For my first trick, I will make my makeup collection shrink! ….slowly!

This year, I’ll be working through my makeup collection, in a rolling project pan.

Key terms: 

• Project Pan: the process of using up items in their collection/stash of products for various reasons. This is done in a ton of different ways, but my main inspirations are from Just Buy The Makeup (Hailey) and KitschSnitch (Kat), whom I found through their joint channel BEAUTY NEWS.
• Rolling: I will always be focusing on 8 products throughout the year. So, as I meet my goal on a product, I will swap that out for another item.

My main reason for doing a project pan this year is to minimize my makeup collection to things that I really love. I have a weakness for eyeshadow, lip products, and highlighters, and a collection to prove it, but I’d like to go through my more “everyday” products – primer, foundation, concealer, powder, brow products, mascara, and even bronzer/contour and blush – and only replace them when I’m out.

Another major reason (maybe more important than above) is that I need to save money. My husband and I are working on saving money to buy another vehicle, buy a home, and hopefully do some travelling (including our belated honeymoon), and that means we have to be strict on our miscellaneous spending. So, along with my project pan, I’m instituting a “low-buy” for myself, which means:

• I am only allowed to purchase products in a category when I am out of all other products of that type. (Ex: I use up all of my mascaras, so I can buy a new mascara.)
• I am not to purchase any other products, with very few exceptions.
  • The only exception I can think of now is if LORAC releases a new PRO/Mega PRO palette this year, but I’m sure there will be other things that come up.
• I am not allowed to sign up for any subscription boxes, bags, etc. This means I’ve cancelled my ipsy subscription after 2 years.

There’s going to be three types of goals I’ll have for any given product:

• Use up the product completely
• Hit pan on the product (not just a tiny dot) – mostly would be powder products
• Try the product long enough to realize if I want to keep using it or toss it.
  This type of goal will be the least used, but I can foresee this may happen, so I’m including this in my “rules” for the project.

Here’s my starting 8 products for my first ever Project Pan: 

1. Covergirl Peacock Flare Mascara – USE UP
   I received this mascara for free in an Influenster box at the end of last year, so I want to use it some before the review is due. I’ll use it until the product is gone, or it’s been used for 3 months (because bacteria!). So far, I like what the mascara does, but the wand is a little spiky, stiff, and strangely shaped for my taste, so I already know I won’t repurchase it. When it’s done, I may look around for another mascara with a similar formula, but different brush. (I haven’t included a photo because there’s no way to mark it.)
2. Coty Airspun Powder – Translucent Extra Coverage – USE UP
   I’ve had this powder for a while and since the scent has finally calmed down, I’m able to use it. I started using it as my primary setting powder sometime last fall, and I’d like to see some progress on it because I’m interested to try some other products.
3. Fiona Stiles Sheer Sculpting Palette – Light/Medium – USE UP
   This product was originally sold in Ulta stores, but is currently available on QVC. I truly love this palette because it has great colors for my skintone (fair neutral) that I can use throughout the entire year, no matter what level of slight tan i have. (I even have a backup because I loved it so much!) I’ve had this for quite a while and have hit pan on the two lighter shades. The darkest shade was practically untouched. I’d like to fully use this up, which will probably mean repressing those two shades soon in order to get them going.
   
   

   Intro/Update #1

   

   Intro
   L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation – 202 Creamy Natural – USE UP
   I really love this foundation, but shade 202 is really more of a summer shade for me (201 is too pink). This is a “gimmie” product (one that’s only got a few more uses left or will be gone through within the next month).
4. L’Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Lumi Primer – USE UP
   I really love this primer, but I’ve had it for a long time so I need to finish it off. This is also a “gimmie” product, so long as I use it every day. I have a lot of primers in my collection – both full-size and samples – and I’m hoping to find a “holy grail” primer (or two) sometime this year.
5. Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black Eau de Parfum – USE UP
   After trying two small sample sprays of this, and loving it, I am the genius who figured it was economical to buy the largest size (3.4 oz) of this perfume. Over a year later, I’ve barely used it. This smells amazing and is very long-lasting, but I’ve realized it’s not something I want to wear every day. I’d like use this before the fragrance changes too much and then work through some of my perfume samples.
   
   

   

   
   OFRA Universal Brow Pencil – USE UP
   I received this in an ipsy bag a while back. I’ve run through my favorite brow pencil, and am trying to use up all of my other brow products before purchasing something new or repurchasing my favorite (L’Oreal Brow Stylist Definer).
6. NARS Blush – Orgasm (mini) – HIT PAN
   I got this in a Sephora Favorites bag last year. I’d always wanted to try this blush since it’s so many people’s go-to, so I was happy to see this in a set. The mini isn’t currently available on Ulta, Sephora, or NARS, but if you ever happen to see one, it’s a great way to try the product. (And let’s be real – it’s basically impossible to use up an entire blush!) I only want to hit pan on this one, so I’m able to keep using the shade and have it as a reference in case I want to repurchase it later on.

I will be keeping track of this project in my bullet journal throughout the year, as well as tracking my empties in my Airtable inventory. Here’s a photo of my first tracking page:

The only reason the OFRA brow pencil says 1/5 instead of 1/1 for the start date is because I started out using a JCat pencil, but realized before writing this list out that it was too warm-toned for me!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my first attempt at a project pan! I’ll do my best to provide updates each month(ish) on my progress – or maybe as I rotate products in and out of the project? Let me know which one you think is best! Please comment if you’re doing any sort of low-buy, no-buy, project pan, sampled out, etc. sort of decluttering/reducing makeup project this year – or just to say hello!

– Natalie

P.S. Here’s some referral links to some of my favorite sites. Use if you’d like!

• Ebates – This is a great way to earn cash back from online shopping (that you’re already doing) at many of your favorite stores! (Including Sephora & Ulta!) If you join through this link and make a purchase of $25 or more, you’ll get an extra $10 cash back and I’ll get $15, as well as your own referral code.
• thredUP – I love using thredUP to clean out my closet and shop for new pieces at a discounted price – sometimes they’re even brand new with tags! When you join thredUP through this link, you get $10 to spend and I get $10 to shop after you place your first order.
• StitchFix – This is a great way to try out some new items for your closet, without the hassle of going to the stores and the bonus of a personal stylist. If you sign up with this link, you’ll get a FREE styling fee (usually $20) on your first Fix, and I’ll get $25 credit once it ships.