Designing a reduction-first skincare brand that restores clarity in an oversaturated category. Recognized with Behance awards for Branding and Adobe Illustrator.

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Overview

The Concept

aise (from aisé: "comfortable, at ease") is a conceptual skincare brand built on one premise: wellness should simplify your life, not add to it.

The Goal

Build a premium, reduction-led brand that reduces decision-making and creates instant clarity—without slipping into luxury clichés or mass-market simplicity.

The Problem

As beauty culture accelerates toward 10-step routines and jargon-heavy marketing, consumers face decision fatigue and rising frustration. The market is saturated with maximalist routines, cognitive overload, and aesthetic sameness.

My Role

Define the strategic foundation and visual identity system, translating this philosophy into packaging, product naming, and digital design.

Overview

The Concept

aise (from aisé: "comfortable, at ease") is a conceptual skincare brand built on one premise: wellness should simplify your life, not add to it.

The Problem

The Goal

Build a premium, reduction-led brand that reduces decision-making and creates instant clarity—without slipping into luxury clichés or mass-market simplicity.

My Role

Define the strategic foundation and visual identity system, translating this philosophy into packaging, product naming, and digital design.

Overview

The Concept

aise (from aisé: "comfortable, at ease") is a conceptual skincare brand built on one premise: wellness should simplify your life, not add to it.

The Problem

The Goal

Build a premium, reduction-led brand that reduces decision-making and creates instant clarity—without slipping into luxury clichés or mass-market simplicity.

My Role

Define the strategic foundation and visual identity system, translating this philosophy into packaging, product naming, and digital design.

Strategic Insights & Creative Direction

The brand strategy centers on thoughtful reduction: removing anything unnecessary—visually, verbally, and structurally. aise is built on four core values: simplicity (fewer, better products), efficiency (every element serves a purpose), intentionality (products designed around daily rhythms), and transparency (clear naming, clear formulas, clear benefits).

I developed multiple visual directions and selected Ritualistic Simplicity—a visual world built around order, clarity, and calm presence.

The modern consumer is overwhelmed. She doesn't need another hobby disguised as a skincare routine. She needs fewer decisions, predictable rituals, and trustworthy products that integrate seamlessly. aise becomes a mental health intervention disguised as skincare: a system that restores calm in a noisy world.

This direction reflects structured layouts that reduce cognitive load, quiet typography that prioritizes legibility and intention, soft color harmonies balanced with a grounding deep tone, and a rhythm of white space that encourages mental ease. It positions aise not as a trend-driven beauty brand, but as a routine you can trust without thinking.

Identity System

01 — Naming Convention

Every product is named for the moment it is used, not for ingredients or marketing claims. This removes ambiguity at the point of purchase: Bonjour Cleanser — the morning reset, Bonsoir Cleanser — the evening ritual. This naming system functions as a brand asset: a structural device that creates consistency, clarity, and ease.

02 — Typography

A restrained sans-serif system chosen for clarity, neutrality, and reduction of visual noise. An elegant high-contrast serif adds distinction and reinforces the brand's premium positioning without competing for attention.

03 — Color Palette

A balance of muted pastels for softness and emotional warmth and deep burgundy to anchor the system with sophistication and depth. The pastels reflect the brand’s calming ethos; the deep tone introduces intentional contrast so the brand never feels flat or overly delicate.

04 — Photography Direction

I defined a visual style that feels lived-in and reassuring, using natural light, genuine expressions, and subtle imperfections to reinforce the brand's human, premium approach to skincare.

Packaging Design

Packaging embodies the philosophy of ease and clarity:

Matte glass bottles — Reinforce premium, tactile presence
Matte squeezable tubes — Functional and ergonomic
Understated labeling — Removes clutter, prioritizes only what matters
Rhythmic alignment grids — Ensure every product feels part of a coherent system

Packaging embodies the philosophy of ease and clarity:

Matte glass bottles — Reinforce premium, tactile presence
Matte squeezable tubes — Functional and ergonomic
Understated labeling — Removes clutter, prioritizes only what matters
Rhythmic alignment grids — Ensure every product feels part of a coherent system

I designed a flexible logo system to support varied applications across digital, print, and co-branding environments:

UI Design

I translated the visual identity into digital applications, designing: core UI sections, product cards, routine explanations, and layout frameworks.
The interface follows the same principles as the physical brand: breathable spacing, minimal copy, and clear hierarchy. The digital experience reinforces aise’s thesis: good design reduces decision fatigue.

I translated the visual identity into digital applications, designing: core UI sections, product cards, routine explanations, and layout frameworks.

The interface follows the same principles as the physical brand: breathable spacing, minimal copy, and clear hierarchy. The digital experience reinforces aise’s thesis: good design reduces decision fatigue.

I designed a flexible logo system to support varied applications across digital, print, and co-branding environments:

Physical Environment

To contextualize the brand, I extended the identity into real-world environments: bathroom shelfs and billboards. The result demonstrates how the identity scales across consumer touchpoints — maintaining calm, order, and premium simplicity even in high-stimulus environments.

I designed a flexible logo system to support varied applications across digital, print, and co-branding environments:

Intellectual Impact

Cultural Translation

Translate cultural insight (consumer overwhelm) into visual clarity and functional solutions.

Behavioral Design

Use naming, spacing, and visual restraint to guide behavior and reduce decision fatigue.

Although conceptual, aise showcases how design can:

Strategic Minimalism

Turn minimalism into a functional system—not just an aesthetic trend or stylistic shortcut.

Emotional Resonance

Build emotional connection through reduction rather than embellishment or complexity.

Intellectual Impact

Although conceptual, aise showcases how design can:

Cultural Translation

Translate cultural insight (consumer overwhelm) into visual clarity and functional solutions.

Strategic Minimalism

Turn minimalism into a functional system—not just an aesthetic trend or stylistic shortcut.

Behavioral Design

Use naming, spacing, and visual restraint to guide behavior and reduce decision fatigue.

Emotional Resonance

Build emotional connection through reduction rather than embellishment or complexity.

My Role

Brand Designer & Strategist (Conceptual Project)

Responsible for strategic insight development, identity system design, naming architecture, packaging design, UI & digital applications, and visual language extensions. This project reflects full end-to-end brand creation grounded in restraint, clarity, and strategic minimalism—recognized with Behance awards for Branding and Adobe Illustrator.

Lead Brand Designer & Strategist at Case Study Brands  

Working under the Chief Creative Officer, I was responsible for visual strategy, identity development, sub-brand architecture, UX direction, and digital and print design. I led the creative execution while collaborating with the strategy team and internal stakeholders throughout the project.

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Leila Sohaing

Brand Designer & Strategist

leilasohaing@gmail.com ↗
LinkedIn ↗
Based in Paris — Open to remote work