Our vision for the future isn't asking anyone to radically change their life, but it's adding a small step that can radically improve our interaction with the Earth.
For us, that step starts with cyclical design and a refillable makeup system.
Green-washing has become a common practice in the beauty industry. The average consumer isn't aware of just how much plastic waste makeup and personal care products create, not to mention that only 14% or less of that plastic actually gets recycled. As avid makeup users and lovers, we found ourselves struggling to reconcile our love for makeup & the endless possibilities it offers us with the alarming reality of its effects on the environment.
We knew we wanted to do something, so we turned to the knowledge & skills we developed as Product Designers. We started by researching how circular design principles are being employed by other brands that are trying to be sustainable, and we ended up getting inspired by different refillable deodorants with similar mission to ours.
We conducted user interviews to better understand who we are designing for, and what matters to them. This led us to imagine a refillable makeup system that rejects single use plastics and centers reusability & durability, which we slowly brought to life through our initial sketching process.
Our initial concept design explored how we can reimagine makeup liquid containers, such as foundation, but quickly diverted to rethinking how lipstick and blush are consumed. Through more user interviews and research, we found that stick form products appeal to a wide audience and are versatile in their use.
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We created 3D models of our designs using Fusion 360 which we were able to consistently 3D print and test for usability. Our main challenge was creating inner mechanisms that
After many iterations and attempts to perfect our design, we finally arrived at a form that met most of the design requirements we set at the beginning of our journey. We continued to iterate on this design, tweaking the mechanisms until it worked seamlessly given our resources at the time.
We created an experience blueprint for MAiA, encompassing all of the components of the service. This was crucial in defining and communicating our project to various audiences.
First, twist the base of your Maia stick clockwise as far as possible. Gently pull to remove the top plug (black piece) from your Maia makeup stick. Turn the makeup stick upside down, ready to catch any of the old refill packaging that falls out. Look inside of the stick and make sure that there is no left over packaging from the old refill. You may wish to clean the inner body with your MAiA cleaning tools before inserting the new refill.
While the top plug is still removed, remove the paper lid from the top of your refill, leaving the rest of the packaging intact. Making sure that the base is twisted all the way clockwise, carefully drop in the new refill with the exposed side of the product facing upwards. Press the top plug back into place, then twist the base of the stick counter-clockwise until the product is exposed. Your new shade is now ready to be used!
