Empowering Gen Z with sustainable beauty choices
8 min read ⏲
Lussent is a cosmetic scanning app that offers in-depth information on beauty products, including discounts and environmental impact.
Project overview
During my UX design Bootcamp at BrainStation, I completed a capstone project involving the end-to-end UX design process to create a digital solution for an identified real-world problem.
Roles and responsibilities
User research: Interviews, Affinity Mapping, Persona Creation, Journey Mapping
UX design: Task Flow, Sketching, Iterative Wireframes, Prototyping, Usability Testing Sessions
Project context
Type: Academic - solo
Timeline: 10 weeks in 2023
Platform: iOS application
Tools used
Figma
Zoom
Slack
Home screen
Explore featured products, special deals, and articles on positive environmental news and eco-friendly beauty tips.
Scanner screen
When ready to assess a beauty product, simply use your camera to scan for an instant environmental impact summary.
Search results screen
Quickly learn why a cosmetic's ingredient is eco-friendly or the nature of a product’s production without the need for extensive personal research.
Deals screen
When a product has a discount, save it to your profile for easy tracking of potential savings, quickly get them when needed, and receive reminders before they expire.
The design process
For this design challenge, I used a non-linear design-thinking methodology, placing the end-user at the heart of all decision-making. This approach is helpful in tackling complex, undefined problems with the ultimate goal of creating a solution that fits the needs of the users.
Prototype
Test
Ideate
Empathize
Define
A personal struggle as inspiration
When I was a teen, I watched a lot of makeup and skincare content from my favorite YouTubers and Instagram influencers. The result? Impulsive purchases and a mountain of unused products eventually ended up in the trash.
Empathize
Problem space
The rise of influencer hauls and TikTok beauty trends has heightened the factors encouraging overconsumption, exacerbating the pressing environmental concern of waste from cosmetic packaging.
According to Zero Waste, a global organization dedicated to environmental justice, the cosmetics industry generates over 120 billion units of packaging annually worldwide, contributing significantly to plastic pollution in landfills and water bodies. The United Nations Environment Programme warns that if this trend continues, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050.
Secondary research
Recycling cosmetic packaging can be challenging, as many brands use mixed materials for their boxes, bags, and containers.
20 - 40%
of beauty products (depending on the category) result in waste.
70%
of the beauty industry’s waste comes from packaging.
0.09%
of plastic containers are recycled, while the rest end up in landfills.
Why this generation? In a survey by PowerReviews, nearly half of shoppers (45%) are motivated by social media to try new beauty products, with Gen Z leading the trend at 63%. A significant three-quarters (74%) of Gen Z shoppers say they are swayed to purchase beauty products by influencers they follow.
To turn this problem space into an actionable task to design within, I authored the following "How Might We" (HMW) question:
Design Challenge
How might we encourage Gen Z women to adopt a mindful approach to purchasing beauty products so that they can develop sustainable habits that reduce cosmetic waste in the environment?
Primary research
User interviews and affinity map
To better understand the problem space and connect with my target user, I talked to people in their early twenties who share an interest in beauty and environmental consciousness. I mapped their motivations, behaviors, and pain points after our one-on-one with interviewees,
Key insights from interviews
Once I synthesized my interview notes, I identified 4 key themes and insights:
Transparency and education
Interviewees want companies to be honest about their product ingredients, provide understandable labeling, and provide educational resources.
Cosmetic conservation
Interviewees shared a common practice of using products until they're completely empty, suggesting a mindset of cosmetic preservation over constant new purchases.
Cost and affordability
One significant concern raised was the higher cost of sustainable options, posing a financial barrier for those seeking eco-friendly choices.
Influence and decision-making
When it comes to decisions about beauty products, interviewees revealed being influenced by a mix of online and offline sources.
Pivoting
My interviews revealed that influencers play a smaller role in buying behavior than I expected. The real challenges revolved around building trust in products and making sure they are affordable. Recognizing Gen Z's mindful and budget-conscious approach, I've refined my HMW question.
Revised design challenge
How might we provide Gen Z women with the transparency and education they need to make informed, sustainable beauty choices?
Define
Persona
With my findings from my secondary and primary research, I developed a persona that portrays the key characteristics of my target user. Having my persona at the center of my design decisions ensured I always had the user in mind.
Ideate
Developing a solution
With the key moments of intervention identified, I entered the “ideation” phase of problem-solving. Here, I began to explore user stories and epics to see how Alexis could use a digital solution to help her overcome the challenges of shifting to more sustainable beauty practices.
Task selection
Since the project was just under twelve weeks, I used the Agile methodology to define the core functionality of my product. I created user stories to capture user wants and needs and organized them into epics, or themes.
The main theme I chose was "Access to Transparent Product Information." It guides the development of my app's core functionality, ensuring it addresses the most compelling user needs. It also aligns with my HMW question and Alexis’ perspective.
Task flow
Choosing the epic "Access to Transparent and Affordable Product Information," I created a task flow diagram that depicts how a first-time user would scan a product to learn about its ingredients and environmental impact, all while snagging a discount on the chosen product.
Prototype
Exploratory sketches
I started my preliminary sketching with pencil and paper, referencing my task flow. My sketches were mostly inspired by the platforms my users mentioned during their interviews and by applications with similar features, such as barcode scanners and discount offers, commonly found in retail, grocery, and loyalty programs.
Low-fi prototype
After finalizing my design elements on paper, I moved into Figma to create a low-fidelity grayscale version. Using grayscale wireframes helps users focus on the functional aspects of the design, allowing for quick testing and iteration before moving on to high-fidelity.
Test
Usability testing
Upon building the initial prototype, I conducted two rounds of usability testing with 10 participants each, gathering real-time feedback as they navigated through the product scanning and discount retrieval process.
Design prioritization matrix
Following each round of testing, I used a design prioritization matrix to prioritize the feedback. This approach enabled me to evaluate the effort needed for improvements and the value they would bring to the user.
Improving the designs
Referring to the matrix and considering time constraints, I focused on the most impactful improvements—weighing user value against the effort to implement them. I addressed additional improvements later, when time allowed for it.
Change 1:
Home screen
Problem: Users found the icons on the navigation bar too close, with some struggling to spot the scanner icon. They also pointed out a lack of a subheader under "Articles," pointing out inconsistency since "Certified Sustainable" has one.
Solution: I changed the scanner icon for better recognition, spaced out the icons, and added a subheader under Articles.
Change 2:
Search results screen
Problem: Users found it difficult to locate the discount icon in testing.
Solution: I rotated the discount tag icon leftward to visually guide users' eyes within the app. Placing the notification badge on the right follows standard conventions for iOS applications, and adding a numerical indicator inside lets users know about the number of available discounts.
Change 3:
Signup screen
Problem: Users wanted more signup options besides Apple and pointed out that they could just screenshot the barcode discount onto their phone without signing up.
Solution: I included additional signup choices and moved the discount barcode to the next screen.
Hi-fi prototype
Following numerous iterations, testing, and feedback from my educators and TA, I upgraded my prototype from low- to high-fidelity. The result is Lussent, an app inspired by the word "translucent," which reflects its mission to offer users clear insights into their beauty products.
Looking ahead
Reflections
At the end of the bootcamp, we celebrated Demo Day, where my peers and I presented our projects to the Miami tech community. Surprisingly, people liked my app, finding it a great way to save money and the environment. Some people asked if they could download it, even those outside my target user group. Balancing this project with a million others was tough, but the positive feedback made every effort worth it.
Key learnings
Seek feedback at every stage: Don't romanticize your product; instead, consistently seek feedback at every stage of the process. Others can catch details you might have missed, providing valuable insights for improvement.
Keep UI inspiration handy: During the design phase, keep UI inspiration handy to spark innovative ideas, tackle design challenges, and streamline the iteration process. This approach helps cut down on revision time.
What’s next?
If I had more time, I would love to implement a community engagement feature that allows users to share their experiences, tips, and recommendations with a product. This would create a sense of belonging and connection that can increase user retention since they’ll feel like they are part of a community and have a stake in its growth.