I’m so glad I got the upsell! EL Re-nutriv softening lotion (the only item we knew for sure), Le Labo Basil Body cream, JM Nectarine Blossom & Honey
AM: JM English Pear & Freesia cologne & candle
I’m still in the process of finishing off half-used products that have been sitting around forever. I should be making good progress but I’ve fallen off the wagon and done a couple of Ipsy hauls and bought a few Cosmetic Company Store boxes this summer. Even with adding some (too many) new products, I still feel like I’m doing pretty well with Panning, as I’m learning so much about what products and ingredients I actually like and what I don’t. I’m going to do a declutter soon. I also finally made a spreadsheet of all of my makeup and skincare, as well as adding all of my skincare to the SkinSort app so I can see what works well together and fits my needs the best. Even with some setbacks the past 2 months, I’m not giving up. I’m starting a complete no buy this month, too.
Here’s all of my panned products and a quick review of each:
June/July 2026 Project Pan
Perfume:
-Dries Van Noten Bitter Splash 😍very enjoyable citrus
-Strangelove NYC Silence the Sea oil 😃 really smells like the ocean, VERY artistic, not for everyone. The oil is so much better than the edp
-Carine Roitfeld Kar-Wei 😍 such smooth Osmanthus leather. Surprise love!
-The Harmonist Sun Force 🫤 not bad, kinda manly
-Nicole Miller Necter de Peche 😊 fun little peachy scent. Kinda juvenile, but still enjoyed it
-Strangelove NYC Lost in Flowers 🤔 the flowers are truly lost here
-Guerlain Mandarine Basilic 😍perfect orange
-Bond No. 9 Bond No. 9 😍 odd little number, clean, musky, addictive
-Balenciaga Cristobal 😍😍 so amazing. Found a 50 ml for a steal, upgraded
-Skylar Salt Air 😊 close to skin, but I liked this a lot
-Lattafa Yara 😊 this is just fun and pretty
-Versace Crystal Noir edt 😊 I always needed to be in the mood for this but when I liked it I really liked it
-Papillon Salome 😍😍 dirty sexy animalic, gorgeous. I will miss you
-Imaginary Authors Saint Julep 😊 such a unique mint sugar whiskey combo. I always ignored it and then would wear it and wonder why I had ignored it
-Essential Parfums Bois Imperial Extrait 🤔 hype not gotten
-DSH Perfumes Guimauve de Soie 😊 sweet irisy violets. Pretty and understated
Body Care
-Tree Hut Cotton Candy Shea Sugar Scrub 😍 great smell and spread ability
-La Chatelaine Sandalwood Santal After Shave Balm 🤔 it was fine, nice subtle smell. Not the most moisturizing
-First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream 😍 thicker than my favorite FAB lotion, but really good moisturizer
-O’Keefes Foot Cream 😍 cheap, greasy, but works if you put on before bed with socks
-Bath and Body Works Fresh Amalfi Lemon Body Cream 😍 one of my all time favorite BBW scents. Sweet lemons, non-cleaning product smell
-Ahava Lavender Salt Scrub 😊 weird smell but good scrub
-All Lathered Up Soap Company-Charcoal & Tea Tree Face & Body Soap 😍 local company, made an excellent shave soap
-Greenwich Bay Trading Co. Fresh Milk Shea Butter Soap 😍 massive bar of soap, smells so good, lathers great
-Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Body Butter 😊 thick and does the trick, but not going to miss at all
Face Serums and Toners
-LimeLife Pomegranate & Oat Face Moisturizer 🫤 too little to really matter, seemed fine
-Rodial Bee Venom Cleansing Balm 😍 smells so so good. Balm cleansers like this are a god-send
-Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser 🫤 meh. Really don’t feel very cleansing
-Rodial Salicylic Acid Pore Refining Cleanser 😊 I liked this, but haven’t others I like more
-Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner 😊 I also liked this, but not my favorite toner
Face Moisturizer, Washes, Masks, and Blemish Treatment
-Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Sculpting Transformation Cream 😍/😭 I loved how this made my skin feel and look, but it caused the worst acne I’ve ever had as an adult.
-Innisfree Cherry Blossom Glow Jelly Cream 😊 lightweight but didn’t feel particularly moisturizing
-Esme Labs Retinol Serum 🫤 like putting water on my skin
-Sulwhasoo Essential Firming Cream 😊 loves the smell and texture. Used on my neck only, couldn’t tell any measurable different
-Dime Hyaluronic Acid Serum 😍 sinks right in and made skin feel hydrated
-Fenty Skin Pre-show Glow Retexturing Treatment 😍 I enjoyed the ritual of this one with its little buffer clothe. Glowy? Yes!
-Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum 🤔 nice consistency but got one use out of foil packet
-Soroci Vita-C Intensive Serum 😍 I actually used this up in May but it fell out of my empties box. Very nice product, great price
-Rodial Dragon’s Blood Sculpting Gel 🤔 I liked the texture, but used it on my neck only and really didn’t feel any results from it
-Avant RNA Radical Firmness Anti-Aging Serum 😊 nice thick serum, too thick for my skins needs but nice with good ingredients
-Derma-E Vitamin C Moisturizer 😍 this was a clearance find and well worth the $3 I spent on it. Lasted forever
-DermaFirm Soothing Repair Toning Serum 😍 I love the smell of this and loves how it felt applied to my face
-Sunday Riley 5 Stars Retinoid + Niacinamide Eye Serum 🫤 meh for the price
-Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask 😊 had a silicone like texture that felt great applying. Wouldn’t repurchase though
-Origins Ginzing Brightening Eye Cream Cool 🫤 too light and left sparkles under my eyes. I did like the smell and texture though and it actually made my under eyes look better
-Starskin Dreamkiss Bio-Collagen Lip Mask 🤔 fun to try but that’s about it
-Neogen Bio-Peel Lemon x5 😍😍 HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT. Helped clear up all the havoc the Estée Lauder Cream caused
-TonyMoly I’m Rice Microneedle Blemish Patch x3 boxes of 12 😍😍HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT
-The Creme Shop Microdart Blemish Hydrocolloid Patches 🫤 wouldn’t stick to my face during the night
-Aceology Multi-vitamin Brightening Mask 😊 good and hydrating-biodegradable!
-Celavi Acne Treatment Patch 😍 great for a dollar store find
-GlobalBeautyCare Blemish Control Spot Treatment 🤔 runny consistency and took forever to work, but did its job albeit slowly
Hair
-Sol de Janeiro Milky Leave-In Conditioner 😍 smells phenomenal and works!
-Verb Ghost Air Dry Whip Cream 🤔 I really couldn’t figure out what this did
-Davines Liquid Spell Bodifying Fluid 🤔 my hair doesn’t need body but this didn’t add too much anyway. Liked the mousse like pump
-Garnier Curl Air Dry Cream 😍 excellent drug store buy. Non crunchy waves
-Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Masque 🤔 it was fine, did help with softness
-Briogeo Fairwell Frizz Rosarco Milk Leave-in Conditioning Spray 😍 works really well
-Foxy Bae Dirty Gal Dry Shampoo 😊 worked well! Huge bottle
-Verb Curl Defining Mask 🫤 didn’t help hair feel soft, didn’t help with waves/curls
-Equate Complete 10 Leave-In Conditioner 😍 other than the pump breaking great product!
-Odele Leave-In Conditioner Cream 🤔 it was fine, smells good
Makeup
-Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask 😍😍 so good. Great consistency-jelly-like and not greasy
-Elf Makeup Mist & Set 🫤 not the best setting spray I’ve tried
-L’Oréal Eye Makeup Remover 🫤 works but I really miss my Clinique one, but was trying to save some coins
-Smashbox Superfan Mascara 😍 not clumpy, helped lengthen and volumize. Would repurchase
-Morphe Brightening Pink Set & Bake Setting Powder 😊 I liked it but not my favorite pink powder. Didn’t brighten as much as others or last as long
-Context Dual-sided Lip Liner 😍 I actually used up a whole lip liner! I liked that this was 2 similar colors-1 lighter, 1 darker
-CO Bigelow Lemon Lip Balm 😍 works just as well, if not better than expensive lippies. Nice smell/taste
-Mario Badescu Facial Spray w/ aloe, adaptogens, & Coconut water 😍 I love a good face spray and this didn’t add too the trick with some good ingredients included
I started this process in the middle of January, and I’ve made some great progress. Ipsy sales have got me a few times, so I have added more products. However, I’m figuring out what I like and what my skin needs, while simultaneously getting rid of products that were half used (most of the products in this month’s pan) and samples. I still have a ways to go. I’m thinking I’ll be where I want to be in January 2027, so 1 year of project pan. We shall see.
Here’s my empties from this month, an emoji rating system, and quick thoughts!
May 2026 Empties
Perfume
Pearfat Up North 😍-I really enjoyed this it’s fizzy lemon and watery. Very nice.
Mugler Alien Goddess 🙂-pretty beachy vanilla, not really my thing, but nice to try.
Miller Harris Staccato 🤔-fresh spicy leather. Nice, but would prefer on a man. Lasted a lifetime.
Miller Harris Celadon 🙂-fresh, green, different. Enjoyable.
Miller Harris Mineir 🙂-cool, eucalyptus, rocky beach in winter. I liked it!
Andrea Maack Supernova-🙂 cinnamon-y, spice, lasted really well. Winter/fall man.
Clinique Happy 🙂-better than I remembered. Fresh, citrus, happy!
History Swiss Praline 😍-ugh, why is this so good?! Apple pie, angel share without the booze
Byredo Animalique 😍-upscale aromatic leather handbag. So so good!
D’Annam Sakura Snow 🙂-pretty, delicate powdery floral. No snow.
D’Annam Strawberry Mochi 🤔-glad I tried it, it’s not bad, kinda savory. Not for me.
Maria Candida Gentile Yazemeenah 🙂-natural, citrus floral, fresh. Would wear.
Louis Vuitton Spell on You 🙂-pretty powdery rosy. Not a love.
Nopalera Bosque Mistico 🤔-not bad, not memorable, doesn’t last, forget wearing
Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Rose 🙂-lovely, but too gourmand
Guerlain Rosa Rossa 🙂-a fresh rose, but kinda woody. Something about it just not my favorite.
Miller Harris Lost in the City 🙂-a fresh, green rose with tart rhubarb. Interesting, but sour.
Lake & Skye 11 11 😍-fresh, clean watery vibes. Just lovely.
Sentient Cerulean Bloom 😍😍-aquatic, lily pad, floral. I used this so fast!
Gucci Gorgeous Magnolia 🙂-pretty, sweet floral. Doesn’t last. Maybe too sweet.
Body Care
Bath & Body Works Cloud Nine Body Lotion 🙂-finishing one of these is joyous. I need to stay out of this store, I don’t even like 90% of their products. Smell-pretty, working on a body mist and burnt out on it.
Bath & Body Works Eucalyptus + Spearming Body Butter 😍-this is in the 10% of BBW products I like. Like a spa, moisture that works for my skin.
Bath & Body Works Midnight Swim 🙁-I have no clue how I ended up with this bottle and while it sounds like something I should like, it smells salty? Not in a good way. No mas.
Face Serums and Toners
Elemis Pro-Collagen Neck & Décolleté Balm 🙁-no noticeable results with consistent use, unlike the cheap white label one I used last month
Cerave Skin Renewing Nighlty Exfoliating Treatment 🙁-no benefits. Was so glad to be done with it. Very (too) gentle.
Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment 😍😍-holy grail product. Got a bigger bottle on Ipsy! 🙌🏻
Sunday Riley Auto Correct Eye Contour Cream 😍-visible difference with this stuff. Expensive.
Tatcha The Longevity Serum 😍-this is like the 5th one I’ve been through. Love.
Glo 24K Anti-aging Facelift Cream 😍😍-this was the last one I had in my Ipsy stock. Sad. Made me look younger, evened skin tone. Not much product in container.
Face Moisturizer, Washes, Masks, and Blemish Treatment
Elemis Pro-Collagen Black Cherry Cleansing Balm 🤔-not a bad product but there’s so many cleansing balms I like better and that are cheaper
Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream 🙂-I liked this a lot when I was using it. But now that I’ve switched to something else, I like it just as much as this, so maybe not as special as I thought.
Skin & Co Truffle Therapy Whipped Cleansing Cream 🙁-didn’t make my face feel clean. Didn’t dry me out, but just not good.
Tatcha The Water Cream 😍-light, sinks in, feels dewy
Estée Lauder Day Wear Moisture Creme 🙂-nice, thick, perfumed but not terrible to smell
Hair
Aussie Miracle Curls 2nd Day Activator 😍-great product for the price
Mos Eco Hair Styling Elixir Oil (argan & hemp) 😍😍-my mom has been buying me this off Amazon for years, always makes me hair look healthy and shiny
Amika Frizz-me-not Hydrating Treatment 😍😍-great detangler, helps with frizz. Amika is the bomb!
Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Leave-in Conditioner 😍😍-smells amazing, works amazing
Amika The Wizard Detangling Primer 😍😍-I love everything I’ve ever tried from Amika. Worth the price!
Redken Acidic Bonding Conditioner 😍-with the shampoo and the leave-in my hair never looked better
Odele Thickening Shampoo 🤔-it was fine. I really don’t need a thickening shampoo though.
Briogeo Curl Charisma Shampoo & Conditioner 😍-I really liked using these products in between the redken. Helped my waves look nice.
Makeup
Half Caked Pink Setting Powder 😍😍-my 1st pink powder and I loved it.
Lancôme Idole Curl Goddess Mascara 🙂-made my lashes look pretty, didn’t flake. Wand was hard for me to use without getting some on my skin or eyelid.
Too Faces Better than Sex Mascara 😍-big fluffy brush=big fluffy lashes
Toy.co Niabrow Clear Brow Gel 🙂-does what it does, have to be careful not to apply too much.
I’m finally starting to have space and learn what products I love. I still have a ways to go with all these samples and I’ve hardly made a dent in makeup, but I’m so far so happy to be doing project pan.
**April 2026 Empties**
**Perfume**
>Kierin NYC 10 a.m. Flirt 😍-fig, gardenia, and cashmere wood. A really bright, lovely perfume. I will miss this one.
>Regime des Fleurs Crushed Fruits 😏-fruits and iris. Just meh.
>DSH-Violettes de L’Aube. 🙂-Violets at dawn. Very apt name.
>Gucci Flora Gorgeous Magnolia 🙂-very pretty and sweet. Doesn’t last, sadly.
>Infiniment Coty Paris J’ai Trois Amours 🙂-pretty Jasmine with a smidge of candy banana.
>Nemat Amber oil 😏-I just can’t really smell this.
>Theodoros Kalotinis Pear Gelato 😏-does what it says, not my kind of gourmand.
>Bath & Body Works Chasing Fireflies-🙂 pretty jasmine and woods, not super memorable.
>Gucci Tears from the Moon 😍-absolutely gorgeous delicate floral.
>Louis Vuitton Heures D’Absence 🙂-pretty, a smidge vintage-like
>Nicole Miller Moments de Passion 😍-Passion Fruit floral. Very nice! Have backup!
>Penhaligon’s The Revenge of Lady Blanche 😍😍-my ultimate spring flowers perfume: hyacinth, daffodil, iris.
>Eric Buterbaugh Apollo Hyacinth 😍😍-so fresh and beautiful. Sadly discontinued, but I will find this one again someday.
>Coastal Carolina Parfums Outer Banks 🙂-citrusy, fruity tropical. It’s not bad.
>Bath & Body Works Gingham Vibrant-🙂 My proudest pan so far and my first ever body spray to get panned! sweet berries.
**Body Care**
>The Body Shop Avocado Body Butter 🙂-nice and thick, nourishing. Smells a bit weird.
>Bath & Body Works Into the Night Body Cream 😍-smells lovely, nourishes just fine
>Yardley Activated Charcoal soap 😍-I adore charcoal soaps
>Appalachian Sunshine Lemongrass Soap 😍-love the name, love how it smells and lathers
**Face Serums and Toners**
>Tatcha The Longevity Serum 😍😍-this stuff is so nice, melts right into my skin
>Murad Retinal Resculpt Overnight Treatment 😍-use this on enlarged and raised pores and it really is the only thing that helps!
>Murad Vita-C Glycolic Serum 😍-I don’t even know how many of these I’ve gone through, but I really like it!
>Byroe Celery AHA+LHA Resurfacing Serum 🙂-I liked using this, but couldn’t really tell if it was doing anything.
>Glowiest Peekaboo AHA PHA Skin Perfecting Toner 😍-a mighty fine white label toner that I liked a lot, especially the applicator.
>First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads 🙁-smelled funny, dried out too quickly
**Face Moisturizer, Washes, Masks, and Blemish Treatment**
>Odacite BI+C Pimples Serum Concentrate 😍-I’ve never used anything like this. An oil for pimples. It did seem to help.
>Madecassoside Blemish Pads 😍-thin, but durable. I liked these a lot.
>The Crème Shop Microdart Hydrocolloid Patches 😏-just ok. The heart shape made them hard to stick.
>Tony Moly I’m Rice Microneedle Blemish Patch x 2 😍😍-man, the best for cystic acne. Went through these so fast and they really worked well.
>Goldfadden MD Facial Detox Mask😍-really great mask for clarifying and clearing up acne
>Balance Me AHA Glow Mask 😏-just okay
>Aceology Multi-Vitamin Brightening Mask 😍-a sheet mask that really did make my face feel and look great afterwards
>Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser 🙂-a good cleanser but nothing special for the price
>Koa Life NAD Peptide Facial Scrub 😍-nice exfoliation!
>Tatcha The Matcha Cleanse 🙂-good cleanser, but I prefer their rice one.
>DHC Deep Cleansing Oil 😍-works well. I really like using oil cleansers after a day of makeup
>Gloss Moderne Clean Luxury Eye Elixer 😍-I usually am just meh about eye creams, but I really liked this one, especially that it had zero smell
>Kate Somerville +Retinol Firming Eye Cream 🙁-no firming took place, smelled funny
>Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake up Eye Gel 🙂-used daily since Christmas, so lasted awhile. Helped a little, not the best, not the worst. Cheap!
>Innisfree Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Cream 🙂-more of a gel moisturizer, smells nice
>Dermelect Self-esteem Neck Firming Lift 😍-I was starting to notice a wattle and this really did help with the appearance!
>Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream 🙂-nice enough
**Hair**
>Awapuhi Wild Ginger Hairspray 🙂-it’s good! Does how a hairspray should
>Garnier Fructis Curl Refresher 😏-smells nice to freshen hair a bit, doesn’t do much to revive waves
>Head & Shoulders Clean Classic Dandruff Shampoo 😏-I mean, it helps with dandruff, yes, but makes my hair pretty unmanageable
>Marc Anthony Repair Bond +Rescuplex Shampoo and Conditioner 😍😍-great, affordable pair! My hair looked and felt great with these 2!
>Malina Divina Perfect Shield Protective Frizz Control Styling Spray 🙁-did nothing for me
>Verb Glossy Shine Spray 😍-great product, terrible sprayer
>Neuma neuStyling Smoothing Crème 🙁-left my hair crunchy
>Not Your Mothers Defining Curl Talk Cream 😍-helps with frizz and wave definition
>Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo 🙂-it works. I’ve used worse and I’ve used better
**Makeup**
>IpKN Radiant Cream Primer 🙂-definitely gives my face a sheen, a little more than I want, but does as advertised
>Carmex Cherry Lip Balm 😏-not as moisturizing as I remembered, tastes kinda gross.
>Dito Lip Nourish Lip Mask 🙂-kind of thin, but nourishing. Little tub lasted 6 months, with nightly use
>Evian Facial Spray 😍-it’s literally just water, but I love how fine the mister is and how refreshing it feels
>Elf Stay All Night Micro-fine Setting Mist 🙂-worked well, but I have some that work better. Great for price.