Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2025

[itsfi]

Summer is officially here, BIC! 😎 And we’ll have some easy breezy weekly capsule makeup prompts over the next few months to match the season. Whether having set of makeup products at the ready each week makes it easier to get ready in the mornings, or if you're looking for a fun way to shop your stash / use what you already have (or what newness that you pick up along the way), welcome! 👋 Please feel free to join in weekly or as a theme suits your style or piques your interests. We love seeing (and being inspired by) what beauties everyone is using. 💋

 

How does this work?

To add a little bit of fun and creativity to curating a makeup capsule, there will be a weekly theme or prompt on which that week's group of beauty products will touch upon. There's no need to have every single product for the week fit the theme exactly. All you need is one product. And, truth be told, how that product fits into the weekly theme is subject to interpretation. Yours, primarily. So, please feel free to be creative. This is about finding a set of makeup products that work for you and your lifestyle, whether already in your collection or waiting to be discovered (or, in some instances, re-discovered) by you. 

How Can / Do I Participate?  

There are several ways you can participate - You can post a photo of the products you use or tag and list them, as you like. You can give someone's post a heart and / or ask questions about products in someone's capsule. You can post a different capsule every week or once a month or every once in a while, when a theme grabs your interest or draws your attention. 

When and where are/will the weekly themes posted?

The weekly themes are (or will be) included in the original post - under the section titled "Current Makeup Capsule Theme" or "Upcoming Makeup Capsule Theme". Occasionally, I will post a link to a separate post with the monthly themes.

▶️  CURRENT MAKEUP CAPSULE THEME  

Week 29 (July 14 - 20) - The Sizzling Summer Samples Makeup Capsule
C'mon, I know we have them; some of us have piles of them - samples waiting to be put to use. Now's our chance. Look through your stash for one or more makeup sample to put to use in a sizzling summer samples makeup capsule.  Who knows?! You may find a product this week that is a "must have" or a Love At First Sample!!! 🥰.

If you have samples of cheek products, consider putting them in your capsule and use them as part of the Summer Cheek Challenge 2025: A Song & A Slay. If you use up your sample, be sure to check out Foil Challenge!

 UPCOMING Makeup Capsule Themes: [Updated 6.29.2025]

Spoiler

For additional upcoming makeup capsule themes, check out July 2025 Makeup Capsule Themes

Previous Capsule Themes: [Updated: 7.14.2025]

Spoiler

1 - The "New Year, New-To-You" Makeup Capsule  
2 - The "Mocha Mousse" Inspired Makeup Capsule
3 - The "Favorite Feature(s) Focus" Makeup Capsule  
4 - The "How Low Can I Go?" Makeup Capsule
5 - The "Lunar New Year 2025 Zodiac Sign Lucky Colors" Makeup Capsule  

February 2025 Capsule Themes <Click on link ⬅️ for more detailed description of capsule themes>
6 - The "Black Founded/Owned Beauty Brand(s)" Makeup Capsule
7 - The "Dynamic Duo, Trusted Trio or Killer Combo" Makeup Capsule
8 - The "New York Fashion Week Inspired" Makeup Capsule and/or The "Celeb-Inspired" Makeup Capsule
9 - The Throwback Makeup Capsule

March 2025 Capsule Makeup Themes <Click on link ⬅️ for more detailed description of capsule themes> 
10 - The "International Women Founded / Owned Beauty Brand" Makeup Capsule and/or The Palette(s) Makeup Capsule
11 - The Samples Makeup Capsule  and/or The "Attitude of Gratitude" Makeup Capsule
12 - The "Spring Is In The Air" Makeup Capsule
13 - The "Take 2" / Do Over" Makeup Capsule 

April 2025 Capsule Makeup Themes <Click on link ⬅️ for more detailed description of capsule themes> 
14 - The Spring Sticks Makeup Capsule
15 - The Flush of Color Makeup Capsule 
16 - The Spring Refresh Makeup Capsule 
17 - The “Green” Makeup Capsule 
18 - The Makeup-Artist-Founded/Owned Brand Makeup Capsule 

May 2025 Capsule Makeup Themes <Click on link ‌‌⬅️ for more detailed description of capsule themes> 
19 - The  Asian American Pacific Islander Founded / Owned Beauty Brands Makeup Capsule
20 - The "Tailored For You" Makeup Capsule
21 - The Vacation Makeup Capsule
22 - The Musician Founded / Owned Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule

June 2025 Capsule Makeup Themes <Click on link ‌‌⬅️ for more detailed description of capsule themes> 
23 - The Love Is Love Makeup Capsule 
24 - The Sleeping Beauties Makeup Capsule and/or The "Shop My Stash Makeup Capsule
25 - The "Welcome, Summer!" Makeup Capsule
26 - The "My Best Self" Makeup Capsule

July 2025 Capsule Makeup Themes <Click on link ‌‌⬅️ for more detailed description of capsule themes> 
27 - The Indie Brands Makeup Capsule and/or The Canadian Founded/Owned Brands Makeup Capsule  
28 -  The Multi-Taskers / Repurposed Makeup Capsule and/or The "On The Go: Summer Edit" Makeup Capsule 

Additional FAQs

Spoiler

Why weekly? 
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. My reviews here will likely not be as detailed, but I will at least try to include a few thoughts about the products at the end of the week or beginning of the next week.  If weekly works for you, great. If not, feel free to join in based on what works best for you. 

Having a weekly capsule at the ready at (or near) the beginning of the week has also been helpful with making getting ready in the morning easier and more efficient, and that, has made it more fun too. It's also a great way for me to see how well a product performs with other products and that makes the decision to keep, donate, re-home or toss an item a lot easier. Also want to note that if the makeup for the week's capsule is not something you want to use for the entire week, that's fine, too. I generally use the makeup in the week's capsule 4-6 days during the week, sometimes more, sometimes less. 

When are the weekly themes posted?
I generally try to post the themes for the next month about two weeks before the start of that next month (so around the 15th of each month, give or take a few days), except that, for this month, weekly themes for weeks 2 thru 5 for January will be posted by or before end of the day on January 2. Weekly themes are updated at the end of the then current week (e.g., Sunday). This year, I will plan to update the weekly themes the Sunday before the start of the next week's theme, around 9pm Pacific / 10pm Mountain / 11pm Central / 12midnight Eastern Time.

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

There's need for your entire makeup capsule to fit the weekly theme(s). Just one item 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 - are they a favorite or a potential favorite? Are they just 'meh'? Or, is it time to declutter the item(s) from your stash?

Is there anything else I should include in my capsule?
It's all up to you what to include in your capsule. Some weeks, my capsule consists of completely different items than the week before. Other weeks, I've swapped out just a few items or have included additional items in one category of products - some of us refer to this as giving us options for the week. 

You may see reference to "fits." That was creatively coined by our fabulous @danielledanielle and refers to the bag or component that will hold the week's makeup and, specifically, does all the makeup for the week's capsule fit into the bag / storage component. You ca also include the makeup brushes and tools you use for application, if you wish.

[danielledanielle]

Week 29: Summer Camp with a Sample 

I'm on a contouring kick, so I'm in the Mocha Mousse/Neutral phase that usually kicks in Aug/Sep 😂🤷🏽‍♀️. For Summer Cheek Challenge 2025: A Song & A Slay , I wanted a bonfire kind of look, so as smoky neutral and copper/terracotta made sense

Also, I lied to myself about tossing some things, working on whittling them when and maybe then toss.  For some reason I can't kick Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Melting Bronzing & Sculpting Stick Chocolate Caramel  .. it's so orange on me, but works as a blush? That, or I'm fooling myself.  I think Iconic London Sheer Bronze Liquid Bronzer  might go because I'm too tanned for it at this point 🤔🤞🏽🤞🏽

Skin is being fickle , yay hormones, so not too many samples, but I might give the supergoop and Danessa a go this week.

The Fit:

Almost! Wanted to use these Wicked bags for the longest and give Big Orange a rest. 

[itsfi]

Week 29 - The Sizzling Summer Samples Makeup Capsule  

I've been looking forward to this week's capsule for some time. It's a great way for me to work through some samples - foils, deluxe, travel-size, etc. and more often than not, I find a beauty that really works for me. Excited to see if that will be the case with this week's beauties. My wallet is not so excited as I'm going with a (mostly) Yves Saint Laurent theme with my samples capsule. 

Complexion:

- Primer: Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Blur Face Primer Blur Primer Gold  is a popular primer and one I enjoy (though I prefer the discontinued silver version). It blurs imperfections and gives a boost of radiance to the complexion. I have gone through a full size over the year, and love when YSL includes these deluxe size samples as a gwp (or its available with a promo code). 

- Foundation/Concealer: I'll treat these two types of products and, namely, the Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Foundation  and Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Creaseless Precise Angles Concealer  interchangeably this week, for the most part. Historically, I've had a challenge finding a good match with YSL foundations (the undertones) but we'll see. The cult classic Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat All Over Concealer I'll use for the inner corner of my eyes and outer corners of the nose. I'm actually surprised how well the blister packets have held up as I've been using this off and on for a bit. 

- Setting Powder: Yves Saint Laurent YSL All Hours Hyper Blur Loose Setting Powder  - I have it in the shade 04 and the Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Hyper Finish 24H Multi-Use Natural Matte Powder 1  

- Setting Spray: Deviating (ever so slightly) from the YSL with the L'Oreal Setting Spray - YSL Beauty is part of L'Oreal's luxury division; hence, the slight deviation from YSL. I'm on the fence with this one but am going to give it another week. More detailed thoughts on the spray are in the recap below of last week's capsule products. 

Eyes: 

- Primer: Most days this week, it'll be a combination of the concealer and setting powder for my eye primer. 

- Eyeshadow: Going with the beautiful Yves Saint Laurent Couture Mini Clutch Eyeshadow Palette 100 Stora Dolls  #, a Pan It! - 2025 Challenge product and one of my favorite eyeshadow palettes. The colorway is gorgeous and this quad performs quite beautifully - for everyday looks as well as for nights out.

- Eye Liner: I don't have a YSL eyeliner sample.Or even a full size YSL eyeliner for that matter. Hmmm... All good. For the most part, I'll use one of the shadows from the Stora Dolls quad on the days I feel like eyeliner when I'm not otherwise testing (or feeling like testing) the MAKEUP BY MARIO Master Pigment Pro™ Eyeliner Pencil The Perfect Brown .

- Eye Brows: L'Oreal Paris Faux Brow Waterproof Eyebrow Color Pen with Hair-like Tip, another instance of keeping it in the family. I was color matched to Dark Brunette at Ulta Beauty World this past spring. I'm really familiar with the ease of tinted brow gels so it takes me a little more effort to get used to this one, but I really like it. This shade can still work on my hair, even as it's gotten lighter, but I may check out the next lighter shade, Brunette, at some point this summer. 

- Mascara: It's gotta be Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara Noir , a fave among many of the BIC beauties. The deluxe sample size was a well sought after product at the previous two Sephorias and I'm happy to see that the brand has put out a mini version. I have this in blue (which was one the star products from Sephoria 2023 in New York) and the waterproof version which may come out if needed.

Cheeks:

- Blush: I was really giddy when I found this blister sample packet of the Yves Saint Laurent Make Me Blush 12H Blurring Liquid Blush .

- Bronzer: No sample size but I do have a full sizes of their loose and pressed powder bronzers.

- Highlighter: I didn't think I had a YSL highlighter (full or sample size) but the Yves Saint Laurant Nu Glow in Balm has a slight sheen to it that could work. This was part of the gwp's.

Most of my products this week will be sample size YSL products, with the exception of the Stora Dolls quad. Of the "extra"s that I may reach for, I'm going to try to limit it to just the setting spray and the YSL powder. 

Lips: 

I have a few sample packets and deluxe sample sized YSL lippies to play with this week. I'll primarily stick to one sample packet and probably the mini  Yves Saint Laurent Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick 44 Nude Lavalliere  - this one was a promo gwp but it's also available as part of the It's Giving Nude Lip Makeup Value Set - Sephora Favorites | Sephora

Okay, someone help me here - did YSL ever make lip liners? I feel like they had to? At least a red and a nude shade? Tagging @blackkitty2014  - YSL had lip liners back in the day, right?! 

I clearly do not have a YSL lip liner in my current collection. Ordinarily I would just forego liner for the week, but since lip liners are in my summer shop my stash challenge, I went through my stash (which has grown even more, ather) and pulled out a few lip liners to give a go this week.

- Lawless Forget the Filler Definer Liner (Pink Slip) 

- rom&nd Lip Mate Pencil (05 Taupey Shade) - don't even remember when this was purchased. Sigh.

- Sephora Prime Universal Lip Liner (discontinued?) - I do remember when this was available. This predated Sephora rebranding their color cosmetics line as Sephora Collection.  It was a long time ago. A loooong time ago. Le sigh. 

- tarte maracuja juicy lip liner maracuja juicy lip liner Rosy Brown  

The "Fits":

I love this week's makeup bag, also from YSL Beaute - the shape, structure and the quilting. And, that it comes with a mirror. This was a step up gift from earlier in the year. The quilting design got me. It pairs beautifully with the quited cushion packaging on many of the recent YSL products. 

This will hold the samples and the full size products that will be primarily reached for this week. Yes, I may be even happier about putting this bag to use than using the YSL products, and I'm pretty excited for playing with all the products in this week's capsule. 

***

RECAP of last week's capsule:

Week 28's more minimalist (but fairly all encompassing) capsule worked well for me. I did occasionally pull out other products to use (or try for the first time) last week, but kept to my capsule for most of it. I'll be quick with this recap, focusing primarily on the new(er)-to-me item from the capsule.

Spoiler

- BASMA The Foundation Stick for Hydrating, Buildable Coverage and Natural Finish  #: after the Dior foundation stick, this is currently my #2 fave foundation stick. I feel like that says a lot. Oh, and it being packaged in a briiiiight pink tube make it easy to find.

- Makeup by Mario liquid eyeshadow: I was not expecting to like this as much as I do. It's got some great staying power (8-10 hours) on my oily, hooded lids. Mauve, too, has ended up being such great color for my lids, far, far better than I could have imagined

- L'Oreal Eyebrow Liquid Pencil: I like it more and more as I've gottem more accustomed to using it to fill in my brows. Might see if a lighter shade will be an even better match for my now lighter hair.

- L'Oreal Setting Spray: I'm on the fence with this. On the fence leaning towards the "it's fine but not a fave" side" - having it in the same capsule as the One/Size didn't help so, for the time being, it'll be my only setting spray in this week's capsule.

- Lip Liners: The 5 liners from last week's capsule were all fine, some I really liked. I'm setting aside Fara Homidi Doux and Tom Ford Re-See for a later and larger throwdown of pink / light dusty rose lip liners - both were pulled for the shades. The new Tom Ford liners have one of the best staying powers among lip liners, but the Re-See shade seems to be pulling chalky on me which it didn't before, and I'm not sure if maybe it's because I have a little more color to my complexion at the moment. I have TF liners in other shades and don't have the chalky issue with them so we will see. 

All other products from last week's capsule, including the "fit" bag, fall in either the "loves" or "likes" category with maybe a couple inbetween them.

Let's see if I can use up any of these samples for the Foil Challenge thread.

[danielledanielle]

@itsfi , OOOooh I like the YSL theme this week.  Theme within a theme.  🥰 And the bag, of course!    I feel like some of the lux brands give really good samples that you can get multiple uses of.  I feel like ysl, Armani, Dior and Gucci do this well.

[itsfi]

Week 28 - The Multi-Taskers / Repurposed Makeup Capsule and/or The "On The Go: Summer Edit" Makeup Capsule 

My capsule for most of the week will be a combo of the two themes, with a mix of tried-and-true treats and newer-to-me beauties. The MUFE again plays several roles for this week's capsule. I thought I would be able to get it in with 6 (or fewer) products but clearly, that did not happen. 😅 Here are my "on the go summer multi-taskers" ~

COMPLEXION:

Primer + Foundation:

I've been trying my hand at being a mixologist of sorts since coming back from vacation when it comes to my base, to try to get a good shade match. 

Mix on the back of my hand, a little dab of Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops Serum Sun Glow  and Victoria Beckham Beauty Priming Moisturizer - Golden for their warmer, deeper tones and moisture) and BASMA The Foundation Stick for Hydrating, Buildable Coverage and Natural Finish  (the first time I'm showcasing it in a capsule but not the first time I've used it) - I purchased this earlier in the year as the shade I had is better suited for my winter to mid-to-late spring complexion. This shade is actually a pretty good match for me now - it's like past Fi knew what future Fi would need. Ha! 

 

I've been needing more moisture as my skin has understandably become a lot more dry since being back. To keep my skin moisturized and happy, I've been adding a drop or two of Good Molecule Squalane Oil to the foundation mix. It adds a nice slip to my base without altering the hue, which makes application a breeze. Oh, and did I mention how GLOWY it makes my complexion? This must be what they mean by glass skin. 

Setting Products: 

For powder, it'll be Prada Beauty Reset Rebalancing Refillable Setting Powder  

I've been spending part of the year battling out my primers and setting products, mainly my setting sprays. My lower T-zone (nose & chin) tend to lean oilier this time of year so it'll be a good opportunity to try out the ones geared towards oil control or with mattifying properties. This week, it's the ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Mini On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray   vs. L'Oreal Infallible Setting Mist - the latter claims 36-hour wear but I will not be putting that particular claim to the test this week (or possibly any week). 

CHEEKS:

The MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Skin Face Essentials – Longwear Full Face Cream Palette  will be my "go to" for concealer, blush, highlight, bronzer and contour. This palette really is quite versatile and was a magnificent multi-tasker when I was on vacay, and now, as well. I'll swap this out a couple of days this week for a few other bronzers from my collection for the Summer Cheek Challenge 2025: A Song & A Slay.

EYES: 

My initial plan was to just take the Tower 28 Beauty Lash Curler to my lashes for my whole eye makeup look this week, buuuuut we had a last minute change of plans, courtesy of the Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Longwearing Eyeshadow Stick (not sure why this won't pull up to tag) ariving earlier than expected and turning out better than I expected - I inadvertently added this shade to my cart instead of one of the brown shades from the collection. I didn't realize this until after I received confirmation that it was the mauve shade on its way here. I decided to see how it looked and the mauve shade is better than I could have even hoped. It's a keeper, color-wise and has been performing well over the long holiday weekend, but we'll see how it performs this week.

LIPS:

The lips are where I'll have the most options. In addition to a couple of the shades in the MUFE palette, my go-to combo's this week consist of these treats for a variety of nude and rosy / rosy-pink lips, with a focus on the lip liners as they are part of my Shop Your Stash Challenge: Summer 2025. 

 

• Rhode Peptide Lip Shape - Balance
• Rokael Beauty Lip Shaper - Marked
• Rokael Beauty Whipped Lip Oil - Ecstasy

• Rhode Beauty Lip Peptide Balm - Unscented to prep and prime lips
• Yves Saint Laurent YSL Loveshine Lip Oil Stick 44 Nude Lavalliere  from the Sephora Favorites It's Giving Lip Value Set , a fantastic Sephora Favorites set btw 
• Givenchy Lip Liner 8 Parme Silhouette  
• TOM FORD Long Wear Lip Liner Re-See  
• Fara Homidi Smudge & Contour Lip Pencil Doux  

The Rhode and Rokael Beauty lip shapers have a creamy formula; the Givenchy, Tom Ford and Fara Homidi have a waxier one; they take after the traditional pencil liners.

The "Fits": 

This Valentino brush case is pretty spectacular. Makeup brushes & lip liners stay put in the elastic bands; and, this beauty is roomy, more so than it looks.  I pushed it a little a lot trying to include the L'Oreal and the ONE/Size setting sprays and for a minute there, it was like trying to zip up my luggage, but with a little Tetris-magic here, and some pinching and squeezing there, it all fit! 

Brushes are:

C'mon, just a little more to go. We can just squeeeeeze a little bit more ...

[danielledanielle]

👏🏽👏🏽 @itsfi , love a challenging fit!!  😂

How's the Fara Homidi, really? I wonder about that brand (and Sarah Cereal) with their price points.  Tea, ☕ plz

Yeah, why 36 hours?  Your skin needs to breathe, like anything past 16 hours makes me wonder, what kind of life do you think I'm living??

Here for the Basma.  Underrated. Props to past itsfi.  I'm going to get that olive shade I was matched with someday. 

[itsfi]

100% agree, BASMA is underrated; it really does fly under the radar. Even in the stores that actually carry it. The foundation stick has excellent coverage without feeling heavy or drying on the skin. I have the new lip gloss balm too but need to get that into my rotation at some point. 

Fara Homidi ... where to begin? At the beginning, I suppose. I picked up their lip compact in 2023 and foundation/concealer, before they launched at Sephora. I was enamored with how well the Westman Atelier Lip Suede Lipstick Palette  was coming along during that year's pan it! challenge 🙌 and looked into other lip compacts. Which eventually lead me to their lip pencil when they launched it. As to the product itself, it's alrght - "good, but great" might be the best way I'd classify it - it's got that traditional waxier lip pencil aesthetic but it applies a little more like the newer generation, creamier lip contour pencils. If you're looking for something with longer staying power, this won't be the one; I'd go with something like Dior or Tom Ford. If you want something with a little less softness than the Merit or Rhode lip contour pencils, this could be it. That said, my lips lean more on the dry side and there's some tugging with the Fara Homidi if I'm using it to fill in my lips - used as a liner, not a problem; glides on smoothly and blends well with pads of fingers. 

 As to the brand, it's funny that you also mentioned Sarah Creal, as I feel like my thoughts on them, brand-wise, are similar. I've gone back and forth on a couple of Sarah Creal products but haven't yet pulled the trigger. Both have a similar look and feel to them - "clean", minimalist, mindful, steady in its curation (vs. mass market approach), and there's a certain audience with or going for a certain look it seems to gravitate towards. I feel like Sarah Creal, as a brand, has put more marketing of its brand/line out than Fara Homidi did when it launched, or even now. Both are in store in very limited markets and I imagine that is planned. That said, I think both would benefit from having their products, or at least, some of them, in more Sephora stores - though I also recognize that shelf space probably comes at a cost to them. The stores near me that carry one or both brands are an hour's drive in a couple of directions but I can see one of the stores in the city that these could do well in, and maybe they'll be there after that store has completed its redesign/renovations. 

bhahahaha, "what kind of life do you think I'm living??"  Yeaaaahhhh, I'm not their target audience; I need to wash my face at some point well before the 24-hour mark. 

[danielledanielle]

Week 28: The Gotta Go/Girl Go capsule 

It's a myriad of sixes, nearly avoiding a devil's triad🙃😂

I have six scents 

Six things that will be binned or used up

Six helpers

A Danessa Six

I was inspired/reminded by @itsfi skit the Danessa bag, but Danessa Myricks Beauty Groundwork: Defining Neutrals - Palette For Eyes, Brows, Face & Lips  wouldn't fit by itself 😅

Big Orange is back

The Danessa Core: all week will have 1-6 of her items. Today I used 5/6

Colorfix Sticks in Duo 8

Groundwerk

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

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Lift & Flex Hydrating Concealer With Hyaluronic Acid & Caffeine 10  

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed - Matte Color for Cheek & Lip Creme Bruelee  

[itsfi]

Lots of oooh'ing and ahhh'ing over here with your capsule this week @danielledanielle ❣️ I like that your bag has a name - Big Orange sure looks like it can fit in a lot of beauties. 

Woah, it sure looks like you are making some fabulous progress on several of your goodies - I spy a whole lot of pan on that Danessa Myricks and it looks like you are getting near the end on that Fenty gloss and that sunblock powder. Look at you go!!

[itsfi]

Week 27 - The Indie Makeup Capsule (with some Canadian founded brands sprinkled throughout)

Okay, I didn't expect to have such a large capsule this week, but having gotten a bit of a tan, I'm kinda at a loss for what products will not only pair well together but complement my slightly darker skin tone. On top of that, my "tan" is less of the golden bronzey varietal and seems more olive-y and muted. Hoping something here will work; I've included some backups in case what I originally set aside for the theme doesn't actually work out. 

Product Details:

Spoiler

🌺  COMPLEXION:

Primer: I had a jar of this  touch in Sol Icy Sherbet Primer that I decluttered last year. Since that time, I found another jar in my stash 🙄, that was already open as well. 😐 The weather has been a bit unusual, cold, windy and chilly in the day and then it gets humid late afternoon and into the evening. I've tried this primer in the past in the fall/winter so it'll be interesting to see how it performs this time of year.

Foundation: My options are the ILIA Skin Rewind Blurring Foundation and Concealer Complexion Stick  (a brand based (or originally based?) in Vancouver, BC) on its own, as well as sheered out to more a skin tint using the Rhode Glazing Milk, and the CLE CCC Cream, the latter being a favorite - coverage is glowy and more in the skin-tint-PLUS range. This reminds me of the OG Josie Maran tinted moisturzer from years past - it went on as a white cream but took on a beige-hue as you massage the product into the ski

Concealer: hoping I don't need to use concealer but if I do, the HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer with Fermented Arnica  # it will be - a favorite from last year' makeup capsule challenge and still going strong! 

Setting Products: Going with the  Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Mini Always an Optimist 4-in-1 Mist 1.18 fl oz / 35 mL  and the ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Mini Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder  as my main setting products. Have the ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray  and PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish: Glass 001 Legendary Glow Setting Spray 3.38 fl oz/100 mL  on standby, if my main pairing doesn't hold up in this iffy weather here.

👁  EYES:

Primer: Going to use the Haus Labs concealer and the One / Size setting powder. Testing this combo out as a possible duo for next week's repurposed theme capsule.

Eyeshadow: Juvia's Place The Taupes Palette is one of my favorite products that I never get around to. 😔 Until this week and hopefully, I'll reach for it more often this latter half of the year. Swatches below.

Eye Brows: This is the older, original version of the MERIT Brow 1980 Volumizing Tinted Eyebrow Gel-Pomade , before Merit revamped that product with different tints.

Eyeliner: Depending on how humid it actually gets, I'll rotate between Danessa Myricks Beauty Linework Paintbrush Fluid Liquid Eyeliner 0.034 oz / 1 ml  and the Jason Wu Beauty liquid liner, the latter being a nod to the Canadian brands theme.

Mascara: Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara  is one of the very few non-waterproof mascaras that I can wear. This one is probably near the end of its shelf life and will be decluttered by the end of July.

🏖  CHEEKS:

Bronzer: MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer®  or for blonzer,  HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Color Fuse Longwear Hydrating Glassy Lip + Cheek Blush Balm Stick Glassy Clove  

Blushlight Combo: Will rotate between the pairing of Minori Beauty Cream Blush (Orchid) and Minori Beauty Cream Highlighter (Champagne), and the pairing of Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush Virtue  (gratis) and Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight Mesmerize . The Minori Beauty brand has Canadian roots; if my memory is right, I believe the founders are Canadian. They also have a Bay Area connection as they're based in San Francisco. 

💄  LIPS: 

A few options but will start out prepping the lips with a little exfoliation, a la Typology Lip Peeling Gel. Lip choices for the week consist of:

• EADEM Le Chouchou Exfoliating + Softening Peptide Lip Balm   EADEM Le Chouchou Exfoliating + Softening Peptide Lip Balm Boba Bounce - rich soft brown  
• Cheekbone Sustain Lipstick (Keyah), a Canadian and indigenous brand
• Rokael Beauty Redefinied Lip Shaper (Marked) and Rokael Beauty Whipped Lip Oil  (Ecstasy) - a lovely nude lip pairing. Thank you to @peculiarzmakeup 😊 for bringing this brand to our attention.
• Rhode Beauty Lip Contour (Spin) and MERIT Shade Slick Hydrating Tinted Lip Oil Taupe  

The Taupes by Juvia's Place (swatched top row, left to right; bottom row, left to right)

The "Fits": 

Everything but the backup setting sprays (ONE/Size and Pat McGrath Labs) fit into this pretty ALOHA Collection makeup bag. So, it doesn't technically fit everything in my capsule this week, but it does fit all the primary products. 

ALOHA Collection was founded by two roommates, one of whom is a Kauaʻi native. I didn't pick this up on vacation but did see other bags from the brand available at the spa. There were a couple other patterns at the store that I had been eyeing for a while, but I was good and didn't purchase them. Well, that, and space was already an issue with my luggage when I arrived so I needed to be very mindful of what I was bringing back. 😂

This makeup bag was part of a May 2023 gift box curated with a host of AAPI-owned products, to celebrate AAPI month, with "100% of profits from sales from this gift box will be donated" to a 501(c)(3) Bay Area based "organization that aims to end violence within and toward the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Island communities".

[danielledanielle]

That Danessa liner is a love for me, y'know, glad to see it in your capsule again @itsfi 

I also love the cause of that bag, I like beauty with a bit of a giveback.

You're olive now, eh?  Fenty Bronzers do well for that.   You'll find a fix!

[itsfi]

lol, I found 2 of the DM liners @danielledanielle and yes, I said to myself, "huh, when did I get another one of these?!" I know I like an eyeliner or an eyeshadow stick when I have two or more of them - 98% of the time, that second one is because at some point, I thought I misplaced it and I didn't like being without it. Right now, I feel like I misplaced one of my VBB eyeshadow sticks, and I'm trying to keep myself from picking up another one because I know I'll find it shortly afterwards. I have a feeling it rolled down one of the counters when I was tidying up/cleaning because I have all of the other products that it was with. 🙄 Anyhow, the DM is among my faves, all thanks to your rec. 

Yes, my tan definitely leans more neutral, slightly olive-y. That's good to know about the Fenty. I feel like my color now is an even better pairing, undertone wise, with the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Mini Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick Amber  I have. Going to have to pull that one out for a future capsule.

[danielledanielle]

The backups for backups is a slippery slope I've been down on a few times, too 😅 @itsfi 

[danielledanielle]

Capsule Catch Up 💼💄

Week 37, Indie Week

 

Week 26 gets absorbed into 27 but with Oceanic Palette from Ace Beaut. Added Juvia's Place, MJ Luminizer amongst Danessa, Ami Colé, Pat McGrath, Violette _FR picks.

This is pretty much the only bag, now 😂

Week 26, Staycation Radiostation 

Music makes me lose control! (That should be added to my playlist 😂🤔). It was stay at home week after an actual staycation, so I went peachy pink bright on the cheeks and green/gold/blue on the lids .  Me and NEST New York Madagascar Vanilla Perfume Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL  were in a love affair this week.  I  didn't use ND sunset as much as I thought I would, which used to be THE palette for me 

Hello again, my old friend.

Week 25: Let's get RED-DY, but first let me take a shelfie 

We went on staycation, to welcome summer. My orange everything bag was too big to take, so these came in its stead (below 👇🏽)

We have Mattemoiselles, UD Beached, the Dior stick, this was a good week.  The reds: BASMA The Cream Blush Cherry Red Victory 🙌🏽... Had to do it did Juneteenth

This was a challenging fit, but y'know I love me a chaotic fit 

Skincare and what not

This was the actual full capsule with the big bag, I took some bits and pieces with me 

My gawd, I have tested this bag

Week 24: Shop My Stash

[ather]

@danielledanielle  Wow!!’ Impressive!!! 

[itsfi]

Love that shelfie pic @danielledanielle. And that orange bag?!! What bag is that again? I know I told myself 'no more bags' but I'm thinking that one could be an exception. It's sooooo roomy. 

You slayed in those Gallery posts with the gorgeous shades from the Ace Beaute Oceanic palette - stunning doesn't fully capture those hues on you! 😍

Vacation - staycation - stay at home week ... now, that is the way to do it! Also lovin' the travel size, mini and full size of the Gucci fragrance - keepin' it all in the family.

[danielledanielle]

TY!  @itsfi That's not the Ace Beaute palette, although I did use it for the first time today.  She's cute, she's pigmented and powdery, that was Ami Colé Lid Joy Matte Liquid Eyeshadow Los Angeles  + VIOLETTE_FR YEUX PAINT Liquid Eyeshadow & Eyeliner Dieu Bleu  + Danessa Myricks Beauty Mini Pastel Dream Freedom Palette  with Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil How Many Carats?!  lightly tapped over the middle.

This is the exact title of the bag "Travel Makeup Bag Women's Large Capacity Cosmetic Portable Organizer Large Opening Waterproof Storage Toiletry Bags Vertical Free-Standing Brush Holder for Easy Access Orange"  🤣 by HauteHues

TY! I think this year worked out fortuitously where I could do all of that, I am definitely going to try for a 1-2 yearly staycations, if I can.

[itsfi]

Bhahahahaha! Now, thaaaaaat is some name for that bag, @danielledanielle. 😂🤣😂 I like that there's the option of propping up makeup brushes.

Oooouh, Fenty How Many Carats?! is a beauty of a highlighter and aptly named, too. She's got some sparkle and shine to her, for sure.

[danielledanielle]

@ather , it's marvelous if you tap it lightly over a matte eye look, it gives it a brightness and sheen 🤌🏽🤌🏽

[ather]

@danielledanielle  I bet it looks beautiful!😍 

[itsfi]

Week 26 - The "My Best Self" Makeup Capsule

My best self, from a look of the day perspective, starts off with good skin, which I don’t often have - mine seems to always be a work in progress, and that's okay.  That's when makeup comes into play - both to conceal certain skin concerns, and to highlight and accentuate certain of my facial features, which, in turn, make me look like my best self, even if I don't always feel it.

 

My “go to” look is in that “better than bare” and “no makeup makeup” range - even skin tone, conceal redness & dark spots, open up my eyes, and add just the teensiest smidge of warmth and color to my cheeks.  In the summer months, I tend to keep my eye look very minimal, oftentimes foregoing anything on my lids, just curling my lashes, and keeping my brows groomed and polished. For evenings out though, I’ll play up the eyes, make my cheek products more pronounced, and, if I've allocated enough time to getting ready, do some soft contouring. 

Spoiler

COMPLEXION: 

• Primer: I will mainly be using skincare products for my primer. My intro to BT/BIC was skincare related and it remains a space in the beauty world that I love. Will rotate among the following this week:
  - Dr. Jart+ Mini Cicapair Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30 15 mL/ .50 fl oz  - great for concealing redness and as an added SPF (I wouldn’t rely on this for my sole sun protection). It looks like this may be reformulated - there's a different name for it and the INCI list looks different. I'm glad I have many backups but 😣
  - LIGHTSAVER Tinted - Activated Mineral Face Sunscreen Broad Spectrum - SPF 33 1.69 oz / 50 ml  - took this with me last summer to Costa Rica and again on this recent vacay, also to a tropical, sunny, warm and humid locale. This again performed very well.
  - Etude Sunprise Mild Airy Finish Sun Milk - I've had this in my SPF arsenal for 10+ years. It was reformulated a few years ago - it now has even more of a white cast (but it does fade away ... eventually) but it performs well for me and remains among my go-to's.
   
• Foundation: depending on how my skin is looking, I’ll use either Tower 28 Beauty SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation   (this is a GOAT product for me) or the MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Skin Face Essentials – Longwear Full Face Cream Palette   on the areas where I feel like my skin needs it. This was the product I reached for most for evenings out while on vacation.  Love how versatile and convenient the MUFE palette is for a (mostly) full face of makeup - complexion, blush, bronzer, highlight, lips, eyes even. It gets the job done. Efficient and effective!! ❤
  
  
• Concealer: HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer with Fermented Arnica  - this was one of my best discoveries of last year, courtesy of this capsule challenge. It’s one of those concealers I can use under my eyes, blemishes, to cover redness or as a foundation. A jack of all trades. 👍
  
  
• Setting Products: Prada Beauty Reset Rebalancing Refillable Setting Powder   - I do love me some luxury beauty and Prada does not disappoint - l ove their shoes, handbags, etc., so it makes sense I’d make my way to their makeup collection. 🤣 The green tint helps with blurring redness - how can I not love this?!
  
  
• My current favorite pairing for setting sprays is the ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray  and PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish: Glass 001 Legendary Glow Setting Spray 3.38 fl oz/100 mL  😘

CHEEKS

• Ahhh, it's the MUFE palette once again - for blush, bronzer, highlight and contour. I also use it for concealer depending on what it is I'm looking to conceal. I actually took this palette with me on vacay and used it to create different looks for dinner every night. The first photo in the original post is all the makeup I packed for vacation. I probably could have pared it down some more but wanted some options. Slowly getting the hang of contouring thanks to this palette. 

EYES:

• Taking it easy with my eye look this week. No eyeshadow this week, but if I change my mind I’ll bring in an eyeshadow stick, likely Victoria Beckham Beauty Eyewear Eyeshadow Stick in Trench & Cashmere. Or, Thrive Causemetics Eyeshadow Stick in Dr. Q if I want warmer bronze shade.
  
  
• Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Brightening Pencil - Light 1 (discontinued) - it brightens my eyes, and the combination of this on the waterline and curling my upper lashes, makes me look more awake and alert.
  
  
• Glossier Boy Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel-Pomade  is a quick and easy way to do my brows. I'm interested in giving the new Sephora Collection brow gel a try and seeing how it compares to the Glossier. Already went to see about a shade match and am just waiting for the right time to make a purchase.
  
  

LIPS

• Typology Lip Peel is my new favorite exfoliating lip product. I'm convinced it is what has made my lips look more plump and full.
  
  
• MUFE again, for lips. I may add a lip balm or gloss if I feel my lips need more hydration / moisture. 

The "Fits": 

There we have it. It's a low key "my best self" look but it's what I'm feeling for the week, or what's left of it.