What is Project Pan?

Project Pan is simple. You choose a handful of beauty products you already own and use them until they are gone. The name comes from “hitting pan,” the moment you have used a pressed powder so much that the metal pan underneath starts to show.

Bustle describes it as committing to finish the products you already own before adding more to your collection. It has turned into a small movement. In January 2026, Bustle counted more than 1,000 TikTok videos under #ProjectPan2026, and it reported that the r/ProjectPan community on Reddit gets around 34,000 visitors a week.

We like it for a plain reason. Most of us own more makeup than we can use before it goes off, and Project Pan turns that into something you can actually track.

Why people do Project Pan

Some people start because they want to spend less. Others are tired of drawers full of half-used palettes, or they want to cut down on waste. A lot of people just want to know what they actually like, and you only find that out by using something every day until it runs out.

There is also a quieter benefit. Once you have finished a few products, you get a much better sense of how long things really last. A blush that looked tiny in the shop can take years to finish. That knowledge changes how you shop afterwards.

How to start

Start small. Pull out everything you own in one category, like blush or lipstick, and look at it together. Most people are surprised by how much they have.

Then pick a few products to focus on. Good candidates are things you already like, things you use often, and anything that is getting close to the end of its shelf life. Leave out anything you dislike. Forcing yourself through a product you hate is the fastest way to give up.

Write down your list, with the date you opened each product if you know it. A note on your phone works. So does an app like Makeup Shelf, which tracks progress and savings for you.

Picking the right products

Powders are the classic Project Pan products because you can see the pan appear. Blush, bronzer, eyeshadow and setting powder all work. Lipsticks and lip balms are satisfying too, since you can see the bullet shrink.

Be careful with anything that goes near your eyes. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends replacing eye makeup after about three months, and the FDA notes that manufacturers usually say mascara should be thrown away two to four months after purchase. Nobody should be dragging out a mascara just to finish it. Check our shelf-life guides before you add something with a short life to your list.

Different ways to do it

There is no single set of rules, and Bustle’s reporting shows how much approaches vary. Some people only allow themselves to replace a product once it is completely finished. Others work on one item at a time until it is gone. Many rotate through their whole collection so nothing sits untouched. And some, which Bustle calls “the spreadsheet crew,” track every use and work out the cost per use.

All of these are valid. The best version is the one you will still be doing in three months.

Keeping it going

Progress keeps you motivated. Take a photo of a product when you start and again every few weeks. Celebrate your empties. If you like numbers, work out what each use cost you with our cost per use calculator.

It is also fine to change the plan. If a product irritates your skin or starts to smell off, stop using it. Finishing a product is never worth a reaction or an infection. See our guide on how to hit pan for practical ways to speed things up, and Project Pan rules if you want more structure.