Ergonomic Makeup Brush

a human-centered approach to designing a makeup brush

Stanford University, ME115B: Product Design Methods, 4 week team project

Challenge

In a team of 3, design an ergonomic alternative for a common handheld device using anthropometrics and bio-mechanics.

My Role

User researcher, designer

Skills

Hierarchical task analysis
CAD (SolidWorks)
Human factors analysis (anthropometrics, biomechanics, RULA, pressure mapping)
User research and testing
Foam modeling
Teamwork

The Problem

Many people apply makeup daily. One of the most important tools to do so is a makeup brush, yet the shape and style of these brushes don’t match the position and movement of applying makeup. In particular, while buffing, the skinny handle is hard to grasp, the wrist bends at an unnatural angle to get the right positioning and pressure, and the constant circular motions can quickly cause the hand and wrist to become tired. We decided to tackle this issue and create a more ergonomic makeup brush.

User Research

We started off by observing people buffing their face. We performed an HTA analysis to determine any possible pain points, then used anthropometric data to determine size constraints and optimal geometry.

Prototyping

After determining the main issues with the current brush, we brainstormed many different solutions. After each coming up with two preliminary designs, we created our first set of foam prototypes.

User Testing

In order to test out the prototypes, we used both qualitative and quantitative data. First, we recorded the user mimicking the motion of applying makeup. Using this, we conducted a RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) to determine how ergonomic the body positioning was. We then interviewed the users for overall feedback and had them fill out a pressure map.

Prototyping Round 2

After going through the data gathered in the first round of testing, we found that there were a couple of variables that worked, and some that didn’t. Some of the more promising designs allowed for a much more neutral wrist as well as contact with the palm to spread out the pressure from the brush. We took these designs and decided to narrow our focus and try to optimize two factors: grip and the distance/angle from hand to brush head. From there, we created more foam models to test.

User Testing Round 2

After creating the second round of prototypes, we again conducted user interviews to determine the winner. We created a likert chart and used pressure and face mapping in order to gather qualitative data. We also gathered anthropometric data from our users to see how the brushes fared with different sized hands. In the end, we chose specific aspects of three different brushes to move forward with in the final design.