Operation Project Pan 2025

Hello everyone,

One of the resolutions that I’m actively working on this year is Project Pan.

In layman’s terms, Project Pan is basically a challenge to finish up what beauty products you already have (ie: hit the pan), before making another purchase. The ultimate aim is to be more conscious of purchasing decisions, reduce waste (and clutter) and save money along the way.

It’s funny; I was thinking about doing this way before I even knew there was a name for it – I just happened to find out it was a trend on TikTok in the lead up to the new year. Crazy huh!

I’d like to introduce you to my collection of some of the products that I will be actively trying to finish this year:

I know that it doesn’t look like much (especially compared to the ones I have seen on social media), but boy, this is going to be a challenge for me for sure! So! How did I get to this point? Well, let’s start from the beginning…

I grew up in a household where beauty products weren’t really used, so I had to rely on magazines and my friends for advice on how to wear it properly. My allowance almost always went to buying drugstore makeup or, if I was lucky, I would be given products that my friends didn’t want.

But then I got my first job and with it, the ability to buy more premium make up and skincare brands. Back then, I had to go to a department store and was served by a consultant who kept my profile and taught me how to apply it properly… and also gave me little samples to try at home. But most of the time, I didn’t even use them and they would just accumulate and be pushed further back into the drawer, never to see daylight again.

Looking back on it, I probably have received 100’s, if not 1,000’s of free samples that I never used.

What a waste.

And then there’s the rise of the beauty influencers, who have, over the years, convinced me that I needed to buy certain products that would change the way I looked, or be labeled as a ‘game changer’ that I simply could not live without.

And well… I bought them. Hook, line and sinker.

Some of the products were brilliant, but the majority were just overhyped. And so, those items sat there, barely used, taking up valuable space in my bathroom.

But that’s nothing compared to the impulse buys I have made based on packaging, smell or sensation. I am one of those people who will go into a shop and if there are testers, I will put a bit on the back of my hand to see how it feels, if I like the scent, and if it does what it’s designed to do. And then – BAM – it’s in the cart, ready to come home with me. I feel like this is the purest form of overconsumption for me, as most of the time I don’t really need the product because I might already have a blush, or a body wash, but I’m easily won over based on a certain aspect of it.

Now that I’m older (and I like to think I’m wiser!), I have realised that I’m perpetuating bad spending habits and it’s not really sustainable; I only have so much room in my bathroom… plus, my disposable income (not unlike most people at the moment) is currently being impacted by the rise in the cost of living. So yeah, it doesn’t make sense to keep buying things in excess at the minute.

Another thing I have also realised is that I’m not as open to trying new products as I used to be. If anything, to incorporate another item into my beauty regime is rather cumbersome. I mean, I don’t know how it’s going to react with all my other products, so the trial and error approach is not something I have time for, let alone patience to recover from any adverse effects on my skin that may occur.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I walk into places like Mecca and Sephora and feel a little overwhelmed with all the brands and products to choose from. So, having a more simplified routine would be much more convenient in the long run.

Ok! So getting back to the whole point of this post. I’m feeling optimistic about completing Project Pan this year. In fact, I’m going to post what I use up every month until it’s all gone. I personally feel that the shower products will be used up first, and my perfumes will be the last to go.

I am excited about using up all the body moisturisers because I feel like they will help a lot with keeping my skin hydrated and reduce the look of my stretch marks. However, I am not looking forward to having to wear all my lipsticks. For some reason, I can’t make dark colours work on me. Any tips on this would be greatly appreciated!

Are you doing Project Pan this year, or have you done it in previous years? I would love to hear about your experience 🙂

Wish me luck!

Much Love,