5 Project Pan tips that actually help you finish your makeup

Most Project Pans don't fail on day one. They fade out around week three, when the novelty wears off and that blush still looks exactly the same. These five tips are about getting past that point. New to the idea? Start with What is Project Pan? first.

1. Start smaller than you think

It's tempting to pick fifteen products and feel very virtuous. Then nothing finishes for months and the whole thing feels pointless.

Pick three to five products for your first round. Include at least one you could realistically finish in a few weeks. Minis and travel sizes are perfect for this. One quick empty early on does more for your motivation than any rule.

2. Mix quick wins with long hauls

Some products finish fast: mascara, lip balm, a concealer you use daily. Others take a year or more, like a pressed powder or a big palette.

Put both kinds in your pan. The quick ones give you regular wins. The slow ones give you something to chip away at. If everything in your pan is a long haul, it will feel like nothing is happening, even when it is.

3. Make your pan products the easiest thing to reach

What you use is mostly decided by what's in front of you. So move your pan products into a small bag, tray or basket and keep it where you do your makeup. Put everything else away, out of sight.

It sounds too simple to matter. It's the tip people say helps most.

4. Track every use, and take progress photos

Powders change slowly. Without a record it can feel like you're getting nowhere, and that's usually when people quit.

• Count each use. Seeing "40 uses" on a product you thought you'd barely touched is surprisingly motivating.
• Take a photo every couple of weeks from the same angle. Side by side, the difference is obvious.

Vannie does both for you: tap +1 Use after you use something, add progress photos as you go, and share a before-and-after when you hit pan.

5. Decide what happens after an empty

Finishing a product is the moment a Project Pan is meant to celebrate. It's also when old habits sneak back in. Decide your rule before you get there:

• Did you miss it? Only repurchase things you genuinely reached for. If you didn't miss it, you've learned something.
• One in, one out. A new product only comes in when an old one is finished.
• Pick the next pan product from what you own. Products that are close to expiring are a smart choice. Not sure how long something lasts? Check it with our makeup expiry checker.

And whatever your rule is, celebrate the empty. That's the whole point.

Keep going

You don't need a perfect streak. If you skip a week or buy something new, just pick your pan products back up tomorrow. Every use counts.

Want an easier way to keep track? Get Vannie on the App Store or on Google Play.