Light The Flame, Nourish Your Soul

☆ Overview

Kava is a sustainable body candle brand.

Kava is dedicated to providing high-quality, eco-friendly products aimed at women who prioritize self-care. Their candles double as lotion when melted, offering a luxurious and functional self-care experience.

This meant that their branding needed to reflect the essence of sustainability, femininity, and relaxation

Timeframe

48 hours

Team

Solo project

Tools

Figma, Adobe Photoshop

Role

⋆ User Researcher, Brand Designer

Disciplines

Design Systems, Prototyping, User Research Ineraction Design, Product Design

USER RESEARCH

☆ Understanding the Brand

To design a strong brand identity, I conducted a comprehensive brand analysis - looking into the wellness cosmetic industry niche, analyzing competitors and building a strong foundation for the brand’s visual identity.

“Kava” is actually a crop that is grown in the pacific islands. Kava is said to elevate mood, well being, and contentment, and produce a feeling of relaxation. Moreover, the phonetic properties of the word create the perception of relaxation.
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Understanding the Industry and Competitors

To begin, I conducted a comprehensive analysis of the wellness and cosmetics industry, specifically focusing on brands that combine beauty, self-care, and sustainability.

I examined top players in the niche, such as Herbivore Botanicals, Lush, and BeautyCounter, observing how they communicate their eco-friendly values and wellness-oriented philosophies.In addition to identifying trends, I explored how competitors position themselves within the wellness space—some emphasize minimalism, while others focus on luxury or nature-inspired aesthetics.

Kava needed a unique angle that highlights both its functional dual-purpose product and its commitment to sustainability!

‍Unpacking the Name

The name "Kava" refers to a crop grown in the Pacific Islands, known for its calming effects and ability to promote relaxation and well-being. This connection was key in shaping the brand’s identity. The name itself exudes tranquility, and the brand needed to reflect this in every aspect—from visual design to the overall customer experience.

Key Insights:

Audience Priorities:
- Women aged 25-40 value sustainability, clean ingredients, and multi-functional products.
- Words like “natural,” “soothing,” and “elegant” resonated strongly with the target demographic.
Visual Preferences:
- Earthy tones, soft gradients, and minimalistic designs were most appealing.
- A focus on natural imagery (plants, candles, flowing textures) evoked feelings of calmness and trust.
Competitive Analysis:
- Many sustainable brands used muted tones and overly similar earthy themes, risking invisibility in a saturated market.
- There was an opportunity to differentiate Kava by blending elegance with sustainability, avoiding the “clinical” look often associated with eco-friendly brands.

Who are we designing for?

A content creator, Lila Blooms who values sustainability, elegance, and self-care. She seeks products that align with her principles and seamlessly fit into her busy but balanced lifestyle. She believes in nurturing herself physically, mentally, and emotionally as a form of empowerment.

ITERATIVE DESIGN

Again, and again.

Establishing a brand identity required a lot more work. I need to integrate:

Essence: Sustainable luxury
Voice: Warm, calming, and empowering
Values: Sustainability, femininity, functionality

1. Logo Design
The logo needed to reflect Kava’s dual purpose while being timeless and memorable. I explored organic shapes and refined typographic treatments:

> The final logo featured soft, flowing typography that had a laid back, loosened feeling.

2. Color Palette
I crafted a palette that balanced femininity and sustainability:

> Primary Colors: Earthy neutrals (taupe, sand, olive green) to reflect eco-consciousness.
> Accent Colors: Soft blush and warm amber to evoke comfort and self-care.

3. Typography
For typography, I selected a clean serif font for the logo to exude elegance and paired it with a rounded sans-serif font for body text, ensuring readability and warmth.

4. Visual Elements

> Patterns: Abstract, flowing wax-inspired shapes used sparingly in packaging and promotional material.
> Imagery: Photography emphasized serene, intimate moments of self-care, featuring soft candlelight and natural textures.

CHALLENGES

Now what?

Balancing Sustainability and Luxury:
Many sustainable brands prioritize minimalism at the expense of elegance. I overcame this by incorporating premium materials, like textured paper and embossed finishes, into the packaging design while maintaining eco-friendly practices.

Communicating Dual Functionality:
A candle that doubles as lotion is a unique selling point but unfamiliar to many. I designed clear and elegant instructions on the packaging using simple icons and concise text to convey this feature intuitively.

Standing Out in a Crowded Market:
The challenge was to avoid blending into the saturated eco-friendly space. The addition of warm accent colors and a focus on luxurious textures helped differentiate

FINAL DESIGN

Finally

1. Logo and Brand Guidelines:

Logo variants: I produced several logo variants including a lettermark, icon and used them in several mockups as a way to test out ther variability. I found them to be quite interchangeable and powerful.
Clear usage guidelines for consistent application i.e., where to use each logo and how to make it stand out.

2. Packaging Design:

Elegant jars made from recycled glass, featuring embossed logos and minimalistic labels.

EPILOGUE

Final Thoughts!

Key Takeaways:

Storytelling Through Design: This project reinforced the importance of storytelling in branding. Every design decision—from the logo to the packaging—aligned with Kava’s narrative of sustainable luxury.
User-Centric Approach: Iterative feedback loops and user testing ensured that Kava’s branding resonated with its audience while maintaining functionality and clarity.
Sustainability Meets Elegance: It’s possible to create a visually stunning brand identity without compromising on eco-conscious values.

With its distinctive branding, Kava is poised to make a lasting impression in the wellness industry, offering women a luxurious, eco-friendly self-care experience like no other.