Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge

[itsfi]

Hey BIC beauties! One of my goals this year is to try to put together a makeup capsule with a handful (okay, maybe a large handful, in my case) of products that will work for me for an every day look and special occasions. Given my current collection, I won't need to be starting from scratch. 😂 So, I'm treating this capsule makeup collection challenge like a shop my stash and declutter adventure all in one. Would love for you to join me if and when you can.

If this is something that interests you or just piques your curiosity, please feel free to use this thread to document and challenge yourself to

(1) use what you have / shop your stash; and

(2) determine which products in your collection to keep, which to declutter, and which to try again another day. All with the goal of curating a set of makeup products that will help you achieve a signature look - and maybe a few additional products for other looks in your daily life, including looks for special occasions or events.

Every week, I will post a group of makeup products I plan to choose from (i.e., shopping my stash) for my looks during the week. The themes / prompts are guides and if you have a certain interpretation or approach you want to take with it, go for it! Not every product has to fit squarely within the theme; it can be just one item.

CURRENT WEEKLY THEMES: [UPDATED 4.27.2024]

Spoiler

Week 17 (April 22 - 28) - The "Green" Makeup Capsule and/or The Sephora Spring Savings Makeup Capsule - In honor of Earth Day (April 22), let's assemble a "green" capsule for the week. What does it mean to be "green", you ask? You tell me! Here are a handful of meanings "green" can have - 

• Sustainable
• "Clean" by whatever standard you want - Clean at Sephora? Natural? Non-toxic? 
• The color - either the product itself or the packaging, or both
• New or young
• Other - your definition (oh, inquiring minds will want to know, so do also share your definition of green)

Or, if you have one or more products you picked up from the Sephora Spring Savings Event, show them off with a capsule highlighting one product or all of them. A shop-your-Sephora sale-stash, if you will.  

Week 18 (April 29 - May 5) - The April 2024 Edition of "On Top" or "On The Chopping Block" Makeup Capsule and/or The "More Play Time With My Sephora Savings Event Hauls" Makeup Capsule - Were there makeup products from April that stood out to you - good or bad? Did you discover any new (or tried-and-true) favorites this month? Are there products you've been on the fence about? Create a makeup capsule with one or any combination of these ideas. OR show us what beauties you picked up during the Sephora Savings Event. Now's the time to play (or to keep playing) with that newness (and those beloved restocks) you hauled during the sale! 

Week 19 (May 6 - 12) - The AAPI Owned / Founded Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule - To celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Month, let's curate a capsule with one or more makeup products from AAPI owned or founded makeup brands. [NOTE: A non-exhaustive list of AAPI owned or founded beauty brands can be found in the spoiler below ⤵️]

Week 20 (May 13 - 19) - The "Sleeping Beauties" Makeup Capsule and/or The "OMG, More Stuff From the Sephora Spring Savings" Makeup Capsule - I was inspired by the theme of this year's Met Gala, "Sleeping Beauties" - go through your stash and create a makeup capsule with beauties that have been sleeping in your stash and could use love and attention. Or, were there makeup products you picked during the Sephora Spring Savings Sale that are just now making their way to you (or that you are now getting to)? Put them in a capsule, by themselves or mix in a few "Sleeping Beauty" products. 

Week 21 (May 20 - 26) - The "My Best Self" Makeup Capsule - May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Curate a capsule with products that make you look and feel your very best

Week 22 (May 27 - June 2) - The May 2024 "On Top" or "On The Chopping Block" Makeup Capsule - it's that time again, curate a capsule with your standout or favorite products this month or products you're trying to decide whether to keep or declutter. 

AAPI Owned / Founded Makeup Brands

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)

* 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)

* Wander Beauty (Divya Gugnani)

Yensa Beauty (Jennifer Yen)

Youthforia (Fiona Co Chan)

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. 

I'm excited to see what results from this experiment and I welcome everyone to join in this adventure, whenever and however is most effective for you. 

[itsfi]

RECAP - Week 19 The Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Makeup Capsule

Spoiler

I'm behind on posting. I caught a bug of some sort Sunday night, but am feeling better-ish now. Here's a quick debrief of the standouts (good and bad) from my Week 19 capsules.

Top Shelf:

No new products to add to the Top Shelf, but there are a few beauties I can see making their way there at some point.

Pleasant Surprises:

😍 U Beauty The Super Tinted Hydrator - My sales associate gave me a sample of this tinted hydrator a while ago and i liked it enough to pick up a full size, but it's sat for a while. Well, I can admit when I've made a mistake and that was a mistake. I have enough dark spots from sun exposure and healing blemishes that I feel more comfortable adding a concealer to certain areas. That being said, this gives my complexion that dewy, plumpy, hydrated glow that my current normal-to-dry leaning skin loves. 

😍 Live Tinted Hueguard Skin Tint SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum impressed me with its coverage and longevity. It's not a GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in this category, in part because it's up against the Tower 28 which I enjoy so much, and in part because I feel like I still need to use it in different circumstances, weather, situations, etc. to be in a better assess its overall performance. It is one I am happily keeping around and I look forward to trying it out more. @missjeanie @ather 

😍 Tower 28 Beauty Mini MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara Jet - I've held off on trying this for the looooongest time, mainly because it's not a waterproof formulation. I know this gets a ton of hype and there was a part of me that wondered whether the results would be similar to the Tower 28 SOS spray - a cult favorite but something that just doesn't work for me. Well, that was not the case here. While it's not without its flaws (does smudge a little, but actually no more so than some of my favorite waterproof mascaras), it's clear to me now why and how it has the following and devotion it does. Still early on and I'll want to test it during the warmer months but I'm a fan.

Undecided:

🤔  Anna Sui Gel Foundation Primer - it leans on the "like" side, but I want to test it out more, to make sure it's not just a fluke. Also, to make a fair assessment, I need to test it out when my skin is more on the oily side and when the weather is both warmer and cooler.

🤔  Kulfi Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner Cheeky Chiku - I'm not typically a fan of gel liners, but this one is not bad. I need more time with it to determine if it's a keeper though. 

Decluttered:

🗑  Jason Wu Beauty Jewel Stick Eyeshadow - Sparkle Pearl - Oh, I wanted to like this eyeshadow stick - the shade is really pretty - but it goes on very patchy. Ordinarily, I might give it another few weeks, but I have so many similar products to this, and ones that I consider favorites, if not Top-Shelf-worthy, so I'm going to let this one go. 

Month-to-date - that's 1 decluttered product so far for the month of May. 

[ather]

@itsfi  oh no. I’m so sorry you aren’t feeling good. I hope it passes quickly. Poor thing. 

The Live tinted sounds like it may be a contender against the Tower 28 sunny days!! I can’t wait to see how this pans out!!

Yay you love the Tower 28 Mascara. I’m surprised you haven’t tried it till now! I hope it just becomes more of a fav for you! It’s such a great one! 

Feel better! 💐 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  thanks for sharing your thoughts! I'm glad you found some products you enjoyed in the bunch - and good job decluttering what didn't work for you! I need to do that more lol. So far in the past month or so I've managed to add a few things to my declutters stash, namely items that are so "elderly" (as my mom would say) that it's actually rather embarrassing 😅 But I know I could definitely get rid of some more if I took the time to really go through my collection. One of these days...

[itsfi]

Week 19 - The Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Founded / Owned Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule: The Minimalist Edit 😂

Spoiler

This is my minimalist edition of the AAPI Heritage Founded/Owned Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule, with a couple of beauties that don't fit the theme. 😉 I had planned on wearing these items once or twice this week, but ended up reaching for them more - because of how well they worked out for me and how quickly it was to do a put together look! 😍 That is usually such a plus for me. 

OLEHENRIKSEN Banana Bright Face Primer 1 oz/ 30 mL brightens my complexion and lightly hydrates skin as it preps it for makeup. It, along with the Live Tinted Hueguard 3-in-1 Mineral Sunscreen, Moisturizer, Primer SPF 30 were great for some added brightening without making the skin feel like it had a lot of product sitting atop it. I plan to use up both products but won't be repurchasing either. It' not because the products are bad any means. Olehenriksen has a SPF in its Banana Bright collection that is creamier than the face primer and works as good, if not better, than this face primer for me. The Live Tinted SPF primer has a thinner consistency than the Banana Bright Face Primer and actually reminds me of it a little - they'd be cousins. The only thing I didn't care for was the smell I pick up - it's fleeting, and comes through near the end as I'm pressing the product into my skin but it's not what I find pleasant - I don't know what the scent actually is, but it has a sour, tangy bent to it. 

The Live Tinted Hueguard Skin Tint SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum, on the other hand, is unscented. It wears magnificently! 😍 Which, on the one hand, is fantastic, but on the other hand, makes it hard to narrow down the number of skin tints in my overall collection. For now, it is staying - it really wears so beautifully. One layer evens tones and pressing some product onto areas of redness or dark spots does a nice job of blurring / covering them. Do I love it more than Tower 28 Beauty SunnyDays Foundation (my GOAT tint)?No, but we're in deep like. Tagging @ather @missjeanie who asked about the Live Tinted in the hauls thread. I'm going to have a hard time whittling down my foundation in general, but especially my skin tints. I mean, how many is too many for a collection.2? 3? 12? 😂 Do I just stick with the Tower (which I would be happy to do) and pass along everything else? 

HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer with Fermented Arnica has been a trusty ally in concealing and blurring dark spots from blemishes that are in the healing stage. I have heard good things about it for the under eyes as well and  should probably give it a go in that regard at some point. 

I'm trying to bring the Tower 28 x Kung Fu Panda BeachPlease Cream Blush for Lip and Cheek (Dumpling Hour) into various makeup capsules on a monthly basis - more to get myself more comfortable with wearing blush and also to get myself out of my comfort zone a bit - this red shade, while beautiful, is far more vibrant, bold, and red than I'm used to on my cheeks and lips.

Will be back with a recap of this past week's products later tonight or tomorrow. 

[ather]

@itsfi  You are really selling me on this Live Tinted tint SPF. It will make it hard to decide which product to keep in my stash! I’m happy you are loving it. Nice to see more tinted SPF moisturizers come out to play in the sun! ☀️

Yay I bet Dumpling Hour looks gorgeous on you! The red is so pretty! 😍 I think red looks so good in the summer too! I’m glad it’s coming out to be used more!! Which blush do you find you gravitate towards the most? 

[caitbird]

Week 19 (May 6 - 12) - The AAPI Owned / Founded Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule

I didn't have enough products (or products in enough categories) to do a capsule with only AAPI owned/founded brands, but I was able to put together a look using 6 products from 6 brands, plus other products from my usual makeup kit (and a couple that I am trying to work on for this year's Pan It! challenge).

* = AAPI owned/founded brand

Face:

ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Secure the Blur Makeup Magnet Primer 1.18 oz/ 35 mL  (deluxe sample)*

IT Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow Lightweight Foundation + Glow Serum with SPF 40 and Niacinamide Fair Porc... 

Glossier Futuredew Facial Oil-Serum Hybrid 1 oz / 30 mL 

Glossier Stretch Concealer G12

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Jellyfish

Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray Standard Size - 4 oz/ 118 mL 

Cheeks:

Youthforia BYO Blush Color-changing Blush Oil*

Rituel de Fille Rare Light Luminizer Ghost Light

Brows:

Glossier Boy Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel-Pomade Auburn 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Eyebrow Pencil Caramel

Eyes:

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Original 

Kaja Eye Bento Bouncy Eyeshadow Trio Rosewater*

Colourpop Creme Gel Liner Courage

Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara Jet*

Lips:

The Creme Shop Permanent Popsicle Lip Juice Stain Peach Please*

TonyMoly Petite Bunny Lip Gloss Bar Juicy Strawberry*

[ather]

@caitbird  Great capsule! I love this look! 

[caitbird]

@ather  thank you! 😊 I had fun with it!

[itsfi]

Marvelous capsule @caitbird! Great products all around. No need to have all products be something that fits the theme - one works beautifully and you have plenty of beauties here. I wondererd about those lip stains from The Creme Shop - it looks fabulous on you! Does it have a cream or jelly  like consistency? Ohhh, there's that Hourglass palette - such a pretty one, inside and out! 😍

[caitbird]

@itsfi  thank you! 💜 I had fun with this challenge, it is a great idea for a thread! Will definitely plan to participate in upcoming weeks too.

I forgot how pigmented the lip stain is - I like it though, I'd like to pick up some more colors in the future. I guess it has more of a cream consistency? The consistency/texture kind of reminds me of the Rare Beauty lip oil, at least if I'm remembering it correctly.

[itsfi]

Yes, yes, jump on in whenever you are able @caitbird! And, again, zero need or expectation that every product or even most of the products in your capsule fit the theme. Just one item will do. And lemme tell ya, it can be a stretch too - I mean, I've exercised some creative license every so often. 😉

Oh, if those lip stains are creamy and like the RB lip oils, they must apply beautifully onto the lips. That color really does look marvelous on you. It's such a fun shade too, that beckons warm weather to come / stick around. 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  thank you! 💜 yes, this lip stain is such a bright and cheerful color - I am happy I pulled it out to play with for this capsule, it has been languishing for too long and I forgot how much I liked it! Speaking of, I don't think I will have any trouble putting together a capsule for this week's theme - I have far too many products that have been "sleeping" in my stash that need more love! 😅

[itsfi]

lol, yes indeed @caitbird! I am interested to see what "sleeping beauties" we all have, be it products in one or two categories or a full face of products. Between this challenge, shopping my stash, and trying to keep to a low/no buy more frequently and more strictly this year, it's been eye opening how many products I have in various stages of newness or near newness. Interested also to see which category of products are easier for me to toss more readily and which I can hold on to, often far longer than I should.

[itsfi]

Week 19 - The Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Founded / Owned Beauty Brand Makeup Capsule

May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and this group of AAPI-founded beauty brands will make up the majority of my looks this week. This week's theme strikes a chord with me and I've been enjoying the products I've used so far, some more than others, but isn't that always the case? Asteriks (*) next to the product name signals this is the first time I'm using the item.

COMPLEXION:

🌺 Anna Sui Gel Foundation Primer* (received as a promo gwp from Beautylish)

🌼UBeauty The Super Tinted Hydrator - imparts a beautiful glow; one layer provides a very sheer coverage; two layers adds enough of a tint to blur and conceal some dark spots and even tone

🌹Tower 28 Beauty Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer # - I've primarily been using this lightweight concealer on the weekends so it'll be interesting to see how it performs over the course of a full work day

🌻 ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Mini On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray 1 oz/ 46 mL will primarily be used on my T-zone but may see occasional use all ove

EYES:

👁 Anna Sui Gel Foundation Primer is going to be doing double duty this wee as an eyeshadow primer

👁 Jason Wu Beauty Jewel Stick Eyeshadow - Sparkle Pearl - found this one in my stash (oh the things we find). I like the ease and convenience of eyeshadow sticks; seems like it will be a good color pairing with the Kulfi liner

👁 Kulfi Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner Cheeky Chiku  - eyeliner is on my list of things to work on

👁 Tower 28 Beauty Mini MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara Jet - believe it or not, this week is the first time I will be using this mascara. Will it live up to its hype for me?

CHEEKS:

😚 PATRICK TA Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo She's Flushed - gorgeous shade and I love that the cream blush can multi-task as a lippie.

LIPS:

💄 Tatcha The Kissu Lip Tint SPF 25 Hydrating Tinted Lip Sunscreen Camellia - it's a good color for every day - I can apply lightly for a sheer wash of color or build it up for a little more oomph. This will be what I primarily reach for but I can see using the creme blush from the Patrick Ta blush duo for my lips as well.

About the Founders:

Spoiler

Anna Sui Cosmetics - Chinese-American fashion designer, Anna Sui, is perhaps most well known for her work as a fashion designer, a career she embarked on beginning in the mid-to-late 1970s, and where she has achieved much success and recognition including being the recipient of the Council of Fashion Designers of America Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 and the Top 5 Fashion Icons of the Decade by Time Magazine in 2010. In 1999, she launched the Anna Sui Cosmetics line, which historically has released seasonal collections each year, generally during the spring and fall seasons.

Also starting out in the fashion arena before branching out into cosmetics, Taiwanese-Canadian, Jason Wu (we're stretching it a little with this being an Asian-North-American beauty brand), launched Wu Beauty with beauty industry veteran Toni Ko in January 2021. The brand was created to "inspire others and show that everyday beauty can be effortlessly chic." 

Kulfi Beauty, founded in 2021 by Priyanka Ganjoo, with the purpose of celebrating both culture and beauty. Ms Ganjoo spent several years working at brands like Estee Lauder and Ipsy before starting her own brand, which finds inspiration from the founder's South Asian heritage. Fun fact, the brand is named after a colorful and sweet South Asian ice-cream-like dessert. In 2021, Kulfi was chosen as a finalist for Sephora Accelerate 2021, a beauty brand incubation program

Patrick Starrr, a ​Filipino-American make-up artist, digital creator, and social media influencer, came out with One/Size by Patrick Starr in July, 2020, with the inclusive philosophy that makeup is ONE/SIZE fits all, and that the brand is for everyone - "a beauty brand for every brand of beauty".  

Patrick Ta's first introduction to the world makeup was by way of MAC - as a makeup artist for the brand, a job he landed after his ventures as a nail and tanning salon owner. He leveraged Instagram, which was just starting to gain traction around the time he was beginning to become more and more passionate about makeup, uploading photos of his work, on friends and later, celebrities. While working as a celebrity makeup artist, Ta spent 3 years put together his own cosmetics line and, in 2019, launched Patrick Ta Beauty. 

After spending a decade in corporate America Vicky Tsai started Tatcha in 2009 after a trip the year earlier to Japan, where she learned about the country's culture and approach to wellbeing, both of which would serve as inspiration for Tatcha. The brand's first product was the blotting papers, which Tsai financed by selling her engagement ring and car, and moving into her parents' house with her husband. Tatcha continues to innovate and grow its skincare portfolio and has recently expanded its footprint in the beauty space to include body care with the release of its Forest Awakening Collection last year.

Amy Liu spent over 15 years as a beauty executive at brands like Josie Maran, Kate Somerville and Smashbox before launching Tower 28 Beauty, a brand named after a lifeguard tower in Santa Monica, California, which Liu has shared is for the brand, a "literal sign of safety, community, healthy fun, and clean living." 

U Beauty co-founder, Tina Chen Craig spent 17 years as a beauty ambassador and fashion influencer before starting skincare brand U Beauty with her friend Katie Borghese. Their very first product, a resurfacing serum, debuted on Net-A-Porter in 2019, where it is said to have sold an entire year's worth of the product in just 21 days. Since then, U Beauty has released other skincare and skincare-makeup hybrid products. 

I'll have a few other capsules this week but this set of products will be used for most days.

I kickstarted this week's capsule a little early, with a smaller curation over the weekend that I posted about on the Re: Sephora Six - Fast & Furious Edition thread. A Tower 28 centered capsule. 

[ather]

@itsfi  This is the most perfect curated capsule!! I love all the brands you picked and I love you added extra info about each brand!!! I did not know Patrick Ta owned a salon! I always thought he was just a digital creator! Very cool!! 😎 how did you like the Tower 28 mascara? Is it a contender or is it on the chopping block? How did you like the Anna Sui primer? I bet the looks with this capsule look fabulous!! 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  I'm impressed that you could put together a whole capsule/look with just AAPI owned/founded brands' products! Seems like you have some great ones here. I hope the mascara works well for you - I'll be interested to see your thoughts on these items!

[itsfi]

Awww, thank you @caitbird! I'm pretty sure though that my being able to do a full AAPI capsule really means I have too much makeup altogether! 😬  Good news is that I'm making more of an effort to put products to use, especially ones that are already open and that I've probably used once, maaaaaybe twice, and only a few that were used for the very first time this week. 🤣 

Ohhhh, the Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara Jet worked out very well, which, is both good and also problematic. So many mascaras that have been working for me. Ugh. What's a gal to do, caitbird?!!! 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  haha I know exactly what you mean 😂 there are just so many good products out there! How are we supposed to choose?! I only have one face!! 🤣 (I am glad the mascara worked well for you though - subpar mascara is a major bummer!)

[itsfi]

RECAP: Week 18 - The April 2024 "On Top" and/or "On The Chopping Block" Makeup Capsule

Top Shelf & All Stars:

Spoiler

Quite a few "All Stars" for April, many of them having been part of previous capsules as well. Of these 5 beauties, I'm designating the 🏆 Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Crystal Holographic Lip Luminizer Holla'gram (Limited Edition) 🏆 with Top Shelf honors - it has a significant list of pros and just one con - it being limited edition. I love how it blurs my lips and the shine and iridescent finish is beautiful. Has made a gorgeous topper! 

Another Top Shelf honor goes to 🏆 Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-Puffing Concealer 🏆, for the specific purpose of concealing breakouts and dark spots from my breakouts. I've been dealing with some very unsightly breakouts the last couple of months and the Haus Labs concealer has been the one that I pull out to cover them when they've been at their worst. 

I wouldn't be surprised if the other three All Star items here received Top Shelf honors at some point. The Ami Cole cream blush and Charlotte Tilbury setting powder I'd like to see go head-to-head with other comparable products, especially since there's been quite a few new releases recently in their respective categories. As for the Dior blush-and-highlighter-in-one, it's absolutely gorgeous, but it is a new-to-me product. While it is a favorite of mine to reach for at the moment, I'd like to give it a good and fair trialing before tagging it Top Shelf.

Undecided:

Spoiler

🤔  MAC Fix+ Stay Over Alcohol Free Long-Lasting Setting Spray has come in handy for setting my eyshadow - I've been mixing a few shadows from the Natasha Denona Biba Eyeshadow Palette (part of this year's pan it! challenge) and then spritzing the brush after I pick up the mixed shades. It's performed very well in this regard and I'm inclined to keep it just for that reason. At least through the summer.
 
❓  Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Bronzer - Clay is a touch too yellow in its undertones. I'm also still on the fair side so I'm going to hang on to this through summer here to see if it becomes a better fit as I have more color. I have been using it as an eyeshadow shade as well so it could work out as a 2-in-one, but time will tell.

🔬  I need some more time with the Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream; I want to see if it will apply and wear better paired with the right primer. 

Week 18 Declutters:

Spoiler

These should come as no surprise. 
🗑  Lawless The One & Done Volumizing Mascara - my oily lids just aren't compatible with this one.

🗑  Sephora Collection Boost + Lock Eyeshadow Primer suffers from having some stiff competition. 

🗑  I'm generally of the less-is-more persuasion when it comes to brow product but the Patrick Ta Major Brow Lamination Gel just hasn't worked out for me.

🏡  Farsali Skintune Blur Perfecting Primer Serum will be one of those products I wonder whether it would have been a like for me if I used it when it first came on the beauty scene. I'm not even sure this is still in production. It's fine enough, but not a standout compared to other primers in my stash. 

⭐  Ami Colé Desert Date Cream Blush & Lip Multistick Hibiscus 

⭐  Dior Forever Glow Maximizer Longwear Liquid Highlighter 014 Rosy 

🏆  HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer with Fermented Arnica 

⭐  Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder 

April 2024 Declutters

Declutter Dashboard (as of 4.20.2024):
April 2024: 11
Year-to-Date: 37

[caitbird]

@itsfi  awesome job with all those declutters! And as always, I love to hear your thoughts and impressions of different products, it's always interesting and informative. 💜 Thanks for reminding me of the stunning Fenty Holla'gram, which I loved last year when I got it and had completely forgotten about! And I am really tempted to try the Haus Labs concealer, but I have to go through my current concealers and assess the situation first 😅