Redefining the fragrance and beauty industry.
Introduction: Breathing life into a sensory experience
In an industry teaming with aesthetics and sophistication, creating a fragrance and beauty brand requires not just an innovative concept but a seamless blend of storytelling, visual appeal, and user-centric design. This case study details my process of conceptualizing, branding, and building an e-commerce platform for a fragrance and beauty line catering to modern individuals who seek to express their emotions and milestones through scents.
Defining the Vision
Brand Purpose: To create a fragrance line that transforms moments into memories, using evocative names and unique scent profiles to represent various life stages and emotions.
The brand is about more than just scents; it’s about storytelling. Each fragrance, whether it’s a perfume, diffuser, or candle, represents a milestone, a mood, or a memory. For example, names like “Damn! It’s Monday Again” channel the chaos of starting a new week, while “New Beginnings” embodies the hope and excitement of fresh starts. This purpose positions the brand as a lifestyle choice rather than just a product line, connecting with customers on a deeply personal and emotional level.
By utilizing evocative storytelling and distinct scent designs, the brand aims to resonate across generations and lifestyles. From someone celebrating a promotion to another savoring a quiet moment at home, this fragrance line becomes a part of their narrative. It’s not just about wearing or using a product; it’s about creating and reliving experiences.
My role
In this case study, my role is to guide the creation of a distinctive fragrance and beauty brand from concept to completion. I am responsible for defining the brand’s identity, ensuring it connects emotionally with its target audience while standing out in a competitive market. This involves crafting imaginative product names that resonate with life’s moments, designing visually appealing packaging, and creating a cohesive visual identity that reflects the brand’s essence.
Additionally, I oversee the design and development of the e-commerce website, focusing on providing a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience. My goal is to align every element of the brand—products, visuals, and digital presence—with its core purpose of transforming everyday moments into memorable experiences. Through thoughtful design and storytelling, I aim to deliver a brand that captivates and inspires customers across generations.
My tools
Figma, Slack, Figjam, Google docs
Project timeline
From concept to execution in four months
This case study reflects a four-month design and development journey, with distinct milestones along
the way:
Target audience
This fragrance brand transcends generational boundaries, designed for anyone seeking to connect memories, milestones, and moods with the perfect scent. Here’s how this products cater to diverse audiences:
- Millennials: Busy professionals looking for subtle sophistication in their daily routine or a fragrance to celebrate life’s milestones like promotions, travel, or personal growth.
- Gen Z: The trendsetters who love individuality and creativity. From perfumes like “Damn! It’s Monday Again” to candles like “Rainy Day Reads”, our unique names and sustainable packaging resonate deeply with their values.
- Baby boomers & Gen X: Thoughtfully curated, nostalgic scents, perfect for creating meaningful moments at home or gifting loved ones during life’s cherished events.
Our products are for:
- Aspirational fragrance lovers: Those seeking premium-quality scents without compromise.
- Eco-conscious shoppers: People looking for sustainable and refillable products.
- Gift seekers: Individuals wanting to gift unique, story-driven scents that evoke personal connections.
Measuring success
Creating a legacy where scents become stories.
- The success of this fragrance and beauty brand will be measured by how well it connects with its audience and achieves its business goals. Metrics will include brand visibility through social media engagement, website traffic, and mentions, all of which show how much the brand resonates with customers. Sales figures, including growth, repeat purchases, and customer retention, will be critical indicators of product appeal and market demand.
- On the user experience side, website performance will be tracked using conversion rates, average session duration, and feedback on the ease of purchase. Customer reviews and survey results will help ensure the brand delivers memorable, high-quality products. This comprehensive approach ensures that the brand not only meets but exceeds expectations, creating an enduring connection with its audience.
The challenge
Crafting a scented experience that resonates
across generations.
Creating a fragrance and beauty line isn’t just about the products; it’s about capturing emotions, memories, and aspirations in every bottle, candle, or diffuser. The challenge was twofold: first, to design unique and evocative branding for the fragrances—something that stands out in a saturated market. Second, to develop an engaging digital presence, an e-commerce platform that would connect emotionally with customers while providing a seamless shopping experience.
The real hurdle? Bridging diverse generational preferences. Each product needed to speak to Gen Z’s bold, playful expressions, Millennials’ nostalgia-driven stories, Gen X’s appreciation for sophistication, and Boomers’ timeless elegance. Balancing these needs while ensuring the brand maintained a cohesive voice and aesthetic was a challenge that demanded deep insights and creative innovation.
Core question
How might we create a fragrance line and digital experience that not only captivates
diverse audiences emotionally but also reflects their unique life moments, ensuring both
personal connection and market differentiation?
The big idea - E- Essence
Scents that speak, moments that last,
platform that inspires.
The solution is a fragrance line that merges the power of evocative scents with the relatability of
real-life moments, creating a personal, unforgettable experience for every user. Each product
embodies a story, an emotion, or a milestone—turning ordinary days into extraordinary memories.
By merging storytelling, product uniqueness, and technology, the website will become more than
just an e-commerce platform—it will transform into an experiential hub.
Interactive product discovery tools
- Develop features like "Scent Finder Quizzes" or mood-based recommendations to help users discover fragrances that align with their personality, lifestyle, or specific moments they wish to capture.
- Incorporate an interactive scent wheel to educate users about notes and blends.
Immersive storytelling with visual and sensory appeal
- Design each product page to tell the story behind the fragrance or product name, using a combination of compelling copy, evocative imagery, and video content.
- Highlight the emotions and moments that inspired the product (e.g., ’’Damn! It’s Monday Again’’ could feature themes of fresh starts and resilience).
Community building features
- Create a blog or community section featuring tips on selecting fragrances, home care routines with candles, and exclusive interviews with the creators behind the scents.
- Introduce loyalty programs where users can earn rewards for reviews, referrals, or engaging with the brand on social media
These solutions are designed to address the challenges of creating a distinctive online
presence while ensuring the brand stands out in a highly competitive market. By blending
technology with emotional storytelling, the platform will elevate the way users connect
with fragrances, creating an unforgettable shopping experience.
The Process: From inspiration to
Reality
Digging deeper: Understanding what’s needed
A visually beautiful website that tells the story of the brand and its products in a way that feels engaging.
To create a standout shopping experience for this fragrance and beauty brand, the first step was to fully understand what customers and the brand needed. Fragrances and beauty products aren’t just things people buy—they’re deeply personal. They evoke emotions, represent milestones, and reflect individuality.
Breaking It down
1. What’s missing in the market?
- Most e-commerce sites in this space feel the same. They lack tools to help customers pick scents that suit them and often fail to build a story around their products.
- Customers crave more than a shopping page—they want an experience that feels personalized and exciting.
2. What do customers want?
- Easy navigation to find products quickly.
- Tools that guide them in selecting scents, like quizzes or personalized suggestions.
- A visually beautiful website that tells the story of the brand and its products in a way that feels engaging.
3. How can the brand shine?
- Bring its personality—fun, fresh, and meaningful—into every part of the site.
- Build trust by making the online shopping experience easy, enjoyable, and memorable.
Brand identity development
Choosing the brand color palette
The brand’s identity hinges on sophistication, modernity, and vibrancy. I selected deep emerald green as the core brand color to evoke a sense of elegance, depth, and connection to nature.
Complementing tones include:
- Muted Gold (#D4AF37): Luxurious yet understated.
- Soft Ivory (#F5F5DC): Clean and timeless.
- Dusty Rose (#E1C4C8): A subtle nod to romance and warmth.
Product Conceptualization
Perfumes: The heart of the brand
Each fragrance carries a name tied to relatable moments, making them personal yet aspirational.
- TGIF: A bold and lively scent for celebratory Fridays.
- Damn! It’s Monday Again: A fresh, invigorating scent to jumpstart your week.
- Almost Weekend: It’s A playful blend for Thursday optimism.
- New Beginnings: A clean, crisp fragrance symbolizing growth and change.
- yes! I did it: A powerful yet approachable scent that celebrates milestones.
- Other Creative Names: Meeting the In-Laws, Date Night Vibes, Midnight Clarity, Sunday Reflections.
Air fresheners and candles
- For cars: Compact designs with names like Commute Bliss and No Traffic Mood.
- For home diffusers: Subtle yet long-lasting scents labeled as Calm Evenings or House Goals.
- Scented candles: Romantic and cozy, named Rainy Day Reads, Movie Night Glow, or Morning Rituals.
Packaging design
- Perfume bottles: Sleek, minimalistic glass bottles with frosted finishes and gold accents. Each bottle features an etched name on the side for a tactile experience.
- Candles: Matte ceramic jars with embossed logos and a soft fabric wick pull tab.
- Air fresheners: Compact, travel-friendly cases with magnetic closures, designed to fit seamlessly in cars or small spaces.
- Diffusers: Cylindrical glass containers paired with black reed sticks for a modern, minimalist look.
Logo creation
The logo features the brand name ’Ethereal Essence’ in an elegant custom serif font, emphasizing simplicity and sophistication, with no additional iconography to maintain a minimalistic appeal.
Typography
- Header Font: A modern serif typeface, conveying luxury.
- Body Font: A clean sans-serif for readability.
Tone of Voice
- Evocative, relatable, and slightly playful while maintaining elegance.
Checking Out the Competition
Learning from the market: How similar brands cater to their audiences.
To understand how to stand out, I analyzed competitors in the fragrance and beauty industry, focusing on
their branding, user experience, and e-commerce design. The analysis revealed strengths, weaknesses, and
opportunities to offer something unique.
1. Jo Malone London
Known for its clean aesthetic and focus on personalization, Jo Malone excels at creating a luxurious, minimalist shopping experience. Its unique scent layering options provide users with creative control over their purchases. However, their products often feel unattainable due to high pricing, leaving room for more inclusive luxury.
2. Bath & Body Works
Their vibrant branding and frequent promotions make them a favorite among younger audiences. The product range is vast, but this can overwhelm users who lack clear guidance in finding their perfect scent.
3. Maison Margiela Replica
This brand uses evocative storytelling in its fragrance names and descriptions to create emotional connections with users. However, their website lacks interactive features that could enhance user engagement.
4. Le Labo
Renowned for its industrial-chic branding, Le Labo integrates user-centric customizations like label personalization. Yet, the user journey could benefit from a more streamlined interface.
Insights for our brand
Personalization, emotional storytelling, and clear product segmentation stand out as effective strategies.
Many competitors fail to offer simple and engaging tools to guide users through choosing a scent.
Our website can fill this gap by focusing on user-friendly navigation and intuitive
recommendations
We can differentiate ourselves by merging emotional storytelling with an intuitive shopping experience, emphasizing inclusivity and ease of use across all product lines.
Validating insights through user interviews
Hearing from real users: Bridging assumptions with reality.
To ensure our approach aligned with user needs, I conducted in-depth interviews with potential customers. The goal was to understand their preferences, frustrations, and expectations when shopping for fragrance products online. These sessions revealed key insights that shaped the design process.
Some interview questions
What do you find most frustrating about buying fragrances online?
When choosing a fragrance, how important is the story or meaning behind it?
What specific features or tools would make your fragrance shopping easier online?
Would you like recommendations tailored to your preferences? How would you imagine this working?
What makes you return to a website or brand for more purchases?
Why this matters
These interviews validated earlier insights about the challenges and gaps in
competitor offerings, particularly around personalization and accessibility. They
underscored the need for an intuitive, guided shopping journey that connects users
with fragrances that resonate on a personal level.
Mapping pain points and goals
Uncovering what users struggle with and want.
To create a better shopping experience, we looked at what users find hard and what they hope for when shopping for fragrances. Here’s what I found:
Pain points
- Can’t smell online: Users don’t know if a fragrance is right for them since they can’t smell it through the screen
- No personal touch: Current sites don’t recommend products based on what users like or need.
- Boring names: Users feel less connected to products with names that lack meaning or personality.
- Worry about returns: Concerns over returning products make users hesitate to try something newUsers feel less connected to products with names that lack meaning or personality.
Goals
- Help users imagine scents: Add videos, stories, and reviews to describe fragrances vividly.
- Make choosing easier: Use quizzes and filters to guide users to the perfect match
- Tailor the experience: Recommend products based on past buys or preferences.
- Add personality: Use fun and relatable names that spark emotional connections.
- Build trust: Clearly explain return policies and offer small trial sizes to encourage new purchases.
This simple view of problems and goals helps
us focus on making the website easy to use
and enjoyable for everyone.
Defining user personas
Who are we designing for?
To ensure our solutions address real needs, we created two personas representing our target users:
User story
Walking in the user’s shoes
To frame my design decisions, I crafted a user story that captures the journey of a typical shopper navigating the fragrance platform
I want to explore unique and high-quality fragrances that resonate with my
personality and lifestyle, So that I can make confident, meaningful purchases
without the hassle of trial-and-error shopping.
Brainstorming solutions
Exploring ideas to solve user challenges
In this stage, we thought of different ways to make the website more enjoyable and useful for Sarah and other users like her.
Developing a Strategy
Planning the path to a seamless user experience
1. Personalized onboarding experience
- Implement an intuitive onboarding process for new users like Sarah.
- Include a short quiz to recommend fragrances that match their preferences, setting a positive tone from the start.
2. Feature prioritization
- Focus on high-value features such as the AI fragrance matching tool and the wishlist option
- These features address Sarah’s needs for tailored recommendations and ease of sharing.
3. Seamless navigation
- Ensure the navigation is straightforward and accessible for all users, avoiding unnecessary complexity
- Organize categories clearly and include a visible search bar for efficiency.
4. Efficient checkout process
- Optimize the checkout flow to minimize friction. Add options for quick checkout to make purchasing faster and easier for repeat users.
5. Continuous feedback loop
- Create opportunities for user feedback after key interactions.
- Use this feedback to refine the experience and ensure it meets user expectations.
Design goals
Clear objectives for packaging
and website design
For brand and packaging design
Make it stand out
Use bold colors and creative designs so the products grab attention instantly
Match the mood
Design each product to reflect its name and purpose, creating an emotional connection with the customer.
Eco-friendly materials
Use packaging that looks great but is also safe for the environment, meeting modern expectations.
For website design
Great first impression
The homepage should look stylish and show what the brand is all about in just a glance.
Easy to use
Make it simple to browse products, search, and find information quickly.
Helpful features
Add tools like fragrance recommendations, quick purchases, and personalized shopping options to make buying fun and easy.
System architecture
Organizing content for seamless navigation and usability
To create an intuitive and user-friendly experience for the fragrance brand’s website, the information architecture prioritizes clarity, simplicity, and ease of navigation. Here’s how the system is structured:
Homepage
- Hero Section: Highlights the brand’s story, featured collections, and promotional banners.
- Quick Access Links: Buttons leading to the most popular categories, such as perfumes, candles, and air fresheners.
Footer section
- Newsletter Subscription
- Social Media Links
- Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions
Category pages
- Filters: Allow sorting by price, fragrance type, and mood (e.g., “Weekend Vibes” or “Fresh Start”).
- Product Previews: Display product images, names, and quick actions like “Add to Cart” or “View Details.
Product page
- High-quality images of the product and packaging.
- Detailed descriptions of fragrance notes and inspirations.
- Recommendations for complementary products.
- Customer reviews and ratings.
Checkout flow
- Step 1: Review Cart Items (with ability to edit).
- Step 2: Enter Shipping Details (auto-fill for registered users).
- Step 3: Choose Payment Method and Confirm Order.
Main navigation menu
1. Shop:
- Perfumes
- Scented Candles
- Diffusers
- Car Fresheners
2. Discover:
- Fragrance Quiz
- Featured Collections
- Seasonal Favorites
3. About us
- Brand Story
- Sustainability Efforts
- Awards & Collaborations
4. Customer care
- FAQs
- Shipping & Returns
- Contact Support
5. My account
- Sign In/Sign Up
- Order History
- Wishlist
Interactive features
- Fragrance Quiz: Suggests products based on user preferences.
- Virtual Try-On: A feature allowing users to visualize product usage.
- Reviews Section: Filter reviews by rating or keywords to make insights easily accessible.
Low-fidelity wireframe
Visualizing the blueprint for a seamless shopping experience.
To set the foundation for the website design, a low-fidelity wireframe was created. It focuses on functionality, user flow, and layout without the distraction of visual details like color or typography.
Brainstorming /sketching
High-fidelity wireframe - landing page design
Challenges in the design process
Overcoming hurdles for a flawless experience
Designing an impactful fragrance and beauty e-commerce website and branding system presents some unique challenges that require a strategic approach to resolve effectively.
The first hurdle is communicating fragrance digitally. Since users cannot smell perfumes or scents online, the challenge lies in finding creative ways to represent the sensory appeal of the products. This includes using evocative imagery, rich descriptions, and possibly customer reviews to paint a picture of the fragrance experience.
Another challenge is striking a balance between creativity and usability. The website needs to reflect the uniqueness and personality of the brand while ensuring the interface is intuitive and straightforward for all users.
For the packaging design, standing out in a crowded market poses a significant challenge. The fragrance and beauty industry is highly competitive, so the packaging must be innovative and memorable without alienating the target audience.
Lastly, there’s ensuring seamless functionality across devices. With users accessing the website through various devices, maintaining a consistent and high-quality experience for both desktop and mobile visitors is crucial.
User experience (UX)
Crafting an experience that delights and guides users.
The User Experience (UX) design for this project focuses on creating a seamless, engaging, and intuitive journey for users exploring and purchasing fragrances online. Here’s how the UX is being tailored for this project:
The homepage serves as a gateway, immediately immersing users in the brand’s story with captivating visuals and clear navigation. The goal is to evoke curiosity while providing quick access to product categories.
The product pages prioritize user needs by offering rich descriptions, visual aids (e.g., images and videos), and sensory storytelling. Features like customer reviews and “scent families” allow users to make confident purchasing decisions even without smelling the products in person.
The checkout process is streamlined for efficiency. The focus is on reducing friction by minimizing steps, offering multiple payment options, and ensuring clear communication about shipping and return policies.
For mobile users, the responsive design ensures that the interface remains clean and functional, with touch-friendly navigation and fast loading times.
By integrating user feedback at every stage and testing each feature thoroughly, the UX design aims to meet the diverse needs of the target audience while staying true to the brand’s unique voice and mission
Project takeaways
Reflections on building a fragrance brand from the ground up.
Creating this project has been a journey of discovery, creativity, and meticulous planning. From defining the brand’s
identity with evocative fragrances to crafting a seamless e-commerce experience, every step has been about
connecting with users on a deeper level.
Key takeaways include:
- Empathy is key: Understanding the users’ struggles and desires made it possible to design solutions that truly meet their needs, both in terms of brand and functionality.
- Collaboration matters: Working across branding, product design, and website development highlighted the importance of cross-disciplinary thinking to create a cohesive experience.
- Iterative design leads to excellence: Working Feedback loops and continuous testing refined both the product packaging and the website, ensuring they were user-centered and impactful.
This project reaffirmed that a well-executed design isn’t
just about aesthetics—it’s about creating something
memorable that adds value to users’ lives.