Vilvah Store // App
Christmas card competition
Work period
Feb 2022 - July 2022
// India
Role
Lead UI/UX Designer
Client
Vilvah Store, India
Tools
Figma, Photoshop, Procreate, HotJar, Google Analytics
Result
1M+ downloads
4.9/5 based on 2.16K user ratings
Vilvah Store, recognized as one of India’s fastest-growing D2C skincare brands (INC 42, 2022), is an eco-conscious beauty brand offering formulations tailored to Indian hair and skin types. While Vilvah had a well-established website as its primary sales channel, the brand lacked a dedicated mobile app, which limited its ability to offer a seamless, mobile-first shopping experience. With 80%+ of Vilvah’s website traffic coming from mobile devices, launching an intuitive, high-converting app was essential to improving engagement, streamlining purchases, and building customer loyalty. My role was to lead the UX strategy, research, and design execution for the brand’s first-ever mobile app, ensuring a smooth transition from web to mobile commerce while addressing user pain points identified through data-driven research.
Problem Description
Despite a strong brand presence, customers often abandoned their carts due to usability issues, resulting in lower conversion rates and customer retention.
To pinpoint the exact pain points, I conducted an in-depth UI/UX audit using Google Analytics, Hotjar heatmaps, and session recordings.
Key Insights from the research
70% of users found it difficult to find products based on their skin concerns.
High mobile drop-off rates on the website, indicating poor mobile usability.
Cluttered navigation, leading to friction in product discovery.
Low engagement with CTAs and inefficient product navigation.
Process Overview
Discover
Define
Research
User interview
Website Analytics
Heat Maps
Competitor Analysis
Clickstream Analysis
Ideation & Concept Validation
Affinity Mapping
Card Sorting
Wireframing
Concept Testing
I followed the Double Diamond framework, ensuring that the app was research-backed, user-centered, and business-aligned.
Develop
Prototyping & Design
UI Style guide
Interactive prototype
First-click testing
A/B Testing
Deliver
Development Handoff
Detailed design specifications
Component Libraries
Regular sync meetings
Defining the Key Audiences
A deep understanding of Vilvah’s diverse customer base was crucial to crafting a
user-centric design.
Eco-conscious shoppers
Environmentally aware customers who prioritize sustainable, cruelty-free, and natural products.
First-Time Buyers
New customers exploring Vilvah for the first time. They’re curious but cautious about their purchase decisions.
Unique Milk Range Seekers
Customers intrigued by Vilvah’s specialized milk-based products, drawn to their natural benefits and uniqueness.
Millennials & Gen Z
Gen Z (ages 18-26) and Millennials (ages 27-40) form the core digital consumer base for Vilvah. Their shopping behavior is shaped by speed, convenience
What they need?
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Prefer a mobile-first shopping experience.
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Want fast, intuitive navigation and personalized recommendations.
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Expect seamless checkout with multiple payment options.
What they need?
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Clear product details, including ingredient transparency
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Easy ways to find sustainable options
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Reliable content, like reviews and blogs, to verify authenticity.
What they need?
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Simple guidance to find the right products for their needs.
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Trust-building features like detailed descriptions, reviews, and return policies.
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Incentives to encourage their first purchase.
What they need?
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Information on the benefits of different milk types (e.g., goat milk, rice milk) in skincare.
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Guidance on incorporating milk-based products into their skincare routines.
Strategizing Solutions
Using insights from UX research, I mapped out key pain points and implemented targeted solutions to streamline the Vilvah shopping experience.
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IA for Better Usability
Implemented a dual categorization approach - Product based & concern based
'Trending' & 'Product of the month' sections based on high-converting products
Reorganized the product pages into a structured, hierarchical format
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2. Optimizing the Checkout Experience
One-Page Checkout with Progress Indicators
Dynamic “Frequently Bought Together” Bundles suggestions to increase the average order value
Cart Summary with transparent pricing & offers where users can see applied discounts in real-time before checkout.
Enabled cart reminders via email & WhatsApp for logged-in users.
3. User Interface Enhancements
Hero images were focused on the ingredients which are the USPs of Vilvah products
Ensured that the key action buttons (Add to Cart, Checkout, Filters) were within thumb’s reach by implementing a sticky action bar at the bottom of the screen on mobile devices.
Key product categories and filters were placed prominently, making it easier for users to find relevant products based on their skin/hair concerns.
A clean homepage with clearly defined categories for product discovery.
Featured collections (e.g., milk range) for easy exploration.
Offer banner positioned for maximum visibility and user engagement.
Iterative Usability Testing
To ensure the Vilvah app provided a seamless shopping experience, I conducted three iterative rounds of usability testing with a mix of target users (existing Vilvah customers, first-time shoppers) and key business stakeholders. These sessions helped identify friction points and validate design choices before development.
Key Insights & improvements
Original checkout flow had 4 steps → Reduced to 2 steps for faster conversion
Added a 'Save for Later' to increase return visits
Integrated auto-fill for returning users, reducing checkout time
Added 'Previously Viewed' for returning users
Visual Design Elements
The visual identity of the Vilvah app was designed to reflect the brand’s eco-conscious ethos. A nature-inspired color palette featuring earthy greens, warm neutrals, and soft pastels was chosen to evoke freshness, sustainability, and trust. Typography played a crucial role in maintaining clarity and readability, with a slightly bolder typeface for key CTAs, ensuring effortless navigation. Iconography and illustrations were kept minimal yet functional, using organic shapes and hand-drawn elements to reinforce the brand’s artisanal and natural approach.
Final Design
Impact
This final design of the Vilvah mobile app not only enhanced customer experience and usability but also optimized key business metrics.