Mirror
APR 2025
APR 2025
Partners
President's Pick • CruzHacks
President's Pick • CruzHacks
Partners
The global skincare market is valued at over $171 billion and growing rapidly, yet consumers face a frustrating dilemma: despite endless product options, finding the right products remains incredibly difficult.
The global skincare market is valued at over $171 billion and growing rapidly, yet consumers face a frustrating dilemma: despite endless product options, finding the right products remains incredibly difficult.
The Problem
The Problem
Through interviews with 10 individuals about their skincare journey, we uncovered a pattern.
40% were still searching for the right products after years of trying
30% took over a year to find products that worked
90% of consumers experience frustration finding products that actually work for them
This deep dive sets a benchmark for my hackathon work; it informed IA mapping and would scale to A/B prototypes in extended timelines.
Through interviews with 10 individuals about their skincare journey, we uncovered a pattern.
40% were still searching for the right products after years of trying
30% took over a year to find products that worked
90% of consumers experience frustration finding products that actually work for them
Their words
Their words
I have terrible acne, and since sophomore year of high school I've tried at least 8 different products and solutions, and everytime I think I found something that works, my skin changes or I get a reaction. It's expensive and very exhausting.
I have terrible acne, and since sophomore year of high school I've tried at least 8 different products and solutions, and everytime I think I found something that works, my skin changes or I get a reaction. It's expensive and very exhausting.
College Student, 20
College Student, 20
Market Context
Market
Context
According to recent research, 9 in 10 (90%) respondents experience some level of frustration with finding skincare products that actually work for them. Additionally, over 1 in 3 (36%) people report serious frustration, rating ~4 on a 5-point scale of frustration.
According to recent research, 9 in 10 (90%) respondents experience some level of frustration with finding skincare products that actually work for them. Additionally, over 1 in 3 (36%) people report serious frustration, rating ~4 on a 5-point scale of frustration.
How might we create an easy to use, fast, and accurate solution for people to find the skincare and healthcare product for their specific needs?
How might we create an easy to use, fast, and accurate solution for people to find the skincare and healthcare product for their specific needs?
Target Users
Target Users
Primary: Young adults (15-25) beginning their hygiene journey
New to skincare routines
Price-conscious but willing to invest in quality
Comfortable with mobile and AI experiences
Frustrated by trial and error approach
Pain Points:
Overwhelmed by product choices
Unsure what ingredients work for their skin type
Expensive to try multiple products
Lack access to professional dermatology advice
Primary: Young adults (15-25) beginning their hygiene journey
New to skincare routines
Price-conscious but willing to invest in quality
Comfortable with mobile and AI experiences
Frustrated by trial and error approach
Pain Points:
Overwhelmed by product choices
Unsure what ingredients work for their skin type
Expensive to try multiple products
Lack access to professional dermatology advice
Problem Research
Problem
Research
After conducting user interviews, I identified the core issue: information asymmetry. Professional dermatologists can quickly assess skin needs, but consumers lack this expertise and access.
Key Insights:
Users wanted transparency in the recommendation process
Trust was crucial - they needed to understand why products were recommended and that our product knows what the user wants
After conducting user interviews, I identified the core issue: information asymmetry. Professional dermatologists can quickly assess skin needs, but consumers lack this expertise and access.
Key Insights:
Users wanted transparency in the recommendation process
Trust was crucial - they needed to understand why products were recommended and that our product knows what the user wants
Information Architecture
Information
Architecture
I mapped out the user journey focusing on three critical moments:
Capture - Making photo-taking feel comfortable and professional
Analysis - Showing the AI working while maintaining trust
Results - Presenting recommendations without overwhelming users
I mapped out the user journey focusing on three critical moments:
Capture - Making photo-taking feel comfortable and professional
Analysis - Showing the AI working while maintaining trust
Results - Presenting recommendations without overwhelming users
Home Screen
Home
Screen
PROBLEM: How do you introduce a complex AI-powered tool's home page with just two simple CTAs?
SOLUTION: I designed a clean information hierarchy with:
A prominent "How this works" statement in the center as the visual anchor
Two CTAs below with actual photos (not icons) for a more luxurious, tangible feel
PROBLEM: How do you introduce a complex AI-powered tool's home page with just two simple CTAs?
SOLUTION: I designed a clean information hierarchy with:
A prominent "How this works" statement in the center as the visual anchor
Two CTAs below with actual photos (not icons) for a more luxurious, tangible feel
Camera Experience
Increasing
Accuracy
PROBLEM: Taking photos of your face/hair can feel vulnerable and awkward.
SOLUTION: I actually modeled the interface after Snapchat's familiar camera experience:
Light oval guide for face positioning
Option to upload an existing photo
Clear, encouraging instructions
Lighting suggestions
PROBLEM: Taking photos of your face/hair can feel vulnerable and awkward.
SOLUTION: I actually modeled the interface after Snapchat's familiar camera experience:
Light oval guide for face positioning
Option to upload an existing photo
Clear, encouraging instructions
Lighting suggestions
Results Page
Increasing
Accuracy
PROBLEM: How do you present personalized recommendations without decision paralysis?
SOLUTION: Card-based design focusing on essential information:
What mirror's AI saw - gives the user some insight
Clean product imagery
Brand + product name hierarchy
One-tap bookmarking for easy saving
Minimal cognitive load per recommendation
PROBLEM: How do you present personalized recommendations without decision paralysis?
SOLUTION: Card-based design focusing on essential information:
What mirror's AI saw - gives the user some insight
Clean product imagery
Brand + product name hierarchy
One-tap bookmarking for easy saving
Minimal cognitive load per recommendation
Visual Design
Increasing
Accuracy
Color Palette: Carefully chosen to reflect skincare itself
Primary (#E7E0E0): Soft beige reflecting healthy skin tones
Accent (#CA5A5E): Warm red reminiscent of natural human coloring
Clean, medical-inspired whites for trust and cleanliness
Typography: Instrument Sans
Thin, elegant strokes conveying luxury and sophistication
Excellent legibility at small sizes for mobile-first experience
Modern without being trendy - timeless appeal
Color Palette: Carefully chosen to reflect skincare itself
Primary (#E7E0E0): Soft beige reflecting healthy skin tones
Accent (#CA5A5E): Warm red reminiscent of natural human coloring
Clean, medical-inspired whites for trust and cleanliness
Typography: Instrument Sans
Thin, elegant strokes conveying luxury and sophistication
Excellent legibility at small sizes for mobile-first experience
Modern without being trendy - timeless appeal
Progress-Based Nav
Increasing
Accuracy
PROBLEM: Users hate when experiences take longer than expected.
SOLUTION: I replaced traditional tab navigation with a progress bar system:
Shows users exactly where they are in the process
Provides clear expectations of time investment
Offers multiple ways to navigate (back button + progress bar taps)
Reduces abandonment by setting proper expectations
PROBLEM: Users hate when experiences take longer than expected.
SOLUTION: I replaced traditional tab navigation with a progress bar system:
Shows users exactly where they are in the process
Provides clear expectations of time investment
Offers multiple ways to navigate (back button + progress bar taps)
Reduces abandonment by setting proper expectations
AI Trust
AI Trust
While I focused on design, the technical architecture influenced key UX decisions:
AI Transparency: The loading screen wasn't just a spinner, it's designed to show the AI analysis happening in real-time, building trust through visibility.
Privacy by Design: The user always has access to the T&C page as well as the Privacy Policy so they know exactly what's happening behind the scenes.
Accuracy Communication: Results screens included confidence indicators and explanations, not just recommendations.
While I focused on design, the technical architecture influenced key UX decisions:
AI Transparency: The loading screen wasn't just a spinner, it's designed to show the AI analysis happening in real-time, building trust through visibility.
Privacy by Design: The user always has access to the T&C page as well as the Privacy Policy so they know exactly what's happening behind the scenes.
Accuracy Communication: Results screens included confidence indicators and explanations, not just recommendations.
What Worked
Final
Thoughts
Tested with 2 friends before hackathon submission:
100% task completion - users intuitively navigated the entire flow
Zero questions about next steps at any point
This told me the app's design had an intuitive user experience since users completed tasks without guidance or getting stuck.
Tested with 2 friends before hackathon submission:
100% task completion - users intuitively navigated the entire flow
Zero questions about next steps at any point
This told me the app's design had an intuitive user experience since users completed tasks without guidance or getting stuck.
What I'd do differently
Final
Thoughts
Given more time and resources, I would love to conduct deeper user interviews across different demographics, ensure the experience works for users with different abilities, test different result presentation formats, and add subtle animations to enhance the premium feel
Given more time and resources, I would love to conduct deeper user interviews across different demographics, ensure the experience works for users with different abilities, test different result presentation formats, and add subtle animations to enhance the premium feel