Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2025

[itsfi]

Hey there, BIC! It's year 2 of the capsule makeup challenge. 

What is this challenge about?

It's a mix of curating a group of products that are "must haves" for you and your lifestyle and shopping your stash by putting your beauties to use and seeing what, if anything, you need to declutter from your stash and/or to fill out your collection. 

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 exactlay. 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. For example, last year for "green" week, there were a host of possibilities for what it means for a product to be "green" - capsules that included one or more products that were (a) green in color; (b) "clean"; (c) contained in green packaging or that (d) cost a lot of "green" 💸💸💸 fit the bill. 😉 For more examples, you might want to check out last year's thread - Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2024 to see what beauty products others in the Community have used and posted about. 

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 12 (March 17 - 23) - The "Spring Is In The Air" Makeup Capsule  

Spring has officially arrived (or will on March 20) and it's time to pull out those makeup products that give you those springtime feels. Maybe that means a pop of pastel to your eyes, or cheeks, or lips. Or, maybe your spring look is one you wear year round. Whatever the case may be, let's put together a capsule with one or more makeup products that makes you think of spring.

OPTIONAL (month-long theme): We're having another month-wide theme in March in celebration of Women's History Month. For this month, in addition to the weekly themes, consider incorporating into your weekly capsules, one or more beauty products from a woman-founded / owned beauty brand. 

UPCOMING Makeup Capsule Themes: [Updated 3.16.2025]

Spoiler

🎬  Week 13 (March 24 - March 30) - The "Take 2" / Do Over" Makeup Capsule 

Was/Is there a previous capsule theme from this year's challenge that you'd like to give a second take, that you'd like to have a do over, be it because you loved the theme, or you have another way you want to approach the capsule, or you were unable to do a capsule the original week it was in the spotlight and you'd like another chance at it? Whatever the reason, here's your opportunity to create (or re-create) a capsule with one of this year's previous themes. Don't remember the capsule themes we've done to date? Check out the spoiler section for "Previous Makeup Capsule Themes" below. 

⏩  April Capsule Themes will be posted at or before the end of Week 12.

Previous Capsule Themes: [Updated: 3.16.2025]

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
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
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

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.

[CynthieLu]

Yeah you really picked out a beautifully matching group here. @peculiarzmakeup they're are so cohesive. 🤎

I think the idea letting these new trends be your Muse and going where the inspiration takes you is kinda fun too. 😉 

[peculiarzmakeup]

Thank you! I think the word cohesive is a great way to look at this! I really enjoyed pairing these together! It’s fun to see how different inspirations lead into capsules I really enjoy that aspect 🙂 @CynthieLu 

[itsfi]

Week 2 (January 6 - 12) - The "Mocha Mousse" Inspired Makeup Capsule 

• Primer: Dr. Jart+ Mini Cicapair Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30 15 mL/ .50 fl oz is good for reducing or just completely masking redness on my cheeks and around my nose. I also have just the little bit of GUERLAIN Parure Gold 24K Radiance Primer 1.2 oz / 35 mL left to use up.

Spoiler

• Foundation: It's going to be a light coverage week, for the most part - I'll rotate between the Live Tinted Hueguard Tint Skin Tint SPF 50 and the Victoria Beckham by Augustinus Bader Priming Moisturizer (Golden)
• Concealer: DIOR Backstage Concealer 2N 
• Finishing Powder: Hourglass Ambient® Lighting Finishing Powder Dim Light (part of my 2025 pan it! challenge)
• Setting Products: I'll switch between the Dior Forever Perfect Fix Setting Spray - this has a paired really well with the Guerlain primer and the SEPHORA COLLECTION Translucent Loose Setting Powder (gratis)

Eyes:

Spoiler

• Primer: about-face Shadow Fix Eye Primer
• Eyeshadow: Cle de Peau Quad (discontinued)
• Eye Liner: Danessa Myricks Beauty Infinite Chrome Waterproof Micropencil Eyeliner Bronzite (upper lashline) (from SEPHORiA 2024: ATL) and Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Brightening Pencil - Light 1 (discontinued) (waterline)
• Mascara: Cosnori Perfect Setting Mascara Waterproof Long & Curl

Cheeks:

Spoiler

• Blush: Ami Colé Desert Date Cream Blush & Lip Multistick Hibiscus for some color. I love the monochromatic look but it doesn't always translate so well on me; I need a little color somewhere. This week, it'll be courtesy of my blush. This can also serve as a lippie if I tire of the neutral brown lip look.
• Highlight: Byredo Fluid Highlighter Stick Gilded Memoir
• Bronzer: Pixi On-the-Glow Bronze Stick - Soft Glow 

Spoiler

• Lip Balm: Sulwhasoo Glowing Lip Balm
• Lipstick: Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Fenty Icon The Fill Semi-Matte Refillable Lipstick She A CEO - on its own it's a deep, dark brown. Paired with the Fenty gloss or Fenty lip oil and it gives off those mocha mousse vibes.
• Lip Gloss: Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer Champ Stamp Fantasy 
• Lip Oil: Pound Cake Cake Theory Lip Tone Equalizing Oil - this was generously gifted to me by a friend. I'm not sure about the "neutralizing" claims of this product but it feels super comfortable on and looks beautiful paired with the liners and the lipstick in this week's capsule.
• Lip Liner: It'll be a heavy lip liner + lip oil/gloss week 😍 with my lip liner options consisting of Merit Lip Liner (Bespoke) (this was part of a limited edition holiday set a few years ago, hoping it is made part of the permanent collection at some point - it's one of my favorite neutral brown lip liners - creamy and glides on beautifully). Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner Love Trap and Dominique Cosmetics lip liner (I think the shade is Crush; it was part of a holiday set a few years back; a lovely pinky- nude brown shade that is the ideal mix of those two color families for my lips.

The Weekend Edition of this week's capsule.

The Process: 

Spoiler

I have a few approaches to selecting the makeup products for each week's capsule. 

• The Focused Approach - For last week's capsule (New Year, New To You Makeup), I started by pulling out a couple of the on-theme products I wanted to use (namely, the Saie blush (gratis), the Dior lipstick Dazzle and the Aerin fragrance, which I'm blending with other fragrances at the moment to see what combo I like with it). I focused my other products around those with the idea that I wanted to incorporate at least one 2025 pan it! challenge item (Cle de Peau and YSL eyeshadow quad) and filled out the rest with a mix of products I've used before. I had 11 makeup items (did not count skincare or fragrance) - for this year, I'm aiming for most of my weekly capsules to fall within the 8-12 product range. Some weeks will have more items and some, less.

• The "Cast My Net Out Wide & Pare Down" Approach - Set aside what I think I'd like to use for the week's theme and then edit from there, trying to be as realistic as possbile with what I'll use as well as what I'll want for options. This is what I tried for this week's Mocha Mousse theme - as you can see, I leaned more into options. 😮🤣 More on how I arrived at all of this in the spoiler below.

• The "Keep It Simple (& Stunning) Approach - This is when I really want a well-edited capsule, but without sacrificing options. It usually means my capsule consists of 6-10 products, depending on whether or not I'm going for a full face of makeup.  

Week 2 Process: 
I made the mistake of filling the bag with whatever I could fit in the bag. 🙄 This is a very spacious bag, so whoops! 😬 I guess "paring it down" is all relative. lol.

What I started with ... again, very spacious bag. Ha!


I didn't realize just how spacious until I emptied the bag and placed all the products into groups - complexion - eyes - cheeks - lips. As well as skincare, skincare/makeup hybrids, and fragrance.



The cheek products were easy to decide on as there were only 3 and in different subcategories - blush, bronzer, highlight. We eventually arrived at this, which, while less than what we started with, looks like a lot ... because it is a lot. Eeeeek!!! I could have done better with paring down the lip and complexion products. Next time. 

Edited to add: Tags and swatches added to post. Will update post later today to tag products and include swatches.

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Amazing mocha mousse capsule! The Cle de Peau palette is perfect for this challenge. How do you like the CT liner shade? Even your bag goes with the theme! I love it 🤎

[ather]

@itsfi  Wow. Look at this capsule!! It is amazing. I love the bag it looks so spacious and perfect for a bigger capsule. I don’t think you picked out that many face products I mean you really need to have options and if the bag allows I think it’s a win win! That eye palette is gorgeous! I bet the looks you did with this capsule are stunning by!! 

[itsfi]

Awww, thank you @ather! Putting the capsule together makes me realize that I underestimate how much I have in my collection. 😬😂 All the eye products for this past week were a hit. The dark brown eyeliner is a tad darker than I usually wear but it can work if I use a light hand. They had all the shades at Sephoria 2024 to swatch and the lighter 2 shades were off in terms of their undertones or the shade itself. It is a sweet souvenir (and practical one, too) from the event. 

[CynthieLu]

Mocha Mousse just sounds like a delicious capsule @itsfi I feel like everything here really looks like it will pair together very well. The tones I'm seeing, even in your bag, are all so well in line with the theme. 👌🍫

[itsfi]

Thanks @CynthieLu! The eye products work superbly together and it’s been fun mixing and matching the lippies for some great combos. 

[peculiarzmakeup]

Beautiful capsule! I did some research on Pantone’s color of the year and it’s fascinating. I love how your capsule has gold toned products, that little bit of primer left goes so well with the theme this week! The swatches are beautiful, the tones and shades are so gorgeously paired with your product picks! The bronze, highlight, blush trio is so well paired. Love the lip shades, as you mentioned Bespoke being a part of your collection I am also glad they brought it back in 2025! I enjoyed reading about your approach to your capsules. Mocha Mousse is shining bright through your beautiful picks, photos, and process. Excellent capsule! Love seeing the swatches, I appreciate your exemplary display of what mocha mousse looks like for you ❤️ @itsfi 

[itsfi]

@peculiarzmakeup, I wish I reached for the Guerlain primer when I first picked up the sample - another reminder to use what I have sooner rather than later - so many lessons being learned, or relearned. 😆 

It’s great to see Merit making some of their limited edition shades permanent - makes me think it’s only a matter of time (and soon-ish perhaps) that we’ll see lip liners on the shelves from them. This one is creamy that it glides on smoothly. 👍🏼 

[peculiarzmakeup]

Reminders of learning are always helpful too the relearning is a great way to assess if something is a need! Always learning 😊 ah I need to try the lip oil for merit I have a lipstick I’ve loved everything so far maybe I can sample in store and yes it’s so neat when things become permanent or are brought back it’s always a new way to celebrate its merit haha @itsfi 

[CynthieLu]

My New Year, New-To-You Makeup Capsule   🎉🍾

The New:

✨Revlon Cream Eye Shadow Pods

✨Nyx Butermelt Blush

✨Saie Dew Blush Liquid Cream Blush Chilly ( Gratis 💝🙏)

✨Valentino Donna Born In Roma Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.33 oz/ 10 mL  ( Gratis 💝😊)

✨Clarins mascara

✨Rephr Eye Brushes 

The rest: 

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

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Soothing Serum Skin Tint Foundation with Peptides + Ceramides 4 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Evil Eye 

Benefit Cosmetics Mighty Fine Waterproof Brow Pen 3 

Here's to another fun year of capsules 🎉 Thank you so much @itsfi for putting this thread together for us. 🙏 It's going to be another fun year of capsules, I'm excited to see this challenge unfold and peak at what everyone is using. 😊 Have fun everyone! 

I'm surprised I had enough in my stash to really focus on the theme New. But in the end I did have a nice group. A few of these were gifts, gratis and products in my collection that I'm just getting to open now. Plus my new brushes ( a little gift to self )  I'm having fun getting used to everything. 😀

[Mellmars1185]

@CynthieLu Great capsule to start the new year! How did you like the formula of the NYX blush and the Revlon eyeshadow? I love your photo!

[ather]

@CynthieLu  Great capsule!! 

[peculiarzmakeup]

Beautiful capsule, photo, and “News” I love your variety and how these products are new faves for you I also enjoy the Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Soothing Serum Skin Tint Foundation with Peptides + Ceramides 2  I feel like it does such a wonderful effortless job with good coverage I’ve seen you sport it beautifully 🩷 love the pink tones it’s so cool to see what everyone’s new loves are I find it so fun to discover 🩷 @CynthieLu 

[itsfi]

This is a wonderful mix of tried-and-true and new-to-you products @CynthieLu! I've heard good things about the NYX blush and the Revlon cream eyeshadows - those actually bring back a bit of nostalgia for me - Revlon had, I think they still have, these cream eyeshadow quads baaaack in the day; that was my intro to cream eyeshadows, well, other than the blue cream eyeshadow stick of my mom's that little me may have found a way to get her little hands on at the time. Oops. 😂

[CynthieLu]

Thank you @itsfi I've seen them get some hype on social media and a bunch of my co-workers absolutely love them. I have only used them a few times but my initial reaction feels pretty positive. 

I know what you mean about makeup nostalgia. I have certain products that when I see them really take me back. I like the feeling, and the way we evolve our makeup choices etc.. it's fun to remember and enjoy the changing times. 🩷

I remember enjoying an icy blue cream eyeshadow waaay back but I think it may have been a Body Shop product? It's actually really hard to remember exactly where I discovered it. 🤯😂

[blackkitty2014]

A great product lineup @CynthieLu 👏🌹

[CynthieLu]

Thank you @blackkitty2014 💝 I've got a good feeling about these new ones, it's time you start trying them out and see how they perform.🧐

[blackkitty2014]

I was out of town most of the 1st week so I will join your ladies on the 2nd week. I love Mocha theme. PS. I might have to cheat with the lipsticks. I’m trying to do 100 day lip challenge as well so I can see how many lipsticks I need to toss 😢 @itsfi 

[itsfi]

@blackkitty2014, I hope you had a fabulous time this week - it can be so nice to get away. Jump on in when you can; always love having you here.

Oh blackkitty, not cheating at all - it's awesome to engage in activities across multiple threads; and great when they intersect with one another. Besides, we are all on board if your capsule has "extras," or, "options" as some of us say. 😅 It'll be exciting to see you work through your lipsticks - that seems like it'll be quite the task - you have such a beautiful collection; I don't envy you. Good luck!