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Last January I cleaned out my bathroom drawer and found 14 lip products. Fourteen. I’d been wearing the same two for a year, and I’d just ordered a fifteenth.
That’s when I started my first project pan challenge. The idea is simple: pick a handful of products you already own, use them until they’re completely gone, and don’t buy replacements until you do. It saves money, clears clutter, and makes you way pickier about what you buy next.
I’ve done three rounds now and finished 31 products. Below are the 7 rules that made it stick for me, how to track your progress, and the 4 cheap tools that help you scrape out every last bit.
What Is the Project Pan Challenge?
The project pan challenge is a beauty challenge where you choose a set number of products and use them up before buying anything new. The name comes from hitting pan, the moment you see the bottom of a powder or eyeshadow. Most people pick 5 to 10 products and give themselves a few months.
The trend grew out of YouTube beauty videos and Reddit groups like r/MakeupRehab in the mid-2010s. It comes back every January, when everyone is trying to spend less and own less. You’ll see it on TikTok as #projectpan, usually with a satisfying pile of empties at the end.
Why I Keep Doing It
Money is the obvious reason. I tracked my beauty spending for a year before my first round. Once I stopped rebuying things I already had, it dropped by more than half.
The second reason surprised me. Using a product to the very end tells you if you actually like it. Half the stuff I thought I loved, I was happy to never buy again.
There’s also the waste. One estimate from the UK campaign Zero Waste Week puts beauty packaging at more than 120 billion units a year worldwide. Finishing what you own is the easiest way to buy less of it.
My 7 Project Pan Challenge Rules
These are the rules I follow every round. Steal all of them or just the ones that fit your stash.
Rule 1: Shop Your Stash Before You Pick Anything
Dump everything out. Every drawer, every bag, the basket under the sink. Group it by category so you can see you own six moisturizers and four mascaras.
This step is a little painful. It’s also the reason the challenge works, because it’s hard to justify a new serum when three half-used ones are staring at you.
Rule 2: Pick 5 to 10 Products, One Per Category
For my first round I picked 7: a cleanser, a moisturizer, a serum, a concealer, a blush, a lip balm, and a body lotion. One of each means you’re never using two of the same thing at once.
Mix easy wins with slow ones. A nearly empty lip balm gets finished in a week and keeps you motivated. A big tub of body butter takes months, and that’s fine.
Rule 3: Check Expiration Dates First
Look for the little open jar symbol on the back with a number like 6M or 12M. That’s the period after opening, meaning how many months a product stays good once you open it. The EU requires it on most cosmetics, and plenty of US brands use it too.
Mascara is the big one. The FDA notes that some experts suggest replacing it three months after you buy it, since bacteria can build up near your eyes. If something smells off, changed texture, or separated, toss it instead of panning it.
Rule 4: Put Your Pan Products Front and Center
Everything in the challenge goes in the front of my drawer or on the counter. Everything else goes in a bin in the cabinet. Out of sight really does mean out of mind.
I use clear drawer dividers so my pan products have their own little section. It sounds fussy, but I reach for what I see, and I see what’s in the front.
Rule 5: Track It With Photos
Take a photo of all your products on day one. Then take one every two weeks from the same angle. Seeing the pan grow in a blush is weirdly satisfying.
I also keep a note on my phone with each product and the date I finished it. If you want something prettier, my habit tracker works for this too.
Rule 6: Follow a One-In, One-Out Rule
You can still buy things you run out of, like sunscreen or deodorant. But a new product only comes in when an old one in the same category goes out. No exceptions for cute packaging.
I also give myself a 48-hour wait on anything I want that isn’t a replacement. Most of the time, I forget about it by day two.
Rule 7: Get Every Last Drop
A product isn’t empty just because the pump stops working. Cut open tubes, flip bottles upside down, and use a mini spatula on jars and foundation bottles. I got almost two more weeks out of a moisturizer I was about to throw out.
For lipsticks, I scoop the last bit out of the tube with a lip brush. For pressed powders that crumble, I press them back down with a few drops of rubbing alcohol and let them dry overnight.
What to Do With Your Empties
Rinse what you can and check your local recycling rules, because a lot of beauty packaging has mixed materials. Pumps and tiny caps usually can’t go in curbside recycling.
Some brands run their own take-back programs. Check the brand’s website before you toss anything. Glass jars make great cotton pad holders or travel containers once they’re clean.
How Long Should a Project Pan Challenge Last?
I do three-month rounds. That’s long enough to finish skincare and short enough to stay excited. A lot of people also do a full year, especially for makeup, since powders take forever.
If three months feels like too much, try a 30-day mini round with 3 products. You’ll learn fast which products you love and which ones you were only keeping out of guilt.
The 4 Cheap Tools That Help Me Finish Products
None of these are fancy, and all of them pay for themselves fast. evrygal recommends starting with a mini spatula, since it gets the most extra uses out of products you already own.
Best Overall
Cuttte
Mini Makeup Spatula Silicone Set, 2 Pack
If you only buy one thing from this list, make it this. The skinny end fits inside foundation bottles and the wide end clears out jars. I’ve rescued at least a week of product from almost everything I thought was done.
Best for Tubes
XYKEEY
Metal Tube Squeezer Rollers, Set of 2
It’s sold for toothpaste, but I use it on cleansers, hand creams, and tube moisturizers. Slide the end of the tube in and roll it up as you go. Not the most exciting pick, but trust me on this one.
Best for Drawers
Vtopmart
Clear Drawer Organizers, 25 Pack
Four sizes of clear bins with grippy pads, so they don’t slide around when you open the drawer. I give my pan products their own bin right at the front. Seeing everything at once also stops me from buying duplicates.
READ: drugstore skincare dupes
Best for Countertops
Sorbus
6-Drawer Acrylic Makeup Organizer
Good for you if you don’t have drawer space. It holds a whole round of pan products where you can see them every morning. I keep the rest of my stash in the cabinet and only this on the counter.
| Product | Rule it helps | Key feature | Best for | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuttte Mini Spatula | Rule 7 | Two-ended silicone | Jars and bottles | Reaches the very bottom |
| XYKEEY Tube Squeezer | Rule 7 | Metal roller key | Cleansers and creams | Works on any tube |
| Vtopmart Drawer Organizers | Rule 4 | 25 clear bins, 4 sizes | Messy drawers | Non-slip pads |
| Sorbus 6-Drawer Organizer | Rule 4 | Clear acrylic drawers | Small bathrooms | Everything visible |
If you liked this, my drugstore skincare dupes will help you replace what you finish for less. Before you start, read my skincare ingredients not to mix and how to layer skincare products so your pan products work together. Want to save on the next splurge? Try my La Mer dupes, and track your spending with my free budget tracker template.
evrygal recommends: Cuttte Mini Makeup Spatula Silicone Set, 2 Pack for project pan challenge, based on our hands-on testing.
Pick your 5 products tonight and snap your day-one photo. In three months you’ll have a pile of empties, a lighter drawer, and a much shorter shopping list.
Key Takeaways
- A project pan challenge means picking a small set of beauty products and using them up completely before buying more
- Start with 5 to 10 products, one per category, and keep them in the front of your drawer
- Check the period-after-opening symbol on each product and toss anything past its date before you start
- Mini spatulas and tube squeezers can get several more uses out of products that look empty
- A simple one-in, one-out rule keeps your stash from growing back after the challenge ends
Last updated: October 28, 2026
FAQ
How many products should I pick for a project pan challenge?
Start with 5 to 10. Fewer than 5 can feel like you’re not doing much, and more than 10 gets hard to track. Pick one per category so you’re never using two moisturizers at once.
Can I buy new makeup during a project pan challenge?
You can replace things you truly run out of, like sunscreen or deodorant. Everything else waits until something in the same category is finished. I also give myself a 48-hour wait on anything new, and I usually forget about it.
What counts as finishing a product?
For skincare and liquids, it’s when you can’t get anything out with a spatula or by cutting the tube open. For powders and eyeshadows, most people count it when they hit pan and keep going until the pan is mostly bare. Make your own rule and stick to it.
Should I pan expired products?
No. Check the open jar symbol on the back for how many months a product lasts once opened. Toss anything past that date, or anything that smells off or changed texture, before you start your round.
How do I stay motivated during a project pan challenge?
Take progress photos every two weeks and keep at least one product that’s almost empty, so you get a quick win. Watching other people’s empties videos helps too. Celebrating every finished product sounds silly, but it works.
