ODDITY

Il Makiage

Redesigning Il Makiage’s Hero Product Pages to Improve Purchase Decisions.

Redesigning Il Makiage’s Hero Product Pages to Improve Purchase Decisions.

Redesigning Il Makiage’s highest-revenue product pages through user research, competitive analysis, and A/B testing - resulting in a 48% increase in foundation sales and establishing a scalable design direction for additional hero products.

Role

End-to-end UX/UI
Research
Visual & Branding

Project Type

E-Commerce

Team

1 Product Manager
2 Developers

Tools

Figma
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe PS

Jump to Solution

The Problem

High Traffic Didn't Translate into Conversions.

High Traffic Didn't Translate into Conversions.

The existing Product Detail Pages (PDPs) were outdated and underperforming.
They lacked essential product details, provided a fragmented shopping experience, and ultimately failed to convert visitors into buyers.

With most users being organic or returning customers with high purchase intent, every friction point in the PDP meant lost revenue.

Woke Up Like This Foundation old PDP

The Challenge

Turning Intent into Action.

Turning Intent into Action.

As the lead designer on the PDP redesign, my challenge was to optimize the experience to drive higher Conversion Rate (CR), Average Order Value (AOV), and Revenue Per User (RPU).

Beyond the UX/UI overhaul, this project introduced a new approach to user research.
We had never conducted structured user testing before, so I had to quickly learn how to gather insights, analyze behaviors, and translate them into actionable design decisions.

Research Approach

Understanding What Drives Purchase Decisions.

Understanding What Drives Purchase Decisions.

Rather than relying solely on analytics, I needed to understand what happened between product interest and purchase hesitation.


To uncover the real friction points, I combined quantitative and qualitative research - using surveys, interviews, and competitive analysis to learn how users evaluate products, what builds their confidence, and where the PDP experience failed to support their decision.

User Survey

Building the Right Audience for Deeper Research.

Building the Right Audience for Deeper Research.

To reach a relevant, high-quality audience for the interview phase, I led a short user survey as part of the research process.


The survey included 8 simple questions about the shopping experience on the site and was intentionally distributed to gather initial signals from real customers.


A total of 118 users responded, most of them aged 26–35, helping us identify early patterns and select the right participants for deeper interviews.

The survey we sent to our customers

User Interviews

Users Lacked Confidence When Purchasing Beauty Products Online.

Users Lacked Confidence When Purchasing Beauty Products Online.

The survey revealed broad patterns around foundation purchases, reviews, and shade uncertainty. To understand the reasons behind these patterns, I followed up with in-depth interviews with selected participants.


During the sessions, I observed users navigating the Il Makiage website in real time, paying close attention not only to what they said, but also to how they reacted, hesitated, and made decisions.

We interviewed 10 active female users, aged 27–41, all based in the United States. Each had previously completed the survey and was either a current or potential customer.

In-depth interviews with users

The interviews added behavioral context to the survey responses.
By watching users navigate the site in real time, we saw how uncertainty appeared during the purchase journey - especially around trust, shade selection, and product understanding.

Users paused around reviews and real-user photos.

Users hesitated when comparing shades.

Users looked for clearer explanations around application, coverage, and expected results.

User Research Insights

Confidence Became the Core User Need.

Confidence Became the Core User Need.

Combining the survey results with the interview observations, it became clear that users were not only looking for more product information - they needed more confidence before making a purchase.

01

Users Seek Visual Validation

Reviews with real-user photos help build trust - especially for shade-based products.

Reviews with real-user photos help build trust - especially for shade-based products.

02

Shade Selection Lacks Clarity

Even with tools like quizzes, users feel uncertain due to limited visuals and context.

Even with tools like quizzes, users feel uncertain due to limited visuals and context.

03

Complex Products Need Better Guidance

Complex Products Need Better Guidance

Users expect simple, visual usage instructions - especially for products like foundation.

Users expect simple, visual usage instructions - especially for products like foundation.

Competitive Analysis

Exploring How Leading Brands Reduce Purchase Uncertainty.

Exploring How Leading Brands Reduce Purchase Uncertainty.

After identifying confidence as the biggest barrier in the user research, I analyzed leading beauty and e-commerce brands to understand how successful product pages help users make purchase decisions.


I reviewed over 15 products across multiple websites, focusing on features that reduce uncertainty, improve product understanding, and build trust throughout the purchase journey.


From this analysis, I selected three standout products that introduced different approaches to helping users feel more confident before buying, directly influencing my design decisions.

Fenty Beauty

Fenty Beauty

Fenty Beauty is a beauty industry brand with inclusive range of products for all skin tones.

  • Advanced review filtering - Users can filter reviews by skin tone and concerns.

  • Shade finder tool - Fenty highlights the option to choose the right shade.

  • Product comparison feature - Makes it easier to compare similar items.

  • Overloaded UI - High contrast and bold design may create visual clutter.

  • Inconsistent navigation flow - Some product pages require too many steps to reach key information.

  • Complex product pages - Too many features may lead to decision fatigue.

Rhode Skin

Rhode Skin

Rhode is a skincare brand focused on clean, simple, and hydrating products.

  • How-to-use" video - Enhances product understanding and user confidence.

  • Routine bundles - Encourages higher order value through smart bundling.

  • Clear Product Benefits - Highlights key advantages upfront.

  • Lack of urgency - Minimalist approach reduces conversion-driving elements.

  • Limited interactivity - No quizzes or strong personalization features.

  • Basic review filtering - Less advanced compared to Fenty.

Apple

Apple

Apple is a global tech leader creating a seamless ecosystem for users.

  • Structured product comparison - Side-by-side comparisons make decision-making easier.

  • Clear CTAs - Well-placed buttons guide users effectively through the buying process.

  • Seamless navigation - Intuitive flow ensures users find what they need quickly.

  • Overly structured layout - Can feel rigid and less adaptable for exploratory shopping.

  • Lack of storytelling - Minimal emotional engagement compared to lifestyle-driven brands.

  • High information density - Some pages present too much data at once, potentially overwhelming users.

Competitive Insights

Successful Product Pages Turn Information into Decision Support.

Successful Product Pages Turn Information into Decision Support.

Successful Product Pages Turn Information into Decision Support.

Successful product pages did more than present product details - they translated information into tools that helped users compare, evaluate, and move forward with greater clarity. These patterns directly informed the final design.

01

Simplified Decision-Making

Clear comparisons, smart filtering, and structured product info help users choose with confidence.

02

Build Trust Through Personalization

Tools like quizzes, shade finders, and user-generated content boost trust and engagement

03

Guide Users Toward Purchase

Intuitive navigation, clear CTAs, and a balanced layout reduce friction and drive sales.

Design Strategy

Transforming the Product Page into a
Decision Making Tool.

Transforming the Product Page into a
Decision Making Tool.

After synthesizing the user research and competitive analysis, I translated the key insights into a design strategy focused on helping users make more confident purchase decisions.


Together, these strategic directions shifted the product page beyond presenting product information - toward guiding users through evaluation, comparison, and decision-making.

Prioritize Shade-Based Products

Prioritize Shade-Based Products

Start by redesigning shade products, which are the most purchased and often the most confusing for users, especially the Foundation.

Enhance Visual Validation

Enhance Visual Validation

Incorporate real-user reviews with images, shade previews on diverse skin tones, and rich visual content to support trust and clarity.

Simplify Complex Product Understanding

Simplify Complex Product Understanding

Integrate simple, visual usage instructions, especially for technical products like foundation - to support proper application.

Support Confident Decision-Making

Support Confident Decision-Making

Provide structured product information, clear comparisons, and smart filtering - helping users evaluate options quickly and accurately.

Include Features For Both Audiences

Include Features For Both Audiences

Highlight the shade quiz link for new users, and enhance tools like the shade picker, bundles, and subscriptions for returning ones.

Design Exploration

From Strategy to Product Concepts .

From Strategy to Product Concepts .

Since foundation products represented the highest-impact opportunity, I used the Woke Up Like This Foundation as the starting point for the redesign.


Based on the design strategy, I created two low-fidelity concepts to explore different approaches to product hierarchy, information structure, and purchase flow.


Both concepts were evaluated through A/B testing to understand which direction better supported confident purchase decisions.

Version A / Regular - Focused on presenting the individual product from top to bottom.

Version B / Purity - Prioritized product bundles to encourage product discovery and increase average order value.

A / Regular

B / Purity

✦ The Chosen Version ✦ The Chosen Version

A / Regular

B / Purity

✦ The Chosen Version ✦ The Chosen Version

Selected Direction

Following a month-long A/B test, Version A outperformed the alternative and became the foundation for the final design.


User behavior showed that keeping the focus on the main product supported a clearer decision-making journey before introducing complementary recommendations.

Design Solution

Turning Product Pages into Confident Purchase Experience.

Turning Product Pages into Confident Purchase Experience.

The final design focused on reducing uncertainty at every stage of the purchase journey, helping users choose, understand, and validate products with confidence.

Building Confidence From the First Screen

Research showed that users needed more confidence when choosing a shade.

The redesigned header supports both new and returning users with personalized shade recommendations, quick selection tools, and direct access to the shade quiz.

Supporting Better Product Understanding

Users needed more context before purchasing.

The page expands on product benefits, ingredients, finish comparisons, usage guidance, and complementary bundles, while reintroducing the shade quiz for users who need additional reassurance.

Building Trust Through Authentic Content

Users relied on real customer experiences before purchasing.

The redesign highlights authentic reviews, customer photos, product benefits, and visual guidance to strengthen trust and reduce uncertainty.

Helping Users Find Relevant Reviews

Instead of browsing hundreds of reviews, users can filter feedback by shade, skin tone, undertone, and rating to quickly find experiences that match their own.

Impact

What Changed After Launch?

What Changed After Launch?

Following the rollout, the redesigned product page delivered measurable improvements in both user behavior and business performance. The results validated the research-driven approach and demonstrated the impact of supporting more confident purchase decisions.

More users progressed from the product
page to checkout.

48% increase in sales for this foundation.

Uplift in Conversion Rate
performance.

Beyond the initial launch, the redesign established a design direction for shade-based best sellers. Following the success of the foundation page, selected principles and components were adapted to the concealer product page, allowing the learnings from this project to scale beyond a single product.