ChemWise – Designing a Safer, Stress-Free Shopping Experience

It began with conversations — not just surveys or data, but genuine, concerned voices from my own circle of friends and family. I noticed a growing pattern: people I cared about were becoming increasingly cautious about what they consumed and applied to their bodies.The rise in reported allergies, the heartbreaking cases of cancer in our social circle, and the overwhelming chemical complexity of everyday products had turned what should be a simple grocery or cosmetics trip into a stressful mental checklist.One friend recovering from cancer needed to verify every single ingredient before purchasing. Another, juggling her toddler and grocery bags, found herself trying to type chemical names she couldn’t pronounce into Google — often unsure whether the results were reliable. For many, shopping wasn’t therapeutic anymore; it was an anxious task.That was the spark. I wanted to create a tool that would restore peace of mind to conscious shoppers.

User Research & Key Problems

Through in-depth conversations and observations, I uncovered recurring pain points:

• Emotional stress & decision fatigue over ingredient safety.
• Confusion due to unfamiliar, complex chemical names.
• Time burden — endless Google searches and reading unreliable sources.
• Physical inconvenience — typing on a phone with full hands or while carrying a child.
• Special health needs — allergies, cancer recovery, pregnancy, asthma.
• Market gaps in existing solutions:

• Barcode-only scanning (useless for multipacks without barcodes).
• Limited product databases.
• Mandatory subscriptions before testing the app.

These insights framed the problem statement:
“How might we create a fast, reliable, and effortless way for health-conscious shoppers to verify product safety without adding to their stress?”

Ideation – Keeping It Simple

The guiding principle: “Minimum steps, maximum clarity.”
‍I sketched out wireframes with a single goal — reduce friction in the scanning and decision-making process.
‍Key ideas born in this phase:

• Camera recognition for products.
• Customizable preferences — “Cancer Concern,” “Allergy Safe,” “Pregnancy Safe,” “Child Safe,” “Asthma Safe.”
• Alternative product suggestions — so users have instant, safe options without starting a new search.
• Quick-glance summaries for shoppers in a rush.

Design – Colors that Care

The app’s visual language had to instill calm, trust, and clarity.
I chose a pastel green palette to evoke health, nature, and safety.
For ingredient risk levels:

• Moderate Risk → soft yellow
• High Risk → muted coral red

Colors were intentionally subtle to avoid alarm triggers — anxiety reduction was as important as accuracy.
The typography was clean and legible, with a clutter-free layout to maintain focus on results, not distractions.

Prototyping & Iteration

The first prototypes tested well, but usability feedback inspired smart refinements:

• Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down quick result screen was added for instant yes/no decisions.
• Country of Manufacture input (typed or voice) — tailoring safety checks to regional regulations.
  Example: EU limits certain chemical concentrations, so the same ingredient could be safe in one region but unsafe in another.

Looking Ahead – Future Iterations

I’m currently designing location-based alternative suggestions:
With user permission, ChemWise will detect store location and display safe product alternatives available right there or nearby, eliminating the guesswork.

Impact & Reflection

ChemWise isn’t just a product scanner — it’s peace of mind in your pocket.
It bridges the gap between complex chemical science and real-world consumer needs, especially for people with health vulnerabilities.
This project reminded me why I design:

• To remove anxiety from everyday experiences.
• To empower people with clear, actionable information.