Designing TrueKind: A Skincare Brand’s Journey Through Moodboards, Motion, and Meaning

Project Backstory

TrueKind approached us with a clear but ambitious goal: they wanted a skincare website that stood out—not just in the Indian skincare space, but globally.

The challenge? Most skincare websites (especially local ones) lean heavily commercial. They emphasize offers, discounts, and aggressive product pushes. But TrueKind wanted something gentler, more thoughtful, and centered on one message: honest skincare.

From the very first conversation, I knew this would require a delicate balance. We wanted to create a site that was visually fresh and a little unconventional, but not so experimental that it alienated everyday customers.

We set aside around 1–2 months for the design phase, allowing time for multiple iterations and careful refinement. One of the best parts of this project was the incredibly trusting, supportive client team—working with people who are genuinely open to creativity makes all the difference.

Crafting the Visual Direction

Every project I work on begins with listening. Before touching any design tools, I immersed myself in the client’s vision, mood, and tone.

I created a moodboard to align with their aesthetic, making sure the images I pulled weren’t just random “nice” visuals. This is something I see many younger designers overlook: it’s not just about curating pretty pictures; it’s about curating pictures that match the brand’s energy, saturation, color language, and atmosphere.

🌟 When building moodboards, don’t be afraid to tweak image properties. Adjust exposure, warmth, contrast, and saturation until they feel cohesive. You’re not just grabbing references—you’re crafting a controlled atmosphere.

For the typefaces, I leaned on my go-to foundry, Pangram Pangram. Their fonts are beautifully made and (for personal projects) wonderfully accessible. For TrueKind, we selected PP Mori (for a modern, clean backbone) and Editorial Neue (to bring in an elegant, editorial touch).

Even though the client wanted something unconventional, I knew we had to keep the animation and interaction design balanced. Too much movement can be overwhelming. So, we built the visual experience primarily around typography—letting type choices and layouts carry the creative weight.

On Working Before AI Image Tools

This project dates back to around 2021, before the surge of AI image generation tools. So when it came to placeholders and visual exploration, I often turned to Behance or similar platforms to source reference imagery that fit the vibe.

Of course, for the final launch, we didn’t want any copyright issues—so we conducted a professional photoshoot in Worli, Mumbai, capturing clean, fresh product imagery. For the Awwwards showcase, we’ve swapped in AI-generated images purely for display purposes.

Iteration and Evolution

Here’s a personal moment of honesty: The first version I designed? I wasn’t thrilled with it.

It lacked the polish, elegance, and depth I knew the brand deserved. But instead of settling, I went back, refined, iterated, and kept pushing. That’s something I’d tell any designer reading this:

🌟 Don’t be afraid to walk away from your early drafts. You can feel when something’s not hitting the mark—trust that instinct, and give yourself room to improve.

Animation & Interaction Design

I’m a sucker for scroll-based animations. Smooth scrolling, layered reveals, subtle movement—these elements can elevate a static design a hundredfold if used thoughtfully.

For TrueKind, I didn’t want unnecessary flash. The scroll interactions enhance the content flow without overpowering it. The text reveals, section transitions, and layered elements were designed to add just enough dynamism to keep the user engaged while still respecting the calm, honest tone of the brand.

Bringing in Reksa: Development Insights

At a certain point, I knew I needed help to fully do justice to the design. That’s when I reached out to Reksa—a developer I deeply admire, not just for his technical skill but for his meticulous creative eye.

Handing over a design like this isn’t always easy. But with Reksa, it felt seamless. He understood the nuances, respected the design intention, and delivered 1000%.

In the dev section below, Reksa will walk you through the stack, architecture, key challenges, and how he brought the design to life with care and precision.

Tech Stack & Challenges

Nuxt.js 3 for the frontend: This project was built with Nuxt.js 3 as the frontend framework. It’s my main tech stack and a powerful choice, especially for creative websites. I find Nuxt.js offers far more flexibility than other frameworks.

SCSS for styling: While many developers prefer CSS frameworks, I lean toward vanilla CSS as my primary approach. SCSS is used here mainly for class scoping and maintainability, but the overall syntax remains vanilla. Writing custom CSS makes the most sense for my needs—especially in creative development, where unique layouts and their connection to animation/motion often demand full styling control.

Vercel for hosting: It provides a simple, plug-and-play experience for hosting Nuxt.js 3 projects.

Prismic as CMS: I use Prismic as the headless CMS. It’s my go-to for most projects—straightforward and well-suited to this project’s needs.

GSAP for animations: For smooth motion experiences, GSAP is unmatched. Its exceptional plugins—like SplitText and DrawSVG—allow me to craft fantastic animations that elevate the design.

Lenis for smooth scrolling: To enhance the motion and animation quality, implementing smooth scroll is a must. It ensures that animations flow beautifully in sync with the scroll timeline.

The key challenges for this project were implementing the “floating” layout and ensuring it remained responsive across all screen sizes. Abhishek’s design was beautifully unique, though that uniqueness also posed its own set of difficulties. To bring it to life, I had to carefully apply techniques like position: absolute in CSS to achieve the right structure and layering.

My favorite part of developing this project was the page transitions and micro-interactions.

The page transition to the product view uses a solid color from the product background, expands it to full screen, and then switches the page seamlessly. Meanwhile, micro-interactions—like SVG draw motions, button hovers, and click animations—add small but impactful details. These make the site feel more alive and engaging for users.

Awards & Recognition

We’re incredibly happy that the project received such a positive response. Some of the awards and recognitions include:

• Awwwards – Site of the Day & Developer Award
• Awwwards – E-commerce Honors (Nominee)
• FWA – FWA of the Day
• CSSDA – Website of the Day
• GSAP – Site of the Day
• Muz.li – Picks Honor
• Made With GSAP – Showcase Feature

Reflections

This project was a joy. Not just because of the outcome, but because of the process: working with thoughtful clients, collaborating with talented partners, and building something that felt true to its mission.

There was, however, an interesting twist. While the final site looked and felt fresh and unconventional, over time, the client gradually shifted toward simpler, more familiar designs—closer to what everyday users are used to.

And here’s a reflection for all creatives:

🌟 Creative websites are a feast for the eyes, but they don’t always convert perfectly. As designers, we thrive on bold, experimental ideas. But businesses often need to balance creativity with practicality. And that’s okay.

This project left a lasting impression—not just on the client, but on us as creators. It reminded me why we do this work: not just to make things look good, but to tell stories, evoke feelings, and bring meaningful ideas into the world.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a young creative reading this: Keep learning, keep experimenting, and keep collaborating. It’s not about chasing perfection—it’s about chasing truth in your work.

And when you find a team that shares that vision? That’s where the magic happens.

Thank you for reading.