The main reason for doing this is to cut down the number of products I use, simplify my routines and also to continue the process of moving towards more natural products, which is an ongoing one.
I have had some success in finding natural products to use and am getting closer to finding products I'm happy to use again and again, but in the process of finding these I have sometimes started using products and then found something I've liked better, so moved on before they have been finished.
In this sense, this project is about using up some of these products that have largely been relegated to evening routines or that haven't been used whilst I've been using other products.
I did a similar thing when we went to the US this year, whereby I tried to take along products that I wanted to use up, but there were significantly more than 10 in that challenge and I'm still using some of them, which as you will see are included in this project.
So here goes. The first six are items that I took to the US and am still using.
1) Black mascara.
This Boots Seventeen mascara is not a natural product and isn't waterproof either. I also prefer a brown mascara, so it's not my first choice of colour either. I've got a natural replacement waiting in the wings, so I'm concentrating my efforts on using this up. Its taking a while as I only wear it 2 or 3 days a week, (on days I'm not at the gym) but I'm persevering.
2) Bodyshop Grapefruit Lip Balm.
I was gifted this lip balm two years ago this Christmas by OH and have been using it for over a year now. It seems to be one of those never ending products. I'm not complaining as such, but since making my own peppermint lip balm and liking it, this has been relegated to use on a night before going to bed, and I wear the peppermint one during the day as it goes nicely under a lipstick. I'm working hard on using it up and I aren't far from reaching the bottom of the pot, but there is still lots of balm around the sides of the pot to use.
Incidentally, the pink pot will be a great little receptacle to re-use, as the labels peel off very easily.
3) Clinique Chubby Stick
This was a freebie with a magazine I bought ages ago. I didn't wear it at all for quite a long while, but have recently quite liked the subtlety of it, as it isn't fully opaque, but has a bit of colour. As I have just recently used up a long standing lipstick, I will be trying to use this one much more often in an attempt to use it up. It won't be replaced, but I do have a few similar coloured more natural products I can then concentrate on using. The amount showing in photograph is all that is left of this, so hopefully it shouldn't take long to use up,
4) Green People Roll On Deodorant in Aloe Vera and Green Tea.
I bought this deodorant a while back after having a reaction to the fragrance in a natural deodorant and have used it for a while. Although it is very gentle and I don't get a skin reaction, in all honesty I don't find it to be too effective, especially on days when I go to the gym and get sweaty.
Whilst in the US, I found a natural stick deodorant that I find much more effective on gym days and have been using that and then using this on the other days. It may take a while to use up, but the container is refillable and I've been looking into recipes for home made roll on deodorants, so may try to make one myself when it is finished. I definitely wouldn't repurchase it, as it doesn't suit my lifestyle, but it may suit someone else as it is good to have the option of a natural roll on, that can be refilled.
5) Mineral Fusion Conditioner
I bought this hair conditioner in the US from Whole Foods, mainly because my hair went terribly frizzy in the Florida heat and humidity this summer. It works very well, but does have a few ingredients I'd prefer not to be in it. I've found that quite a few products irritate my scalp. This conditioner doesn't seem to affect me too badly, so if I can't find anything better, I would definitely repurchase it if I can get it here, if only for the sake of my scalp health.
6) Neal's Yard Essential Oil Roll On for Energy.
This little roll on perfume was what I bought instead of a perfume when I decided to go natural. It is beautifully packaged and smells nice, but I don't find the smell lasts too well. In addition, it is quite oily on the skin which I don't really like too much. Since buying an Eden spray perfume recently, I tend to now use this roll on on days when I'm just hanging out at home and when I'm out and about I use the stronger smelling Eden perfume. I do have another bottle of this roll on to use up too, as I bought two on an offer, so I need to work my way through both. It is a handy size for a handbag though, so I may put one in my handbag permanently.
Moving on, here are some products that I didn't take with me or use in the US.
7) Collection Fast Stroke Brown Liquid Eye Liner
Another product that isn't natural, but I do really like it and haven't sourced a replacement yet. I don't use this that often, maybe once a week, if that, but it works well for me, is easy to apply and has good staying power. I am concentrating on using it up and will then seek a natural alternative.
8) Lemongrass Hand Cream
I bought this hand cream in a set with a handwash from Holland and Barrett when I first started to purchase more natural products back in May and although I don't mind it, it does have a rather strong scent. I can't honestly say that lemongrass is one of my favourite scents either, but it isn't offending me to use it up and I quite like the formula. I'm well over three quarters of the way through it and use it day and night, so hopefully it won't take too long.
9) Collection Wand Concealer
This is a product that I heard a lot about on YouTube, as it is a regular favourite of many beauty channel YouTubers. I bought one myself to see what all the fuss was about and it is great for the under eye area, especially for covering dark circles and brightening up the face, when I wear full make up, which isn't very often these days. I do really like it and am slowly using it up with a view to replacing it with a more natural alternative. I will be sad to lose this one, but if I can't find anything else I would consider repurchasing it even though it isn't 'natural'.
10) Homemade Moisturizer
A month or so ago I made a couple of bottles and a small jar of homemade moisturizer, from the ingredients I'd purchased for making my own cosmetics. I found it was a bit too greasy for my skin as a moisturiser, but did find an alternative use for it, namely as an eye makeup remover. It works really well in this regard, on those days that I wear mascara. I'm working my way through the jar and bottles, but once used up I may just use pure coconut oil for this purpose, as I've heard it works well. I haven't actually tried it myself yet, but this cream does contain coconut oil, so it does give me some idea of it's potential efficacy.
You will notice from the photograph that it has gone slightly grainy and lumpy. I understand this to be the Shea butter, that causes this, so I think I might try to use other ingredients in future, although it doesn't stop me using it as it is.
So, that's it for my 10 Project Pan products. I'll post again when I've made significant progress towards using some of these up. Hopefully, not too far in the future!
Do you have any products that you just can't wait to use up and move on from?
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