Viral Challenge "Project Pan" Is the Anti-Consumerism Practice You Need in 2025

If your "For You" page has become overwhelmed with a steady stream of new cosmetics releases, you might feel the urge to run out and join in the excitement. However, for consumers whose shelves are littered with unused products or trendy items that just aren't working, these users might have some major buyer's remorse. Enter: Project Pan.

"Project Pan" might not be the first social media trend to encourage people to use what products they have before purchasing more. Especially on TikTok, users try their best to get creative with makeup palettes and products to ditch trends and save money.

Below, we dive into why Project Pan became so popular in 2025, how you can participate, and a few tips to keep in mind.

The concept of Project Pan has been around since at least 2021 but rose to prominence again in 2025 in response to price hikes and overconsumption. Users began pointing out how unsustainable massive skincare and makeup collections could be and decided to take matters into their own hands.

The challenge is to use products you have before purchasing anything new — to "hit pan" or see the bottom of the container.

Project Pan isn't the first of these viral social media challenges to try and tackle overconsumption. In 2020, "Shopping Your Stash" was a similar beauty trend that encouraged makeup users to turn to their makeup collections before purchasing new products that would sit in a drawer somewhere.

Participation in Project Pan is easy! All you have to do is ensure that you use all of your products until your container is empty. This isn't limited to makeup — users have been celebrating their empty skincare containers, shampoo bottles, and fragrances as well. 

While not a requirement of the challenge, some users have proudly displayed their "empties" on TikTok or other social media platforms using the hashtag #ProjectPan. 

It's important to note that if you have products causing you harm or if you don't like them, it is okay to discard them. The point of the project is to encourage people to use what they have to the best of their ability; if your foundation gives you hives or your moisturizer dries out your T-zone, stop using it!

Before you start using that blush in your drawer from three years ago or a mascara you've used once in the past two years, there are some general safety tips you should be aware of, thanks to Good Housekeeping.

The outlet spoke to Sabina Wizemann, the director of Beauty, Health, and Sustainability at the Good Housekeeping Institute, to get advice on this trend.

Wizemann advised that users be "vigilant about the shelf life of beauty items, especially those frequently used, such as mascaras, liquid eyeliners, creams, serums and sunscreens." After all, you wouldn't want to accidentally give yourself an allergic reaction (or worse) by using expired products.

Project Pan participants should also check the Period After Opening (PAO) symbol on their products. "This indicates how long the product is deemed safe for use after it has been opened," says Wizemann. "It's a helpful guideline, but if you've had a product open for an extended time, discard it."

Happy experimenting!