turned to obsession. As a spinster, the Dollmaker yearned for a child of her own, like the sweet children who would peer in through her window at her perfectly crafted creations.
She became consumed with the idea that she could create not just toys, but life! She read of spells, ancient binding oils, and tales of entrapping souls. Visitors swore they saw her whispering to her creations, her fingers lingering on their faces longer than necessary. The locals began to grow wary of the Dollmaker’s behaviour when one autumn night, the shop’s light burned past midnight, the faint sounds of scissors could be heard slicing through silks and fabrics as the Dollmaker hummed old nursery rhymes, locals gathered in a small group at the end of the street curiously concerned as a strange chill fell over the street and the lights in the toy store went out.

The Forbidden Act

The Dollmaker had begun to work with something new - soul-infused clay. Thick, supple, and disturbingly skin-like, it molded beneath her touch with unnerving realism. Some claimed it was crafted with rare minerals and ancient binding oils; others whispered it wasn’t clay at all. It felt like the playful pinch of a child’s cheek, like Kryolan Artex. Her goal was simple: to create a doll so real it just might breathe. She meticulously applied make-up to her new creation instead of her usual paints and varnishes, all in the attempt to inject life into her work. As she added the final touches with swipes of High Glow, tweeks of HD Cream Liner and subtle tints of Lip Stain she read the rehearsed spell in a deep muffled voice and with the last swipe of Satin Powder across the cheek she felt a soft exhale of air leave the lips of her doll and watched in disbelief as the eyes slowly moved to meet her gaze.

Little did she know in that moment that she had awakened an ancient spirit that did not take kindly to her meddling.

The Curse Takes Hold

That night, she finished her first soul-clay doll, the workshop grew cold. The oil lamp guttered; shadows stretched unnaturally long. And then, one by one, the other dolls and toys on the shelves began to move.
First, a slow turn of the head. Then, a blinking of glass eyes. And then - smiles.
The ancient spirit’s curse spread through the shop like creeping mold. Paint cracked across porcelain cheeks. Silk gowns dulled and frayed. The once-bright space darkened into a cavern of aged lace, rotting wood, and quiet whispers. The Dollmaker was terrified as the smiles turned to snarls, every doll stared deep into her eyes, and she felt like gravity was pulling her down to the floor. As she collapsed to her hands and knees, the lights went out, and a blood-curdling scream echoed through the street.

A Living Nightmare

The next morning, like clockwork, the open sign was turned in the window, and passers-by stood in awe at the most lifelike creations in the window, spellbound by their beauty as they entered the toy shop.
Some say anyone who stepped inside was claimed by the curse.
Some claimed they witnessed for a brief moment, their faces powdered pale, a spiderweb of fine cracks etched across their hardened skin. Others are never seen again, their likeness found days later in the window display - posed in Victorian lace, head tilted unnaturally, eyes wide and unblinking.

The Haunted Doll Shop Today

Step inside - if you dare - and the air turns stale and sweet. A faint giggle drifts from somewhere unseen. The slow scrape of ceramic feet shuffles across the floorboards. You feel eyes on you…not just from the shelves, but from the corners where the shadows gather.
Glass eyes glimmer in the dark, each one following your movement. Your breath clouds in the cold air. Somewhere in the back, the Dollmaker hums a tune - the same song she sang when painting lips and cheeks, long before the curse.
But now, her hands are cold, her eyes shine like glass, and her smile…cracked.

The Artistry Behind the Horror

For this year’s Halloween campaign, the Kryolan team brought The Curse of the Dollmaker to life through the perfect blend of beauty and terror.
• Pale Porcelain Skin: Created with Kryolan’s Coloring Vision Palette 18 Colors (Skin), for flawless coverage, layered with البودرة الشفافى 50جم (TL 1) for a matte, antique finish. Layers of High Glow and بقمنت باودر الإضاءة الحريريه 40 جم were added to the high points to give a porcelain sheen.
• Cracked Effects: Achieved with أرتكس & HPS - A10 F High Performance Silicone Fast Set 1 kg, details were added using FX Design Color Palette 15 Colors for highlights and shadow.
• Eerie Eyes: Painted onto the lids using محدد كريمي عالي الجودة ( جل لاينر ) HD & باليت ظلال العيون 18 لونا (V 2), adding that unsettling “almost alive” stare.

Will You Brave the Dollmaker’s Studio?

The Dollmaker waits - her shelves not yet full, her collection never complete. If you step inside, you may leave with the most exquisite transformation of your life. But beware…you might never leave at all.

This Halloween, enter the world of The Dollmaker’s Curse with Kryolan’s artistry at its most haunting. Transform…if you dare.