Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge

[itsfi]

Hello, BIC Beauties! If the idea of makeup capsules piques your curiosity, or you're interested in seeing what's in the beauty collection or weekly makeup bag of your fellow BIC beauties, jump right on in - with questions, comments or a capsule of your own to share.

To add a fun take on putting together a makeup capsule, I've included theme(s) for the weekly capsule - some weeks, I have enough products in my stash (eek!) to make a whole capsule based on the prompt; other weeks, I have just one or two items that fit neatly within theme.

Whether you find yourself in the same place or somewhere in between, jump right on it and share your weekly makeup capsule. Check out the FAQ section below ⤵️ for more info on this challenge.

CURRENT MAKEUP CAPSULE THEME:   

Week 42 (October 14 - 20) - The "Makeup I'm Thankful For" Makeup Capsule and/or The Do Over / Take 2 Makeup Capsule - To celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving (October 14) with our Canadian BIC beauties 🇨🇦, let's curate a capsule this week of products you are thankful for, be it: 

• because it was gifted to you by a friend, family or brand
• because it's a HG or a tried-and-true product you can't be without
• because it holds sentimental or nostalgic value to you
• or, just because

OR, use the week to repeat or "do over" a past makeup capsule or capsule theme. Consider posting your "Do over" / "Take 2" 🎬 look on the Makeup Challenge of the Week 2021/2022/2023/2024 thread. 😍

Upcoming Makeup Capsule Themes: [Updated 10.14.2024] Take a sneak peek at the weekly themes to come.

Spoiler

Week 43 (October 21 - 27) - The "How Low Can I Go?" Makeup Capsule and/or The Global Makeup Capsule - Two new themes this week - curate a capsule inspired by one or the other, or both. 

You may be asking, for the "How Low Can I Go?" prompt,  What do you mean by "low", itsfi? Like the green capsule we did back in Week 17 (April, 2024), you tell me what "low" means to you this week. Low can mean:

• minimalist - as in the number of makeup products you will use this week
• budget friendly - are the makeup beauties in this week's capsule awesome and affordable?
• low-key - like this fall's demure makeup trend
• other: your definition of "low" for this capsule prompt

October 24 is United Nations Day, a day that is intended to be "devoted to raising awareness of the goals and achievements of the [United Nations] and gaining support for its work." I imagine so many things can be said here; I am intending that this prompt be an opportunity for folks who so desire to do so, to create a makeup capsule consisting of products or brands from around the world. This can be one or more product. It can be based on a brand with a founder born, raised or based in a country that is different from yours. It can be as simple (a US-based BIC'er including a product from a Canadian brand - e.g., MAC, Cheekbone, Nudestix; or a Canadian-based BIC'er using a product from a US brand) or as diverse as you want to make it (having a product from a brand based in each continent, though probably not Antarctica; a Japanese beauty or Korean beauty based makeup capsule, etc.). 

⏭  Additional October themes can be found here - October 2024 Makeup Capsule Themes

Previous Makeup Capsule Themes: [Updated 10146.2024]

Spoiler

1 - The First (of the Year) Makeup Capsule

2 - The Quick & Easy Winter Edition Makeup Capsule

3 - The $20 USD ($27 CAD) & Under Makeup Capsule

4 - The "On the Go!" Makeup Capsule

5 - The Best of January 2024 Makeup Capsule

6 - The Black Owned / Founded Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule

7 - The Lunar New Year - Year of the Dragon Makeup Capsule and/or The "Things I Love" Makeup Capsule

8 - The "BIC Inspired" Makeup Capsule

9 - The Best of February 2024 Makeup Capsule and/or The "On The Chopping Block" Makeup Capsule 

10 - The International Woman Owned / Founded Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule

11 - The "One Brand" or "All The Brands" Makeup Capsule 

12 - The "Springing Forward" Makeup Capsule and/or The Pops of Color Makeup Capsule 

13 -  The Fast & Furious / Quick & Easy Makeup Capsule and/or The March 2024 "On Top" or "On The Chopping Block" Makeup Capsule 

14 - The "Do Over" or "Take 2" Makeup Capsule

15 - The Makeup-Artist-Founded Brand Makeup Capsule and/or The Sephora Spring Savings Makeup Capsule

16 - The BIC Inspired (Summer Edition) Makeup Capsule and/or The Sephora Spring Savings Makeup Capsule

17 - The "Green" Makeup Capsule and/or The Sephora Spring Savings Makeup Capsule

18 - The  April 2024 "On Top" or "On The Chopping Block" Makeup Capsule and/or The "More Play Time With My Sephora Savings Event Hauls" Makeup Capsule

19 - The AAPI Owned / Founded Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule

20 - The "Sleeping Beauties" Makeup Capsule and/or The "OMG, More Stuff From the Sephora Spring Savings" Makeup Capsule

21 - The "My Best Self" Makeup Capsule
22 - The  May 2024 "On Top", "On The Chopping Block" or "On Repeat" Makeup Capsule
23 - The Love Is Love Makeup Capsule
24 - The Repurposed Makeup Capsule and/or The Multi-tasking Makeup Capsule
25 - The "Welcome, Summer!" Makeup Capsule and/or The "Good Stuff" Makeup Capsule
26 - The June 2024 "On Top", "On the Chopping Block" and/or "On Repeat" Makeup Capsule
27 - The Indie Brands Makeup Capsule and/or The Summer Vacation Makeup Capsule
28 - The "If I Were To Curate My Ultimate Makeup Capsule" Makeup Capsule (aka The "These are My Favorite Products" Makeup Capsule) 
29 - The Sticks and (Gem)Stones Makeup Capsule and/or The Pops of Colour: Summer Edition Makeup Capsule
30 - The BIC Inspired Summer Edition Makeup Capsule and/or The Pan It! Makeup Capsule
31 - The July 2024 New, Old, or "Is It Time For This To Go?" Makeup Capsule
32 - The Take 2 / Do Over Makeup Capsule and/or The "Sleeping Beauties" Makeup Capsule 
33 - The Day-to-Night (or Date Night): Summer Edition Makeup Capsule and/or The "Outside My Comfort Zone" Makeup Capsule
34 - The Samples Makeup Capsule and/or The Newness Makeup Capsule 
35 - The August 2024 Throw Down!, Throwback, and/or Throw Out? Makeup Capsule 
36 - The Workhorses Makeup Capsule
37 - The Runway or Red Carpet Inspired Makeup Capsule and/or The "BIC Inspired" Makeup Capsule 
38 - The LatinX Founded / Owned Beauty Brands Makeup Capsule
39 - The September 2024 Throw Down!, Throwback, and/or Throw Out? Makeup Capsule and/or The Brands at SEPHORiA Makeup Capsule
40 - The "Pop of Colour": Fall Edit Makeup Capsule and/or The Musician Founded or Owned Beauty Brands Makeup Capsule
41 - The "Dynamic Duos (or Trios)" Makeup Capsule and/or The "Products with Interesting / Attention-Grabbing Names" Makeup Capsule

FAQs: [Updated 4.28.2024]

Spoiler

What is a capsule makeup collection?  

A capsule makeup collection is a selection of makeup products that can be used to put together different looks for a variety of occasions. For some of us, that may mean a group of essential products for your everyday look plus a few extra items for a more glam or dramatic look; and, for others of us, that may mean, a lineup of our holy grail product(s) in each makeup category. My ideal capsule makeup collection probably falls somewhere in between - we'll (hopefully) find out at the end of the year! I don't see myself as a minimalist, but I don't have an extensive collection of makeup either. I appreciate the collections of people who fall within both camps but I float somewhere in between - on the one hand, my brow product collection would earn a gold star if we were using a minimalist approach to makeup; my lip product lineup, on the other hand, would not. 🤣 It would most definitely not.  

Why have a capsule makeup collection?  

Everyone will have their own reasons for having (or not having) a more streamlined makeup collection. Over the years, I've just become more interested in having less beauty products on hand (well, except for lip products, lol) - a handful of items I use or reach for more frequently with maybe a few additional products that are go-to's for me for special events or occasions.  Don't get me wrong, I love trying new products and I don't see that changing. I just like the idea of having a simpler collection (I appreciate that "simpler" can be relative), curated to my needs and lifestyle.

Why weekly? 
A few 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. I may not post detailed reviews, but will at least try to include a weekly recap (probably at the end of the week) of what products I like and which ones didn't work for me.  If weekly works for you, great. If not, feel free to join in based on what works best for you.

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

No need for your entire makeup capsule to fit the weekly theme(s). Just one 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. 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I generally try to only pick up the mini tubes of mascara anymore simply because they last so long for me.  Both of these have been open for about 4-5 months.  I still have a couple of others that I'm telling myself to finish off because they've been open longer before I let myself open anything else.  Full size tubes of some of my favourites can easily last just under a year for me and I'm trying to be better about not keeping them so long.   Both of these had more 'wet' formulas that I'd occasionally wipe off the wand on a paper towel so I'm thinking that's why they emptied out so fast.  

The ND concealer is so nice.  I think this year will be working through a lot of half open concealers as well.  

Okay... I just want to work through a lot of things I think lol!

[itsfi]

@missjeanie, I hear that! If all mascara were available in mini or travel size versions, I'd be happy. Mascara isn't even one of the beauty categories where I have a lot of surplus and it's one that I'm fairly good about keeping my supply at a manageable level but my word, it takes me forever to use up a tube. I don't think I've used up tubes so much as I've called it quits, thrown the white towel, when it's gone past a certain number of months. 

lol, yes, this is the year we work through a lot of things! I'm in that same boat, missjeanie! I'm hoping this capsule adventure not only streamlines my collection a bit (okay, maybe more than just a bit) but also gets some products out of drawers and boxes and bins, whether relocated, donated or decluttered. I know my final collection will be larger than most "capsules" but I'm good with that. Work in progress. 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I feel Mascara surplus snuck up on me I swear I haven't purchased a full tube in a hot minute here, but somehow I've got more than enough on deck to try out lol.  I'm telling myself that getting two gone in two days this week is a good thing!  I need to be better at just tossing ones that aren't my favourites.  

I'm horrible at decluttering... I'm hoping that seeing how much I don't get a chance to use in such a healthy (to borrow your term) stash will help me feel better about downsizing some old products that aren't actually empties. Seeing how many people do it monthly in the Empties thread and here weekly... inspirational!!

[itsfi]

Hmmmm.... maybe start off slow or small @missjeanie? Maybe aim to declutter one product per month?

[missjeanie]

@itsfi Ohhhh I like that!  One a month feels doable!  Less intimidating. 

[itsfi]

Week 5: Best of January Makeup Capsule

So nice to have everything in one bag, in one place & ready for use!

Product Detail:

Spoiler

Base: 

⭐Bobbi Brown Mini Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer & Primer with Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid 0.... - this is a good base for my dry skin - balmy and creamy without being too thick or heavy.

⭐Tower 28 Beauty SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation 15 Melrose has earned HG status; my favorite tint - evens tone & adds a lovely glow to the skin as well. 

⭐MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick Linen - using this as a concealer to cover redness around my nose (and probably the pesky pimple that I feel just under the surface of the skin (grr!)

Cheeks: This was a hard category for me to come up with because while these are good, I'm not sure if they're great, primarily because I don't reach for my cheek products as often as I probably should. 

⭐The color on NUDESTIX Nudies Cream Blush All-Over-Face Color Bohemian Rose is lovely and blends easy; it can be built up or sheered out. Will also be trying to make this work as a lip product this week.

⭐Victoria Beckham Beauty Matte Bronzing Brick 02 - I do like this to add some warmth to my face. In hindsight, I should have included a cream bronzer this time of the year - well, technically I did last week with one of the Nudestix trios but the shade wasn't great. In any event, I can get a lovely wash of color with the VBB.

⭐Saie Mini Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Highlighter Starglow may be another multi-tasker for me this week. I'm panning on using it as a highlight as well as perhaps a primer when going out, for a soft, all over glow.

Eyes:

⭐Trying something different and will be using the NUDESTIX Nudies Glow Cream Highlighter Stick Hey, Honey as an eye primer this week; hoping it'll jazz up my eyeshadow(s) of choice for the week.

⭐ (not pictured😞 The plan is to use the tone shade from the Natasha Denona Biba All Neutral Eyeshadow Palette Full Size Biba Neutral Eyeshadow Palette - it's not my favorite or "best of" shade. It's part of my pan it! project this year and I'm aiming to get in more use of it; hoping, too, that pairing it with Nudestix Hey, Honey as a base will make it something I will want to reach for this week. 

⭐Glossier Boy Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel-Pomade has been a good one. Years ago, it was my go-to brow gel. Still like it and have been reaching for it more as a result of these capsule challenges.

⭐Lancôme Monsieur Big Waterproof Mascara 01 Waterproof Big is The New Black, a tried-and-true favorite. Can't be without it in my collection. Or, I definitely don't want to be.

Lips: I went with several lip products this month. For options. 😃 I was happy with all the lip products I chose in previous capsules. These choices are more using products I haven't reached for as often so I can get more wear from them than I have been. The struggles of having a healthy collection of lippies. lol

⭐ Mutha lip butter has been working very well as a lip primer

⭐ MAKEUP BY MARIO SuperSatin® Lipstick 917 
⭐Gisou Honey Infused Hydrating Lip Oil Golden Shimmer Glow 
⭐ The Lip Bar Vegan Lip Gloss - Girl Boss
⭐Chanel Lip Liner - Nude Brun (162) 
⭐Tower 28 Beauty OneLiner Lip Liner + Eyeliner + Cheek Pencil Work Of Art 

Other: 

⭐ Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler - not sure why I can't tag this; I've seen it in Sephora. Hmmm...

⭐By now, it should be clear that Gucci Brume de Beauté Beauty Mist 2.7 oz / 80 mL has become a staple in my makeup collection. 💖

What’s everyone's best of beauties for the month? 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Great choices for this week. Your makeup bag is really pretty. I don't believe I have tried any Nudestix face products. I keep hearing great feedback. Great idea to use the Saie as a primer. I really want to try it out but I have to get through a similar product from Glossier. You are making great progress on the ND palette. When you are finished it, do you know what palette you will be your main eyeshadow palette to use?

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, thank you. I picked up the makeup bag from Beautylish. It holds so much product! I've been into stick makeup of late; it's just very convenient. Oh, that's an excellent question. I don't really know what palette will be my main one. I've been working on Biba for so long, it'll be an adjustment to not see it on my vanity in the top drawer ever day. Right now, the contenders for that spot would be one of the following: 

• Natasha Denona Glam Palette 
• Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Palette
• GXVE Simple Kind of Life Eyeshadow Palette
• Or one of my Dior, Chanel or Cle de Peau eyeshadow palettes. 

I think once I hit pan on the first of the two eyeshadows, I'll start to spend more time thinking about it. I'm sorta leaning towards one of the smaller palettes, but we'll see.

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi I am sure whatever you pick will be beautiful! They are all lovely palettes.

[missjeanie]

@itsfi You've got some wonderful products in your capsule this week!  I have that Saie Mini Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Highlighter but haven't cracked into it yet.  I don't wear highlighter so I'm quite curious to hear how you like it under makeup as a primer!  

I'm also wondering about your new bestie the Gucci Brume de Beauté Beauty Mist 2.7 oz / 80 mL , do you find it to be hydrating, setting, or refreshing?  I'm not really in the market for a new mist... but you're making me think I should be???

[itsfi]

@missjeanie, I've only recently gotten into highlighter. While sparkle and glitter always make me go "oooohhh" and "aaaaahhh", I like a more subtle glow usually. Enter the Saie. I have mixed it with a matte foundation, to add some luminosity to my mug. 😅 

Oh my goodness, I've fallen hard for the Gucci Brume de Beauté Beauty Mist 2.7 oz / 80 mL! "hydrating, setting, or refreshing?" Yes. It's all three, no joke. The trait that surprised me the most was / is how well it sets my makeup (and refreshes it when I spritz myself throughout the day!) It gives my complexion this fresh faced dewiness. It's not a greasy, oily look. Nor is it a "is that Fi or a disco ball???!!" I'll give my face a spritz after lunch and it looks like I just redid my makeup. 😍 I wasn't in need of a new mist when I was recommend this one; my thought process was, well, it'll be a splurge "souvenir" from New York (and the 34th Street Sephora). Little did I know that using it  while I was in NYC and Sephoria would be the start of me never wanting to be without a bottle. 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I love that your Gucci spray is now your NYC reminder every time you use it!  I was intending on picking up a souvenir fragrance while there, but one never caught my eye.  I might need to try and live vicariously through your Gucci love. I don't need a setting spray, but I do love having a little spritz at my desk from time to time.  I find by the end of the work day my make up just looks... tired.  

I have a few more matte foundations that I'd like to work through this year, I'll have to try mixing the Saie in with them in lieu of plain moisturizer!

[itsfi]

@missjeanie, I love that the Gucci mist has such a connection to NYC. I have a few mementos from that trip but the Gucci is one that is front and center on my vanity. 

I will keep my eyes open throughout the year for your thoughts on the Saie + matte foundation blend. It's a pairing that works which is a plus, but it also cuts down on time spent getting ready which is another plus. Not that it would take that long to add highlighter to my routine but just knowing that it's one less step gives me a lot of joy. lol

[missjeanie]

@itsfi Fewer steps is a WIN!!  I think I have a foundation in mind that I'd like to pan once I get through my current panning foundation... I'll have to play around with it to make sure... but it's on the chopping block!

[itsfi]

@missjeanie, yeah, I'm all for fewer steps, but I am also a fan of options, and, sometimes those two things do not go hand in hand. 😂 

I thought @cianni had such an excellent approach to this week's capsule. There are products that I'm undecided about so it'll be fabulous to have an option to have a capsule for products that fall in that "should it stay or should it go?" category - whether someone can do a full capsule with that or just have 1 or two "keep or declutter" items will be helpful for so many of us as we try to work through our collections and make our stash more manageable. I'll be updating the February schedule later this week with that additional prompt. 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I like @cianni 's idea as well.  I'll have to think about how I can manage that in my 'you have to use it up' mentality.  I've seen a few products already as I'm building capsules where I should be putting them in this year to see if they're still good at all. I also like the idea of having two of a certain kind of product in that weeks capsule to see which one I reach for... if I'm not reaching for something when it's down to a choice of two... why do I have it??

This challenge is a real challenge for me... it's going to push me this year to look at what I have in a different way. 

[itsfi]

I hear ya about decluttering @missjeanie. It took me a while to get over the feeling of being wasteful. After a couple years of the pan it! challenge and those years it took me to whittle down my sheet mask stash, it occurred to me that I could be in this cycle of just working through product all the time. All. The. Time. Like a hamster on its wheel. Even if I wasn't hoarding the good stuff, I might never get around to it because I had so many other things to work through.** And by the time I did get to them, they might be past their prime. Just a continuous vicious cycle of using things before they go bad or having to toss them because they had. Like a hamster on its wheel. I'm not a hamster. I don't want to be. So I let go of quite a few skincare products and just started fresh with what I currently had open and a bin of products that I knew I liked and wanted to use, and with the idea that I need to be more mindful of what I'm bringing in. I did that with different beauty categories - sheet masks one year, skincare the next. Makeup, part 1. Then hair care; bath & body products. Nail polish, part 1. Now, makeup, part 2. With possibly nail polish, part 2 to start up later this year. Or ... maybe not. Whoa there Fi, slow it down. Don't need to take on more than you can handle. lol. 

** FYI, there will be a capsule theme that involves the good stuff! 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi That's actually a great way to see it!  I'm not quite sure I'm there yet... but I'm working on it!  Also... thank you for the reminder to get up and put on a sheet mask as I get caught up on BIC!!

[itsfi]

Baby steps. Decluttering is so personal; no one size fits all, that’s for sure @missjeanie. Ooooh, multitasking with a mask 😁. Catching up on BIC while masking is always fun. The sheet mask helps to limit my time online 😝 I have 20-30 minutes and then whatever time it takes for all that serum goodness to fully absorb. Ha!

[missjeanie]

@itsfi Yes!  I'm trying to remember to mask more by conditioning myself to think of BIC time as masking time.   I'm actually looking forward to going through my stash for the next capsule and seeing if there's anything I spy to declutter.  Just one thing. lol

[itsfi]

Oh, I like that approach @missjeanie. You're inspiring me to mask tonight when I post my capsule for this coming week. Better go pick out a sheet mask now and place it somewhere where it will job my memory to use it tonight.