Over the last few months I've posted consistently about my no-buy challenge with mini-challenges to siphon down parts of my collection. These monthly updates include my progress on things like perfume samples, skincare products, lipstick purges and more. But I also put together a little summertime 'Project Pan' for myself (which you can read here), piling together seven makeup and beauty products I wanted to hit pan on. In my project pan post, I challenged myself to do as much damage as I could by the end of September. Now it's time to reveal my progress!
Just a reminder, I had a few rules in mind.
The Rules
- I didn't want to use products that were almost finished already, I wanted things that I would need to CONSISTENTLY use to be able to finish by the end of summer.
- Full size products ONLY. I do a good job clearing through deluxe products as is, but I wanted to zone in on larger products that would be more of a challenge.
- If I truly don't like something and don't use it much during this challenge, I will toss it by the end of the project
Products I Finished
Smashbox High Definition Concealer Fair/Light
When I started this project I thought this would be a rather easy product to use it, it already looked like there was about 20-25% left to go. But little did I know that a small amount of this product can go a LONG way. I only JUST finished this up late-September! Because it's such a dense concealer, only a small amount is needed to cover blemishes or soften my under-eyes. I don't cake myself in concealer, I literally just use it to conceal, so that could also be why it takes me forever to finish one! But overall I'm MIGHTY impressed and may just repurchase it again sometime soon.
Benefit Instant Brow Pencil Medium
When I started my project pan, I remembered why I rarely reached for this pencil: it was just too cool for my brow. But I was committed to finishing it for this project, so I added a coloured brow gel on top to adjust the tone to make it look better on my skin. It's not a bad pencil, just the shade didn't exactly work. Luckily, with the gel on top, it looked totally fine afterward. I have basically an itsy-bitsy tiny nub left of the pencil but it's super hard to hold as it's so small now, so I'm considering it finished!
Products I Didn't Finish
The Ordinary Serum Foundation 1.1P
So if you read my update about my summer, you know I was unfortunately let go in late July. On the PLUS SIDE, it meant I had more time to be outside during the day and I took full advantage by taking long walks and hikes and biking. What does this have to do with foundation you may ask? I tanned a LOT more on my face than I usually do. Most people won't notice because I'm still pale, but I am ...less pale than usual. So when I tried to wear this by late August, I looked like a kid trying out 'goth' makeup, even when I added a few drops of a deeper foundation to warm it up. Lol. So as Fall comes around, I can probably make more use of it. However, I only have about 10-15% left so I did make a dent from the 20-25% that was there in July!
Benefit Sugar Bomb Blush
It's hard to see but I definitely made a dent here too. The height of the blush that's left remaining is absolutely smaller than when I started in July. My one concern is that I think this blush is finally getting a hardpan, which means it's a lot more difficult for me to get pigment on my brushes when trying to apply it. I'll keep using it for now but I may have to chuck this blush soon.
Essence Beauty on Tour Cream Blush 02
I didn't think there was ANY WAY I would finish this blush during the pan, but I absolutely made a dent in it! I'm still a fairly big fan of this blush and see no reason to get rid of it as I enjoyed using it almost every day. While it's a very bright pink blush, because it's a cream blush it's easy to adjust how intense you want your look. I found it really easy to wear this in the day and then amp it up at night.
Products I'm Tossing
Good night, sweet prince.
Essence Mountain Calling Translucent Powder
While I didn't finish this powder initially, I did make a HUGE dent in it, leaving just a white ring around the edge of the compact. THEN I DROPPED IT. I smashed the poor thing into smithereens and instead of painstakingly trying to put it back together, I decided it had done it's job and I put it squarely in my empties pile and thanked it for its service over the years.
Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Cushion Corrector + Primer Duo Yellow/Green
HONESTLY I probably tried using this for maybe a week or two before I decided to chuck it. I don't colour correct any more, and if I did, I would reach for my Stila colour corrector cream palette, not this awkward sponge brush that I usually had to use my fingers for anyway. Bye bye!
So overall I'm pretty impressed with my project pan results. I finished two products, chucked two more, leaving me with only three of my initial seven! Not a bad result considering a few of these would have been near-impossible to finish in two months any way. Maybe I'll put together another one for November and December to see if I can't get rid of some more!
Have you ever completed a project pan? Do they work for you? Let me know!
