Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge

[itsfi]

Hey BIC beauties! One of my goals this year is to try to put together a makeup capsule with a handful (okay, maybe a large handful, in my case) of products that will work for me for an every day look and special occasions. Given my current collection, I won't need to be starting from scratch. 😂 So, I'm treating this capsule makeup collection challenge like a shop my stash and declutter adventure all in one. Would love for you to join me if and when you can.

If this is something that interests you or just piques your curiosity, please feel free to use this thread to document and challenge yourself to

(1) use what you have / shop your stash; and

(2) determine which products in your collection to keep, which to declutter, and which to try again another day. All with the goal of curating a set of makeup products that will help you achieve a signature look - and maybe a few additional products for other looks in your daily life, including looks for special occasions or events.

Every week, I will post a group of makeup products I plan to choose from (i.e., shopping my stash) for my looks during the week. The themes / prompts are guides and if you have a certain interpretation or approach you want to take with it, go for it! Not every product has to fit squarely within the theme; it can be just one item.

CURRENT WEEKLY THEMES: [UPDATED 4.27.2024]

Spoiler

Week 17 (April 22 - 28) - The "Green" Makeup Capsule and/or The Sephora Spring Savings Makeup Capsule - In honor of Earth Day (April 22), let's assemble a "green" capsule for the week. What does it mean to be "green", you ask? You tell me! Here are a handful of meanings "green" can have - 

• Sustainable
• "Clean" by whatever standard you want - Clean at Sephora? Natural? Non-toxic? 
• The color - either the product itself or the packaging, or both
• New or young
• Other - your definition (oh, inquiring minds will want to know, so do also share your definition of green)

Or, if you have one or more products you picked up from the Sephora Spring Savings Event, show them off with a capsule highlighting one product or all of them. A shop-your-Sephora sale-stash, if you will.  

Week 18 (April 29 - May 5) - The April 2024 Edition of "On Top" or "On The Chopping Block" Makeup Capsule and/or The "More Play Time With My Sephora Savings Event Hauls" Makeup Capsule - Were there makeup products from April that stood out to you - good or bad? Did you discover any new (or tried-and-true) favorites this month? Are there products you've been on the fence about? Create a makeup capsule with one or any combination of these ideas. OR show us what beauties you picked up during the Sephora Savings Event. Now's the time to play (or to keep playing) with that newness (and those beloved restocks) you hauled during the sale! 

Week 19 (May 6 - 12) - The AAPI Owned / Founded Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule - To celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Month, let's curate a capsule with one or more makeup products from AAPI owned or founded makeup brands. [NOTE: A non-exhaustive list of AAPI owned or founded beauty brands can be found in the spoiler below ⤵️]

Week 20 (May 13 - 19) - The "Sleeping Beauties" Makeup Capsule and/or The "OMG, More Stuff From the Sephora Spring Savings" Makeup Capsule - I was inspired by the theme of this year's Met Gala, "Sleeping Beauties" - go through your stash and create a makeup capsule with beauties that have been sleeping in your stash and could use love and attention. Or, were there makeup products you picked during the Sephora Spring Savings Sale that are just now making their way to you (or that you are now getting to)? Put them in a capsule, by themselves or mix in a few "Sleeping Beauty" products. 

Week 21 (May 20 - 26) - The "My Best Self" Makeup Capsule - May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Curate a capsule with products that make you look and feel your very best

Week 22 (May 27 - June 2) - The May 2024 "On Top" or "On The Chopping Block" Makeup Capsule - it's that time again, curate a capsule with your standout or favorite products this month or products you're trying to decide whether to keep or declutter. 

AAPI Owned / Founded Makeup Brands

Spoiler

Below is a non-exhaustive list of makeup brands founded or co-founded / owned or co-owned by Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) - the brands listed are primarily ones that offer makeup / color cosmetics.  To the extent the founder's identify cannot be determined by the brand name, his/her/their name(s) will appear in parens next to the brand name. Brands with an asterisk (*) next to their name denotes that that brand is available at Sephora.

CLE Cosmetics (Lauren Jin)

CTZN Cosmetics (Aleena Khan, Aleezeh Khan, and Naseeha Khan)

Em Cosmetics (Michelle Phan)

* Glow Recipe (Christine Chang and Sarah Lee)

Jason Wu Beauty

Kimchi Chic Beauty (Kim Chi)

* Kulfi Beauty (Priyanka Ganjoo)

Live Tinted (Deepica Mutyala)

* Mango People (Sravya Adusumilli)

Meloway Makeup (Aiden Kim and Ash Kim)

* One/Size by Patrick Starrr

Orce Cosmetics (Yu-Chen Shih)

Ourself (Lauren Otsuki)

* Patrick Ta Beauty

Purlisse Beauty (Jennifer Yen)

Seraphine Botanicals (Sylvia Phann)

The Creme Shop (Theresa and Lawrence Kim)

* Tower 28 Beauty (Amy Liu)

U Beauty (Tina Craig)

* Wander Beauty (Divya Gugnani)

Yensa Beauty (Jennifer Yen)

Youthforia (Fiona Co Chan)

FAQs: [Updated 4.28.2024]

Spoiler

What is a capsule makeup collection?  

A capsule makeup collection is a selection of makeup products that can be used to put together different looks for a variety of occasions. For some of us, that may mean a group of essential products for your everyday look plus a few extra items for a more glam or dramatic look; and, for others of us, that may mean, a lineup of our holy grail product(s) in each makeup category. My ideal capsule makeup collection probably falls somewhere in between - we'll (hopefully) find out at the end of the year! I don't see myself as a minimalist, but I don't have an extensive collection of makeup either. I appreciate the collections of people who fall within both camps but I float somewhere in between - on the one hand, my brow product collection would earn a gold star if we were using a minimalist approach to makeup; my lip product lineup, on the other hand, would not. 🤣 It would most definitely not.  

Why have a capsule makeup collection?  

Everyone will have their own reasons for having (or not having) a more streamlined makeup collection. Over the years, I've just become more interested in having less beauty products on hand (well, except for lip products, lol) - a handful of items I use or reach for more frequently with maybe a few additional products that are go-to's for me for special events or occasions.  Don't get me wrong, I love trying new products and I don't see that changing. I just like the idea of having a simpler collection (I appreciate that "simpler" can be relative), curated to my needs and lifestyle.

Why weekly? 
A few years ago, beauty & lifestyle blogger Serein Wu, did a weekly series (on her blog and YouTube channel), Makeup Bag Monday, where she rotated her makeup bag each week with new product launches and makeup already in her collection. Every Monday, she shared the products she selected for the upcoming week and provided detailed makeup reviews on the makeup she used for the previous week. I may not post detailed reviews, but will at least try to include a weekly recap (probably at the end of the week) of what products I like and which ones didn't work for me.  If weekly works for you, great. If not, feel free to join in based on what works best for you.

What if I don't have enough products to fit the theme for a full face?

No need for your entire makeup capsule to fit the weekly theme(s). Just one will do. And, even if you don't have one that fits squarely within a theme, feel free to post your makeup capsule. We'd love to see what you're using and hear your feedback on the products as you put them to use. 

I'm excited to see what results from this experiment and I welcome everyone to join in this adventure, whenever and however is most effective for you. 

[itsfi]

Week 18: The April 2024 "On Top" and "On The Chopping Block" (with some Sephora Sale Newness 😚) Makeup Capsule

Week 18 brings us a mix of products - some are included because I’m debating whether to keep them as part of my stash, some are tried-and-true beauties from this month’s capsules, and some others are in that “undecided” zone. 

Product Details: Products with a 🛍 next to its name means I picked it up at the recent Sephora sale, while products with an ❓emoji next to its tag / name (there's a lot 😬) indicates that it is a product I'm currently undecided about - should it stay or should it go now?

Spoiler

COMPLEXION:

🌿  Farsali Skintune Blur Perfecting Primer Serum❓ is a nice, lightweight, soft cream in a pretty green and gold bottle, but I'm just not sure I need another primer. 

🌻  Kosas BB Burst Tinted Moisturizer Gel Cream with Copper Peptides is a good product, though I'm not sure it's a standout of my stash, which isn't so much its fault as it is that I have a lot of products in my collection that fit in the tinted moisturizer category

🌸  HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer with Fermented Arnica has been remarkable at concealing a few (large) zits around my mouth, without feeling heavy or looking cakey for the most part.  

🪻  Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder is one of my oft reached for tried-and-true setting products.

🪷  MAC Stay Over Alcohol-Free 24Hr Setting Spray - I hadn't realized just how many setting sprays I had in my stash until this challenge. How well will this hold up to the rest? FYi, I will not be putting this to a 24 hour test. 

EYES: 

👁️  Sephora Collection Boost + Lock Eyeshadow Primer (discontinued)❓ is another product that is good but suffers from having to compete with other similar products in my stash that are just as good if not better.

🤎  MERIT Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer Clay (not pictured)❓ I've repurposed it as an eyeshadow but I'm not sure that'll be enough to keep it around. I've gotten a little more color and plan to see how it works out as an actual bronzer now that I have some warmth to my complexion. 

🪴 PATRICK TA Major Brow Lamination Gel 0.17 oz/ 5 mL ❓ isn't something I've been able to work for me the way I want it to. 

🌺  LAWLESS The One & Done Volumizing Mascara Black ❓ If I were a betting person, I wouldn't wager on this one sticking around after this week. 😬 My oily lids really do a number on this one. 

CHEEKS:

🌹  Dior Forever Glow Maximizer Longwear Liquid Highlighter 014 Rosy a last minute, unplanned purchase. One I do not regret. Beautiful blush and highlighter in one.

💫  Ami Colé Desert Date Cream Blush & Lip Multistick Hibiscus will serve double duty this week, as another option for blush and also paired together with the Fenty lipgloss, one of my favorite pairings (discovered through this challenge 🙌) 

☀️  MERIT Bronzer (Clay) will be used (in addition as eyeshadow this week) as it was meant to be used - as bronzer

LIPS: 

😍  Fenty Gloss Bomb Crystal Holographic Lip Luminzer (limited edition)(discontinued) will be paired, once again, with the Ami Cole Hibiscus Multistick. I love this pairing! 

First Impressions (4.20.2024) - I've been wearing some combination of the products from this capsule over the last couple of days, and, for some of the undecided products, it's gonna be hard to decide what will become of them after this week. For a couple though, I've already set them aside to be decluttered. 😮

[danielledanielle]

Week 18 - I'm calling it "Started from the bottom" capsule

Dior Forever Glow Star Filter Multi-Use Complexion Enhancing Booster 6N 

Dior Forever Glow Star Filter Multi-Use Complexion Enhancing Booster 4N

Danessa Myricks Beauty Linework Paintbrush Fluid Liquid Eyeliner 0.034 oz / 1 ml 

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush Truth 

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter Mesmerize 

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Melting Bronzing & Sculpting Stick Chocolate Souffle 

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Soft’Lit Naturally Luminous Hydrating Longwear Foundation (HOMG, I hate looking for this tag)

Becca Luminous Blush Tigerlily

Laneige Glowy balm in Pear

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude mini

Forgot to include in pic :

UD primer in Caffeine 

LYS Beauty Speak Love Lip Liner Pencil Devoted

LAWLESS Forget The Filler Lip Plumper Line Smoothing Gloss Rosy Outlook 

#KVD Beauty Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow & Brow Pigment Medium Brown 

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna We're Even Hydrating Longwear Waterproof Concealer 

Spoiler

 

No it did not fit and I'll just move on from trying at this point 🤣

Week 17 quick take: I can make a look with a lot of what I have, but it's more work to do so.  I'll continue to use my dirty makeup and clean in tandem 😅

Spoiler

Also "Just a Girl" from Gxve was binned.  I gave her a good swatch and had a moment of weakness when I was able to do a half decent look, but it was time to go

There are some a lot of repeats from week 17 & week 15 (14??)

GXVE BY GWEN STEFANI Eye See in Color Clean Multidimensional Eyeshadow Palette Rich Girl 

Nars blush in Luster

Tower 28 Beauty Mini MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara Jet & Ami Colé Lash-Amplifying Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara Rich Black 

Ami Colé Skin-Enhancing Lightweight & Blurring Foundation Stick 

Hourglass Mini Ambient Lighting Bronzer Radiant Bronze Light 

ROSE INC Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Color Dahlia (works better on me as a lip color than a blush)

Dior Forever Glow Maximizer Longwear Liquid Highlighter 017 Nude 

NARS Talc-Free Powder Blush Orgasm Rush – 775 

HUDA BEAUTY Faux Filler Shiny Non-Sticky Lip Gloss Coco 

Too Faced Cocoa Bold Cream Lipstick I'm Triple Fudge and I forget the other 🤷🏽‍♀️

The cocoa bolds are in lipstick purgatory.  I've been doing more gloss + liner combos than I typically do, but I'm wondering if using these with liner will make me like them better.  I never reach for them, I just find them a bit waxy.  The pear Laneige and Lawless was also from LP, but I've been loving them and using them a lot lately.

[CynthieLu]

You made a beautiful capsule @danielledanielle I admire you trying to fit it all in your pretty CT bag. 😉 💖

I noticed you used 2 different shades of Star Filter, are you finding you can use them to add depth and contrast? I liked the idea of picking up a deeper shade to use for a little contour definition. But I imagine the deeper shade would last me years 😂

[danielledanielle]

@CynthieLu, shade 6 runs pretty orange for me, so I would think of the deeper ones more as bronzers if you aren't that tone vs 5 and under which seem cooler and neutral.  My forehead is also a slightly different shade than the rest of my face, so if I wanted to apply a complexion product up there, I might use a darker foundation or a bronzer.

[itsfi]

I find "clean" and "dirty" can play well together and love to mix it up @danielledanielle, though I've realized I could do full face capsules devoted to each if I wanted to. 😂 I'm pretty sure that just confirms that I have a lot, not that I needed that confirmed. lol

That's awesome that you are getting more use out of the Laneige & Lawless. I've been discovering or (re)discovering items I hadn't used in a while (as well as, errrr, ones I forgot I had 😬) Ahhh, Becca, how we miss you. 

Wait, do you not need a setting powder or spray to keep your makeup in place. Ohhhh, I'm jealous! Oooh, do you layer the Tower 28 and Ami Cole mascaras? Or are you setting up a duel between them? Or, just having options?

[danielledanielle]

Ha! You've caught my negligence @itsfi .  I do use both, there are some days when I can go without...That's usually in winter.  Because I'm trying not to open up multitudes of powders, I usually use the same one and forget to include it.  It sits in a specific place in the bathroom and doesn't really move.

I'm still on Ami Colé Skin Melt Talc-Free Loose Setting Powder Deep / Medium .  I called it persnickety earlier in the thread, and got the reminder why when I used it with its intended brush.  Powder. All. Over.  It really is better with a puff, and a sponge!  It's pretty good for baking.

For setting spray, I cracked open my ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Mini On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray 1 oz/ 46 mL (non glitter) and been using that.  It works so well, and I've gotten used to the fragrance at this point.

🤣 Mascara battle.  Not exactly.  Trying to work through the tower.  It's one of those it works for everyone else, but not me.  I can't get that lift!  But, it separates my lashes so nicely.

[itsfi]

Yeah, that One Size is a good one @danielledanielle; I just have to be extra about keeping my skin hydrated and very well moisturized before and after using it. 

I will be putting the Tower 28 mascara to use for the first time next week. I’ll let you know if I will join you in the “I’m the only one this doesn’t work for” club. That rings true for me as far as the Tower 28 SOS Rescue Spray goes. It’s HG status for so many and I think that’s fabulous. For me, it’s just meh 🫤 I’ve wanted it to be more than just meh but sadly, no. 

Oh yes, mascara battles are my new thing now. On the weekends. Or, at least one of those days I try to get in a mascara battle. 

[itsfi]

A weekend capsule and recap of Week 17

Week 17 - Days 6 & 7: I had two different capsules prepared for both Saturday and Sunday but wasn't feeling so great so I ended up doing something simple, quick & easy peasy. It's a hodgepodge of products, some that fit one or both themes and others that do not fit either. 😂 

Except for the Kulfi Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner Cheeky Chiku these are all products I've used before. I'm still getting the hang of the Kulfi liner so I'll provide feedback on that at another time. @jaaayp posted a photo of an amazing tightline with it on the March 2024 Monthly Favorites thread. Mine did not turn out that way ... at all. I ended up applying it as close as I could to my upper lash line and then smudging it with a Q-tip so it looked like eyeshadow/soft eyeliner in one. Everything else is a product I love or like a lot! 😍 Enogh that they could make their way to a favorites post of their own at some point. 

RECAP: Week 17 - The "Green" or Sephora Sales Haul Makeup Capsule

Even with all the products used last week, I had only 2 declutters and only one was actually part of one of the week's capsules. 🙄 Whittling down my stash is going to be more challenging that I thought, and I was not expecting it to be easy!

🏡  A'pieu Juicy & Pang Water Blusher (Guava Pearl PK03) is a pretty color and the packaging is really cute, but the shade is too light for me and it would take a lot to build it up given the sheerness of the formula. I have one or two other shades from this line and am hoping that they'll be a better fit for my complexion. If I didn't have a couple of blushes that I like (and, since I'm not a huge blush girl, I really am content with just a few), I'd keep at trying to make it work. This will be rehomed.

🏡The Iris&Romeo Ceramide Multi Balm (Daylight) was a gwp. I know Sephora has started carying the brand but i don't think this multi-balm has made its way here. Daylight is more skincare than makeup as it doesn't show up on me at all and, while I have gotten more sun than I have in years, my skintone at the moment would be light-medium, maybe, and that's a big maybe. This multi-balm comes in other, more pigmented, shades and For they're probably something I'd check out in the fall/winter months. This one though is being re-homed.

Declutters for the week = 2, both going to people and places who will make use of them. 👍

[jaaayp]

I love your day 6/7 @itsfi I see so many loves in this capsule.. Eyeliner is all about practice! I think 🤔 I personally just love the shade.. I think I always expect brown liquid liner to be soft and light but it always ends up looking black on me. Also... ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray Duo Set is my HG, GOAT, I love it so much, can't live without it. As you know.. I'm oily af and this just... it's just magic 😂😂😂

[itsfi]

Yes, definitely need to practice, practice, practice with the eyeliner @jaaayp. Ever since they discontinued my favorite liquid liner 😠, I’ve been looking for something to replace it. I’ve found some good ones - Danessa Myricks and a couple from Japanese beauty brands. I just need to wear eyeliner more often. 

The One/Size setting spray is excellent at keeping my face in place! 😝 We’re heading into the seasons when my skin is oilier so I may be reaching for it more. It has been working beautifully on my T-zone. Elsewhere too, I just need to make sure that I keep the drier parts of my face extra hydrated as well. 

[jaaayp]

Ah, yes. I share the hydration sentiment when using OS @itsfi 

What was your favorite liner?! Are you a mascara girl? I actually LOVE the nyx Epic.. I think I've been using it for a decade now.. the brand Heroine makes really good eyeliner although their eyeliner that they sell in US is brown black? I think I have a real brown one that I picked up from Japan somewhere... unopened...

Clio does a really good brown too. Like a real brown. Both Clio and Heroine does NOT smudge on me and I got real oily lids (and face 😂)

[itsfi]

@jaaayp, my favorite was from Dolly Wink - 

I think they were either replaced by these liners or these liners are recommended as a substitute  - 

I have these in a few shades along with other Japanese liquid liners like 1-Day Tattoo and I may have a Clio one, but I haven’t put them to the test. I keep telling myself to grab all the liquid liners I have and to start putting all the liquid liners I have in my stash to the test over the course of several weekends. I’ll check to see if I have Clio and look into Heroine. Between my oily lids, allergies, and whatever situation I can come up with to test out how each performs. 

[jaaayp]

Ooh you know what @itsfi I have dollywink too! Possibly dried out? I should really go through my liner collection (making notes).

I believe mine is pink with black cap... is that like too old now and discontinued??? 😂😂😂

Oily lids. Ah. Yes, my friend. I think we must be twins. Although allergies haven't hit me yet **knocks on wood**

[itsfi]

@jaaayp, the Dollywink in the pink with the black cap is the regular version of their eyeliner. I think the one with the red barrel and black/m or brown caps were limited editions - I used the pink one and then saw the red ones but only for a short time. 

[danielledanielle]

Pssst @jaaayp 

Danessa Myricks Beauty Linework Paintbrush Fluid Liquid Eyeliner 0.034 oz / 1 ml 

Also, of you find a teso life, they sell heroine liners, and in black.

[jaaayp]

Tesolife does not exist where I live @danielledanielle 😢

I see that you're enabling me. ONCE AGAIN 😂😂😂😂

I WASNT EVEN LOOKING FOR A NEW LINER @danielledanielle it was @itsfi 😂😂😂😂 but now this Danessa Myricks Beauty Linework Paintbrush Fluid Liquid Eyeliner 0.034 oz / 1 ml has been added on my loves.....

[danielledanielle]

And I OOP @jaaayp  🤷🏽‍♀️

[itsfi]

The DM liner is a good one. @jaaayp @danielledanielle has worn it in several of her looks; she let me know about it when I asked what she used. Now I just need to practice, practice, practice until my line looks as clean and tight as both of yours! 😍😍

[jaaayp]

@itsfi @danielledanielle 

All I hear is "low buy no buy" x76,393,881 times 🙃

[RJDT]

I love all of your posts. They’re amazing

[itsfi]

@RJDT, I'm learning so much from everyone here about a host of products - some I've used; others I want to pick up, and, still others that I have in my stash but haven't gotten around to. Hearing feedback from others about how an item performed for them or the tips and tricks they've shared about using a product has been super helpful. It's really so helpful to hear from folks who have used the products! 😁