The Ideal Sunscreen Experience

Sunscreen Experience My Ideal

Objectives

This project seeks to understand and improve the ideal sunscreen experience, investigated through human-centered research. The following research insights reveal the unconscious desires of consumers regarding sunscreen and can inform the future of sun protection. The ideal experience will be expressed through the voice of the user, communicating their thoughts and feelings.

My Ideal Experience of

Sunscreen

The framework demonstrates that feelings of confidence and safety are at the core of my ideal experience of sunscreen. These feelings are achieved when I am protected and informed, and my experience is convenient and fun. These drivers are satisfied when sunscreen is nourishing, effective, long-lasting, transparent, educational, credible, integrated, customizable, accessible, enjoyable, attractive, and enticing. The following pages will explain each of these aspects in detail.

I Feel Confident and Safe

Confidence and safety in the context of my ideal experience of sunscreen mean that I feel good about myself and comfortable in my skin. I want to feel assured that my sunscreen is effectively protecting me and secure in my sunscreen knowledge, product selection, and sunscreen routine.

I need to be protected by sunscreen because its primary purpose is to prevent skin damage from the sun's rays. Further, it should protect me from other potential threats, enhance my skin, promote anti-aging, and require no reapplication.

A confident and safe sunscreen experience keeps me

A protected ideal sunscreen experience is:

effective

Sunscreen should be successful at comprehensively protecting my skin, preventing sunburn and skin damage. I want natural formulas to guarantee skin comfort and overall health.

PROTECTIVE BARRIER

Sunscreen should be a barrier that protects me from UV radiation, including UVA, UVB, IRA, and HEV rays from blue light as well as toxins from air pollution. It should also safeguard against heat, which exacerbates most skin conditions.

ERGONOMIC PACKAGING

Sunscreen should be easy to apply with ergonomic packaging because I want to feel confident that I have not missed any spots on my body. I want to know that it is reaching my skin and working to protect me.

PREVENT SUNBURN

Sunscreen should prevent sunburn so that I never need to face the pain and discomfort that it brings. It also must defend against sun spots, freckles, moles, inflammation, and skin cancer.

NATURAL FORMULAS

Sunscreen should be made with functional ingredients and natural formulas that avoid unnecessary chemicals and additives that might negatively affect me and my hormones because I value my overall health.

SKIN COMFORT

Sunscreen should not irritate my skin, cause uncomfortable rashes, or lead to clogged pores and breakouts. After applying, I should feel that I have not applied anything to my skin I want to feel nothing.

It is

...

nourishing

ENERGIZED UNDER THE SUN

Sunscreen should enable me to spend time outdoors and soak in the nourishing benefits of sun exposure. Instead of being afraid, I will feel energized and glowing like the sun.

SMOOTH LIKE LOTION

Sunscreen should have a liquified consistency similar to a moisturizer. I will enjoy how it glides smoothly on my face and absorbs with little residue so that I feel clean.

PRESERVE MY SKIN

Sunscreen should preserve my skin so that I continue looking youthful. Anti-aging is crucial for me, and I want to feel young, bold, and physically attractive when applying sunscreen.

SKIN ENHANCEMENT

Sunscreen should be moisturizing and hydrating, allowing me to feel that my skin is enhanced. It needs to benefit and repair my skin, like other products do, because I enjoy skincare as a form of self-care.

long-lasting It is ...

Sunscreen should protect me all day long without reapplying. Whether incorporating it into my morning routine or applying it before outdoor or water activities, it should remain consistently effective.

MORNING SKINCARE

NO REAPPLYING

Sunscreen should not require reapplying, so I need not think about it throughout the day, carry it with me, and remember to reapply on time for effective protection. It should take up as little brain space as possible.

OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE

Sunscreen should be durable enough to protect me during outdoor activities. It must be water-resistant and applicable on wet skin because I strongly associate sunscreen with the beach, the pool, and watersports.

VALUE FOR MONEY

Sunscreen should last at least two to three months for me to feel satisfied, knowing that the product had good value for money. The packaging should allow a controlled amount of sunscreen to be withdrawn for application to avoid waste.

A confident and safe sunscreen experience keeps me

I need to be informed because it helps me select and purchase the right sunscreen for me and use it properly. Sunscreen education should be for everyone with clear and concise messages. I will only feel confident and safe if the information comes from credible sources, such as skincare professionals and reputable stores.

An informed ideal sunscreen experience is:

transparent

Sunscreen should be easy to navigate with simple and clear information regarding the importance of sun protection, sunscreen use, ingredients, and environmental impacts.

JUSTIFY INGREDIENTS

Sunscreen should explicitly communicate its ingredients and the reason for their inclusion. I am weary of unfamiliar chemicals and long ingredient lists, and I want to ensure that I choose the right product for my skin.

INFORMED DECISIONS

Sunscreen should be clear in all aspects, providing all necessary facts coherently and concisely, allowing me to make informed decisions. Transparency helps me feel confident from selection through purchasing and sunscreen use.

EDUCATIONAL PACKAGING

Sunscreen should have educational packaging with graphs, comparison charts, and other visuals to communicate important information. I value visual cues that tell me about the product and aid my decision-making.

INFORMATIVE ADS

Sunscreen marketing should prioritize information over ambiguous messages, distracting storylines, and ingenuine celebrity appearances. I want advertisements to explain why using sunscreen is imperative and how it is effective.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Sunscreen should be honest about its potential effects on the environmental. I am mindful of my impact and deserve to know how my products interact with my world.

educational

Sunscreen should teach me, addressing misconceptions I might have about sun protection and advising me on how to protect myself. Sunscreen education should be inclusive and taught from a young age.

ADVISE ME

Sunscreen brands should advise me on which to use for everyday use versus specific activities. Sunscreen formulas should suit certain activities, and I want direct advice on when, where, and how to use them correctly to eliminate user error.

TELL ME

Sunscreen should shed light on SPF, Sun Protection Factor, and tell me which SPF I should use to experience sufficient protection. I want to be directed to a specific SPF based on my skin, location, and lifestyle.

ADDRESS MISCONCEPTIONS

Sunscreen should address common myths and misconceptions regarding sun exposure and sun protection. I am eager to learn the truth about it and how to properly use it.

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Sunscreen education should be inclusive, communicating how sun exposure affects all skin types and tones. I want to know if I should be using sunscreen and which one I should be using.

EDUCATION FROM YOUNG

Sunscreen education should start from a young age to ensure everyone knows its function and importance. An earlier introduction to sunscreen will help me accept it as a part of my life and boost my confidence and sense of safety.

credible It is ...

Sunscreen should be tested, approved, and recommended by skincare professionals. I want to purchase sunscreen from trustworthy brands and reputable stores.

PROFESSIONAL INFLUENCERS

Sunscreen should be advocated for by influencers with professional knowledge of skincare and sunscreen, rather than uneducated influencers who might be sponsored by brands.

TESTED & APPROVED

Sunscreen should be tested, approved, advised, and recommended by dermatologists. I can trust a brand backed by a skincare professional, reassuring me that it is safe and effective for my skin.

AUTHENTIC VALUES

Sunscreen should come from a quieter and more authentic brand that values transparency and sunscreen education. I find quieter brands more credible compared to those with overdone marketing schemes.

TRUSTWORTHY SOURCES

Sunscreen should be sold by trustworthy sources, such as skincare or beauty stores, with trusted associates willing to offer advice and answer questions. I want to avoid scams and always purchase legitimate products when it comes to my skin.

A confident and safe sunscreen experience is...

fun

Sunscreen needs to be a joy to shop for and use. I love simple, attractive packaging that encourages me to look at a product and inspires me to incorporate it into my everyday life.

Sunscreen should align itself with skincare and beauty products that I love using every day. I want to feel enhanced when using sunscreen and apply it for my own enjoyment.

FUN APPLICATION

Sunscreen application and use should be fun because I love skincare and beauty products and enjoy feeling like I am doing something good for my skin.

SKINCARE AS SELF-CARE

Sunscreen should be refreshing, comfortable, and easy to blend into my skin, enhancing my skincare routine while providing protection.

ENJOY THE PROCESS

Sunscreen should be a product I apply for myself rather than for something or someone else. I want to enjoy the process.

FANCY FEELING

Sunscreen should have a subtle scent, sophisticated look, and lightweight feel that makes me feel fancy, accomplished, and successful.

attractive

Sunscreen should have attractive packaging that appeals to me. When using sunscreen, I should feel physically attractive with boosted self-confidence.

PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVE

Sunscreen should make me feel physically attractive, so I feel confident using it in public places. I want to look and feel healthy, silky, and glowing.

AESTHETICALLY PLEASING

enticing It is

Sunscreen should have eye-catching branding and packaging that piques my interest and encourages me to read the relevant information. It should be fun yet grounded.

CATCH MY EYE

Sunscreen should be enticing like other beauty and skincare products, with branding and packaging that catches my eye and prompts me to take a closer look.

COLORFUL PACKAGING

Sunscreen should have simple, intuitive branding and packaging with a subtle color palette, communicating fun but making me feel calm.

A confident and safe sunscreen experience is...

convenient

Sunscreen needs to be easy to find, select, purchase, use, and remember. It should merge well with my life and existing routine. I want it to have inclusive marketing and be offered at an affordable price point.

A convenient ideal sunscreen experience is:

Sunscreen should be combined with skincare and makeup products, helping me save time and money. It should be a part of my daily life, with minimal effort required on my part.

MAKEUP PRODUCTS

Sunscreen should be integrated into my makeup products, offering sufficient coverage for everyday life. I identify sunscreen as a beauty product, and it should make me look beautiful.

SAVE TIME & MONEY

Sunscreen should be built into existing skincare products, providing effective protection while reducing my routine. I want to save time and money when it comes to sunscreen.

IT IS EVERYWHERE

Sunscreen should be integrated into everyday items, like the windows of my house and car, so I can experience protection without doing anything. Sunscreen should be everywhere.

EVERYDAY LIFE

Sunscreen should be part of everyday life, making it easy to remember. I want to grab my sunscreen as I am rushing out of the house in the morning.

TRACK SUN EXPOSURE

Sunscreen should follow me around and track my sun exposure, but it should be built into items I already carry with me to make my life easier.

customizable

Sunscreen should be adjustable based on my preferences, changing routine, lifestyle, activities, and sun exposure on a given day.

MULTIPLE OPTIONS

Sunscreen should be available in multiple sizes, targeted for specific body parts. I want sunscreen in the form of an under-eye balm and lip balm formulated, packaged, and marketed to meet the needs of these areas.

BLEND WITH MAKEUP

Sunscreen should merge seamlessly with my changing skincare and makeup routine. If sunscreen reapplication is required, it should not interfere with my makeup or negatively affect my physical appearance.

ADJUSTABLE APPLICATION It is convenient | It is customizable

Sunscreen should be adjustable depending on my sun exposure. It should direct me to apply a certain amount for everyday use and another amount for outdoor activities.

Sunscreen should work with my lifestyle and protect me according to my skin tone and type, activity, lifestyle, and time exposed to the sun. I am interested in doing a quiz to find out what suits my skin.

accessible

Sunscreen recommended by credible sources should be affordable and sold by reputable stores to boost my confidence and sense of safety. It should be inclusive and available to everyone.

AFFORDABLE

Sunscreen should be affordable, so I feel comfortable buying it and wearing it consistently without fear of running out. Affordable sunscreen should still meet all of my criteria.

EASY SHOPPING

Sunscreen recommended by skin professionals should be sold by reputable local stores, department stores, and online to help me avoid scams and encourage easy, stress-free shopping.

INCLUSIVITY

Sunscreen is for everyone, so it should be formulated, branded, packaged, and marketed accordingly.

TRIALABILITY

Sunscreen should be offered for free at schools and public areas to increase accessibility, promote education, and allow for trialability.

mattifying

neutral natural

My ideal sunscreen experience

Methodology

My ideal sunscreen experience

WHO WE TALKED TO

We recruited 25 people for interviews who are regular or occasional users of sunscreen and have purchased sunscreen for themselves in the past few months.

We engaged with 84 people in ideal sunscreen experience activities carried out in the public spaces of Savannah, Georgia, including both users and non-users of sunscreen. Our participants are a mix of nationalities, demographics, and genders with varying purchasing power.

20 - female interviewees

05 - male interviewees

RESEARCH APPROACH

Recruit participants through a screening form determining that they are sunscreen users and have purchased the product for themselves in recent months.

Develop discussion guides and conduct interviews that are recorded with consent.

Prepare activities to collect current experience and sunscreen knowledge data points and develop a multisensory stimulus kit, including words, objects, pictures, and smells

Conduct two-hour sessions to gather qualitative and quantitative data defining the ideal experience of sunscreen for consumers.

analysis 03 synthesis 04

Systematically organize data and analyze for repeated messages and outliers across groups, focusing on heart-based and future-oriented ideas.

Write loose statements for emerging themes and data clusters to articulate the findings and insights from the consumer ideas.

Develop a framework of highfrequency themes to visually communicate consumers' big ideas and tell their stories of desired emotions, features, and benefits.

Elaborate on the framework in an organized and engaging magazine to inspire innovation.

My ideal sunscreen experience

ACTIVITIES & KITS

my sunscreen experience

First, participants complete an activity where they select words that set them up for an aspirational mindset to articulate how they currently feel and how they want to feel about their sunscreen experience.

Current Experience of Sunscreen Ideal Experience of Sunscreen

Heavy

Glossy

Matte

Aggressive

Kind

Velvet

functional

Tinted

Comfortable

Clean

Smooth

Colorful

Rough

Sheen

Serious

Luxurious

Progressive

Difficult

Savory

Sweet

Unfriendly

Friendly

Popular

Citrus

Salty

Protective

Dirty

Flexible

Safe

Essential

Artificial

Unpopular

Confident

Unsure

Neutral

Sensual

Natural

Holistic

Strong

Weak

Sour

Time TAKING

Versatile

Quick

Formal

Oily

Sticky

Sleek

Warm

Cool

Cold

Grainy

Elevated

Beautiful

Toxic

Beneficial

Casual

Enticing

Boring

Fun

Annoying

Glow

Educational

Thin

Plastic

Chemical

SMART

LIGHT

THICK

MEDIOCRE

EASY

DRY

ideal sunscreen texture

Participants touch various textures, ranging from thick to thin and hot to cold, and describe their experience. Next, they choose whether the tested product is an ideal "lightweight" sunscreen texture while explaining their thoughts. The stimulus kit contained varying temperatures and textures from different skincare and non-skincare products that we interact with regularly.

03 ideal sunscreen product design

Participants open various products that are different ergonomically. Next, they choose whether the product is an ideal sunscreen product to use or not. The stimulus kit contained varying sunscreen textures, from the lotion that we interact with regularly to liquid and powder textures that are rare sunscreen textures.

04 ideal sunscreen smell

The participants smell various scents labeled alphabetically without their actual names revealed. They describe the smell of each infused oil and explain why they think it is an ideal scent for sunscreen or not. The stimulus kit includes strong and light smells from different origins.

Ideal Sunscreen Smell

Not Ideal Sunscreen Smell

My ideal sunscreen experience

LEXTANT PHILOSOPHY

Six key principles

User-centered research should be:

Relevant

Grounded in the desired business or social outcomes that are the reason for the design initiative.

Aspirational

Focuses on understanding people's dreams for the future.

Holistic

Thinks in terms of complete experiences. Connections are made between what needs to be designed and how it makes people feel.

Rigorous

Based on truth and reality. Seeks to minimize bias. Utilizes a repeatable process to support identifying patterns in the data so guessing is eliminated.

Actionable

Clearly defines the problem to solve. Focuses and inspires creativity in a straightforward way. People know how to use it.

Visual

Utilizes imagery for engaging participants, telling the story, and concretely describing the problem to solve.

What we learned

Most importantly, we learned the value of contextual research in paving the way for innovation. We employed the Lextant training to find valuable insights for the ideal experience of sunscreen, and we are pleased to see our data align with the six key principles. For future reference, we will be quicker to execute this process. We will be more astute to heart-based and future-oriented statements from participants and continue working on our moderating skills during interviews.

RESEARCH TEAM

My ideal sunscreen experience

BFA Graphic Design

MFA Graphic Design

Huibei, China

BFA Industrial Design

MA Service Design

Taipei, Taiwan

BFA Interior Design

MA Creative Business Leadership

Trinidad & Tobago

BA Sociology & Graphic Design

MA Service Design

Mumbai, India

MFA Industrial Design

Mumbai, India

BFA Interior Design

MFA Furniture Design

Calcutta, India

Dan Li

Heidi Chang

Kevin Dedh

Laura Morrison

Priya Shroff

Shreya Somani