Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2026

[itsfi]

Hello, BIC! 👋 This is the third year of the Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge. Whether you're looking for a fun way to use the new-to-you and tried-and-true products in your collection or if having a set of makeup products picked out in advance makes it easier to get ready in the mornings, welcome! 

Please don't hesitate to jump right on in from the get-go, or feel free to take part during a week when the theme suits your style or piques your interests. We love seeing and being inspired by what beauties everyone is using. 

▶️  NOW PLAYING: CURRENT Makeup Capsule Theme: [Updated 3.1.2026]

Week 9 (March 2 - 8 ) -  The "International Women Founded / Owned Beauty Brand" Makeup Capsule and/or The "Feature Focus" Makeup Capsule (Actors Awards Inspired)

International Women's Day has historically been celebrated annually on March 8. Assemble a capsule this week with one or more makeup products from a woman founded / owned beauty brand. See spoiler below for a list of women-founded makeup brands sold at Sephora US.

Alternatively, curate a capsule (a) focusing on one or more of your favorite features (e.g., eyes? lips? brows?cheek bones?) and/or (b) inspired by a makeup look worn at the Actor Awards (formerly known as the SAG Awards) - a red carpet look, one seen at the ceremony and/or at one of the after parties. 

Spoiler

Below is a list of the women-founded brands (with makeup as their primary line of products) sold in Sephora US:

Ami Colé
Anastasia Beverly Hills
BASMA
Benefit Cosmetics
Bobbi Brown
caliray
Charlotte Tilbury
ciele
Danessa Myricks Beauty
Estee Lauder
Fara Homidi
fel beauty
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna
Freck Beauty
Glossier
Grande Cosmetics
Haus Labs by Lady Gaga
Hourglass
Huda Beauty
Iconic London
Ilia
Iris&Romeo
ISAMAYA
IT Cosmetics
Kosas
Kulfi
KVD Beauty
Laka
Laura Gellar
Laura Mercier
Lawless
LYS Beauty
LIXR Beauty
m.ph by Mary Phillips
MAED
Make Up For Ever
Merit
Milk Makeup
Natasha Denona
Nudestix
Pat McGrath Labs
Range Beauty
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez
Rose Inc.
Saie
Sarah Creal
Simihaze Beauty
stila
tarte
Tower 28 Beauty
U Beauty
Urban Decay
Violette_Fr
Wander Beauty
Westman Atelier
Wonderskin

⏩  UPCOMING Makeup Capsule Themes [Updated 3.1.2026]

Spoiler

Week 10 (March 9 - 15) - The Sleeping Beauties Makeup Capsules and/or The Palettes Makeup Capsule

We've got some choices for Week 10. Put together a capsule made up of:

(a)  one or more makeup palettes; OR

(b)  one or more makeup product(s) that have been sleeping in your collection (read: that have been neglected / could use a little more attention - with sprig coming up, consider this an opportunity to do a little inventory of your collection and maybe getting a little jump start on spring cleaning); OR 

(c)  a mix of makeup palette(s) and product(s) that have been sleeping or otherwise neglected in your collection. 

Capsule themes for subsequent weeks in March 2026 can be found here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Spoiler

What is a makeup capsule?

A makeup capsule is a collection of makeup products curated by you with the intent of simplifying your makeup routine without compromising quality or functionality. It typically includes essential products that can be used to create a variety of look. A makeup capsule can reduce clutter, help save time getting ready in the morning or for events, and provide you with a streamlined and versatile makeup wardrobe tailored to work for you, your budget and lifestyle. While makeup capsules generally include a few pieces, the size of your capsule collection is ultimate up to you.

Why a makeup capsule challenge?

Many of us here have a robust collection of makeup and it can be difficult to pare that down to a handful of pieces for capsule. This challenge, with its weekly themes, is meant as a fun way to try your hand at curating a makeup capsule for yourself. Each week you'll have an opportunity to go through your collection, identify one or more product(s) that fits the weekly theme (all you need is one product for this challenge), and put together a makeup look with that and other products.

The challenge is also another way to use your stash, allowing you a chance to discover products you might have missed out on or re-discover past favorites.

For more info on this challenge, check out the previous years' challenges:  Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2025 
Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2024 

[itsfi]

Week 6 - The "Perfectly Paired" Makeup Capsule

This week's theme was referred to last year as the "Dynamic Duos" and "Killer Combos" capsule and was/is one of my favorites to put together and to see what others curate. I went with a smaller, more minimalist leaning capsule this week, and a mix of Black owned beauty brands and brands from around the globe / represented at the winter Olympics / Paralympics.

Foundation for this week will be DIOR Forever Skin Perfect 24H Multi-Use Foundation Stick. My moisturizer should offer enough hydration and slip for the Dior but if I need to thin it out a little more, I'll pair it with a drop or two of rhode Glazing Milk Ceramide Facial Essence 4.2oz/124ml à la a Hailey Bieber tip and because I'm actually close to using up this bottle. Finally.

Going with the idea that there's no need to mess with what's not broken, my concealers this week are no strangers to the capsule challenge. The HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer with Fermented Arnica has been working out well for covering my blemishes and toning down redness around my nose and the Victoria Beckham by Augustinus Bader The Concealer Pen has proved to offer the right consistency and coverage for my under eyes. 

LYS Beauty True Enlightenment Soft Focus Skin Finisher Powder and the Danessa Myricks Beauty Mini Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Mattifying Setting Spray 1.7 oz/50 mL have made one dynamic duo for setting my makeup, giving my complexion a beautifully blurred and softly dewy finish. 

Keeping color products on my cheeks and eyes simple with Tower 28 Beauty GetSet® Blur + Set Matte Powder Blush Samo Spritzer (part of this year's Pan It! - 2026 Challenge for a flush of color on my cheeks and the metallic shade, Celeste, of the Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix Stix - Multi-Use Pearl Pigment Stick for Eye, Cheek & Lip Duo #6 Cel.... I love that both provide an exceptional color payoff with just one swipe but can be sheered out for a softer look (or built up should I want a little more oomph to my look).

I've not had the best of luck when it comes to layering mascara, until I came upon the killer combo of the DIOR Diorshow Overvolume Extreme Volume Mascara Overblack and the Clio Kill Lash Superproof Mascara Extreme Volume. I've put this pairing to a couple of trials and it has really delivered, holding up for 12+, 15+  and 18-hour days without a single smudge or flake. It takes a little patience on my part to layer these so that my lashes don't look clumpy but it looks great when I do take my time. I had two women ask me about my lashes while I was in Trader Joe's last night which made me wonder if I was being discreetly filmed for something 🤣 - the only time I get asked about my lashes is when a salesperson is trying to match me to a particularly mascara in a brand's lineup. 

About 3 weeks ago, I paired the Haus Labs Mauve Matte lip crayon with one of the new(ish) lip balms from Rare Beauty and it was a lovely mix, yielding a slightly my lips but better every day look. I was looking for a little more depth of color and was playing around with a few of my lip products when I gave the pairing of the HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Le Monster Lip Crayon Vegan Lipstick and Lip Liner Mauve Matte with the Prada Hydrating Lip Balm with Jojoba Oil U010 Maple a try earlier this month and I've been hooked on this combo ever since so here we are. Once I remember to snap a photo this week of this pretty pairing, I'll post to Lips on Lock 🔐: List Your Lip Combos 💄👄 becuase it's definitely a lip combo I plan to wear many times this year and next, and ...

This makes for a great quick and easy look for every day or going out - I can easily sheer out or build up the blush, eyeshadow or lip color to get the look I want. I can see myself reaching for this set of products even as we head into spring, especially with the Rhode Milk thinning the coverage of the Dior stick. This set of items is actually a contender for what I will take with me on a trip next month, possibly adding a bronzer, contour and a couple additional lip options to the travel squad. 

[PDXXXX]

Great capsule @itsfi ! I've been using the Dior stick foundation non-stop and wondering how to incorporate the Rhode Glazing Milk with foundations...any tips on how you're mixing the two?

[itsfi]

@PDXXXX, I've just been replicating what I've seen Hailey Bieber do for the most part - she swipes the Dior foundation onto the back of her hand and adds a drop or two of the rhode Mini Glazing Milk Ceramide Facial Essence 2.2oz/65ml #, blends the two together with a brush and then applies to her face. 

Another way I found helpful if your dry areas centered around a particular part of your face is to just press and spread a drop of Glazing Milk in that area and then pick up the foundation with a brush from the stick and apply to face. If you have her rhode Glazing Mist Hydrating Face Spray 2.7oz/80ml or any hydrating mist will probably work, I like to apply the Dior foundation onto my skin, spritz my face with the mist and then go in and blend with a brush.

I've also used that latter approach with converting the Glazing Milk into a mist - decant a little of the Glazing Milk into an empty spray bottle, added just a teensy bit of water to make a mist. My skin can be a little sensitive to the coconut alkanes in the Glazing Milk (using it consecutive days isn't always ideal fo rme) so using her mist or diluting it a bit with water and making a mist has been helpful for me.

[PDXXXX]

@itsfi appreciate your taking the time to give me the overview of ways to incorporate the Rhode products. I've been on the fence but not wanting to give up on it so these tips are great!

[danielledanielle]

I don't want to hear about the VBB concealer.... No no no.... AHHHHHHH 

Oooh, lash compliments are nice, they're just gazing at you @itsfi , not watching, just longing after your lashes

[itsfi]

lol, the VBB concealer has been a pleasant surprise @danielledanielle. I don't know if they still offer it but they did have samples (possibly for purchase? or perhaps as a gwp) of the concealer shades. I haven't yet tried the concealer as a substitute for foundation but it's on my list of "to do's"

[danielledanielle]

Week 6: Dynamic Duos....A love letter 💌, Black Owned Brands 🫶🏽🙌🏽, featuring 2+ products from:

• Pat McGrath Labs 
• Fenty 
• Uoma & Uoma by Sharon C
• Ami Colé 
• Ace Beauté 
• Fashion Fair 
• Mented Cosmetics 
• Beauty Bakerie
• The Lip Bar 
• Wyn Beauty 
• Juvia's Place 
• Lys Beauty 
• Poundcake Beauty 

 

And the fragrances are all month long: 

• World of Chris Collins Lust Oud Delice Parfum with Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut and Orris Travel Spray 0... 
• BROWN GIRL Jane Carnivale Eau de Parfum Travel Spray with Mango .34 oz / 10ml eau de parfum spray 
• Fenty Beauty by Rihanna The Mista Hair + Body Fragrance Mist 3 oz/90 mL 
• Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Fenty Eau de Parfum 
• World of Chris Collins African Rooibos Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.3 oz / 7.5 ml eau de parfum spra... 
• World of Chris Collins Harlem Nights Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.34 oz / 10 ml 
• Harlem Perfume Co. Langston Eau de Parfum Travel Spray with Tonka Bean and Chocolate .30 OZ/10 ML ea... 

[itsfi]

Ahhhh, that PML setting spray, glowy or more glowy? 😍 Wait, didn’t I read somewhere that it can cause you to breakout sometimes @danielledanielle ? 🤔 That’s a lovely playlist of fragrances for the month. 

[danielledanielle]

@itsfi , yes, that's the PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Longwear Blurring Setting Spray 3.38 oz/100 mL that breaks me out (I think)

ETA: it's glowy.  I use it on the sides of my face, and to set body glitter

[KrysTevanne]

GOD BLESS

 

[itsfi]

Oh, you have some lovelies in your makeup capsule @KrysTevanne. And, that bag is one of my favorite Fenty bag. I low key stalked her site and Ulta's to see if it woud return. 😆 It did and I made sure to not miss out again when it did! 🛍 Is the Daness Myricks the universal primer or one of her tinted versions? 

That Gucci bronzer is a beauty! Love that the formula is easy to blend and build up (or sheer out), and I mean, that packaging!!! 😍

[KrysTevanne]

GOD BLESS

Yes! GOD IS GOOD! They are truly divine.

Love the idea for the Makeup Capsule, btw.

I got the Fenty bag at her Mystery Event w/ Sephora! 
It is the Universal balm lol

Agreed on the Gucci! 

I humbly ask GOD to anoint our makeup capsules so we can all be beauties inside &&& out! 😊🤍☪️✝️

[itsfi]

Not sure what happened, my post disappeared 🤔 We'll try it again. 

Week 5 - The BOB Makeup Capsule

I wanted to go for a one-brand makeup capsule for this week's black founded/owned beauty theme and I can pretty much do a basic look with one brand, namely LYS Beauty, but added a few extra based on my preference for a little more option and variety. A couple of these beauties are appearing in the capsule challenge for the first time but only one is actually new(ish) to me. 

Complexion:

• Primer (Face): I'll mainly be using skincare as primer this week. My skin has been keeping pretty well moisturized but if it needs more I'll add a layer of Bobbi Brown Mini Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer & Primer with Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid 0.... as a primer. It's been my winter primer for a decade, maybe even longer than that. @PDXXXX, I think you asked somewhere about how/where this fits in my skincare-makeup routine? I use it like a traditional primer. It's worked very well sandwiched between my sunscreen and foundation; I don't recall it ever pilling regardless of whatever skin tint or foundation I've paired with it. 
• Foundation: LYS Beauty Triple Fix Blurring and Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation Stick is very creamy, easy to blend. I can wear a few different shades depending on the time of year. It says it's medium coverage but I find it to be medium-plus. I tend to go for lighter coverage bases so on days that I use this as my base I'll mix it with rhode Glazing Milk Ceramide Facial Essence 4.2oz/124ml both because it works well to do so and because I'm really really close to using up the Rhode. 
• Foundation/Concealer: Most days this week I'll use LYS Beauty Bright Start Creamy Buildable Coverage Airbrush Concealer which I've really been enjoying - these shades lean ever slightly more warm than the corresponding foundation. It has both a sponge tip applicator (removable) and a nose tip applicator. Creamy and buildable; the coverage on this is actually much more than I expected. It's more than the brand's foundation stick but I don't feel the need to thin it down with another product as the consistency is thinner. 
• Setting / Finishing Powder: I'll rotate between LYS Beauty Triple Fix Setting Powder Resilience and LYS Beauty True Enlightenment Soft Focus Skin Finisher Powder 
• Setting Spray: My two main setting sprays for the month of February will be PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish: Glass 001 Legendary Glow Setting Spray 3.38 fl oz/100 mL  for when I want maximum dewiness and Danessa Myricks Beauty Mini Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Mattifying Setting Spray 1.7 oz/50 mL which is one of my top 5 setting sprays and will be repurchased in the full size when I finish this canister or when the spring savings event happens, whichever comes first. The DM setting spray and the LYS Soft Focus Skin Finisher Powder make an excellent combo. I may be going with that for the rest of the week. 🏆

Eyes:

Keeping it simple with my eye looks this week as my eyes were a little sensitive the last couple of weeks and are just now feeling back to normal.

• Eyeshadow: Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix Stix - Multi-Use Pearl Pigment Stick for Eye, Cheek & Lip but just the metallic shades in Duos 1, 4 & 6 - Mystic Taupe, Apollo & Celeste, respectively. Love a good eyeshadow stick and these are definitely good ones. Easy peasy to apply, stays on all day long, no creasing, even on my oilier lids and without primer. Celeste is my go-to. 
• Mascara: LYS Lash Confidence Volume + Length + Curl Clean Mascara is one of small few non-waterproof mascara that my lashes can handle. I'm actually almost done with this one (though admittedly it is past the general PAO for mascara and even past the grace period I typically allot myself beyond that if it passes the sight, smell and performance test). Since I prefer waterproof mascara and am trying to keep my stash of non-waterproof versions to a minimum (of 2-3 at any one time), I won't repurchase. 

Cheeks:

• Blush: LYS Beauty Higher Standard Satin Matte Cream Blush Self Love 
• Bronzer: LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick Harmony 
• Highlight: LYS Beauty Aim High Cream Highlighter Stick Brave  - I have the mini versions of the bronzer and highlighter from the LYS Beauty Mini Glow Worthy Light Bronzer and Highlighter 2-Piece Set Harmony/Brave 
• Contour: Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick Amber (in the snackz size) - the neutral grey undertone in this one is just right for me.

Lips:

• Lip Liner: LYS Beauty Speak Love Lip Liner Pencil Romantic  a neutral-toned, muted, dusty rose. Creamy but not too creamy, deposits a good amount of color. I initially was worried about how sharpening the triangular shaped pencil would go but it's been easy peasy and I get the cleanest pencil shavings from this liner. If I wasn't intentionally trying to pare down my stash of lip liners, I'd pick up a few more colors.
• Lip Balm (Clear): Beneath Your Mask Remedy Conditioning Lip Balm - this is constantly out of stock so I'll use this sparingly but it is lovely. 
• Lip Balm (Tinted): EADEM Le Chouchou Exfoliating + Softening Peptide Lip Balm Bissap Glaze EADEM Le Chouchou Exfoliating + Softening Peptide Lip Balm Boba Bounce EADEM Le Chouchou Exfoliating + Softening Peptide Lip Balm Burnt Malai  all in mini sizes from a limited edition set
• Lip Goss: PAT McGRATH LABS LUST: Lip Gloss Bronze Divinity (gratis) - one of my favorite glosses from PML; actually, one of my favorite glosses period.

Tools:

• Brushes: Primarily LYS Beauty, but I have the MAC 171S for use with Fenty Amber for jawline contouring and SEPHORA COLLECTION PRO Blush Brush #99, SEPHORA COLLECTION Essential Brush - 06 Multitasker Face, and Sephora Collection PRO Bruh #47 - is this being / has this been discontinued?
• Beauty sponge: Beauty Bakerie 🐐 looooove these! 

Fragrance:

• Going with Fenty Skin Vanilla Flowers - kicking myself for not picking it up in the larger size. 

I don't have a LYS bag other than this tote which is larger than I need for this capsule, so I've placed the makeup for this week's BOB capsule in a separate smaller makeup bag and included that and my bin with all my makeup produts for February (see below) in the LYS tote.

Image Credit: LYS Beauty direct

My February pool of products is a mix of Pan It! - 2026 Challenge beauties (Tower 28 blush Samo Spritzer and YSL eyeshadow quad Stora Dolls), makeup from Black founded/owned brands and some items from this winter's shop your stash challenge (Fenty lipstick sample card which I'm also hoping to use up for the Foil Challenge - I'm aiming to go through the majority of shades in a lip sample packet every quarter). None new to me but a couple are new to the makeup capsule challenge, such as the Fara Homidi lip products and the Tom Ford foundations. 

[ather]

@itsfi  This is an amazing capsule! 

[itsfi]

Ahhh, thank you @ather. It’s been helpful to work through what I already have and it has also helped to inform me on what makes a good beauty purchase for me personally. I feel like I started doing this capsule challenge with one or two goals or ideas in mind and I’ve actually gotten quite a few more things out of it. 👍🏻 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I swear I had read this already?  I have to say, I have similar bins on my counter as well.  I just can't keep track otherwise.  

[itsfi]

See, I thought so too but I went to get coffee and when I got back to edit the post (to tag the blush after checking the shade) it wasn't there? So I just put it up again, tagged the blush and then was able to tag another product that didn't show up the last time. I dunno @missjeanie, I'll just go with it.

Yeah, these bins have worked wonders!!! Having a bunch of makeup items to rotate through during the month has proven better / easier for me than I thought and this bin is the best way to keep it all together when I have a mix of brands, which will be the majority of the time. 

I'll have try to remember to keep an eye out for when these bins go on sale - $1 is tough to beat for something so functional. 

[danielledanielle]

Look at you with that half filled lip gloss @itsfi !!!

The aesthetics here are 💯 cozycore, and IDK if cozycore is a thing, but you made it a thing anyway

[itsfi]

I forgot I had worked through so much of it. It's a good topper especially for more drying matte lipsticks or for making colors that are too bold for me more wearable. I was holding off on picking up another Bronze Divinity to see if another shade would restock so I could pick up both and maybe a couple other things @danielledanielle, but now I'm thinking there will be no restock of OOS shades. 😞

[missjeanie]

I think this is going to be a monthly capsule for me!  Like @danielledanielle I thought it would be fitting to try and include some PMGL.  I'll use this along with my project pan items as my main stash for the month.  It might look like a lot of similar lip products but ... they end up in my purse and then live there for a few months so I need a steady stash to grab from.

Spoiler

- PMGL Shadows.  I chose these two so that I have both neutral and pink options for the month of love. I don't wear much shadow wise lately so I'm going to force myself to use these each at least once.
-Fenty Colour Corrector. TBH... not my favourite formula, we'll see if we can put a serious dent in it this month.
-Concealers -- Both the Fenty and the DM are decent shade matches.  I'm going to try the PMGL to see if I can get away with it this month.  It may not get used since it's quite a bit darker.
-Blush.  I chose these two Ami Colé blushes since they're a different shade than the more coral toned in my project pan.  I love the formula.
-Base.  The Fenty is almost empty.  I really enjoy it and would consider purchasing again if I didn't have 20 open foundations.  May choose to see if I can finish this off this month.  The DM and Uoma are two that I haven't spent much time with so I'm hoping to decide how I like them this month.
-Brows.  I'm more of a tinted brow gel gal, but am going to try and work in the pencil a bit this month.  

Spoiler

I think I have a good mix here of glosses, balms, stain, and actual lipsticks.  The lip pencil was brand new in the box so we'll see how I like it, but if the swatch is an indication it'll be longwearing!

[danielledanielle]

Lip migration patterns are a real thing 🙃 @missjeanie , all season long from counter to purse to makeup bag to "how did you get here...."

I love the moodiness of this capsule