GlowUp: AI Makeup Try-On and Skincare Analysis App
Racheal James
Verified
Glow Up (formerly Glam AI)
Case Study – AI Makeup Try‑On (Primary) with Skincare Analysis (Add‑on)
Tagline: Instant Glam
Snapshot
Role: Product Designer (end‑to‑end)
Team: Founder, PM, ML engineer(s), iOS devs, Content/Beauty advisor
Timeline: June 2025 – July 2025
Platforms: iOS
Core: Realistic, instant AI makeup try‑on
Add‑on: Optional skin analysis, skincare guidance & product recommendation
My remit: Research → UX strategy → UI & prototyping → Design system → Paywall/monetization flows → Handoff & QA.
Context & Problem
Makeup is personal and visual. Shoppers struggle to predict how a shade, finish, or full look will appear on their own face. Returns are high, carts are abandoned, and creators/brands need a smoother path from “this looks good on me” to “I’m buying it.”
Opportunity: Deliver a wow moment–see it on your face (fast, flattering, true‑to‑life), then guide you to products, and sharing.
Product Goals
Delight first‑run: make “try a look” happen in ≤ 10 seconds.
Accuracy & inclusivity: work across diverse skin tones, lighting, and camera quality.
Commerce bridge: map each look to real products with clear shade matching.
Retention, not just a demo: keep people coming back via saved looks, shares, and product recommendations.
Add‑on value: offer Skin Analysis as an optional extra that complements (not competes with) try‑on.
Key success metrics (KPIs):
First session success (captured selfie → 1 applied look)
Time‑to‑first‑wow (TTFW)
Premium conversion (from locking model)
Product CTR & add‑to‑cart intent
Shares/saves per user, day‑7 return rate
Users & Insights
Everyday users: want effortless, flattering looks and simple shade guidance.
Beauty enthusiasts/creators: want control (intensity sliders, per‑feature toggles), before/after compare, and 1‑tap sharing.
Brands/retail: want traffic to product pages, credible shade mapping, and campaign surfaces.
Pain points discovered
Try‑on tools often look filter‑fake or wash out deeper tones.
Too many controls up front cause abandonment.
Gating everything before a first good result kills trust.
Design principles
Honest glam: flattering but believable. No “catfish.”
2‑Tap to Wow: minimal choices before the first result.
Inclusive by default: tone‑aware rendering and shade breadth.
Own your face: clear privacy choices; easy deletion.
App Store Screenshots
Core Experience (Makeup Try‑On)
1) Onboarding → Capture
Gentle onboarding with confidence micro‑copy (we tested positive, affirmation‑style screens that reassure results will respect your skin tone/type).
Immediate prompt to take/upload a selfie. Light guidance for framing and lighting.
Few onboarding screens
2) Looks (primary tab)
A curated grid of AI‑generated looks (e.g., Goth, Soft Glam, Night Out, Clean Girl, Latina, Douyin, and more).
All looks are available to subscribers only – users subscribe before their first try‑on.
Compare: hold‑to‑toggle before/after or use a draggable slider.
Save/Share: quick actions under the preview
AI Try-On
AI Try-On Home Screen
3) Products (secondary tab)
Breakdown of the selected look: primer, base/foundation, concealer, powder, blush, bronzer/contour, highlighter, brows, liner, mascara, shadow, lips.
For each step: brandable product cards with shade suggestions; tap for details and outbound purchase.
Shade confidence indicator and notes (e.g., undertone fit; “go half‑shade deeper if tan”).
Search/Scan Product
Add‑On: Skin Analysis (Optional)
Positioned as GlowLab–an extra for users who want skincare guidance.
What it does
Reads the selfie (with consent) for type (dry/normal/oily/combination) and visible concerns (e.g., texture, breakout likelihood, hyperpigmentation, dark circles) using CV classifications.
Outputs a plain‑language report with actions (morning/night routine), ingredients to seek/avoid, and product suggestions.
Why it’s add‑on
Our core promise is makeup try‑on. GlowLab deepens trust and stickiness but never blocks try‑on.
Monetized as an upgrade pack (bundled with one's subscription).
Skin Report Screens
Monetization & Paywall
Glow Up operates on a subscription-only model – there’s no free trial.
Subscription includes:
Unlimited AI try‑ons and looks
HD exports with watermark removal
Access to tutorial content
Product breakdowns and affiliate links
Add‑on access to GlowLab skin reports (discounted for subscribers)
Design System
Type: Refined display serif paired with modern sans (e.g., Canela for headlines + Inter/SF Pro for UI).
Color: Deep plum & soft blush neutrals; accessible contrast ramps; semantic states for success/info/warn.
Elevation: Soft shadows, rounded 2xl corners, airy spacing for a premium feel.
Mini Design System
Key UX Decisions & Iterations
Affirmation micro‑copy: Confidence‑boosting onboarding screens reduced drop‑off and set expectations.
Subscription-first model: Ensured perceived value before signup through visuals, previews, and demo screens.
Product mapping: Show why a shade was chosen (undertone hints) to improve credibility.
Outcomes (so far)
A cohesive end‑to‑end flow from capture → try‑on → products → tutorial → export/paywall.
Hi‑fi prototype and design system ready for handoff; motion specs for transitions.
Clear monetization hooks without compromising first‑run delight.
Add‑on packaged as an upsell that strengthens trust without competing with makeup.
What I’d Measure Next
Subscription funnel completion rate.
Onboarding conversion (landing → signup → first try‑on).
Retention correlation.
GlowLab add‑on uptake among subscribers.
Future Steps
Live AR video try‑on with stable eye/lip tracking for reels.
Creator marketplace: commissionable looks, co‑branded drops.
Community “Remix this look” templates.
Privacy dashboard with granular controls and transparency logs.
Reflection
Glow Up’s power lies in turning curiosity into confidence. Designing for a subscription-only model demanded a high perceived value from the start–clean UX, premium visuals, and instant realism. By keeping AI makeup try‑on at the center and GlowLab as an optional, data‑driven add‑on, we built an experience that feels both glamorous and credible–where technology enhances, not replaces, beauty.
Like this project
What the client had to say
Racheal is an amazing designer, I would recommend her to anyone who needs UI UX designer.
Louis-David Paul-Hus, Viral Tech
Jul 7, 2025, Client
Posted Oct 14, 2025
Glow Up is an AI-powered makeup try-on app that delivers instant, realistic looks with an optional skincare analysis add-on.
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