The Difference
A curated platform for ethical beauty products.
In my third year of uni we were tasked to focus on a social issue for our final project. I spent the first semester digging into problems in the beauty industry and quickly realised there were so many issues that we as a society were turning a blind eye to. Unethical practices have become the norm, from poor labour conditions to lack of inclusivity, animal testing, and greenwashing. Most consumers just don’t have the tools or time to make informed choices.
I led a mix of moderated and unmoderated interviews on the topic of ethical beauty. Interestingly, I found that many believed ethical makeup was way more expensive than it actually is, or they just didn’t know where to find it. There was also a wide range in what people actually cared about when it came to their values. Some prioritised sustainability, others cared more about animal welfare or ethical labour. One insight that really stuck with me was how few people felt they could actually trust the claims brands were making around sustainability.
So I created The Difference – a simple, easy-to-use platform that helps people discover affordable, ethical products that align with their own values.
One of the core features I focused on was the vetting system that would determine what brands could be listed. Inspired by how Good On You scores fashion labels, The Difference uses a three-pillar rating system: Planet, People, and Animals. Each brand is assessed based on transparent criteria under each pillar:
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Planet looks at environmental impact, packaging, and ingredients.
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People assesses working conditions, fair pay, and supply chain transparency.
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Animals checks for cruelty-free practices, vegan options, and animal testing policies.
Users can explore products and brands based on their own ethical priorities, filtering and sorting by what matters most to them.
The platform also includes smart filters, product matching, and real-time user reviews to make shopping more informed and confidence-led. If a product carries a TD tick, it means it has met a baseline score across all three pillars.
This project made me think deeply about transparency, trust, and how good design can help people make more conscious, values-aligned choices every day.