UX/UI DESIGN · PROTOTYPING · BRANDING
Figuring out whether a cosmetic product is safe for pregnancy can be a confusing and time-consuming process.
🔍 Hard to find the answers online
Pregnant people are often subjected to searching for their cosmetic product online to figure out whether or not it is pregnancy safe, with difficulty finding a definitive answer.
🚫 Feeling unsafe and out of control
Uncertainty about whether or not their cosmetics are safe for pregnancy can leave pregnant people feeling unsafe and a lack of control over the products they use.
Bloom is a mobile application that provides people with the ability to discover whether or not their cosmetic products are safe to use during pregnancy. Users can either scan their product’s barcode, or search by name, to find out their safety status in relation to pregnancy. They can use this on products they have at home already, or while shopping in retailer stores to scan as they shop.
Bloom aims to take the guesswork and legwork out of trying to find out whether cosmetics are pregnancy safe: with Bloom, users can find out quickly and easily whether they should keep using their favourite cosmetics, to feel safer and more in control during their pregnancy.
I thought of the concept for Bloom when I saw an influencer's post on Instagram: she described how she had had to Google each and every one of her cosmetics to figure out whether they were safe for pregnancy or not - and that, even then, it was difficult to find a definitive answer. So, I thought it was time to create a solution!
I sent out a survey to gauge whether there would be interest in a product like this; and the results were very positive. I also spoke to some recent mums in Belfast who reaffirmed the need for a quick and easy resource to help inform pregnant people about cosmetic product safety and pregnancy. Many agreed scouring the internet for answers proved difficult and confusing; and some even said they forfeited using their products as a result.
"I stopped using most of my skincare and haircare products when I was pregnant because I had no idea if they were safe or not. I tried researching it myself but found resources very limited and ingredient names confusing."
I began to ideate the potential features of Bloom based on the users needs - to scan/check their cosmetics, find ingredient information, and buy safe products in app. I also began to consider the user dashboard and how they would navigate through the app.
To visualise this I completed a series of sketches - this was a process that was ongoing through the project, as I was constantly iterating designs and considering new features and layouts.
Part of my research and early development involved creating a series of user flows, to understand the main goals of users of Bloom, and how they might interact with the product to achieve those goals.
I created user flows for: scanning a product barcode; searching for a product by name; and purchasing a product.
Bloom is aimed at anyone currently pregnant, planning to become pregnant, and friends and family of pregnant people. Bloom’s primary target market is people that are currently pregnant and need a quick, easy method of cosmetic product checking, or those that are planning to become pregnant and want to prepare themselves in advance. Bloom will also cater to friends and family of pregnant people who wish to buy them a pregnancy safe cosmetic product.
To understand my potential users even better, I created user personas, empathy maps, and user journeys. This way, I could understand their pain points, goals, and what features would help them along their journey.
In addition to the main feature of Bloom - the product scanning and searching function - there are more app features to enhance the user experience even further.
👩🏽 Users can scan their face to discover their skin type and skin needs
To personalise the user experience, Bloom implements face scanning technology to help users understand their skin type and skin needs. Bloom will then provide curated product recommendations that best suit the user - all of which are pregnancy safe.
✅ Users can discover safe alternatives to any unsafe products
If a product is not safe to use during pregnancy, Bloom will provide safe alternatives to that product that the user can use instead!
🛍️ Users can find and purchase their products all in one place
Bloom provides users with the ability to check their products, find new ones, and make purchases in app.
I wanted Bloom users to quickly and easily get their products - whether it's the products they know and love, or new, safer products. So, they can order their products in-app if it is easier than travelling to a retailer.
Bloom hopes to ease the process of preparing for, or adjusting to, pregnancy by helping users better understand cosmetic safety in relation to pregnancy; because nobody should have to forfeit their beauty regime.
