Beautytap

In 2017, I led the UI/UX and brand design for Beautytap, a Korean beauty e-commerce platform seeking to expand into the U.S. market. The primary goal was to create a seamless, engaging experience that connected users with real beauty experts based on their skin type, helping them navigate an extensive product catalog. The challenge was to balance Korean and Western design aesthetics while maintaining an intuitive and visually appealing interface for a global audience.

Initial Design: Youthful & Interactive

At the outset, Beautytap embraced a colorful, youthful aesthetic that focused on engagement through an interactive beauty quiz and expert beauty consultants. This approach was designed to make product discovery fun and personalized, helping users quickly find the right beauty solutions. The mobile app played a crucial role in onboarding customers with the quiz, offering:

• Expert Matchmaking: Users were paired with beauty consultants based on their skin type and preferences.

• Vibrant UI: Playful, energetic visuals reinforced the excitement of discovering new beauty products.

• Community Reviews & Loyalty Multiplier: Encouraging customers to interact and share feedback within the platform.

Unique Site Design & Navigation

Unlike traditional e-commerce platforms that follow rigid grid-based layouts, Beautytap’s design focused on a more fluid and exploratory browsing experience. Key innovations included:

• Asymmetrical Layouts: A break from standard product grids, instead using staggered content blocks, large lifestyle images, and intuitive scrolling interactions.

• Curated Content Sections: Featured expert recommendations, trending products, and beauty tips, making the site feel more like a beauty magazine than a store.

• Seamless Mobile Experience: With mobile-first design at the forefront, the layout dynamically adapted to different screen sizes while maintaining immersive visuals.

• Image-Rich Mega Menu: A highly visual navigation system that allowed users to browse products by skin type categories, age range, and other key attributes. This helped users quickly filter through the extensive product catalog and find what suited them best.

While this interactive model initially drove engagement, it introduced too many moving parts, making the platform complex to maintain and scale. Users enjoyed the guidance but found the experience overwhelming at times. Additionally, we discovered that while the quiz provided tailored recommendations, many customers still wanted the flexibility to explore beyond the suggested products, even if those items were not specifically optimized for them.

Refining the Approach: A More Luxurious, Streamlined Experience

Around 2020, recognizing the need for a more focused and scalable model, the CEO and I carefully reworked the platform to simplify the user journey. We transitioned Beautytap into a more mature, luxurious brand with a refined design aesthetic. This included:

• Removing the Beauty Quiz & Expert Consultants: Simplifying the experience by focusing on product reviews rather than guided consultations.
• Elevating the Visual Identity: Moving towards a sleek, sophisticated look with a more premium feel.
• Emphasizing Product Reviews & Sampling Program: Shifting from personalized matchmaking to a community-driven approach where customers could explore real user feedback before making a purchase.

The New Sampling Program

A pivotal addition to the revamped platform was the sampling program, which allowed users to:

• Build Their Own Sample Pack: Customers could select products they wanted to try before committing to full-size purchases.
• Receive Curated Reviewer Packs: Users could opt for sample packs curated by trusted beauty reviewers, enhancing the credibility of product recommendations.

The CEO and I worked closely to ensure the sample program was intuitive and easy to use. This shift positioned Beautytap as a platform where users could explore and test beauty products based on real consumer insights rather than direct recommendations from consultants.

Results & Impact

The transition to a more refined and review-driven model resulted in:

• Increased User Trust: The emphasis on real reviews and samples resonated well with customers seeking authenticity in beauty recommendations.
• More Streamlined User Experience: The simplified interface made it easier for users to browse and make informed decisions without the complexity of quizzes or expert matchmaking.

Conclusion

Despite these refinements, Beautytap did not find long-term success in the e-commerce space. Around 2022, the company shifted its focus away from direct-to-consumer sales and into a new model. Beautytap now partners with leading and emerging global beauty brands for product review seeding, UGC videos, and consumer perception surveys, marking a significant transition from retail to a content-driven and influencer-based marketing approach.

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