Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2025

[itsfi]

Hi there, BIC and happy spring! Whether (a) you're spring cleaning, or (b) returning to the office and wanting to use the makeup you have (new and old) or will pick up along the way, or (c) interested in putting together a collection (big or small) of "go to" or Top Shelf product for every day, the season, a special event or occasions, or just in general, or (d) for any other reason, please join us here at the Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2025. 

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 found by you. 

For me, I've found having a bag of makeup ready at the start of a week to be helpful in getting me out the door more efficiently, and feeling and looking put together. Some weeks my makeup bag has a minimalist look and feel; other weeks, the makeup capsule I've curated for use during the week resembles a more maximalist approach, with several products to choose from. There are weeks when I use the beauties in my capsule every day, and, there are weeks when I may add products into my existing bag of makeup during the week to meet my needs. 

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 20 (May 12 - 18) - The "Tailored For You" Makeup Capsule- The Met Gala will have occurred on May 5, with the theme "Tailored For You" inspired by the exhibit "Tailoring Black Style". For this week, curate a capsule with one or more products that are either "tailored for you" or that suits you impeccably and/or that caught your eye from the Met Gala or if you visit the "Tailoring Black Style" exhibit. 

Optional (month-long theme): May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) National Heritage Month and to celebrate, we're bringing back the optional month-long theme in addition to the weekly themes. So, if you're up for the challenge, consider doing a tie-in of both, be it one product that fits both capsule themes, or one or more product from the then current weekly theme below and one or more product from an AAPI founded or owned beauty brand.

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)
Finding Ferdinand (Nhu Le)

* 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)
* Velour Lashes (Mabel Lee)

* Wander Beauty (Divya Gugnani)

Yensa Beauty (Jennifer Yen)

UPCOMING Makeup Capsule Themes: [Updated 5.11.2025]

Spoiler

Week 21 (May 19 - 25) - The Vacation Makeup Capsule  

Alright, we're heading into Memorial Day weekend, often the kickoff to summer. Whether or not you're on vacay that week, assemble a capsule containing one or more of makeup products that are "must have" when packing for vacation.

Additional May Capsule themes can be found through the below link - 

https://community.sephora.com/t5/Makeup-Is-Life/Capsule-Makeup-Collection-Challenge-2025/m-p/7158267...

June capsule themes will be posted to the thread sometime during the Memorial Day weekend (most likely near the end of it).

Previous Capsule Themes: [Updated: 5.4.2025]

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

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.

[Mellmars1185]

Week 6 (February 3 - 9): The "Black Founded/Owned" Beauty Brand(s) Makeup Capsule - This week I chose mostly items from this category. I didn't have a setting powder/spray or mascara. Some items are not pictured as I thought of them later as substitutes for certain items.

Danessa Myricks Beauty Groundwork: Defining Neutrals - Palette For Eyes, Brows, Face & Lips  - I plan to use this as eyeshadow, liner and possibly experiment as a bronzer. I am a little concerned about my bronzer brush fitting into the pan sizes. I am open to suggestions. Incase this does not work as a bronzer, I have included some blonzer shades below.

Danessa Myricks Blurring Balm Powder Flushed in Spiced Latte

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush 10 Rosé Latte  

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed - Matte Color for Cheek & Lip Jubilee   Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush 01 Fuego Flush  

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Lowlighter Soft Glow Highlighter Lowkey  

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Match Stix Color-Adaptive Cheek + Lip Stick Strawberry Pop  

Fenty eaze drop' lit All Over Glow Enhancer

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder - Tinted Primer & Foundation 3  

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Cream Color Drip Lip Cream Fenty Glow  

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush 09 Cool Berry  

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Lift & Flex Hydrating Concealer With Hyaluronic Acid & Caffeine 6  

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Trace'd Out Longwear Waterproof Pencil Lip Liner Satin Panty  

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Trace'd Out Longwear Waterproof Pencil Lip Liner RIRI  

Fashion Fair Iconic Lip Shaper Liner Warm Taupe  

* i have added the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Eaze Drop Stick Blur + Smooth Tint Stick Foundation 9  and shade 7. I want to see what my skin likes best. I have only used the DM blurring balm in the warmer months.

I have also added some other Fenty glosses

Additional items (not in the capsule theme)

Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting & Smoothing Talc-Free Vegan Powder Feathery  

ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder Universal Translucent  

Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara  (mini)

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Waterproof Setting Spray 3.3 oz / 100 ml  

Spoiler

The fits

 

[CynthieLu]

Aaaah it's a fabulous capsule and collection of Black Owned and Founded brands @Mellmars1185. I still look at groundwork that palette with a window shop mentality from time to time. 😉 Do you still use it often?

[Mellmars1185]

@CynthieLu Thank you! I don't use the palette often. I think it is because I have been dipping into the PATRICK TA Major Dimension III Matte Eyeshadow Palette  for eyeshadow looks. I definitely need to give this one some more love. I am looking forward to using it this week. I am wondering if it would be a good palette for travel.

[CynthieLu]

Ahhh it might be a good travel companion @Mellmars1185 I can only imagine you wouldn't have you worry about cracking any pans? 

[Mellmars1185]

@CynthieLu True! I also have a Make Up For Ever Face Palette that I have not opened yet. I missed usng it in the "How Low Can You Go" challenge. I think I make need to figure out how to test it out before I go away.

[CynthieLu]

Using anything for the first time when your traveling is a little risky. When do you leave? I hope you have a little time to test it out before you go. You must be excited! ❤️

[Mellmars1185]

@CynthieLu Thanks ! I leave in less than 2 weeks. I will probably test it out this weekend (if i make time!)

[CynthieLu]

Ooh so close! That's exciting! I hope you have a wonderful time. 🩷 @Mellmars1185 

Has it been awhile since you've gone on a trip like this? 

[Mellmars1185]

@CynthieLu Thank you. Yes about a decade!

[CynthieLu]

Ooh wow! @Mellmars1185 that's incredible that you get to go again. It really has been a long time.  😃

[itsfi]

Gorgeous products for this week's capsule @Mellmars1185! I'm excited to try the Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder - Tinted Primer & Foundation 3  - how do you apply it - fingers? brush? beauty sponge? A combo of those? 

For your bronzer, is there one shade from the Groundworks palette that will work for you or will you blend a couple of shades? If the latter, you could use a brush or another tool to pick up both shades and then mix/warm up on the back of your hand or one of those mixing trays and then use your regular bronzer brush to pick up the blended shade for application. That might be an option if your brush is too large for the pans.

How are you liking the ONE/Size powder? 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Thank you! Yes I am excited to dip back into Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder - Tinted Primer & Foundation  . In the past I used the scoop to scrape the product out and I would warm it up with my fingers a bit to soften it and I would also apply and blend with my fingers. I did pickup the Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Face 2.0 Teardrop Kabuki Complexion Brush  . I didn't find it as effective as applying with fingers. Maybe it was user error? I found that I was picking up a lot on the brush and needed to dip in a lot to get the amount of coverage that I was looking for. I will probably experiment with it this week and see how it goes.

Great idea for the bronzer! It is similar to the method I use for the DM Blurring Balm Powder. I do have a tool I can dip into it with. I am open to mixing different shades but I will probably start with the shade 'desert'.

I like the O/S powder. I definitely works on my combo/oily leaning skin. Although, this time of year I don't need as much powder for oil control. I have been using it with a brush instead of a powder puff so I use less product. Last week I enjoyed using the Laura Mercier powder. It got the job done!

[danielledanielle]

For the pan size in groundwork, this is my best brush for contour .  It's Sonia G's jumbo worker, listed as an eye brush, but definitely multipurpose.

The brush head is 2 cm, so a bit smaller than an inch.  So you're looking for a dense, tightly packed small brush head.  You likely have a large eyeshadow brush or highlight brush that size.  Or an angled concealer could work, too @Mellmars1185 

Love all the BoBs 🫶🏽🙌🏽

[Mellmars1185]

@danielledanielle Thank you very much! Would you the small 2 cm brush to apply and then use a larger brush to blend? I am wondering how to diffuse a bronzer application 😊

[danielledanielle]

That makes sense to me @Mellmars1185 , you could do that.   I just use that brush only, but it makes sense to diffuse the powder with a bigger brush.  I'm not sure if that works with the putty/cream side

I would use SEPHORA COLLECTION PRO Blush Brush #99 for putty and stamp

[peculiarzmakeup]

Gorgeous capsule! I love all the items you picked and mentions of brands it’s cool to see how these products show up in daily life. Love the additional add ons as well. Beautiful photos!  Do you have a favorite item from the ones you’ve listed? @Mellmars1185  💜

[Mellmars1185]

@peculiarzmakeup Thank you! Ohh, good question. It is hard to pick a favourite. I think I need to try everything out again. But for now I will say the Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Lowlighter Soft Glow Highlighter Lowkey  . It is a fun highlighter. I don't know if I own anothet product like it. I really like the subtle glow it gives. I have watched tutorials about using it as a highlighter primer. I also think it doesn't emphasize texture like some highlighters do.

[peculiarzmakeup]

Oh I’ve seen this I’ve never tried this one this sounds awesome. Turorials are always helpful! @Mellmars1185 

[itsfi]

February is just around the corner. Here's a sneak peak at what's to come next month as far as curating capsules go. In addition to the weekly themes, February is the first month we will have an extra theme option that runs concurrently through the month (see spoiler at the end of this post ⬇️). These monthly themes won't be every month, but will happen throughout the year. 

⭐  Week 6 (February 3 - 9): The "Black Founded/Owned" Beauty Brand(s) Makeup Capsule - 

Curate a capsule with one or more product(s) from black founded / owned makeup brands. The list in the spoiler is not exhaustive and for purposes of this makeup capsule challenge is limited to brands that are black founded / owned that are primarily a makeup brand, or that includes a few products that can be used as makeup. 

Spoiler

If I missed a brand, I apologize; kindly let me know. Products with asterisk (*) next to the brand are sold at Sephora, online, in store or through Sephora at Kohl's. To the extent it's not easily distinguishable who the founder / owner of the brand is, that information is noted in the parentheses next to the brand name.

AJ Crimson Beauty

Ami Cole* (Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye)

Balaeyon (RaeDawn)

Beauty Bakerie (Cashmere Nicole)

BLK/Opal (Desiree Rogers and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack)

Bossy Cosmetics (Aishetu Fatima Dozie)

Cay Skin* (Winnie Harlow)

Cecred (Beyonce)

Damone Roberts

Danessa Myrick Beauty*

Dehiya Beauty (Dr. Mia Reddy)

D'Lashes (Dionne Phillips) 

Eadem* (Marie Kouadio Amouzame, co-founder)

Fashion Fair* (Eunice Johnson (original founder), Desiree Rodgers and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack)

Fenty Beauty* (Rihanna)

Gloshood (Sienna Brown)

Juvia's Place (Chichi Eburu)

Keys Soulcare (Alicia Keys)

Lamik Beauty (Kim Roxie)

LYS Beauty* (Tisha Thompson)

Marie Hunter Beauty

Mented Cosmetics (KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson)

Mintty Makeup (Junior Mintt)

Pat McGrath Labs*

Pound Cake (Camille Bell, co-founder)

Range Beauty* (Alicia Scott)

Relevant: Your Skin Seen (Nyakio Grieco)

The Lip Bar (Melissa Butler)

Topicals* (Olamide Olowe)

Uoma Beauty (Sharon Chuter)

WYN Beauty (Serena Williams)

⭐  Week 7 (February 10 - 16): The "Dynamic Duo, Trusted Trio or Killer Combo" Makeup Capsule -  

Are there certain product or shade pairings that just work beautifully for you? Let's build a makeup capsule around them. Here's your chance to shine a spotlight on the dynamic duos, trusted trios, or killer combos that are go-to's for your everyday and/or special occasion look(s).

⭐  Week 8 (February 17 - 23): The "New York Fashion Week Inspired" Makeup Capsule and/or The "Celeb-Inspired" Makeup Capsule -  

• Theme 1 - New York Fashion Week is February 10 - 16 and will have just wrapped up by the time we start Week 8. Collections from various shows should be available online before the start of this week. Were there any makeup looks or trends that made their way down the runway that caught your eye? Put together a capsule consisting of one or more makeup products or trends that made their way down one or more of the runways at New York Fashion Week (NYFW). See spoiler below for a summary of some of the beauty looks that made it down the runways at NYFW.

• Theme 2 - We're in the thick of awards season when it comes to music and movies. The Grammys will take place February 2 and we're working our way to the Oscars, which means there's a lot of red carpet looks sported by celebrities. Whether a red carpet (or after party) look caught your eye or you have a celebrity whose style you admire, curate a capsule drawing inspiration from a celebrity look you love. 

Spoiler

The Look	The Look Manifested	Designer showcasing the look (Makeup artist creating the look)	Source Credit* *See info below chart for details re: source
Wearable Art	Bold eye color with artistic cat eye (graphic geometric eyeliner)	Christian Siriano (Vincent Oquendo)	Bustle
	Animal print and shimmery inner corner eye	Collina Strada (Dick Page)	Bustle
Romantic Flush	Glowy base with natural-looking blush (applied to top of cheeks and extended out towards the temples)	ASHLYN (Grace Ahn)	Bustle
Concealer lips	Nude lipsticks (and frosted eyelids)	Sandy Liang	Bustle  Fashion Times (frosty eye makeup)
Graphic waterline eyeliner	Taupe pigment on eyelids to brow bone; line top and bottom lashes with bold, colorful eyeliner; accent with soft wing; and smudge jewel-toned shadow for added boldness	Anna Sui  (Pat McGrath)	Bustle
Party girl vibes	Grungy cut-crease eyes, sculpted contour & lived-in hair - cool 90's-girl inspired glam	Kim Shui (Romero Jennings)	Bustle
Wearable beauty trend for street style	Mix of maximalist energy and a low-maintenance beauty aesthetic, achieved through multiple looks, including: - single-color eye shadow + statement lips + no mascara - bold eye + bold lip combo - monochromatic makeup - cool-toned eyeshadow with a nude lip - cool-toned red lips without mascara - black, over-lined lips (a carryover from F/W '24 shows)	Not from a runway show but observations of street wear during NYFW in SoHo, Chelsea & Tribeca	Marie Claire
Dramatic smokey eye	With or without false lashes	LUAR  (Terry Barber)	Soap Central Online
"Rubber boyfriend-inspired" makeup	Minimal makeup - shiny, moisturized face; light eye makeup; and glossy, pink rubber-inspired lips (from photos it looks like heavily lacquered and shiny lips)	Gabe Gordan (Susie Sobol)	Soap Central Online

              

• Bustle = All The Breakout Beauty Trends From New York Fashion Week F/W '25 by Rachel Lapidos and Daisy Maldonado - bustle(dot)com
  
  
• Fashion Times = Blink-and-You-Miss-Them Cat Eyes and Brown Lip Liner Make Up New York's Best Fall 2025 Beauty Looks by Morgan Schimminger - fashiontimes(dot)com
  
  
• Marie Claire = New York Fashion Week Fall 2025 Street Style Was Made for the Low-Key Beauty Girl by Samantha Holender - marieclaire(dot)com
  
  
• Soap Central Online = 5 best beauty trends of New York Fashion Week 2025 by Vatsala Chauhan - soapcentral(dot)com

⭐  Week 9 (February 24 -  March 2): The Throwback Makeup Capsule - 

It's throwback week here at the capsule makeup challenge! Curate a capsule with one or more product(s) that take us back in time in makeup history. Throwback can mean any number of things, including (but not limited to): 

•  looks from decades past - does the glitz and glamour of the roaring 20's call to you? Or maybe it's the Hollywood era of the 1930s? Are the bright and bold hues of the 1980s make you smile? Or is your signature style summed up by the 1990s? Which of these celeb inspired looks mimics your own go-to - the smoky eyes of the 2000s? Contouring a la the 2010s? Or are you all about the viral trends of the 2020s - 2022's cat eyes? 2023 underpainting? Is last year's 'very demure, very mindful' look still rank high on your radar? Or have you fully embraced this year's mocha mousse color of the year concept?

• looks from last month's or last year's capsules - was there a January capsule you wanted to re-do? Or something from last year's capsule themes that you want to revisit? 

🌟 MONTHLY THEME (optional):

Spoiler

In addition to the weekly themes, incorporate one or more product(s) from a Black-founded or Black-owned brand - check out the spoiler above for Week 6 for a non-exhaustive list of such makeup brands. Based on Week 6's theme, this bonus theme will start the following week (Week 7). 

@ather @blackkitty2014 @CynthieLu @danielledanielle @Mellmars1185 @peculiarzmakeup 

[ather]

@itsfi  Oooo love these themes! Can’t wait to dig in!! 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Thanks for the update! It looks like a great month. Thank for putting in so much thought and effort into these fun themes and challenges! I appreciate everything 🙏