Providing highly personalized skincare solutions
to suit our unique skin. 

64% 

feel lost and have no idea what they're doing in terms of skincare
with so many options available. (In a survey of 2,000 Americans)

- The New York Post, 2022 

OVERVIEW

Taking the Guesswork Out of Skincare

PROBLEM

Users want to eliminate the guesswork in finding a routine that fits their unique skin type, tone, and lifestyle.

AGITATE

Users rely on trial and error, wasting time, money, and effort on products that often do more harm than good. 

SOLUTION

Personalized skin recommendations based on users’ data.

SOLUTION

Introducing Skincarelab

DISCOVER

USER RESEARCH

Recruiting Diverse Participants for Inclusive Research

Recruiting a diverse participant group was vital in the interview process because I wanted to understand peoples' needs across various factors such as age, skin type, tone, and knowledge. 

I recruited participants who had a variety of skin types (normal, oily, and dry), a variety of skin tones (fair, light, medium, and dark), a range of skincare knowledge (those who have little to no knowledge of skincare and/or don't have a routine, those who have some knowledge of skincare and have an established routine, and skincare enthusiasts who have a well-establish routine, regularly buy skincare, and like to try different products, routines).

Variety of
Skin Types

Variety of 
Skin Tones 

Range of 
Skincare Knowledge

USER RESEARCH

Understanding What Users Perceive, Practice, and
Know About Skincare

I conducted interviews to understand: 

• How do people’s preconceived ideas and notions of skincare influence the way they take care of their skin? 
• What factors influence how people make decisions about how they take care of their skin? 
• How much importance do people place on skincare, if at all? 
• What are the reasons behind why people implement a skincare routine?
• What types of barriers do people face that may make it difficult to access skincare products and information across different demographics?

USER RESEARCH FINDINGS

The Costly Gamble: Time and Money Wasted on
Uncertain Solutions

To make sense of all the user research, I created an affinity map that helped me identify trends and patterns among user pain points. I started by gathering all the notes from user interviews and grouping similar themes together. This process allowed me to visually organize insights, making it easier to see which issues were most common. As a result, I pinpointed four major pain points that users faced, which became the foundation for my next steps in the ideation phase. 

6 out of 6 participants don’t want to go through the inconvenience of investing the time needed to research products and sort through a variety of resources.

 
"I don't like to do extensive research.
I don't want to read long articles." 

 "I'm overwhelmed by the number
of options out there." 

5 out of 6 participants are hesitant to try new products due to the risk of spending money on a product that may not work.

"I hate wasting money on products
that don't even work." 

"Tell me how these products are
catered to my skin." 

3 out of 6 participants find that their lifestyles have a big impact on the condition and health of their skin but these factors are not being considered when creating a skincare routine.

"I need a way to include lifestyle
and environmental factors like
changing hormones." 

The four main pain points users are experiencing in the current market: 

Lack of
Personalization

Time-Consuming Research

Failed Trial/Error Process

 
Wasted Money
on Products

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Gaps in the Skincare Industry:
A Lack of Personalized, Customizable, and
Inexpensive Solutions

To understand the current market and its offerings, I conducted a competitive analysis of top skincare brands, revealing the need for adaptable solutions with the flexibility to mix and match products across different brands and price points—making skincare both effective and affordable. Brands like Proven offer personalized, science-backed options but may be too expensive for some. Meanwhile, Neutrogena only recommends its own products, limiting user choice. Sometimes the best routine comes from combining products from multiple brands. 

DEFINE

HOW MIGHT WE STATEMENT

Turning User Needs into Actionable Goals

 
How might we help users find solutions that is best for their unique skin? 

INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

Aligning Navigation with
Users' Mental Models 

Card sorting with users was key to shaping the app’s information architecture, keeping user mental models at the core. Based on user research, I structured the app to ensure intuitive navigation, allowing users to find information quickly. For example, when sorting product-related terms, most users grouped them by categories like product type, skin concerns, goals, and skin type— laying out the foundation of the app map. 

DEVELOP

TASK FLOWS

Essential Flows 

Rewrite for task flows 

1. Complete Skin Scan

Get started
page

⇨

Click
"Scan Your Skin"

⇨

Start skin 
assessment

Recommended
Routine

⇨

⇦

Take skin 
scan pic

 
⇩

Skin scan
results

2. Review and Edit Recommended Routine

Scroll through
reccomendations

⇨

View more 
products

⇨

⇦

Select new 
product

Recommended routine page

⇨

⇦

Individual
product page 

 
⇩

Save product
to routine

3. Order Products in Routine

IDEATION EXERCISES

Think Fast: How Rapid Ideation Led to Creative Solutions

I rapidly generated ideas embracing the "no bad ideas" mindset to encourage creativity and explore a large quantity of possible solutions before further refinement. 

IDEA PRIORITIZATION

Narrowing Down Solutions Utilizing User Feedback 

After having six participants vote on their top 5 solutions they believed would address their need of wanting to know what solutions are best for their skin, I narrowed down the initial ideas to the top three. These were the three that received the highest number of votes or "dots." I then sketched out wireframes for each of these three ideas and narrowed it down to one solution to further explore. 

Info Database

0 out of 5

Requires too much reading
and research.

Large database of articles regarding skincare topics on skin types, skin tones, lifestyle factors, etc. and products recommended to address different concerns. I rated this low because users want quick and easy information. 

Trial Products

2 out of 5

Still requires users to go through the trial/error process. 

While this addresses the need for accessible skincare and the ability to try products at a cheaper rate due to smaller quanitities, it still requires the user to test different products on their skin without knowing what works for their skin. 

Skin Scan

5 out of 5

Provides users with specific routine recommendations for their unique skin.

Skin scanning technology paired with an extensive AI knowledge provides users with products that will address each of the concerns than appear in the scan. 

IDEA SKETCHING

Drawing Inspiration: Iterating the Skin Scan Interface 

I explored various design options for different screens that make up the Skin Scan, drawing inspiration from products like Apple’s Face ID and leading e-commerce platforms. This approach allowed me to consider multiple possibilities and identify the most effective solution through sketching.

INITIAL EXPLORATION

REFINED IDEAS

MID FIDELITY WIREFRAMES

Forming the Overall Structure and Functionality

I created mid-fi wireframes to focus on the overall structure and functionality of the product. 

I was able to explore and test different design ideas and concepts and get feedback without investing too much time or resources. 

BRAND IDENTITY

Using Visual Design to Create an Inviting, Inclusive, and Reliable Brand

When creating the visual identity for Skincarelab, I wanted the brand to embody the following values/characteristics: Inviting, inclusive, and reliable. I came up with three different color palettes to explore a few ideas and applied them to the wireframes to get a better idea of what it could look like. I ultimately chose the color palette that I felt best represented the brand values. 

During this stage, I also tested contrast and accessibility to make sure the colors were ADA-accessible.  

DELIVER

USABILITY TESTING

How Can We Improve the Product? 

The goal of usability testing was to get valuable user feedback on the effectiveness of my product and what could be improved and iterated on to create a better user experience. Each participant went through different task scenarios.

Research objectives for usability testing:

• Recognize any roadblocks or difficulties users encounter when navigating the site and completing task flows
• Assess if site features are designed in a way that is intuitive and usable
• Identify opportunities where the design can be simplified for better usability
• Identify any issues with accessibility
  
• Gain insight into the overall satisfaction of each task flow

Users went through 3 task flows: 

 
1. Complete
skin scan

2. Review &
edit routine

3. Order products
in routine 

TEST RESULTS

Improving Navigation and Cues 

5 out 5 users struggled with Task Flow #2, specifically when selecting a new product for their routine and returning to the main routine page. Guide users through the routine recommendations before having to create an account or add to their cart: 

1. Instructional Guidance 

Included prompt text when adding a product, e.g., “Select a new cleanser to add to your routine,” to clarify the next step.

2. Streamlined Navigation 

Removed the “add to bag” button from the product details page to simplify user actions and reduce confusion.

3. Direct Return Option

Added a “return to routine” button on the product details page, allowing users to go directly back to their recommended routine without needing to hit the back button multiple times. 

4. Routine Status Indicator 

Now, when users return to the routine screen, the selected product is marked as “added to routine,” with a checkmark, confirming their action.

5. Final Add-to-Bag Screen

After reviewing their full routine, users are presented with an option to add all selected items to their bag, streamlining the checkout process.

6. Loading "Skin Scan" Screen 

Users didn't realize what that the skin scan was occuring so we neede to include an indication that the scan was in progress. 

HIGH FIDELITY PROTOTYPE

Taking the Guesswork Out of Skincare

Problem Addressed: Users are spending endless hours searching for the right products. 

Design Solution: Personalized skin recommendations based on the users' data. 

Skin Scan: Utilizing AR/AI technology, the Skin Scan conducts a thorough analysis of the user's skin, comparing it to a vast database of facial profiles. This process accurately identifies concerns like dryness, acne, and hyperpigmentation, ensuring that recommendations are precise and effective.

Skincarelab Recommended Routine: After users go through the Skin Scan, Skin Quiz, the technology creates a custom-made routine for each user, offering a few different options for each step of their routine.  

Routine Customization: Users can further personalize their skincare routines by swapping recommended products based on ingredient quality, budget constraints, and preferred brands, ensuring a perfect match for their unique needs.

REFLECTION

Closing Thoughts

 Taking on a complex problem 
As a skincare enthusiast, I knew before heading into this project that the problem would invovle a multi-faceted solution. Skincare is complex and because it's not one-size-fits-all, I ensured that the solution was inclusive and I accounted for a diverse group of individuals. Keeping this at the forefront taught me that regardless of the problem, inclusivity and accessibility should always be prioritized. 

 Balancing Constraints and Future Growth in Design 
I learned how to work with limited time, resources, and technical constraints, while also considering the possiblity of future iterations and features. 

Interested? Let's Work Together!