The Project Panner Tag

I first saw The Project Panner Tag on my wonderful blogging friend’s – The Newbury Girl – website. This year, I started my first project pan and thought The Project Panner Tag would be a fun and interesting tag to participate in, as I feel I’ve learned about my makeup habits since starting it.

Project pans are a great way of encouraging you to use the products you already own, rather than always buying the latest makeup releases. They help you work through your makeup collection, so people with large collections may find project panning particularly helpful.

Please keep on reading to see my answers to The Project Panner Tag.

1. How long have you been project panning?

I started my project pan in April 2020. After seeing quite a few beauty bloggers embark on a project pan, I decided it would help me hold myself accountable for working through the makeup products that I own.

2. What made you decide to start panning? What did you hope to get out of it?

Although I love makeup, I don’t wear it that often and I mostly just use it at the weekends. However, my makeup collection is pretty big for someone who only wears makeup occasionally, so I decided to challenge myself to use up some of the products in my collection.

By project panning, I hope to use up makeup products I already own and to stop buying products where I already own similar items – such as nude pink lipsticks.

3. How do you like to structure your project pans? Short seasonal projects, year-long rolling projects, or something else?

I’ve not done project panning before, but I think year-long rolling projects work best. It gives you something to work towards throughout the entire year, which gives you more scope to use products up.

4. What are your favorite ways to track your progress?

I’ve written several project pan reports to track my progress – see progress report #1 and progress report #2. This is a simple method that allows me to reflect on my progress and hold myself accountable.

I also like comparing imagery from the start of my project pan 2020 to my most recent progress to see how much product I’ve used up.

5. What products have been the EASIEST for you to pan?

Foundations have been the easiest. You use quite a few pumps per use and if you stick to using one foundation throughout the entire year, you’re bound to use it up.

6. What products have been the HARDEST for you to pan?

Powder-based cheek products, such as bronzers and blushers. Even if I wear these products with every single makeup look, it seems to take ages to even make a small dent in the products. I definitely overestimated how much of these products I could get through in the space of a year.

7. Are there any types of products that you rarely or never put in a project pan?

This is my first ever project pan, so I don’t feel I can answer this question too well. However, I tried to choose a wide selection of makeup products, from eyeshadows, lipsticks, foundations and blushers. Going forwards, I might exclude highlighters and powder blushers because they seem to take ages to get through.

8. Do you pan skincare or body care, or strictly makeup?

I only pan makeup. Although I have a pretty large skincare collection, I never open new products until I’ve finished using up the products I’ve already opened to avoid waste. I don’t use body care products loads, so I don’t hoard them.

In contrast, I open all of my makeup products, but often only use a product a couple of times before purchasing something else. This needs to change, hence the project pan.

9. What is your #1 advice for a successful project pan?

Choose a variety of makeup products in your project pan. If you choose 5 foundations, the likelihood is you’re not going to get through them all.

If you have any products that you’re close to finishing, include them in your project pan. That way, you’re more likely to use the product up.

Also, be cautious of cheek products, especially powder blushers and bronzers. They take ages to go through, so unless you’re using them daily, you’re going to struggle to hit pan on them.

10. Has panning affected your makeup purchasing habits? If so, how?

On the whole, yes. Since starting my project pan, I’ve become more aware of what’s in my makeup collection. For instance, I have an abundance of eyeshadow palettes and nude lipsticks, so I’ve refrained from purchasing more of these.

This year, I’ve also tried to consciously buy less makeup products. I definitely have room to improve in this area, but this project pan has made me more aware of my makeup purchasing habits.

Final thoughts on The Project Panner Tag

I’ve really enjoyed doing a project pan, so answering The Project Panner Tag was both fun and reflective. I’m definitely going to participate in a project pan next year and have already thought about what products I’ll include in that project.

Sarah Sarsby is the owner of A Woman's Confidence. With over 5 years' experience of writing in the fields of beauty and lifestyle, Sarah is passionate about all things content, makeup, skincare, wellness, and lifestyle. She has oily skin, is obsessed with lip gloss, and loves cookie dough.