Overview
Founded in 2001, YSL Beauty is a global brand based in France. A subsidiary of L’Oreal Group, it markets cosmetic, skincare and perfumery products. To further establish their presence in the Middle East, we were asked to create a website that encompasses the brand identity and nature of YSL Beauty, as well as providing a user-friendly digital experience.
E-commerce (Website)
Research and Design (2019-2020) + maintenance and additional revisions
Role
My role was to help my team with UX research (competitive audit, user analytics) and UX/UI design in terms of creation of user flows, wireframes, and design. I worked on this project during my time as a Junior UX/UI Designer at Chalhoub Group during between 2019 and 2021. As a team, our role was to create a digital experience that is true to YSL Beauty but also distinguishable from the other YSL Beauty websites.
How to differentiate YSL Beauty’s new website from a saturate Middle Eastern beauty market?
Research
To create the YSL Beauty e-commerce platform for the UAE and KSA, we began by benchmarking various YSL websites globally, as well as other successful beauty e-commerce sites. We analyzed layout, color usage, features, what makes these features unique, and overall UX to understand what works and what doesn’t.
Design
After conducting sufficient research, we began creating wireframes to understand the website's overall structure and features. However, due to time constraints, we moved quickly from wireframing to the design process. We made sure that the UI complemented the UX, delivering a user-friendly, accessible product that stayed true to the YSL Beauty brand identity.
Post-launch
After launching the website, we began exploring additional features to implement while ensuring the UX remained practical. For example, we noticed a high dropout rate during the checkout process. To identify whether this was a UX or front-end development issue, we compared our checkout experience on YSL Beauty with the successful checkout experience on Sephora Beauty US. We found that our design lacked clarity and effective calls to action for confirming choices.
Additionally, the slow load times were frustrating for users, leading to dropouts. We addressed these issues by simplifying the visual experience and working with developers to decrease load times and improve the efficiency of the checkout flow.
Obstacles
The project faced challenges in feasibility due to the involvement of various stakeholders. Internal teams often found themselves at crossroads, with inputs from different individuals fluctuating, as our designs needed to satisfy both local teams and the global HQ. To overcome this, we had to make numerous compromises to deliver the best possible solution.
Reflections
By creating this digital product, we positioned YSL Beauty as a staple in the Middle East, significantly boosting its digital presence. Customers embraced the convenience of online shopping, driving sales and expanding the brand’s reach, especially during limited physical interactions. The success delighted the global HQ, highlighting the Middle East as a key market. Personally, this was my first professional project, where I gained valuable experience collaborating with diverse teams and developers. It was thrilling to apply my university knowledge to a creative UX project from start to finish.
© 2025 Michele Sabty. All Right Reserved.
Created with blood, sweat, love and tears.