Now more than ever, ethical businesses need to transparently show customers what kind of effect their product has on them.

PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of artificial chemicals used in many consumer and industrial products. Often called forever chemicals, most PFAS do not break down. These compounds end up in cosmetics to make products water-resistant, longer-lasting, and more spreadable.​ Research links PFAS to health problems, including kidney and testicular cancer, liver and thyroid disease, reproductive irregularities, and more.

The Team

Maria José Alonso
Alvaro Castro
Vanessa Ortiz

Key Features

Our research unveiled a lack of consumer awareness about hazardous chemicals, especially PFAS, in makeup. Consumers feel uncertain about the safety of cosmetic products and hesitate to recommend them due to health concerns about ingredients. To address this issue, we propose a solution—an app that enriches the shopping experience by offering information on PFAS and other toxins. This app aims to empower users to compare products, discover safer alternatives, and make confident and secure cosmetic purchases, positively impacting their overall satisfaction. and make a purchase that meets their expectations. when purchasing cosmetics.

Scan/Search Products

Find a product on our app by scanning the barcode on their cosmetic product. Or manually search the product name and select a from our suggested results.

Product Information

Learn about a product's ingredients from most to least toxic and look through research sources for each, find retailers selling the product, and discover healthier alternatives to your cosmetics.

Social Media Approach

Recommend products or discourage their purchase by making posts, commenting, exchanging messages with other users, and following other users to get notified of their recommendations.

Wishlists

Save products for later in a curated list that you can share with other users. Make different wishlists for products you love or products you want to buy in the future.

Research & Discovery

Interviews & Affinity Mapping
Personas
Competitive Analysis

Our project started with interviews of potential users—makeup enthusiasts of all ages. We crafted 23 open-ended questions, delving into makeup preferences, usage patterns, discovery methods, and factors influencing choices. Within a week, we remotely interviewed 8 individuals, extracting insights to create two distinct personas. These personas guided our design solution to align with user habits, preferences, and values in choosing cosmetic products.

To better understand user goals and needs, I created two personas based on distinct behavior patterns identified in interviews. The first persona emphasizes ingredient research and concerns about environmental and health effects, while the second values trusted recommendations and product quality. These personas guided the development of a mobile app as the optimal solution for users to access both surface-level information like reviews and in-depth research on cosmetic ingredients.

Throughout the design process, these personas played a crucial role in maintaining focus on user priorities and guiding decisions related to wire-framing and feature additions.

To enhance our app's utility, we investigated existing similar apps and analyzed three direct competitors. Vanessa, our teammate, focused on unique value propositions, company advantages, disadvantages, and capabilities. Competitors excelled in providing dedicated sites and mobile apps, transparent information gathering processes, and user input features.

However, drawbacks included limited market reach and recognition, international feature availability issues, and confusing information organization. Our interviews revealed a common frustration with current methods—using reviews and social media for product information. To address this, we aim to present product information in a familiar social media format, making it intuitive and efficient for users.

Wireframes

Team members sketched ideas for wireframes, focusing on key features like product search, information pages, saving products, and sharing/recommending items. Using Figma, we transitioned initial sketches into low-fidelity wireframes, later refining them to mid-fidelity with placeholder content. Following four usability tests, feedback prompted structural adjustments, clearer iconography, language refinement, and additional social media-inspired elements. Through three iterations, we enhanced the wireframes before advancing to high-fidelity prototypes.

Usability Testing

​We created a fully-functional, mid-fidelity prototype of the new flows using Figma. At the same time, we started recruiting subjects for the test who fit our criteria. We did five usability tests in the first round and three after iterating on the issues that we’ve identified:

Style Guide

After addressing usability issues, we proceeded to design final screens in Figma. Vanessa led the creation of a visual identity aligned with the brand's values, choosing the name Zeleny to symbolize green and reflect our focus on the environment and health. Opting for a light and simple style to convey reliability, we crafted a mobile app for on-the-go information retrieval while shopping. The final design featured a primarily white background with teal and light pink accents in interactive elements like buttons, creating a clean and focused appearance for users.

Takeaways

With this project, the primary skill I developed was my ability to collaborate with other designers in a team. We each learned to take charge in areas that were our strengths and keep each other accountable in our roles and responsibilities. I gathered more experience with the research portion of the project and learned more about creating effective personas and affinity mapping.  I also practiced my skills in interviewing and asking valuable questions while keeping the user engaged and comfortable. In future design projects, I will be sure to expand my research skills and try developing deliverables I haven't done before. I will also continue practicing my communication skills to be an effective and reliable teammate.

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