Reinventing bodycare: Whereafter
Project Overview
Client: Whereafter
Industry: Bodycare
Duration: 3 months
Role: UX, UI Designer
Team members: Vincent Huang (CEO/PM), Olivia Suki Wu (Visual Director)
Tools: Figma, Shopify
Background
Whereafter is a modern bodycare brand created for people in their mid-20s to 40s who prioritize intentionality with the products they use. With thoughtfully crafted ingredients, the brand aims to enhance skin hydration while bringing a sense of luxury to everyday self-care, accessible by everyone.
The client wanted to create a digital experience that could reflect this calm and intimate luxury to their customers — a modern, intuitive, and trustworthy website that communicates their brand’s identity through refined textures, immersive storytelling, and a sensory-driven design approach.
User Goals
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Learn about Whereafter and develop trust with the brand’s values and quality​
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Easily browse products and learn about their ingredients, standouts and usage instructions
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Be able to smoothly purchase a product from the website
Business Goals
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Establish a trustworthy and memorable online presence
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Drive purchases
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Grow a community by building a subscriber base and fostering customer loyalty
Research
To discover:
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How users currently discover and evaluate bodycare products online
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What builds trust and credibility in a new bodycare brand
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What factors influence purchase decisions for skincare and bodycare products
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How users perceive website aesthetics, product information, and storytelling elements
Research Methods
Approach
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Mixed-methods research combining qualitative user interviews and quantitative surveys
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Competitive analysis of comparable brands
User interviews and surveys
Participants
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Age: 24–45
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Gender: All
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Location: United States
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Target users: Individuals who regularly purchase mid to high-end products ($30+) containing non-synthetic ingredients
Data Collection
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User Interviews
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Format: Semi-structured, in-person interviews
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Duration: 30–45 minutes each
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Sample size: 15 participants
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Survey
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Distribution: Google Forms shared via social media
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Sample size: 53 participants
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Competitive Analysis
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Brands analyzed: Aesop, Cyklar, Native​
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Total sample size
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68 participants
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38 female
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30 male
Questions asked to all participants
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How do you usually discover new bodycare products?
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What makes you decide to try a new brand or product?
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Where do you usually buy your products (online or in store)? Why?
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What are some of your favorite brands and what do you like about them?
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What is the first thing you look for when shopping for bodycare products?
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What makes you trust or distrust a brand?
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How do you decide if a product is worth the price?
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How do you prefer to compare products online?
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What frustrates you about bodycare or skincare websites?
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When shopping online, what kind of information do you need before you successfully purchase a product?
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What kind of website layout or aesthetic feels trustworthy to you?
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Do you like seeing more lifestyle imagery (people using the products) or product-only photos?
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What makes you hesitate before checking out online? What reassures you at checkout (e.g., free shipping, return policy, secure payment badges)?
We analyzed our key findings from the research and brainstormed ways to transform those pain points into design opportunities that will enhance Whereafter’s digital experience.
Competitive Analysis
We performed a competitive analysis between three brands whose branding and values most align with those of Whereafter - Cyklar, Aesop and Necessaire. This helped identify strengths, gaps and design opportunities that we can bring to Whereafter’s digital experience.
Wireframes
Homepage
About Us
Product Page
Contact Us
High Fidelity (V1)
Homepage
Discover Whereafter
Product Page
Contact Us
Reviews Page
High Fidelity (V2)
Homepage
Product Page
Discover Whereafter
High Fidelity (V3) / Final
Homepage
Product Page
Discover Whereafter
Contact Us
Reviews Page
Next Steps
As Whereafter expands its scent and product lineup, it’s essential the website also scales seamlessly to support the growing brand. Check out our website at whereafterco.com to follow any future design enhancements!