Project Pan Finale: Empty Products

A few months ago, I decided to embark on a project pan to use up or hit the pan of several makeup items. My goal was to finish 12 products before Christmas/the end of 2018. And as you will see below, I not only hit that goal, but I surpassed it! I used up/hit the pan of 19 makeup products!

In this post, I'll walk through all of the products I used up and discuss if I plan on repurchasing or not.

Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot
Goal: Finish
Status: Will not repurchase

As you can see with this dirty pan, I accomplished my goal of finishing the setting powder. The powder developed hard pan, which made it difficult to use, so I needed to repress it to get rid of the hard pan and give myself an even pan again. This is what it looked like before repressing:

And after:

Once I repressed the powder, it was much less densely packed, which meant that I picked up more product with my brush. While I liked this product and I think it does a good job of keeping the face matte, with the loosened product, I found that it left a white cast on my face and make me look really powdery. This didn't happen until I repressed the product, which, again, was generally difficult to use before repressing. 

I don't like to keep more than one powder in my collection at a time, so I have replaced this product with the Hourglass Veil translucent powder. So far, I really like that one. 

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel

Goal: Hit the pan

Status: Will continue to use, but will likely not repurchase

Back when I was living in New York and using makeup as a coping mechanism, I purchased the very expensive and not at all inclusive Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel cream bronzer, which is also known as the "universal bronze." This is not a universal bronze. This is the first and only cream bronzer I have ever used, and while I think it's a good product, I have to really blend it out or else it leaves my face with an orange/brown stripe. Obviously part of this could be my application or user error, but the shade just isn't right for me or what I would want. With that said, the product works, and I would like to use it up since there is nothing wrong with it and I spent quite a bit of money on it. 

Generally, I find that I prefer my powder bronzer (Hourglass Luminous Bronze Light), so while I intend to use up this product, I doubt I will repurchase. 

Tarte Exposed blush

Goal: Hit the pan

Status: Will continue to use, but will not repurchase 

This may be the only powder blush I have ever hit the pan of, and the only reason I have is likely because I have to use so much product just to get any color payoff. I do like the color of this blush, but Tarte is not a brand that I want to support. I'm tired of how non-inclusive the brand is, and until that changes, I don't want to purchase anything for them. I don't know if Exposed will stick around in my collection long enough for me to use up the entire thing, but if it does, I will not repurchase. 

Physician's Formula Butter Highlighter in Pearl

Goal: Hit the pan

Status: Will continue to use

I have a lot of highlighters in my collection, but this is one of my favorites. I'm not a huge fan of the twist packaging or the swirl design, but I really love the product. It has a duochrome finish, and I find that it lasts longer on my skin than many mid-range or high-end products. I don't hear a lot of people talk about this, but it's certainly a product that I love. This is only the second highlighter that I have ever hit the pan of, and the other is Becca Moonstone, which is my all-time favorite. 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

Goal: Hit the pan

Status: All-time favorite

After I finished my Dim Light powder last year, I immediately replaced it with this one. I love this product. I use it as an all over finishing powder, and I find that I just don't like my makeup without it. I will continue to repurchase and love this product. 

Physician's Formula The Healthy Foundation and Milani Conceal + Perfect

Goal: Finish

Status: Will not repurchase 

I am usually a huge proponent of "do not use a product that you hate just to finish it," but I made an exception for these two foundations. In an attempt to find a more inclusive foundation to support (we will get into this more in the next product), I purchased both of these foundations. On their own, I hated both of them. Mixed together, I hated them less. The worst offender of the two was The Healthy Foundation. This looked so dry on my skin, and I have combination skin. The coverage was very thin, and while I don't like full-coverage foundations, this one didn't even seen to be able to provide an even layer of coverage at all. The shade I purchased was also too light for my skin tone. Conceal + Perfect, on the other hand, was way too full coverage for me, and the shade I purchased was too dark. I was able to mix the two of them together for shade and coverage/texture, and while that was better than either on their own, it still wasn't great. 

It's worth noting that the cap on The Healthy Foundation continually broke and splintered off as I worked through the bottle, which made this miserable to use. I can see both of these products working for people with skin types that are different from mine, but I will not repurchase. 

It Cosmetics CC+ Cream

Goal: Finish

Status: Will not repurchase until the shade range improves 

If you've been a longtime reader of my blog, you'll know that this is my all-time favorite foundation. Truthfully, I would be very happy to just use this foundation and not even try another one. But, this foundation shade range is unacceptable, and I cannot support it. Until recently, there were only four shades in this range, and none of them were dark enough for deep skin tones. The range has expanded to 12 shades, but seven of those are meant for light skin, three for medium skin, one for dark, and one for deep. So, even though the range is slightly better, it still skews too heavily toward light skin, and it is not something that I am comfortable supporting. 

To replace this, I have recently purchased the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r foundation, and I absolutely love it. 

Elf Mineral Face Primer

Goal: Finish

Status: May repurchase one day, but not now 

I used up a few primers during this project, and I think this one is good value for the money. I liked it just as much as the Make Up For Ever mattifying one, and think it gives generally similar results to the Hourglass Mineral Veil. I didn't love it, however, and I have found other primers that I like more.

Samples: Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer, Becca Backlight Primer, Becca Blurring Primer

Goal: Finish

Status: May repurchase Becca Backlight Primer

I had three primer samples, so I used them all up in this project. 

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer: I hated this primer. It was impossible to pump (but that may just be the sample), the smell was off-putting, and the texture was very waxy and thick. It clung to the foundation and my Beauty Blender—making it impossible to wash—and I did not like the results on my face. 

Becca Blurring Primer: I also hated this primer. I left behind a powdery residue on my fingers and face after application, and I found that it didn't work well with my foundation. 

Becca Backlight Primer: I've purchased this before and didn't care for it or notice any difference with it, but it looked absolutely gorgeous with the Fenty foundation. I am currently using the Australian Gold mineral tinted sunscreen as a primer, and I love that, but I can see myself buying the Becca Backlight again soon. 

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Goal: Finish

Status: Have already repurchased 

This is my all-time favorite eye primer, and one that I will continue to repurchase. I have finished several bottles of this primer, and I will continue to repurchase it. 

L'Oreal Lash Paradise Base

Goal: Finish

Status: Have already repurchased

I haven't tried too many mascara primers, but I loved this one. I use it with Benefit Bad Gal Bang mascara, and I love the effects of it. I finished up this entire bottle (even before the two month expiration date) and immediately repurchased another. I love how it makes my lashes look. 

Sample: Benefit Bad Gal Bang 

Goal: Finish

Status: Have already repurchased 

I received a sample of this mascara, and, in an unusual act for me, I used up the entire thing. I have long loved many Benefit mascaras (They're Real and Roller Lash have been favorites of mine), but I always find that I get tired of paying the high price, and then I'll buy a drugstore one for a while. That tradition may continue, but I really love the combination of this mascara and the L'Oreal Lash Paradise primer. 

Physician's Formula Eye Booster

Goal: Finish

Status: Have already repurchased 

This is another boring one to write about as this has been my all-time favorite eyeliner for years, and it continues to be. I have used up many of these eyeliners, and I always immediately repurchase another. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer 

Goal: Finish

Status: Undecided 

I find that I'm always torn on brow pencils. On the one hand, I really like the smaller brow pencils (like ABH Brow Wiz), but on the other, I hate how quickly I use those up. The ABH Brow Definer certainly lasts longer, but I like the precision that smaller pencils provide. This is the second Brow Definer that I have used up, and likely won't be the last, but I do like smaller pencils better.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil
Goal: Finish
Status: Will continue to use

A while ago, I was gifted several of these NYX brow pencils, so this is what I will be using until I finish all of them. I love this pencil and have purchased it before, and this is the size of pencil that I prefer to the ABH Brow Definer. The negative with this pencil and others like it is that there is so little product, and I go through it very quickly. Even during the time I started this project, I was able to use up two of these pencils (that were brand new) in a shorter amount of time than I used up the ABH Brow Definer that was more than half-finished. But, I'm happy to have a nice supply of them, and I will continue to use. 

Project Pan Finale: Empty Products

I know what you're thinking.

Project pan finale? When was there a project pan?

Well, a couple months ago, I covertly joined the 12 Pans of Christmas project, which was started by Jacquelyn Lovene. When I say covertly, I mean that I informally joined this project and didn't tell anyone. I knew I didn't have 12 items in my collection that I could conceivably finish, so I set a goal of 10 products. I wanted to finish eight and hit the pan on two. 

And I'm happy to say that this project was a success for me!

Here are the items I completed:

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

Status: Already repurchased 

Since it was first purchased, I used this powder every time I did my makeup, which means that I used it almost every single day until it was gone. After it was finished, I did my makeup for about a week without it, and there was a noticeable difference to me. So I immediately repurchased it during the Sephora VIB Sale because it is a product that I don't want to be without.  Because of my skin tone, I use this as a finishing powder and dust it all over my face, but I know other people use it for different purposes. This took well over a year of daily use to use up, maybe even closer to two years. So while the product is expensive, I think it is worth it for how long it lasts. 

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot

Status: Undecided

My goal with this product was to hit the pan, and as you can see, I achieved that goal. This is a nice powder, and I enjoy it quite a bit. I've never been a huge powder person, especially a setting powder person, and if I came across a really special one, I'm honestly not sure if I would notice. I've realized before when I used powders that did not agree with my skin, but in a lot of ways, I feel like a setting powder is a setting powder. One Heck of a Blot might be one of those products where I only realize how great it is after I decide not to repurchase and then try something else that's worse. I'm certainly not interested in looking for another powder until I finish this one, and it seems like I still have a while to go before that happens. 

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer

Status: Undecided 

I have used countless bottles of this product at this point, and it's a product that I keep coming back to. I really love the feel of this on my skin, and I love the way foundation looks on top of it. However, I have two main complaints with this product, which is that the price is very expensive and the product goes too quickly. I was also lucky with this bottle that it didn't turn milky and leaky, but that happens often, and it's another negative about this product. I'm going to use the Elf Mineral Infused Face Primer next, and I'll make a decision on repurchasing the Hourglass after I've had a chance to use that one. 

Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer 

Status: Undecided

For the most part, I really enjoyed using this tinted moisturizer. It even ended up in one of my monthly favorites posts. This has a ton of product in it (1.7 ounces), and it hung around for a very long time. I decided I wanted to use this up in the spring, and it has taken me this long to complete it with essentially daily use. I had to apply this product with my fingers, which is not something I enjoy, and on some days, the product felt a little heavy on my skin. This also clung like crazy to my eyebrows, even when I avoided them altogether. I really hated the look of foundation-crusted brows, and I have to admit that I was relieved when I finally finished this product. I'm very happy to return to my It Cosmetics CC+ cream, and I imagine that I will continue to repurchase that product instead of this. 

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon 

Status: Undecided

I wrote about this in my Project Perfume 2017 post, but I largely enjoyed this perfume. I wasn't planning on repurchasing, but I would like to have a smoky perfume in my collection, and there is currently nothing that I have smelled that I like more than this. I will not be repurchasing a rollerball, so if I decide to buy again, I will get a full-sized bottle. 

Urban Decay Roadstripe

I first heard about this shadow through Elle S on YouTube, and she said it was her favorite eyeshadow. I have come to really love duochrome inner corner highlights, and this is definitely one of my favorites. While I mainly apply this to my inner corner, sometimes I apply this under the brow bone as well, and this shadow is solely responsible for my rediscovered interest in a shimmery brow bone, which is something I've strayed away from for years. The color is primarily a white/lilac shift, but it is a really cool lilac that almost leans blue. I was not expecting to like this shadow as much as I do, which makes it sting that this is a limited edition product. With that said, even though I have hit the pan of the shadow, it is just in one place. I still have at least 90 percent of the shadow left, so I don't need to worry about running out any time soon. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer

Status: Likely repurchase 

I certainly went on a journey with this pencil. Until I purchased this product, I had only been using very thin brow pencils, and while I loved them, I felt like I was flying through them. I read that the Brow Definer was thicker and waxier, making it harder to go through so quickly. And this is certainly true. While I was burning through my other brow pencils once a month or every six weeks, I've had the Brow Definer since April. And even though I have a ton of eyeshadow and have a hefty blush and highlighter collection, there are many basic products that I don't like to have multiples of at the same time. One of those is a brow pencil. Because I was so used to the skinny, less waxy pencils, I really hated this one for a long time. I even purchased the NYX Micro Brow Pencil two months ago because I thought I would use up the Brow Definer around then. But it hung in there for a long time. When I finally used it up, however, I really, really missed it. I had gotten so used to the larger tip and the waxy consistency, and I've found that I have to run the NYX Micro Brow Pencil through my brows at least twice as much as the Brow Definer. Not surprisingly, I'm going through the NYX Micro Brow Pencil really quickly, so when it runs out, I may repurchase the Brow Definer. 

Physician's Formula Eye Booster

Status: Already repurchased

There are few products in my collection that I would consider a true all-time favorite where it is so good that I am simply uninterested in the quest to find other formulas. But in terms of liquid liner, this is all I need. I absolutely love this product and don't ever want to be without it. This is also one of the few products in my collection where I am genuinely sad to use it up. I wish I could just have an endless pen of this, but alas, that's not the world we live in. This liner gives me the smoothest, blackest line with no smudging or smearing. I've tried all the other hyped liquid liners, but nothing compares, in my opinion, to this one. 

Chantecaille Faux Cils Mascara 

Status: Undecided

I'll cut to the chase with this one. This is one of the best mascaras I have ever used in my life, and if it wasn't insanely priced, this is all I would ever use. This mascara retails for a disturbing $72, largely because of the fact that it claims to grow your lashes. While I didn't notice any difference in the day-to-day, when I looked at pictures of my eye makeup before this mascara and after, I could tell a noticeable difference in my lash length. Not only that, but this mascara is just a good mascara and created incredible lashes. I loved using it until the bottle completely dried out. I would love to repurchase this mascara, but that price is just way too high to justify. 

Essence Lash Princess 

Status: Will not repurchase 

On the complete opposite end of the price spectrum, we have Essence Lash Princess. I heard so many rave reviews of this mascara that I really hoped it would make me see how ridiculously overpriced my beloved Chantecaille Faux Cils is, and that I would be soothed with this inexpensive wonder. But I did not like this mascara. If you go through my weekly and weekend looks post for the past two months, this is the mascara that I was using. I don't think my lashes looked bad at all, but I don't think they looked anything like they did with the Chantecaille Faux Cils. Added to that, this mascara transferred so badly on me. It was a guarantee that by the end of the night, I would have mascara flakes down my face or would have smudging on the lower lash line. Sometimes I really think you get what you pay for with certain products, and while Lash Princess wasn't bad, there are better mascaras available, including at the drug store.