This is my interim project for my Social Impact by Design class at Carnegie Mellon University. My project focuses on encouraging young women to choose safe and healthy (chemical-free) personal care products. This presentation shows the research I've done so far and various concept ideas for the final project.

1. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Is that natural?
Encouraging women to choose safe and healthy
personal care products

2. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Project statement
This project focuses on encouraging young women to
pay attention to the ingredients in their personal care
products. I want to empower women, through helping
them question product claims, and pointing them toward
resources to increase their knowledge. Ultimately, I hope
this will lead more young women to consider the benefits
of choosing safer, healthier personal care products.
Personal care products: anything someone puts on her face, hair, or body

3. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Research so far
1. Mapping out perceived barriers
2. Survey
3. Photo activity and interviews
4. Interview with Lani Lazarri, founder
and President of Simple Sugars

4. Research recap
Mapping barriers
Based on personal
conversations, feedback
from class, and my
own observations and
experiences

5. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Survey
55 respondents, all women from School of Design
32 undergrads (5 freshmen, 8 sophomores, 12 juniors, 7 seniors)
23 grads
Questions explored...
...how women rank various factors when buying personal care products
...whether they buy natural products (according to their own definition)
...how they know what is natural
...what might prevent them from buying natural products

6. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Survey results
What’s important to undergrads:
Most important: cost, “I like the brand,” and recommendations from friends
Not important: product ingredients—ranked last by most
“Do you buy natural products?”
44% of undergrads said “no” or “not very often”
“How do you know that a product is natural?”
89% “The label says it’s natural”
50% “I check the ingredients”

7. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Barriers to buying natural products
Those who DON’T buy natural products Those who DO buy natural products
Brand
Loyalty
79%
Brand
Loyalty
50%
Cost
50%
Cost
67%
Not sure
what’s natural
43%
Not sure
what’s natural
44%
Just never
considered
43%
Don’t work
as well
36%
Don’t work
as well
39%

8. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Barriers to buying natural products
Those who DON’T buy natural products Those who DO buy natural products
Brand
Loyalty
79%
Brand
Loyalty
50%
Cost
50%
Cost
67%
Not sure
what’s natural
43%
Not sure
what’s natural
44%
Just never
considered
43%
Don’t work
as well
36%
Don’t work
as well
39%

9. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Barriers to buying natural products
Those who DON’T buy natural products Those who DO buy natural products
Brand
Loyalty
79%
Brand
Loyalty
50%
Cost
50%
Cost
67%
Not sure
what’s natural
43%
Not sure
what’s natural
44%
Just never
considered
43%
Don’t work
as well
36%
Don’t work
as well
39%
Focus area

10. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Photo activity and interviews
3 freshmen women: 2 design students and 1 business student

11. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Interviews: common themes
Perceived value > price in dollars
“I don’t want to spend more than $10 to $12 on products... but I’ll spend more money on makeup”
“Price goes with quality”
Personal recommendations are very important
Trusted sources: friends, sisters, moms, hairdresser, dermatologist
“My friends and I go shopping together”
Willing to try new products; passionate about favorites
“This [VS lotion] is my favorite scent... when I found out it was discontinued I stocked up”
Usually don’t look at ingredients
“I wouldn’t know what to look for” or “I don’t understand [the ingredients]”
“I should start looking at ingredients... I just don’t have time.”

12. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Interviews: common themes
Trusting of product claims
“There’s so many ways you can interpret ‘natural’...
if it has extract of oil, it seems ok”
“The packaging has a lot to do with whether you think it’s natural”
(regarding trust) “If I were really into it, I might do some research”
“The Aveeno looks pure... but it doesn’t look like it’s strong enough
to prevent breakouts”

13. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Interview with Lani Lazarri, 17
Background
Started her own line of homemade body scrubs, “Simple Sugars,” at age 13
Personal need for products that wouldn’t aggravate her eczema
Now “chemical-free is my personal thing”
Young women & natural products
“A lot of my friends don’t care [about natural products]”
Market research shows that college-age girls have the most
disposable income and are very interested in new products

14. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Research recap
Main takeaways
A lot of young women have never even considered
buying natural products.
Cost is important, but young woman are willing to
pay more if the product is perceived to be worth it.
There’s a lot of confusion about ingredients,
and reluctance to look at the ingredients in products.
I want to encourage young women to pay attention
to the ingredients in their personal care products.
“Natural”
under-
considered
Value
trumps
price
Confused
about
ingredients

15. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Project ideas
Ideas to draw attention
Poster 1 Poster 2
Pros:
»» Easy-to-make
»» Simple message
»» Could provoke to look
up website
Challenges:
»» Fairly traditional approach;
maybe boring
»» Could get lost among
many posters

16. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Project ideas
Ideas to draw attention
http://www.youtube.com/oceanking97
Pros:
»» Unexpected
»» Makes you want to pass on to friends
Challenges:
»» Technical difficulty?
»» Don’t want to copy YouTube

17. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Project ideas
Ideas to draw attention
Large-scale object
Pros:
»» Unexpected
»» Could put on the Cut (near The Fence)
»» Interesting conjunction between natural/nature
Challenges:
»» Weather issues
»» Would people actually read the “fine print”?

18. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Project ideas
Ideas to draw attention
Mirror decals
Pros:
»» Again, unexpected
»» Placement on mirror seems appropriate
(most personal care products are kept in
or used in bathroom)
Challenges:
»» Not sure how long they’d stay up
»» Need for short, pithy message that’s
provocative enough to get people to notice

19. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Project ideas
Ideas to help remember ingredients
Wallet-sized card Bracelet
Pros:
»» Useful
»» Doesn’t currently exist
(to my knowledge)
Challenges:
»» How would people find
the objects?
»» Bracelet: not sure how
realistic (materials, cost)

20. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Project ideas
Systemic approach (idealistic...unrealistic?)
+
+
Website
orWallet
card
Bracelet
or or orPoster Video
Large
Object
Mirror
decals

21. Carnegie Mellon University // Social Impact by Design // Jenny Shirey // November 1, 2010
Next steps
1. Pick one approach
2. Make it