YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Project Pan

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Project Pan https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:48:21 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Helena on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378548 Thu, 16 Jan 2025 18:38:39 +0000 Helena 2378548@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Bella, I'm so grateful you shared this challenge! I've started doing this for makeup and nail polish (I kind of do this naturally with skin and hair care, as it's not my temptation). To keep track I have one baggie for used items that I loved enough to ('hit pan') and another for items I reach for and realize they are expired or don't work for me. I will start a third for 'hit pan' items that were not my favourite (per my rules below). I have the luxury of space for this, and really want to see how much gets chucked because it was a bad buy, or because I have so much that I couldn't reasonably use it.  So far, I have a few lip glosses that had natural ingredients and have gone off in the expired bag, and an Ilia multistick, Clinique black honey lipstick and twistie eyeliner in the 'pan' bag (just started this Jan 1 for reference).  I am going to allow myself to replace the 'pan' items IF I don't have a reasonable alternative in my kit. If I do have something close, I'm making myself use that up, even if it's not as good, before I can replace my fave! bella on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378302 Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:29:36 +0000 bella 2378302@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Well done on your progress! Lisa- I don't have a lot of free space in my apartment to begin with, so I can't stock up on anything.  (Speaking of stocking up, how you ever seen "the stock up" genre of videos on instragram or youtube? IInfluencers stock up their bathrooms, pantry, beauty supplies and even stationary. The amount of consumption is simply insane!)  There are certainly time limits on beauty products, and they are even more strict if the products are organic. One of the reasons why I am not adding anything for the moment is that about 80% of my cosmetics are organic. I have to prioritize finishing them.  Jenni NZ on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378297 Tue, 14 Jan 2025 06:21:34 +0000 Jenni NZ 2378297@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lipstick I keep for years. I have about 8 tubes. Jenni NZ on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378296 Tue, 14 Jan 2025 06:20:37 +0000 Jenni NZ 2378296@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ There is on mascara, I looked it up when this thread first appeared. I have to admit I don’t follow it because I hardly ever use mascara and it annoys me to have to ditch a barely used tube, I have never got an eye infection from it but have been trying to replace them a bit more often. Still years probably! Next time I buy one I will get the smallest tube possible. I was looking on medical sites not beauty sites. It’s in case you transfer bacteria. MsMaven on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378295 Tue, 14 Jan 2025 06:03:59 +0000 MsMaven 2378295@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Aren't there suggested time limits on certain products, such as mascara? I seem to remember that we should only keep mascara and even lipstick for a certain amount of time. I'll try to find the info on this.  I'm trying to cut down on the amount of makeup I use--not easy to do after many decades of not feeling dressed without the full slate of colors and cover-ups. Still, I'm not so good at applying it--mascara and eye shadow.  Carla on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378294 Tue, 14 Jan 2025 05:49:39 +0000 Carla 2378294@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Finished off a shampoo and conditioner set last week, and didn’t replace because I have a luxury shampoo and conditioner set that I was using occasionally as a ‘treat’.  I’ve promoted the luxury set to regular use. <div> </div><div>A body lotion, heel cream, and facial cream are very close to ‘pan’.  Winter is my dry season and post swim I need to lotion up head to toe.  Won’t be purchasing new lotion, since I have another bottle ready to go, and I think I’ll use up an old jar of Vaseline on my heels.   </div><div>The one HABA purchase in 2025 is Cereve facial cleanser.  I’ve been without, and was using a Dove bar, but that got used up! </div> Lisa on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378293 Tue, 14 Jan 2025 04:18:32 +0000 Lisa 2378293@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I haven't added anything new since the last check in and I've managed to use up a few creams that I have not replaced (eye cream, primer before facial cream). So far I don't miss them. My weakness is always the Bath and Body Works foaming hand soaps and I'm happy to report I did not add any over the holiday's. My focus this year is to use up what I have and since I have enough to get through the year without buying more, I'm looking forward to the space I'll see in my linen closet over time. Janet on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378234 Mon, 13 Jan 2025 13:07:18 +0000 Janet 2378234@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Interesting that changing soaps and shampoo have helped you eliminate other products! I seemingly cannot give up hand cream. I keep tubes in my car, purse, office, and bedside table! My cuticles in particular get so dry and ragged. Especially this time of year, when running our heat dries out the house. I threw out or gave away some older unused products I ended up not liking or that no longer suited me. A tube of self-tanner from a couple of years ago, a conditioner I never used up because I didn’t like it… I moved some products to our guest bath, which may be the equivalent of a holding zone for products that I’ll eventually toss! LOL And I also ditched a few nail polishes that are years old, so probably not the best for giving away, since I don’t see myself wearing them in the near future. As for makeup, I have bought a couple of new lipsticks lately, so I’m up to a grand total of maybe eight in my makeup drawer, LOL. Not a big lipstick person. I cannot find a great replacement for my beloved old MAC Sophisto color, so I’m babying my last tube of that. My other products are stalwarts, and I don’t experiment or have multiple colors, so I tend to have one in progress and one new one waiting so I don’t get caught by surprise if something runs very low — ie, my tinted moisturizer or my eyebrow pencil are the most likely culprits for that. I’ve tried some new face products recently, to accommodate my changing (aging) skin needs, so I have a bit more “stuff” on hand than I usually do. As we plan for our bathroom renovation, I’ll have to do some reckoning with what I can reasonably store, and plan accordingly. bella on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378231 Mon, 13 Jan 2025 11:24:32 +0000 bella 2378231@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I should also say that it is ok to have replacements of your favorite skin care items. The ones I struggle with most are the new ones I want to try, or switch to a different ingredient in a particular category. Then the old ones usually tend to get ignored. I try to avoid that as much as possible, but sometimes there is nothing you can do. I was using a particular toner but then was gifted a new, organic one. It is so much better than my old one that honestly, I am not going to go back to the first one. I should simply find a new use for it. Face creams can be repurposed to use on the body or face scrubs can become elbow, heel, and nail bed scrubs, for example.  bella on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2378230 Mon, 13 Jan 2025 11:15:29 +0000 bella 2378230@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I came to report that apart from a bottle of perfume and a bottle of hand cream, and a bar of hair conditioner, I managed to use up all the items on my list (9 of them!)  I am still working on the perfume, because I was gifted another one for the holidays. That one is more of a winter scent, so I decided to switch to that one first.  I no longer need hand cream. About two years ago, I switched from liquid to artisanal bar soap. The latter has lots of good-quality ingredients, such as nourishing oils, so my hands don't get that dry anymore, and I only rarely need to apply hand cream. Ditto for the hair conditioner. My current bar of hair shampoo is very nourishing and moisturizing, so I hardly ever need to use conditioner. I also purchased a lovely palette of organic makeup. I am very into organic makeup right now, and everything seems very tempting. Besides it is hard to find the right one without experimenting and they can be quite expensive, and I don't want something made with good ingredients and love to go to waste. It is a work in progress. So my current project is to use that one palette and the other stuff I have at home before buying any more. How did your pan projects go?   Carol on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374905 Sun, 24 Nov 2024 03:36:43 +0000 Carol 2374905@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think this is a great concept for lip stuff. I keep whatever lip thing (gloss, lipstick, etc.) in my apron at work, and compulsively put it on throughout the day like chap stick. I definitely get "down to the pan" this way. Other things I'm not so sure, because we keep most of them way too long, anyway. Mascara, for instance, should be thrown after 3 months, and who really does that? (Perfectly?) Helena on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374903 Sun, 24 Nov 2024 02:58:35 +0000 Helena 2374903@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I am horrible with this. Lip products and to a lesser extent nail polish are my "little treat" Achilles heel. I'm getting better but need to work on this for sure! Jaime on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374900 Sun, 24 Nov 2024 00:27:56 +0000 Jaime 2374900@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I almost always hit pan (so to speak) on my skincare products, which I use very routinely and don't normally switch. On makeup hardly ever, but I keep it as long as possible.  Jenni NZ on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374829 Sat, 23 Nov 2024 03:10:40 +0000 Jenni NZ 2374829@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ HABA is Health and Beauty Aids? Yes? LaPed on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374825 Sat, 23 Nov 2024 01:42:52 +0000 LaPed 2374825@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I did this a few years ago (along with suntiger) and used it as a sort of reset. Since then I’ve been pretty strict about only replenishing the things that actually use on a daily basis. It was a worthwhile project for me. Errant items still sneak in from time to time (show-specific makeup, and emergency purchases while traveling) but I’ve more or less curtailed HABA shopping as a hobby. Angie on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374823 Sat, 23 Nov 2024 01:22:19 +0000 Angie 2374823@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Exactly what Suz said. I'm good at this - I suppose...... because I'm not tempted by beauty and hair products  I love walking straight past those aisles! I have reactive skin and eyes, so I am VERY particular about what I use, and don't veer from it. I have a small set of items and stick to that. I change them when items are discontinued.  I think it's good organization to have a spare of every item stored in a bag so that it's there when I run out. I don't need to go without, and rush around getting another. Personally, I'm sticking to that strategy!  Suz on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374819 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 20:16:50 +0000 Suz 2374819@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I tend to use up my products before replacing and don't have a huge stash of skin care or makeup items. But I do order replacements before I'm completely finished -- because I have my favourites and don't like to veer away from those due to skin sensitivity, etc. If I do develop a sensitivity to something, though, I have to let it go. I had to do this not long ago with eye makeup remover, which I had in fact doubled up on. Sigh... Jenni NZ on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374816 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 18:45:12 +0000 Jenni NZ 2374816@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ It can take an enormous amount of time to use some things. I think it’s blusher that I have only had about 4-5 lots in my adult life! I remember in the late 80s having a good one where my sister had the same, when she emigrated to the UK in 1989 she left it behind, and it took until well into the 90s to use hers up. Then another 2? for the next 20 or so years, by which time my second daughter, who likes makeup, thought one was not right for her, so I used that up until about 2 years ago. My current one is very small but I can only see the pan in the middle. I predict another year of use. None of these have seemed to go off. Janet on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374815 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 17:16:25 +0000 Janet 2374815@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Cat2, I have a similar concern about availability of some products with long shelf lives, so I’ve bought a little extra back stock of some of my favorite products that I know I’ll use every day. I’m mostly a creature of habit when it comes to beauty products and makeup. I don’t experiment a lot, so I tend to buy a new tube/container when I see the old one running low. I do have some infrequently used items — eye shadows, nail polishes — that I’ve kept for years if they have not gone bad. I literally have eye shadows that are over a decade old because I rarely use them and they are pigment rich so a little goes a long way. I have no desire to buy new ones. So I guess I’m already kind of doing this project just by default. Carla on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374812 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 16:16:08 +0000 Carla 2374812@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Moisturizers and hair care products are my Achilles heel, but during Covid I made an effort to ‘pan’ those products and be more selective going forward.  I’m probably ‘1 extra’ on both.   cat2 on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374809 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 15:04:41 +0000 cat2 2374809@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I did this during the pandemic shutdown; it got me to sort through my stash of products, figure out which ones would really never work, and focus on using up the oldest first from the rest. I powered through some old lip products, face cream samples, the random body creams, and even reduced my perfume collection a bit. I am now worried about tariffs, though, so instead of trying to trim down I am stocking up a bit on essentials with long shelf lives. bella on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374808 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:27:06 +0000 bella 2374808@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ It seems we all have our vices. Besides the beauty industry is working overtime to sell us more stuff. Since when do we need two-step cleaning? Why do we need so many questionable serums? The beauty-influencing business went completely off the rails. I think it is ok to stop using something if it starts to irriate your scalp or skin, or otherwise fails to deliver as in curly girl hair products. In that case, passing it on to someone who might use it is completely acceptable and falls under sensible consumption. My sense is that, the pan project is geared towards creating an awareness of the excesses of skin care/beauty products and their overconsumption (in fact, purchasing without even truly consuming!)  RobinF on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374807 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 13:42:52 +0000 RobinF 2374807@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Interesting articles. I don't wear a lot of makeup and when I find something I like I stick with it for a while, so I use it up. I tend to ignore expiration dates and my products last a long time. But when it comes to haircare I am not so good. I am always looking for the perfect product for my wavy hair and have a bunch of barely used products in the linen closet. They mostly don't work for me but once in a while I pull out an old one and use it. What I would really like to do is pass it on to someone who likes it. Suntiger on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374806 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 12:16:05 +0000 Suntiger 2374806@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Yep, you remembered right Jenni! I tried it a few years ago, with all types of HABAs, and learned that things last a looooooong time. Exhibit A-eyeshadow palette, bought about 6 months ago. I use the 3 darker colors about daily, barely made a dent. Exhibit B- supposed to be contour stick, used as eyeliner/sometimes shadow, brow color. Bought in January. Exhibit 3- cream foundation. Bought 7/23. I use it as underbrow eye shadow and contour most days. Seeing how long things last, and well past expiration time, changed my buying habits. I don't buy big containers of most things, nor a bunch of multiples that do the same function. I definitely recommend trying it though, cause ymmv, and I think it's more meaningful when it's your own stuff vs. other's experiences. Dee on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374805 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 12:15:16 +0000 Dee 2374805@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is very interesting because although I don’t wear much makeup beyond lip colour, I do have skincare and haircare products that don’t all necessarily get used up before I buy something else. Most often I stop using them because they irritate my skin or scalp but I have managed to repurpose a few facial moisturizers as hand/body moisturizers or I’ll use a failed facial cleanser or shampoo/conditioner for shaving my legs.  The proliferation of fast cosmetics is quite alarming, and I have seen all these giant makeup kits and often wondered how you could possibly use all those colours up. My only concern would be bacteria contamination after a few months if these products have been opened and used. Lisa on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374802 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:08:34 +0000 Lisa 2374802@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have not heard of this. Personally I don’t wear makeup that often (only when I go into the office which isn’t often with WFH). I usually throw out makeup that are liquids because they went bad before I can use them up (foundation and mascara usually). For skincare I’m pretty good here to use things up first. I find it’s easy to get back logged because it can take months or years to use up tubs of creams. <div> </div><div>One weakness I have is for foam hand soaps from Bath and a Body Works. I like seasonal scents but when there is a promotion on them I will stock up even though I may still have a few already. I will buy the max limit during a good sale, then spend a year or two using them up because I will swap a bottle for the scent before using it all up. (For example I’m swapping fall scents for Christmas and winter scents for the upcoming holiday season). </div> Jenni NZ on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374798 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 10:08:07 +0000 Jenni NZ 2374798@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think Suntiger was doing it Bella? But it was before she deleted her old profile and made a new one so it might be hard to find. I do try to do this myself and have used up cast-offs from first my sister and later my daughter! bella on "Project Pan" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/project-pan#post-2374796 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:21:09 +0000 bella 2374796@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Have you ever heard of this?  <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.vogue.com/article/the-beauty-community-that-just-wants-you-to-finish-your-makeup">https://www.vogue.com/article/.....our-makeup</a> <a rel="nofollow" href="https://kimbedene.com/what-is-project-pan/">https://kimbedene.com/what-is-project-pan/</a> Apparently, it's been around in the makeup/skincare community for a while. I don't follow many accounts of this nature, so I only recently saw this idea. It means using up your existing products before you go purchasing new ones.  I am mostly a one-in/one-out kind of person regarding cosmetics and skin care. Yet, I still have a few vices: lip gloss/oil/moisturizer and nail polish. Those are the cheapest and easiest to pick when I am out and about. So I have a few in my bathroom cabinets gathering dust. These items also create the biggest plastic waste because they were not reflective purchases made with sustainability and quality in mind.    I am also guilty of buying a replacement too early, that is before the previous product completely runs out, and as a result leaving the previous one slightly unused - still a good amount of use, but not hitting the pan! I have now made a list of things that are almost finished but not quite, and I plan to prioritize using them before the end of the year, hopefully metaphorically hitting the pan. I don't use any products with actual pans (no classic powder, foundation, blush or eye shadow for me), but it will surely be satisfying to send the empty bottles/containers into the recycling.  What are your habits generally? Do you want to join me on the project pan?