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

Alright, we're heading into Memorial Day weekend, often an informal 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.

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 5.18.2025]

Spoiler

Week 22 (May 26 - June 1) - The Musician Founded / Owned Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule
We've got the American Music Awards (AMA) taking place on May 26. Use actual red carpet looks from this year or past years for inspiration when putting together a makeup capsule with one or more products that fit this week's prompt. Or, show us what product(s) you'd use if you were attending the AMAs. 🎶🎵🎶 Or, curate a capsue if one or more products from beauty brands (focusing primarily on makeup) that are founded or owned by a musician.

Spoiler

Below is a non-exhaustive list of brands founded or owned by a musician that have makeup products as a primary focus. Prodcts with an asterisk (*) after the brand name are available at Sephora. 

about-face (Halsey)
Fenty Beauty (Rihanna)*
GXVE by Gwen Stefani*
Haus Labs by Lady Gaga*
Kesha Rose Beauty
Keys Soulcare (Alicia Keys)
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez*
R.E.M. Beauty (Ariana Grande)
Victoria Beckham Beauty

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

Previous Capsule Themes: [Updated: 5.18.2025]

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

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.

[caitbird]

@itsfi  yay, thanks so much for the tag! I haven't been doing my makeup much lately, but I'd like to get back into it, and this challenge is great for inspiration! Looking forward to hopefully joining in sometimes in April and in the future! 💜

[itsfi]

Whenever you can @caitbird; we're here. Yeah, I have those times when I don't wear much makeup and then there are others where I'm like, which X to try first?!! 🤣

[danielledanielle]

STICK WEEK PART THREE: Rekindled

@itsfi 

 

[itsfi]

There are at least a few stick lovers here @danielledanielle. 😉 A little birdie told me it’s highly likely there’ll be seasonal stick capsule prompts this year; at least for most seasons. 

[danielledanielle]

Stick-sensational @itsfi 

[ather]

@itsfi  How are we almost through with the first quarter??? Oh my!! These up coming capsules look amazing! Can’t wait to see what everyone uses! 

[itsfi]

Thank you @ather! It was fun to put together the prompts for next month, which is what, a week away?! Crazy! I excited for what folks put together - it's always great to see people's taste and style that come through their capsules. 😍

[ElleSmith16]

Spring is definitely in the air here in Georgia! I associate spring with the start of vacation and travel season. Here are a few of my mini sized favorites. Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush , ILIA Mini Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara After Midnight 

 

[CynthieLu]

You have so many cute minis! @ElleSmith16 😍 Do you have a favorite or a stand out product from this bunch? 

[ElleSmith16]

Yes, three standouts for me would be the Armani foundation, the Rare Beauty Blush and the ILIA Mini Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara After Midnight. 

[CynthieLu]

Thank you for sharing! 🙏🩷 @ElleSmith16 

I have heard many people praise Armani's foundation. It's been on my list of things I would love to try for a looong time. 😍

[itsfi]

Gorgeous group of mini sized favorites @ElleSmith16 ❣️ I love mini's - they're great for travel and for just being able to try out a product. They're so cute, too! Great photo - love that bowl in the background - what a bevy of beauties you have in that bowl. 😍 Hope you have some fun vacation and travel plans ahead. 

[ElleSmith16]

Thank you! I made the bowl myself. 😀

[itsfi]

Wow!! You’re very talented; that is a beautiful bowl 😍

[ather]

@ElleSmith16  Beautiful capsule! How fun spring means travel to you!!! 

[itsfi]

Week 12: Spring is In the Air Makeup Capsule

I have a trimmed down makeup capsule this week; it's a combination of last week's "attitude of gratitude" theme and this week's springtime prompt - smaller than I originally envisioned for either theme and without any eye makeup. The primary reason for the latter is that I'm nursing an injured eye - I'll be fine, but I'm avoiding eye makeup (except for Glossier Boy Brow) until it heals and will be trimming back some more on my off-hours screen time this week so as to not cause it additional strain.

COMPLEXION:

• Testing out the new MILK MAKEUP Hydro Grip 12-Hour Hydrating Gel Skin Tint 4 this week. I went in to get color matched, the last activity I had left for the New Beauty Insider Challenge! - beauty scan. Thank you to Amy at the Union Street store who took a scan of my face and I was matched to shades 4 and 5. My eye went to 5 when I saw the display and swatched the product onto my hand. Both shades work - 5 evens out my tone with just a hint of extra color, and 4 adds a brightness to my complexion in a natural way.  wear skin tints year round so it's not exactly spring-specific for me but lighter formulations like this Milk tint do see an uptick in sales and use when the weather warms up. 
• I'll use HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer with Fermented Arnica to cover the redness around my nose - spring is in the air which means allergy season is underway, and to conceal a couple PIH spots. PIH = post inflammatory hyperpigmentation - the dark spot(s) that can follow a healing zit. The Haus Labs is a beautiful concealer - one of my top concealers. Thankful that I discovered it through last year's capsule challenge.
• SEPHORA COLLECTION Translucent Loose Setting Powder - I am getting closer and closer to using this up each day 👍 and will be incorporating it into various capsules this year until I do. It was part of a gratis package from @TeamBIC - thank you! a while ago and I've been steadily working my way through it. I have to thank @Mellmars1185 for getting me back into using loose powders - seeing her work through the now discontinued YSL loose powder (the new formulation is just not the same - I may reach for mine after I use up this SC powder). 

CHEEKS:

I owe my blush purchases and usage to BIC on so many different levels.This week's trio is representative of the various ways BIC has enabled / inspired me to pay more attention to my cheeks over the years. 

•  I was first introduced to the MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer®   through Team BIC's summer gratis package. This one is in a lighter shade which is more fitting for my complexion this time of year; the one from the gratis package will come out to play later in the year (and hopefully see pan at some point). 
• This Yves Saint Laurent Make Me Blush 12H Blurring Liquid Blush 57 Coral Clash screams spring to me - it's very pretty and cheerful. It's not really a shade I normally gravitate towards and am grateful to the YSL rep for suggesting and applying it to my cheeks at SEPHORiA 2024: Atlanta, and even more thankful to a BIC beauty for gifting this to me. 💝 
• Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight Mesmerize is another gift from another BIC beauty that I'm thankful for. It's the few, maybe the only, come to think of it, rose gold highlighter I have in my collection and it's a gorgeous one. 😍

LIP:

• What?! I'm going with just one lip product for the week?!! And in a softer shade of pink that I don't typically wear. Yep, I'm going to try keeping to the about-face Cherry Pick - The Mini (Pink Pina) all week long. If I find myself in need of more variety, I'll probably reach for some lip liners or tinted lip balms I've been meaning to reach for / test out.

FRAGRANCE:

A thank you to the lovely @cianni  for intro'ing fragrance to the capsule challenge last year. I have two for this week.

•  #Valentino Donna Born In Roma Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.33 oz/ 10 mL was part of last year's holiday gratis from TeamBIC and a lovely piece of the swag bag from SEPHORiA (I think it was from NYC?)
• I picked up Ellis Brooklyn MYTH Eau de Parfum as a souvenir of a trip to Maui 5+ years ago. It was a much needed getaway then and serves as a reminder to me to carve out time for getaways through the year, even if it's not to a tropical island. 

Week 11 Recap 

Everything was good, if not great, with last week's samples capsule, particularly the Dior. Prior to setting aside these items for last week's capsule, I had in semi-regular use, all but maybe 3 of the samples in full size form 💗. I love how much product Dior included in these blister packets - it allows me to put the product to (much) more than one use, giving me a better idea of how it will fit into my makeup routine(s) and whether it's something I'd want to have in a full size. Merci beaucoup, Dior!  All but one of the samples I used were hits, with just one that was just okay for me, with that having to do with my personal taste rather than the formuation or color payoff. The gold glow maximizer is a beautiful shade but it's just not a shade I tend to reach for very often so a full size wouldn't make sense for me - it's a stunning gold with lovely shimmer to it. I love that is packs in the color as it would translate gorgeously on many skin tones.  

Each of the sample blisters of the Kosas Air Brow Tinted Clean Volumizing Eyebrow Gel also contained a lot, and I mean, A LOT, of product. I've had this sample card for some time and was concerned the product might have dried up. It did not. The shades are very pigmented and I need to use a light hand - my previous experience with this product has mainly been with the clear gel version. Shade-wise, taupe and/or one of the mid-tone ashy brown shades are probably the best match. My eye brow hairs are dark but if I match the brow shade head on, the look is a little too intense for my liking so I tend to go with shades that can blend well into my natural brow color without drawing too much attention to them. I've liked a couple of Kosas items and this product is promising, @ather.  I'll need to pin down the shade I like best but I see why it has such a fan following. 

[CynthieLu]

This is a beautiful presented capsule, you make such lovely ones! @itsfi I hope your eye injury heals quickly and with no complications. 🤕 

How do you like Ellis Brooklyn MYTH Eau de Parfum 3.4 oz / 100 mL eau de parfum spray?

[itsfi]

@CynthieLu, I like the EB Myth fragrance. I have it in various sizes and formulations since discovering it on vacation 5 years ago.

[CynthieLu]

I haven't thought about it in a awhile, seeing it in your capsule brought back a memory. I remember getting a sample size forever ago. I do I know I liked it, but I can't recall what it even smelt like. I have a few scents on my list to smell in store. I think I'll revisit this one and add it to the list. @itsfi. My curiousity has been sparked. 🐈

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Great capsule! Did you see Givenchy has a new setting powder coming out?? Do you like having setting powder in your makeup routine?

[itsfi]

The pressed powder, yes, @Mellmars1185? When I saw it on the product page, my first thought was whether you’d seen it. And then I wondered if the formulation was more like the older version of the loose that was so well loved by so many. I’m kinda tempted to give it a try, but  I might wait though to get more info on the formulation. What about you - think you’ll pick up the new YSL?

Thanks so much for asking - I have been liking a setting powder. For day to day, I’m generally good with one or the other (a setting spray or a setting powder) but layering both (and in some cases, using a hydrating mist as well) is the best combination for me. 

Out of curiosity, what are your current go to setting powders?