Transforming the Digital Experience Through User Insights | REM Beauty
REM, the phase of sleep where you are most creative, is the ethos behind Ariana Grande’s makeup brand. Built on innovation and self-expression, REM Beauty empowers creativity with multidimensional tools that add a touch of magic to everyday life.
As the brand grew, its digital experience struggled to keep up with evolving customer expectations, especially with the rise in mobile traffic. User feedback revealed key pain points: difficult navigation, lack of product transparency, and a weak connection to Ariana Grande’s vision.
"The fonts are a bit juvenile and hard to read." – Female, 18-24
"Website design needs to be worked on for aesthetics. Currently, it’s not as engaging as it could be." – Female, 25-34
"I love Ari… I’d like to see Ari’s connection to the product more." – Non-binary, 18-24
Recognizing the need for an overhaul, REM Beauty partnered with VAAN to redesign its site with a user-first approach. Using WEVO research, heatmaps, scroll maps, traffic analysis, and site analytics, we pinpointed exactly where customers encountered friction. These insights validated the REM team’s concerns while uncovering additional areas for improvement and shaped a new digital experience that effectively blends brand storytelling, usability, and performance.
Prioritizing Mobile Optimization for a Beauty-First Audience
With 90% of traffic coming from mobile, we knew the shopping experience had to be intuitive, fast, and immersive. Navigation and call-to-action elements were restructured to create a cleaner, more intuitive path for users to find what they needed without frustration. Product detail pages were enhanced with interactive swatches and dynamic product information, allowing customers to explore shades and product details in a way that reduced hesitation at checkout. Typography was refined with a clearer hierarchy and improved spacing, making it easier to read and addressing concerns about legibility.
Balancing bold, futuristic aesthetics with airy white space for clarity and legibility.
Enhancing Performance Without Compromising Aesthetics
Beauty ecommerce demands high-quality visuals, but performance testing revealed that large images were slowing the experience. To maintain the brand’s sleek, retro-futuristic aesthetic while improving site speed, we optimized imagery without sacrificing detail. Product pages were redesigned to provide clearer information about ingredients, benefits, and reviews, addressing direct customer feedback about transparency.
"there's no information about the ingredients, just a tag that said clean ingredients." – Female, 18-24
Now, customers can make informed choices with transparency at the core.
Building trust and transparency on the product detail page.
Strengthening Brand Narrative and Connection
Ariana Grande’s influence is central to REM Beauty, yet customers felt disconnected from her presence on the site. We addressed this by weaving her story into key touchpoints across the site. Strategic brand storytelling ensures her connection to the products is felt at moments that drive conversion.
The "Ari's Vision" section in the product detail page reinforces Ariana Grande’s creative role, making the brand feel more personal and authentic.
A “Community in Action” section showcases user-generated content, celebrating how real customers use REM products.
The Impact
The transformation of REM Beauty’s digital presence led to measurable improvements:
- +18% in Average Order Value
- +36% in Conversion Rate
- +91% in Completed Checkout Rate
By focusing on user experience, technical advancements, and brand authenticity, VAAN helped REM Beauty build a stronger foundation for growth. The project underscores the importance of adapting to customer needs and investing in a digital presence that reflects both brand identity and evolving shopping behaviors.