little white truths

I first saw Hailey from Just Buy The Makeup do this tag on YouTube, which led me to look at others' videos on the tag - and since I'm currently doing Project Pan, Pan that Palette and Project Dent, I thought I'd take up the 'I tag everyone!' offer that some fellow beauty lovers put out there and do the tag myself.

I'm going to assume that anyone reading this post knows what panning projects are, but in short, they're generally about picking products from your collection and using them up. I love doing this because it helps streamline my collection and ensures that all my products are getting used, so I'm super excited to have a go at answering the Panning Pro Tag questions.

Without further ado, here are the questions and my answers : )

1. How did you learn about project panning? What was your first impression? 

I stumbled across Project Pan at the end of 2014 when I was on a spending ban/no buy - from memory I'd googled whether other people were doing one and how they were going (I wanted to know I wasn't the only one struggling!). 

A lot of results came up talking about Project Pan because often people doing a Project Pan are also on a no buy or low buy, so that's how I found out about it and the rest is history because I've been doing Project Pans ever since then.

My first impression was that it was a super good idea and I couldn't believe I hadn't heard of it before! I also thought it showed how ridiculously large some of our collections are (including mine ; )) and how ridiculously large the amount of product is that you get in some items (like blushes), which can take so long to finish.

2. What's the hardest thing you've panned? The easiest?

First, the easiest: lip products. I have such dry lips and I'm always sipping at something - coffee, tea, soup, water - so I need to reapply my lip products a lot. Some smaller glosses I can get through in a month or so if I set my mind to it.

As for the hardest, powder products like blushes and highlighters. Bronzers are a little easier because I use more of those per application and they can also double as eyeshadows, but blushes and highlighters are almost impossible to pan. I do have some pan showing on the two I've included this year though!

3. Have you attempted a Pan that Palette? Why or why not?

Yes, I just started a Pan that Palette last month. I can't remember hearing about it before then (perhaps I've been overly focused on Project Pan), and since I'd just acquired a Z-palette and had loaded it with some of my most-used shadows, I wanted to give it a go. 

As for why I'm doing it, I have a few very similar shades in my collection so I'd like to weed some out so I can eventually buy some new and interesting colours that I don't already own.

4. Has panning affected your makeup buying habits? If so how? 

Yes and no. If I really want something, I'll still buy it even if I don't need it. But I'm a lot more selective these days about what I do buy, in part because I know how long some things take to finish.

So if I'm in eg Priceline and see a nice blush that's on special, I'm no longer an impulse buyer because I remind myself that I already have enough blushes and a new one will be just one more product that might go off before I have the chance to finish it.

5. What do you plan to pan next?

Here's a link to my latest Project Pan update so you can see what's on my current list. As for what I'll be adding next, I need to start on my cream products since those generally go off faster than powders. Problem is, I don't use things like cream blushes that much so I've been avoiding including them up until now - but I'm up to the challenge!

6. Where do you get your panning inspiration/motivation?

I do watch panning videos on YouTube and read other panners' posts - all of which are inspiring and motivating - but I get most of my momentum from seeing my own products moving from my PP list as I finish them off. I'm sure many would say that if it weren't satisfying to finish off our products, none of us would have the motivation to do it!

7. What's your favourite thing about the panning community?

This is an easy one: it's a supportive, positive community. So many grumpy bums and haters exist on social media these days, that it's wonderful to find a community that's so encouraging and kind to each other. Nothing beats that.

8. If you’re currently project panning, what one item is giving you the most trouble? 

That's easy - a powder highlighter. There's so much product in the pan and you don't need to use much per application, so the damn things seems never-ending (why are powder highlighters so large?!). 

In summer I'll start wearing it on my body too (eg collarbones, shoulders and down the shins), because it's a subtle highlight and I think it will look nice in lots of places without being too much. So I'm looking forward to seeing more progress on it then.

9. How long do you plan to Project Pan? Do you see yourself stopping at any point?

Indefinitely. I've no doubt that I'll keep panning as the years roll by because I think it's so worth it. I reckon I'd only ever stop if I got over beauty products and felt no desire to use up what was left in a small collection, but I can't see myself ever getting over my beauty addiction so looks like I'll be panning for life : )

10. Would you recommend panning to others? How would you explain it? 

I would! It's so satisfying to finish products, see continuous progress in your efforts, and make room for new purchases as the months pass. 

I'm also rather weird about waste (not just when it comes to beauty product but also with eg food, water, electricity etc) and panning is a great way to make sure that everything in your collection is getting a good workout. Even if you decide to move a particular product out of your PP circulation because you're not getting anywhere with it, at least you'll be able to say that you've used it heaps and gotten your money's worth. That matters for me.

In sum

Them's my answers! I hope you found this interesting and encouraging : )

I tag all panners to have a go at these questions. Include a link to your post or video in the comments if you decide to answer them - I'd love to see what others have to say x