Problem & Overview

Develop a creative solution to a societal issue that impacts our world. Addressing the inequalities and lack of diversity within the beauty industry was an issue I wanted to tackle because I consider myself a member of this community. Marginalized groups are often treated as an afterthought to large scale beauty corporations, and have trouble accessing resources such as diverse color shade matching. A Eurocentric standard has been portrayed within this industry for far too long, and brands are finally beginning to recognize the need for diversity and inclusion. Project duration lasted four-and-a-half months in 2024.

Programs

Adobe Illustrator, XD, Photoshop, InDesign, and CapCut

Solution

To combat this large issue in the beauty industry, I created Kallos. Kallos serves as a mobile app for users to access educational and consumer resources to navigate the beauty industry seamlessly. The service provides users with custom shade match technology that lets them find their shade in a variety of products from foundation to concealer. It also allows for members to have a greater sense of community with other users and explore categories such a black-owned beauty brands. Kallos' meaning stems all the way back from Ancient Greece. It represents the theory and concept that beauty is eternal. Beauty is not just about what is on the outside, but what radiates from within. When curating the visual identity, I wanted the story and brand name to reflect this very message that all individuals deserve to feel represented and beautiful. Not only does this solution aid users and consumers, but it also allows brands and corporations to better cater to their audiences and bridge the gap.

Research

I began by researching my target demographics to understand who would benefit from this service. I gathered and analyzed various academic journals and credited sites to find data relevant to my topic. I wanted to understand the scope of the industry and how large of a profit it accumulates. McKinsey & Company had a lot of insightful findings regarding diverse consumers in the beauty industry. I found that black beauty consumers are placed at a higher disadvantage compared to their white counterparts due to lack of resources and dissatisfaction while shopping. I knew that representation and inclusivity was on the rise in this space, but I was enlightened to see that Gen Z valued this pillar when shopping amongst brands.

Challenges

While diving into the research about this societal issue, it was difficult to find data on marginalized groups within the beauty industry. After searching, I was able to come across data and surveys from McKinsey & Company that highlighted inequalities in consumer resources for black women and men. Deciding what features to include in an app was another challenge. I did not want to overwhelm users with too many options that did not cater to their immediate needs. Lastly, deciding how to visually showcase the data that I found was a hurdle. I originally started with a single infographic to highlight and educate people on the issue I was aiming to tackle, but quickly realized that the issue was far more complex. I ended up transferring it to a brochure to allow more room to inform the general public.

Learnings

I knew that marginalized groups were impacted by this lack of diversity, but I did not see the entire scale of how it impacted them. For example I was aware that many brands had dozens of lighter complexion shade ranges, but when it came to darker shades they had maybe 4-6. However, I did not realize that another large issue was that when POC actually find a shade that works for them, it is often sold out or out of stock. They face a higher rate of consumer dissatisfaction than their white counterparts. This project allowed me to also broaden my user interface and experience skills. I interviewed potential target audiences to see what systems they would like in place and get their feedback.