contoured truth
Pratt student work
For a design ethics and research class, we were challenged to create a game to gather data. My group decided to make a game about beauty products to bring awareness to toxic ingredients and habits.
The beauty industry is filled with products we use daily, yet many consumers have limited visibility into the ingredients, risks, and long-term impacts behind them. At the same time, purchasing decisions are influenced by a mix of habit, trust, social media, and personal experience, often creating a gap between what people know and what they actually do. This project explores that tension, investigating how individuals understand and navigate “toxic” beauty products, and why awareness alone doesn’t always lead to behavior change.
research
social influence
and trends
ingredient risks
and barriers
emotions and identity
physical mock-up:
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how young people choose skincare or makeup
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how social media influences their choices
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how much consumers understand about ingredients
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what barriers exist to safer consumption
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what emotions are tied to beauty routines
research questions:
What factors influence consumers' decisions to adopt, continue, or question beauty product trends?
How aware are consumers of the ingredients and potential risks associated with the skincare and makeup products they use?
What emotional, social, or identity-related benefits do people seek when following skincare or makeup routines promoted online?
the game
The game includes:
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instruction card
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1 die
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4 sets of cards (red / blue / green / yellow)
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landing mats (categories / solution station)
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My Beauty Audit
how to play
The moderator helps set up the game and explains how to play.
All instructions are on the pull out card. Moderator also will set up landing mats.
Each player will take turns rolling the die and picking up a card according to the die color. The card is read out loud game participants will discuss the card.
After the discussion the player will sort the card into an "always", "sometimes", or "never" habit pile.
At the end of each round the group picks up a yellow card. The yellow cards are the solution station. This part of the game explores future idealist opportunities to better ingredient usage, waste, and general user experience.
Once the game is complete the players will fill out "My Beauty Audit". This card gives the moderator deeper insights into the player experience.
testing + conclusions
Contoured Truth revealed deeper insights into current consumer habits. During various game sessions, we identified a gap between awareness and action, with product performance emerging as the top priority. The game effectively created space for both reflection and dialogue.
"In an ideal world for skin care I think people need certifications, but for make up I don’t care”
“I know it might be harmful… but I still use it because it works.”
"I am more of a needs based shopper... why would buy something I already have.”