It was never just about curls
My own struggles with curly hair made me wonder if I was alone. Interviews with 5 women aged 18–31 showed I wasn’t, and that the problem was as much about confidence and self-image as it was about technique.
“I want to know not just what my curl pattern is, but why it matters.”
From information overload to a clear answer
The quiz was the core of the app, and my first version buried users in technical jargon, a confusing “confidence level” metric, and results with no next step.
“I don’t need a quiz to know how confident I am.”
I cut the confidence metric and rebuilt the results around one direct answer, “You have a 3a curl pattern,” with expandable sections that explain each term in beginner-friendly language.
Designing for a bad hair day
The journey map showed how much emotions rise and fall during hair care. That led to a daily tracker that pairs quick check-ins with playful animation and encouraging feedback.
On a rough hair day, users see:
“Fingers crossed for better hair days. Your responses have been saved to help track any patterns with your hair over time.”
Connecting learning to a daily routine
Three features tie the quiz and tracker together:
From screen to gallery
I built a brand that felt professional and approachable, with psychology-backed color choices and a UI component library to keep 35+ screens consistent. It extended into marketing pieces, stickers, and 3D-printed elements for a gallery installation.
“I feel like you encompassed it all ... people don’t know that curly hair is a process.”
