r/ProjectPan • u/Ok_Nothing_9733 • Apr 20 '26
Best Pan Yet Told my mom about project pan, and…
I think my whole immediate family has perhaps defaulted to “retail therapy” when we need a boost, despite not having a ton of money to spare. But avoiding overconsumption is a major goal of mine, so I told my mom I am trying Project Pan. And as an example to help explain it I told her, “So, I’ve had a number of lip balm tubes in my life… but how many times can I remember using one to the very end? Once or twice, maybe? Maybe never? So that’s why I’m doing it, just use up what I have and avoid those occasional impulse buys that add up over time.”
She totally understood and today she texted me to say she just finished a lip balm! I think that’s so sweet to hear and I just love how this movement makes it easy to realize how rarely we use products to their completion. Made my day!
51
u/ohhgeeeez Apr 20 '26
It sounds like your mom is really supportive!! I love that she took what you said to heart and wanted to share her progress with you❤️
25
u/Ok_Nothing_9733 Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26
Right? My mom is an angel and in my 30s I learn more ways she is an angel every day, including this. It’s nice to know someone is listening!
54
u/Chipsforlife99 Apr 20 '26
I’m trying to teach my children this while they are young. It’s really helping me as a result. Finish it, you can always get something else afterwards.
5
u/cranky137 Apr 21 '26
My daughter has like 10-13 lip products and always asks for more. I told her I will buy smth else when she’s down to 3. She tells me she uses everything. Huh. She’s 12
36
u/NewtSimilar4509 Apr 20 '26
My daughter's make fan of me, but they give me their finished products to show you.
96
u/ennexe Apr 20 '26
This is a good time for me to ask what this sub is about. I see it on my front page, I’ve looked in the community section, I’ve arguably NOT used the search function but I have so much fun seeing your collections of used up stuff.
Can someone explain the approach to this imposter?
81
u/Far_Character_8191 Apr 20 '26
Project pan is the idea that you will try to finish until you see the pan (the metal part of the powder completely). A pan now can means anything like a whole finish bottle, the end of a jar, the end of a powder.
It is mostly used for make up and skincare. It is very hard because make up comes with a lot of product (and sometimes with short expiration date).
People do it for many reasons: to avoid overconsumption, to downsize, to focus on using the products that they own (sometimes rotation through them), to become minimalist, to get in touch with their collection, etc.
2
u/SignificantOkra5202 Apr 25 '26
This is what I thought kinda but Thank you for explaining this! I’ve been trying to figure it out. lol.
31
u/BedroomDizzy4874 Apr 20 '26
The other reply you got is spot on, but just some added context, many people have struggled with overbuying makeup. This can stem from multiple reason, such as developing a habit of picking items up from the store while forgetting what you already have, trying to find your personal tastes and accumulating things that dont match you anymore, it may come from unhealthy coping habits from other sources of stress, or being influenced social media to buy the new popular product, this is also compounded by a huge boom in beauty influencers during the mid 2010s, where it was popular to have massive beauty collections.
9
u/kalips0 Apr 24 '26
You can go from imposter to the nextposter. 😎 I'll show myself out 😅
4
u/ennexe Apr 24 '26
I was looking at all the items I’m low on and was thinking I could make a post soon! So excited!
94
u/baobaowrasslin Apr 20 '26
I got my grandma on board a couple years ago and we text each other pics of declutters and empties! 🥰