Ingresafe
UI/UX Passion Project
How might we help users find safe skincare and cosmetics products?
Overview
Background
Finding skincare and cosmetic products free from harmful ingredients can be a challenge, especially for individuals with sensitive skin like mine. Ingresafe is a mobile app concept designed to help users easily check the safety and ingredients of products, ensuring they make informed and irritation-free choices
Project Goals
Conceptualize a mobile application to help users discover safe, non-irritating products
Design user-friendly interfaces and integrated an AI-powered skin assistant to guide users in their product choices
Role
UX Research & UX/UI Designer
Duration
2 months
Competitive Analysis
I began with analyzing strengths and weaknesses in existing apps that identify harmful ingredients in skincare and cosmetic products
While current apps provide helpful insights on ingredient safety, there is a gap in personalization, AI-driven recommendations, and user-friendly design. A new app like Ingresafe could stand out by offering tailored advice, a sleek interface, and robust ingredient tracking for a wider range of products
User Research
To better understand users' needs, I conducted interviews with four individuals aged 16-24, focusing on their app layout preferences, ingredient awareness, favorite skincare and cosmetic brands, and personal skin concerns. This helped me empathize with their experiences and challenges
The interviews enabled me to identify key user needs, including a simple, intuitive layout with easy navigation, comprehensive support for all skin types, and coverage of a wide range of products
User Persona
After identifying user needs through the interviews, I developed a user persona to represent a potential target user. This approach offered valuable insights into their pain points and helped guide the design process
Pain points that were gathered from the persona:
inability to find products for specific skin types
lack of ingredient transparency
limited product availability
allergy/irritation reactions
User Flow
To outline the steps for navigating the application, I developed a user flow that will serve as a valuable guide when creating the wireframes and prototype
Wireframes
Paper and Digital Wireframes
Designing the low-fidelity wireframes allowed for rapid iteration, enabling me to explore various layout and functionality options quickly. This iterative approach facilitated valuable feedback and refinements, ensuring that the digital wireframe designs effectively addressed user needs and pain points before progressing to higher-fidelity prototypes
UI Design
After immersing myself in the brand, I created a UI library kit that will be essential for designing features in the prototype. This process also inspired the name "Ingresafe," a blend of the words "ingredients" and "safe," reflecting the app's commitment to helping users find safe skincare and cosmetic products
Mid-fi Prototype
Integrating the UI design into the wireframes was a highly enjoyable part of the process, as it allowed me to fully immerse myself in the visual and interactive elements of the design. This phase gave me the opportunity to focus deeply on refining the user experience and bringing the concept to life
Usability & User Testing
The usability tests were a complete success, with a 100% success rate. Four participants from the University of Washington tested the prototype to provide valuable feedback. While the overall response was positive, two key suggestions emerged from their input:
One participant suggested offering more sign-up options, such as including a "Sign In" feature for users with existing accounts, and providing the ability to sign in via third-party services like Google or Apple for added convenience and flexibility
Users suggested that the app would be more user-friendly if the bottom bar, which allows switching between taking a photo and scanning a barcode, could be tapped in addition to the existing sliding functionality. This would provide a more intuitive and accessible navigation option
Final Design & Prototype
Key Takeaways
What I learned
Working on Ingresafe gave me the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the design process. I learned how crucial user research is in identifying user needs and pain points, and how important it is to create designs that prioritize accessibility for all users
Moving Forward
I plan to take a more deliberate approach to prototyping and consistently seek feedback throughout the design process to ensure continuous improvement