Ways to participate in the trend
If I look at all of my makeup and skincare products, I’m assuming at least 10 of them are expired or I have a similar product. Over the years, TikTok has become a hub for overconsumption, prompting women to spend time and money on products they already own to “stay trendy.” While social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram thrive off the extreme intake of beauty products, a new trend has begun to challenge the fundamentals of internet content—Project Pan.
Project Pan is the idea of using up or “hitting pan” on all of your beauty products before purchasing more. An example of this would be using up all seven of your bronzers before buying the newest trending bronzer. The goal of this new fad is to use what we have as consumers before adding more unnecessary waste to the pile. While buying one product at a time seems like common logic, posting these endeavors on TikTok has created a trend of sustainability—something that would not be possible or “trendy” without social media.
The proof is in the pudding—whatever the current trend on social media is, people will follow it blindly. This is why Project Pan is a positive shift in the online sphere, making sustainability something desirable—something that people want to be a part of. While the previous trend was to own as many lip products as you could get your hands on, we are entering a new fad of environmental friendliness without even realizing it. Being able to recognize that Project Pan is a step toward a healthier environment, not just a viral video concept, is a step in the right direction.
If you want to participate in this new trend of sustainability, there are some tips for a more sustainable vanity:
- Organize all makeup products by type and write them all down.
Create a list of all makeup products, organized by type. Create a section for face, lips, skincare and even more detailed categories such as blush, contour or bronzer. Once you actually know how many products you have, you’re more likely to use them up. If you really want to commit, add up how much each item costs and see just how much you have spent on beauty products. Spoiler alert — it is a lot more than you expect. - Decide which order you will use the products in and start small.
While the overarching goal of Project Pan is to eventually get through all of your products, the next step is to select a time frame (for example, one month) and choose an amount of products for that time frame (for example, six products a month). Starting small will keep you on a schedule and take away the stress from the number of products left to use up. - Stick to the plan and be forgiving.
Focus on the goal and continue to work through the products you already own. It is completely understandable to want the newest product, especially when we are constantly consuming media promoting this behavior. But if you buy a new product, that does not negate all the effort you have been putting into the project. You can simply add the new product to the lineup and continue your efforts.
Ultimately, the concept of Project Pan is more than just finishing makeup products; it is a step in the right direction where the media portrays sustainability. By continuing to produce environmentally friendly content on social media platforms, we can move toward more conscious trends about overconsumption and hopefully continue to make sustainability a desirable trend.