Try It On, Own Your Look – Nails That Feel Like You
The Virtual Nail Try-On Feature is a beauty tech experience designed to empower users by bringing confidence, creativity, and convenience to nail design selection. As part of an enhancement to Love Nail Spa’s website, I integrated this feature to elevate their digital experience and bridge the gap between inspiration and booking. Whether users explore bold trends, prepping for special events, or simply ensuring their nails match their personal style, the tool offers realistic, personalized previews that eliminate guesswork and hesitation. Combining user-centered research, thoughtful journey mapping, and iterative prototyping, I crafted an intuitive and inclusive solution that supports both trend-savvy users and occasional salon-goers alike. The result is an experience that makes nail choices feel exciting, effortless, and empowering, helping users showcase their style with confidence for any moment.
Background
Whether for self-expression, special occasions, or social media moments, nail art has become a powerful part of personal style. Yet for many users, selecting the perfect design comes with hesitation, uncertainty, and fear of commitment — especially when they can’t visualize how a color, shape, or trend will look on their own hands. While AR tools have gained traction in categories like makeup and accessories, many virtual nail try-ons still feel clunky, unrealistic, or disconnected from the real-life salon experience.
At the same time, the virtual beauty tech industry is undergoing rapid transformation, fueled by advancements in augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI). Once seen as experimental, AR-powered try-ons are now essential to the digital beauty journey, particularly among Millennial and Gen Z consumers. According to a 2024 Business of Fashion report, brands are under increasing pressure to deliver hyper-personalized, hyper-realistic virtual experiences across all beauty categories. With the global AR beauty and cosmetics market valued at $3.1 billion in 2023 (Grand View Research), the demand for seamless, emotionally engaging, and customizable digital tools continues to grow. As someone passionate about building tech that enhances confidence and accessibility in beauty, I asked:
Challenge
How might we help users confidently visualize and choose nail designs by offering realistic, personalized previews and a stress-free, intuitive experience—so they can feel excited, not anxious about their nail choices?
Solution
Virtual Nail Try-On Feature — an intuitive AR-powered experience that lets users see true-to-life nail designs on their actual hands before booking or buying. By blending photo-quality rendering, personalized design recommendations, and seamless user flows, the feature supports users in making fast, confident, and inspired decisions — whether they’re trend chasers or occasional salon-goers. It removes the guesswork from nail design, replacing anxiety with empowerment and excitement.
Role: Sole end-to-end UI/UX Designer, UX Researcher, Brand Designer
Tools: Figma, Figma Jam, Microsoft Excel
Duration: 4 weeks
Skills: User research, information architecture, interaction design, branding, wireframing, usability testing
RESEARCHING THE VIRTUAL TRY-ON EXPERIENCE
I wanted to explore why many users find it difficult to confidently choose nail polish colors and styles online before purchasing. To uncover the root causes, I followed an iterative, user-centered design process, allowing research insights and user feedback to guide each stage.
The beauty tech market continues to grow rapidly, with virtual try-on tools becoming an essential part of the shopping experience. However, many users still experience friction in finding tools that are intuitive, realistic, and personalized.
To understand the current landscape for virtual nail try-on technology, I conducted a competitive analysis of five relevant products across direct and indirect markets. These included dedicated nail-focused platforms, beauty tech leaders, and inspiring AR experiences in other industries.
Key findings from my competitive analysis included:
→ Virtual try-ons often lack accurate color rendering across different skin tones and lighting conditions
→ Many platforms have limited customization options for nail shapes and lengths
→ Navigation can be confusing, making it hard to try multiple styles quickly
→ Social sharing and saving favorite looks are often cumbersome or missing
It was clear that users want a seamless, realistic, and easy-to-use try-on experience that feels personalized and fun.
To better understand user needs, I surveyed 25 respondents and conducted 5 in-depth interviews. This mixed-method approach helped uncover both broad trends and personal preferences.
I focused on uncovering:
→ How users currently decide on nail polish colors and designs
→ Their biggest frustrations with existing virtual try-on tools
→ What features would they dream of in an ideal nail try-on app
Sample Survey Questions (Quantitative):
“How often do you use digital tools to experiment with beauty products?”
“What would make you feel more confident selecting a nail shape or design online?”
“How realistic do you expect a virtual nail try-on experience to be? (1–5 scale)”
“Would you be interested in uploading your own designs or photos to try on virtually?”
Sample Interview Questions (Qualitative):
“When choosing a nail design, what usually influences your decision most?”
“What frustrates you most about virtual nail try-ons?”
“How would you feel if the tool allowed you to upload a nail design you found online and try it on your virtual hand?”
“Can you describe a time when you felt confident or excited about choosing a nail design? What made it special?”
Key insights included:
· 55.6% prioritized access to reviews and ratings to feel more confident choosing nail shapes or designs
· 55.6% preferred nail design customization most, followed by texture and finish options
· 77.8% were interested in scanning or uploading their hand/designs to try on virtually
· 44.4% wanted improved realism and faster, easier scanning processes in virtual try-on tools
I then organized all this feedback using affinity mapping, grouping major themes into:
→ Realism & Visualization
→ Customization & Control
→ Usability & Accessibility
→ Emotional & Social Motivation
→ Purchase & AI Integration
DEFINING THE USERS
To create an effective virtual nail try-on experience, I focused on understanding the distinct needs and behaviors of key users who would interact with the feature. I developed two core personas to anchor my design decisions:
Daniella Morrel – The Trendy Stylist:
A 28-year-old marketing coordinator with a bold, fashion-forward sense of style who uses nails as a key part of her look. She values fast, realistic previews to confidently experiment with new designs that match her vibe, all while fitting into her busy lifestyle.Maya Williams – The Careful Planner:
A 38-year-old healthcare administrator who opts for professional nail services only for important occasions. She needs reassurance and a simple, guided process to feel confident in her choices and avoid costly mistakes.
Every feature and interaction—from the realism of nail previews to booking flows—was intentionally crafted to address Daniella’s desire for creative expression and efficiency, as well as Maya’s need for clarity, confidence, and ease of use. Understanding their motivations and pain points helped me focus on providing an intuitive feature that builds trust and enhances the decision-making process.
The POV statements and HMW questions were developed by deeply analyzing the distinct goals, challenges, and behaviors of my two personas. By empathizing with their motivations—Daniella's need for bold, fast previews and Maya's need for reassurance and simplicity—I translated their pain points into clear problem statements and actionable design opportunities that guided my feature development.
POV Statements:
"I want a try-on experience that shows me exactly how trendy and bold nail designs will look on my real hands so I can commit without hesitation."
"I want a guided, low-pressure way to preview nail styles that are appropriate for my important events, so I avoid wasting time and money on looks that don’t fit."
HMW Questions:
"HMW create realistic, customizable nail previews that reflect diverse skin tones and nail shapes for more accurate visualization?"
"HMW design a simple, supportive try-on journey that builds confidence for users booking nails for special occasions?"
Designing the Virtual Nail Try-on Feature
User Flows
I mapped out the core journey for the Virtual Nail Try-On feature:
→ User lands on homepage → Taps “Virtual Try-On” → Grants camera permission → Scans hand → Customizes nail look (shape, length, color, design) → Previews in AR → Saves, downloads, or books appointment → Completes booking flow.
Alternate flows included:
• Uploading personal inspiration to match looks.
• Browsing examples without using the camera (for those hesitant about AR).
• Saving or downloading designs before booking to discuss in-person.
Wireframes
I started with low-fidelity wireframes based on the user flow and moved to mid- and high-fidelity prototypes, testing iteratively with users at each stage.
Mid-Fidelity Testing Insights
· Users preferred a step-by-step flow, often starting with shape and length before exploring designs and colors.
· Several testers leaned toward browsing built-in inspiration first before considering uploading personal images.
· There was confusion between the “Preview” and “Book Now” buttons. Some users assumed booking could happen without previewing, leading to button label refinements (e.g., “Preview & Book”).
· Progress indicators were requested to help users feel guided through each customization stage.
Mid-Fidelity Iterations
• Refined button labels to clarify the flow—combining “Preview & Book” for a more intuitive experience.
• Enabled the built-in inspiration gallery to be fully functional from the start.
High-Fidelity Testing Insights
· The ability to download and share the look was highly valued, though some technical bugs limited this in the initial prototype.
· Users appreciated the realism of the hand preview and wanted the option to view both hands.
· There were hesitations around granting camera access without a visible privacy statement, prompting the addition of a brief disclaimer.
High-Fidelity Iterations
• Introduced a working download button with clearer placement.
• Added a camera permission disclaimer to reassure users on privacy.
• Improved AR hand preview realism with multiple angle views and the option to toggle between left and right hands.
Branding the Experience
For the Virtual Nail Try-On tool, I maintained the original branding of Love Nail Spa to ensure a consistent and familiar experience for users.
To reflect this:
• Primary Color: Taffy Pink (#F48BD6)
• Secondary Color: Soft Lavender (#F5EFF4)
• Neutral Color: Light Gray (#F5F5F5)
• Accent Color: Black (#000000)
• Typography: Forum (headings) + PT Serif (body)
By preserving the existing color palette and typography from the original site, the tool aligns seamlessly with Love Nail Spa’s established visual identity. This consistency helps users feel confident and comfortable while exploring nail designs in an environment they recognize.
Testing & Iterating
I conducted usability tests with 5 participants using mid- and high-fidelity clickable prototypes.
Tasks tested included:
• Starting a virtual nail try-on session
• Customizing nail look (shape, color, design)
• Saving, downloading, or booking the look
Key Findings:
→ Users preferred a step-by-step customization flow, starting with shape and length before color and design.
→ There was confusion around the difference between “Preview” and “Book Now” options.
→ Users valued the ability to download and share the design before booking.
→ Some users hesitated at camera permissions, requesting clearer privacy information.
OUTCOMES & REFLECTIONS
After the revisions were done, the final prototype was completed while combining it with the original Love Nail Spa user interface and branding. The Virtual Nail Try-On Tool transformed what was once a basic, disconnected appointment system into an engaging, personalized nail experience that felt playful, seamless, and confidence-boosting.
Key Lessons:
• Frequent usability testing helped refine confusing flows early, preventing bigger usability gaps later.
• Mid-fi and high-fi user interviews revealed key moments of hesitation that weren’t obvious in the initial wireframes.
• Designing for emotional reassurance (privacy, confidence in final look) was as important as creating a clean, functional flow.
If I Could Improve:
• I would introduce more real-time AR interactions and feedback earlier in the process to give users more control and reduce surprises during booking.
• I’d also test the booking flow with more first-time users to see how the preview-to-book transition feels for them.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Leading the Virtual Nail Try-On Tool from initial concept to user flow, wireframes, branding alignment, prototyping, and usability testing reinforced how vital it is to keep real users at the center of the experience. This wasn’t just about adding AR—it was about giving users a creative, personalized space to explore, experiment, and feel confident in their style choices before booking. The end result is a tool that makes nail design feel approachable, exciting, and customer-first.