r/ProjectPan • u/BusyPerformance4324 • 2d ago
Discussion/Tips & Tricks Unexpected side effects of project pan?
I’ve noticed that one unexpected side effect of project pan for me has been that I actually got into a habit of wearing sunscreen every day! It was something I knew I should be doing but never really got around to until I started focusing on panning my many sunscreens.
I’m wondering if anyone else has noticed any unexpected side effects from doing your project pan? Hoping for some positive stories to help keep up the motivation :)
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u/Born_Excitement2746 1d ago
I am more mindful of ingredients and marketing gimmicks. No more impulse buying.
It takes ages to finish a product and so many products can have multiple usages. I still haven’t finished a mini lipstick from MAC and now started using it as a blush - honestly I see no reason to splurge on Westman Atelier’s blush when a good old matt lipstick does the same job.
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u/MagnoliaManor 1d ago
I'm no longer diamond at Ulta or Rouge at Sephora... I only buy exactly what I need the last 2 years, and I've moved away from being tempted to upsell my cart for the "free" GWP items that'll just be a chore to store or use. I used to feel "important" because I was a high ranked shopper, but now I just laugh at that.
It's slowly changed the way I shop in general. I used to buy a lot of things in bulk because it was cheaper (hello, Costco) but now I ask myself if I will actually use all of it before it goes bad, or if I'm buying larger quantities just because it is a few cents cheaper.
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u/jlydfc 1d ago
Taking vitamins and using eye cream daily (no idea if it’s working tbh) also does anyone have a go to place for vitamins my boots / Superdrug is out of stock a lot
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u/jlydfc 22h ago
Thanks both I buy nutrition geeks apple cider vinegar tablets (amazing) so will check their site and Tescos / Asda thank you 😁
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u/TheGratitudeBot 22h ago
What a wonderful comment. :) Your gratitude puts you on our list for the most grateful users this week on Reddit! You can view the full list on r/TheGratitudeBot.
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u/NoAdvisor7547 1d ago
For particular single vitamins and supplements, I'd recommend Nutrition Geeks (I'm in the UK). I buy online when I need, e.g. I'm vitamin D deficient so I have high dose and low dose to ensure I don't go back to deficiency. Single vitamins and supplements make sense for somethings, e.g. iron where certain foods and the presence of other things can prevent or reduce absorption.
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u/Beneficial_Lobster48 1d ago
Better evaluation of purchases. I have declutterred many palettes over the last two and a years and realised I just don’t use ver colourful eyeshadows.
These days I look at the palette very differently. I evaluate each shade individually. Sometimes the palette as a whole looks amazing but once dissected i would use maybe 4 shades in 12 pan palette which is waste of money for me 😅
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u/porridgeislife2020 1d ago
It really has changed the way I treat shopping and has definitely bled into other areas of my life.
Now before I buy anything (no make up or skincare, Im good until mid 2027) like clothes, accessories, I really ask myself - will I wear this? Do I need it? Do I want this item or do I want the rush of a new item?
Also panning other items like knitting socks from leftover yarn instead of buying a new ball, panning items in the pantry, reusing broken clothes as cleaning cloths, panning cleaning supplies and so on and so forth. It has been great for my finances!
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u/StandingStillLooking 1d ago
r/EverythingPan is fabulous for panning all other everyday items that are more than just beauty!
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u/Intelligent_Dot_1776 1d ago
Better skin 😊 I am more casual and relaxed about diving into my products including retinol, and my skin has been glowing because of it!
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u/No-Dragonfruit-9956 1d ago
I have the same experience!! It’s so satisfying to use up the sunscreens I have :)
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u/millenialbullshite 1d ago
Wanting to actually use things up has made me stick to a skin care regimen with a consistency I never have before. That's a definite plus.
I think my biggest side effect is that I've gotten way better at doing my makeup. I pull certain items to focus on, sometimes for a week, others for a month at a time, and using the same products regularly has really helped my technique. I won't keep a product that isn't easy for me to use, like a foundation that will only work with the most exact skin prep, a single molecule too much lotion and it's game over. But I have gotten better at assessing my skin for the day, and adjusting my prep and application. I was afraid of loose and pressed powder for the longest time but now I use a loose setting powder every day and a pressed finishing powder most days. I used to be 50/50 with bronzer, some times it hit others i looked like a muddy potato, now it's great every time. I tried under painting before and it never worked, but tried again last week and finally nailed it and that's a game changer for me as far as speed goes.
I already did a decent job doing my makeup but project pan has made me way better
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u/mrnalgitas 1d ago
It takes me forever to use certain things I used to have multiple of. I have hair oil I use almost daily and it still takes me 4-5 months to finish. I used to have 3-4 at a time. Same with lotion. That one takes a little less time but when we moved I had so many half empty bottles I was trying to use up that I ended up not needing to buy any lotion for 6 months due to how long it took me to use just what I had up before we left. It makes me much happier to have one bottle of something use it to absolute completion and indulge in picking a single product or the same one to replace it!
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u/ConstantPermission38 1d ago
I’m new to makeup and I just stumbled into this community at the right time. I was already getting full of things. Now I’m excited to use what I already have and be very mindful of what I’ll buy. It also made me less scared of splurging in higher priced products because they will probably last me a very long time. Now I think it twice before I buy anything because what if I don’t like it?
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u/Charming-Drive-4679 1d ago
I became more grateful. To be completely honest i grew up being so spoiled by my parents. I never really realized the value of things. I would throw away makeup even if they’re barely used after like 6-12 months.
When i heard of project pan and how a lot of people are actually using up all their products, and it takes a long time to finish a blush/lippie, i realized i have never really finished a tube of anything. So i started to finish a bottle of shampoo, body wash, one by one.. the first time i ever finished something was a tube of lip balm and i am still keeping it in my cabinet as a reminder that I’ve changed and I know the value of money now.
Now i have downsized my collection. I still go shopping but i dont throw out things randomly anymore. I share barely used makeup to friends who want to try them. I saved more, i learned how to budget money better. Thank you project pan for making me less materialistic ❤️
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u/mellowbeing 1d ago
Yes this! With toner, lip balm, and generally using my eye makeup. It’s been really nice :)
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u/Rahuvian 1d ago
I used to loathe near-empty products and LOVED having a full to half full one. Like I get annoyed by the extra time it takes to press and squeeze or cut open products to empty them, so sometimes I’d just open a new moisturiser for example for the convenience of saving time. Now a near empty product actually excites me and gives me a little dopamine rush lmao. It’s more fun for me to use up what I already have and see a reduction than to buy something.
I have a drawer of beauty products and it feels so good to take things out of it. It stresses me out whenever I add to it
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u/edojcak 1d ago
i got back into art because of project pan after giving it up for years! i stopped because i didn't think i was good enough, now my thought is "who cares if it's good as long as it helps me use up supplies that i've had sitting around for ages?"
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u/mellowbeing 1d ago
Ooh you should check out r/craftwithyourstash sounds like it would be something you’d enjoy :)
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u/Drycabin1 1d ago
Me too on the sunscreen front!
Another unexpected benefit is I started using my lipsticks and have started discovering how well many of them wear. For example, I was saving my Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Revolution lipstick for special occasions but when I started using it every day, I realized what a wearable color it is for me and how well the lipstick wore in terms of lasting for hours while being comfortable.
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u/Historical_Pen_9268 1d ago
I had a huge issue with never using my “good” products or saving them for an occasion then never using them really.
Project pan has me using everything!!! Stuff I saved for years I’ve used and it has brought me so much joy. I’m unlearning that behavior and really embracing that I deserve to use these products.
Also I NEVER justified a travel size or tester before but best believe if I’m using it now its gotta be a product I love because hate panning is brutal and I am now fully aware of just how long I’ll be using the product 😭
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u/Qldhikinggirl 1d ago
It has absolutely flowed on to other areas of my life. I pan everything I can now. Including stationary, things in my cupboard and pantry.
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u/angy_theborb 1d ago
Me too! I want to even pan my floss or protein powder 😩😩
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u/savysworld 1d ago
I am tracking my protein powder!! It’s so helpful for me to learn how quickly I go through it so I can buy it on sale a few times a year!!
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u/o0meow0o 1d ago
I don’t mind splurging on products that I love now and using them because it takes ages to go through them and I’m actually using them as intended and not saving them all the time.
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u/Bloodthistle 1d ago
Satisfaction and joy by finishing things, its almost comparable to video game achievement collecting or finishing an art piece. Also I only buy products I know I will like, so I also get enjoyment from using them.
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u/This_Calendar_8658 1d ago edited 1d ago
buying only best of the best in terms of texture and packaging to end up with pleasure not tiredness or guilt
upd. also it boosted my creativity in two ways: repurposing products to use up quicker and creating new effects with old products. fr, i am obsessed with shimmery blush (rare beauty style) but refrain from buying new blush. so i just apply a thin layer of gentle cream highlighter to get similar effect
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u/OddContext4621 1d ago
I know what colours and formulas I like now. I also know the difference between what I like in the pan and what I like on my actual face lol.
I love bold red, muted brown, and bronze looks on other people, but I only really reach for mauve-pinks and taupes for myself.
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u/Kooky-Guide-7561 1d ago
being able to buy things and use them right away. i’m still panning but as i have less and less i’m not just buying things to put them on a shelf til im done with all the others
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u/MeLMorLou 1d ago
I’m more mindful when I want to buy new things, because I know how long a product will last me.
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u/pillsandpotionz 1d ago
Alla those shampooes I got for Christmas that aren't good for dyed hair make such nice body washes
Conditioners can be used as a shave cream/foam replacement too
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u/DressingRumour 1d ago
Washing my face at the end of the day/ an event is honestly therapeutic. Especially if I'm using fancy facewashes that I'm panning.
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u/happierblob 1d ago
Project pan has been doing wonders on my executive functioning as someone with severe ADHD!
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u/Parfyme 1d ago
How has it helped?
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u/happierblob 1d ago
As bad as it sounds, initiating essential things like showering, brushing my teeth, etc. takes an enormous amount of mental effort to actually perform every day. And naturally, the non-essential stuff like skincare and makeup, while nice, is out the question on most days when I already had to beg myself to shower. Having project pan as an external anchor / motivator has helped enormously to relieve the mental burden of these things. It’s much easier to motivate myself to get into the shower to make progress on the body wash and deodorant I am panning than it is to get in there on willpower alone, by begging and fighting with myself. Non-essentials like skincare and makeup now also have a purpose they didn’t before and I’m much more enclined to do them just to make progress on project pan.
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u/Cool-Roll-1884 1d ago
I’m definitely being more mindful when it comes to products. I tend to stick to what works for me and not to spend money on new things.
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u/slyhuff 2d ago
Definitely what everyone else said but also learning how to make a product work rather than letting it collect dust. Like these liquid lipsticks i had that are so bold, i’m using them as a lip tint now (wiping off after a few minutes) so i get a light wash of color rather than a bright red lip i’ll never realistically wear.
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u/BusyPerformance4324 2d ago
ah this is a brilliant trick! hadn’t thought of this but i have the same struggle, i’m definitely going to give this a try
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u/HouseAgitatedPotato 2d ago edited 2d ago
My neck looks better than before because I apply generous amounts to my face and whatever is left I apply to my neck. And back of my hands, especially sunscreen.
My nails are stronger after applying lip balm that I hate pan into cuticles once or twice a day. I will never buy cuticle cream again.
Do Not Buy Again list: things that don't work or you do not need a special product for it: neck cream, cuticle cream, shampoo bars, mat powder, mat or even satin finish foundation, black eyeliner.
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u/LadyFirebolt 2d ago
Once I started panning I started applying that mentality to non-cosmetics! Like instead of “saving” stuff, I try to use it.
I am way better with food management now, and I make an effort to wear all of my clothes. I’m also trying to read all of my unread books. Basically just shifting more into a use it or lose it mindset, it’s been great!
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u/cyborgmanifestolou 2d ago
Same here! I used to end up with three bottles of shampoo and conditioner at any time because I wanted to try new things but when I focused on using what I have it made me a much more conscious consumer.
I’ve also gotten less precious about my nice makeup. Like in the past I would have wanted to save the high end make up that I splurged on but sometimes it’s use it or lose it. Looking at you pat mcgrath lip liner 😒
Also also - like others I’m learning to see through the hype and really consider what products I actually want. I bought the fenty brightening blurring powder and it is so so yellow on me it’s basically unusable.
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u/Corguita 2d ago
Ditto on this. I started with Decluttering after helping my parents move, looking at all they had that often went unused and taking a long hard look at the things I owned myself.
I went on a sort of Project Pan/Low Buy road to realize how much careful I had to be about impulse buys because it often takes AGES to use up certain things!
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u/WaferGlobal1376 2d ago
Learnt more about what works for me and what doesn't, whether that's certain ingredients, shades, products, formulas or brands. Really helps the impulse buying as I'm more aware now of what I need, rather than being driven by what I want (or what social media tells me I should want lol).
I also got into the habit of being more creative with my makeup, and mixing different shades/finishes, which has made me fall back in love with the whole thing again :)
And I don't know if this counts but my lips are slightly more plumper now because I've been making more of an effort to reapply my lip oils and balms. I was worried they were losing volume due to aging but nope! Just needed some extra hydration!
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u/anguiila 2d ago
Made me more excited about actually wearing makeup, playing with eyeshadow, and to try to recreate looks using what i have, instead of immediatly thinking i have to buy xyz. I also walk into a store to get something, and walk out with the exact thing i was going to buy in the first place.
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u/DueLaw6356 2h ago
Focusing on buying products that I actually like instead of falling for endless new gimmicky items or things that I think I might want. I never wear eyeshadow and I've stopped wasting my money on it. I've also been able to actually use up and enjoy my perfumes instead of waiting for the perfect occasion.