Becare

Overview

Cosmetics can keep our skin healthy but can trigger allergic reactions when a product's ingredients are not suitable for specific skin conditions. Having a struggle with skin irritation, I always spent time doing research and finding out my trigger. I started thinking about how technology can further help people to make informed decisions and avoid adverse reactions.

With the assistance of my professors and clinical advice, I was able to synthesize the information I collected and turned insights into a mobile app. Becare allows people to understand cosmetic ingredients and identify triggers that may increase sensitivity in our skin.

Role

Research
Visual Design
Product Design
Prototyping
Interaction Design

Duration

BFA Thesis Project
Feb–May 2017

Problem

Cosmetic companies introduce a large number of products to the market every year. Studies have shown that more than one-third of people have skin irritation and at least one allergic reaction to cosmetic ingredients. Misleading advertisements and those chemicals are responsible for problems with sensitive skins. Understanding what we apply on our face is extremely useful to protect our skin barrier. However, identifying an array of cosmetic ingredients can be daunting and challenging for most customers.

Thesis Statement

With allergy problems, taking good care of our skin is essential. My thesis intends to provide a mobile app that helps people to understand cosmetic ingredients, visualize an abundant amount of information, and avoid using products that contain ingredients and similar formulas people are allergic to.

Research Findings

It is a common belief that people who suffer adverse reactions do not know too much about cosmetic chemistry. They usually go to see dermatologists, do research on their own, and look for product reviews. From the online surveys and interviews that I conducted, it was surprising that people were willing to learn more about the ingredients in beauty products and looking for resources that can find out their triggers.

Concept Development

To develop my concept, I synthesized the information from the research and broke them into categories. People want to learn more about cosmetic ingredients in an easy and accessible way. The end product should provide functionalities that they are looking for and tailor to each individual with different skin concerns.

Some features that people are interested in include:
- Receive concise and valuable information about the products
- Find out the possible trigger to avoid adverse reactions in the future
- Keep track of their product routine
- Look for product reviews

Prototype

After iterating and testing on multiple versions, the final prototype incorporated a lot of feedback from users. The end product included a combination of features—the data collection, social communication, assistance, and reminder to guide people through their journey.

Note

I have only included selected sections from the case study here. For more detailed information, documentation is available upon request. As I look back to this project now, I can still relate to most of the research findings. If I were to continue to work on this project, I would work on the design system and enrich the user experience.