RealSelf Rebrand
Breaking taboos, building trust, and empowering a new generation.
The Overview
RealSelf underwent a comprehensive rebranding initiative to modernize its platform and appeal to a younger, more empowered audience. The project aimed to break down societal taboos surrounding cosmetic treatments and foster trust with users. Through a cohesive user experience and bold visual identity, the rebrand sought to boost brand recognition and position RealSelf as the leading destination for those seeking cosmetic treatment advice. This included a complete UI overhaul, the creation of a new design system, and a strategic rollout across the platform.
PLATFORM
Web, iOS
ROLE
Lead Designer
TIMELINE
3 months
YEAR
2017
The Ask
RealSelf needed to update its brand to reflect its mission of empowering users to make confident, informed decisions about cosmetic treatments. The goal was to build a trustworthy, bold, and authentic brand identity that resonated with users while ensuring a visually consistent and user-friendly experience across all touchpoints.
Historical challenges before the evolution
RealSelf’s existing design was outdated and inconsistent, leading to poor brand recognition and a lack of trust. Users often couldn’t differentiate RealSelf content from general web searches. We needed to completely overhaul the UI and branding to improve recall, trustworthiness, and engagement without disrupting key user behaviors.
The Experience
RealSelf gets a virtual facelift.
Working closely with a branding agency, the team translated new visual assets into a cohesive site and app rebrand, including a logo, color palette, and typography. This involved a full-scale UI redesign and the development of RealSelf’s first-ever design system to ensure consistency across the product. The project was strategically rolled out in phases to avoid inconsistencies and effectively test the changes.
The first step towards the evolving design system
The system ensured consistency across the platform, from typography to color choices and interaction patterns, creating a more cohesive and memorable user experience. It also established a framework for future growth and product development.
The Initial Impact
The rebrand revitalized RealSelf's visual identity and improved brand recognition. Although early metrics, such as provider website clicks, showed a temporary 20% decline, the team quickly iterated on key UI elements to restore balance and improve engagement. The rebrand ultimately strengthened user trust, positioning RealSelf as a leader in the cosmetic treatment space while setting the stage for future growth.
The Follow Up
Post-launch, the brand continued to evolve based on user feedback. The iterative process allowed the team to refine the experience, ensuring the rebrand aligned with both user expectations and the company’s long-term vision. The project laid a strong foundation for RealSelf's future success in a competitive market.
My Role
Design
System Design
UI Design
Art Direction
Visual Design
Creative Direction
Graphic Design
Design System
Product Strategy
Core Team
Michelle Mazurek, Product Design Director
Landon Larson, Senior Product Designer
Stacey Ambrose-Eddy, UX Manager
Nikson Matthews, Creative Director
Remy Munch, Senior Frontend Developer
Process
Ideation
Exploration
Collaboration
Prototyping
Visual Design
System Design