Phaze
Overview
Most people who menstruate deal with predictable patterns—energy crashes, mood swings, cravings, physical discomfort—but don't really understand why these happen or what to do about them. Period tracking apps will tell you when symptoms are coming, but they rarely explain the hormonal reasons behind them or offer real solutions beyond vague wellness tips.
The gap is especially obvious when it comes to nutrition. People know that food affects how they feel, but online resources are full of contradictory advice without any scientific backing. This leaves people either giving up on finding answers or spending hours researching and ending up more confused than when they started.
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Phaze is a cycle-synced nutrition app that values hormonal health and empowers people who experience periods to feel confident in understanding their bodies. It transforms food into a form of self-knowledge and care—helping users learn how to fuel their energy, balance their mood, and support each phase of their cycle through clear, science-backed guidance.
Role
User Research, Interaction, Visual design, Prototyping & Testing
September 2025 - October 2025
Understanding the hormonal wellness space and identifying gaps
Before speaking with users, I began by researching existing menstrual and hormonal health apps to understand how they approach education, nutrition, and emotional support. I looked closely at four main competitors — MyFLO, 28 Wellness, FitrWoman, and Wild.AI — to identify both strengths and opportunities for differentiation.
What I found was that while each app offered some value, none delivered a well-rounded, actionable experience. MyFLO stood out for introducing phase-based cycle tracking and education but felt overly clinical and cost-prohibitive. 28 Wellness leaned heavily into exercise and meditation but lacked practical nutrition support. FitrWoman, though evidence-based and free, provided a dated interface with little engagement. Wild.AI attempted a science-forward approach with wearable integration, yet its recommendations felt too generalized and data-heavy for everyday users.
Across the board, users were expected to interpret complex information on their own. The apps either assumed a high level of preexisting knowledge or locked key features behind paywalls. There was no product that combined education, emotional support, and tangible, phase-specific food guidance within a single accessible platform.
This analysis revealed a clear opportunity for Phaze to occupy the space between clinical accuracy and human-centered empathy — a balance of scientific credibility and emotional accessibility. Phaze’s core differentiator became clear: to translate hormonal health data into everyday action through simple recipes, cycle-aware tips, and calm, inclusive design.
User Interviews
Hearing directly from those navigating hormone changes.
Goals
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Understand users’ day-to-day hormonal experiences
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Identify barriers to eating well across cycle phases
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Uncover what users need from a supportive app
Method
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5 semi-structured interviews (45 min each)
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Remote sessions with menstruating individuals aged 22–35
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Follow-up survey to validate trends
After transcribing interviews, I grouped quotes by emotion, behavior, and need. Seven primary themes emerged:
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Cravings & appetite changes
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Physical & emotional symptoms
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Lack of actionable steps
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Low energy and overwhelm
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Desire for learning
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Need for empathy Timing and planning cues
These themes shaped Phaze’s voice and structure — educational yet soothing, informative yet low-effort.
Affinity Mapping
After transcribing interviews, I grouped quotes by emotion, behavior, and need. Seven primary themes emerged:
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Cravings & appetite changes
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Physical & emotional symptoms
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Lack of actionable steps
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Low energy and overwhelm
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Desire for learning
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Need for empathy Timing and planning cues
These themes shaped Phaze’s voice and structure — educational yet soothing, informative yet low-effort.
Cravings and energy fluctuate predictably.
“I crave sugar and salt before my period, then lose my appetite completely.” — Deanna
Existing apps stop at awareness.
“It tells me where I’m at, but not what to do about it.” — Maya
Emotional tone is critical.
“I don’t want to feel medicalized or judged.” — Meera
Users want the why.
“If I know why a food helps, I’ll actually try it.” — Nikki
02 - Define
Personas | Users
Based on my research, I found that there were two key personas I was designing for. There is The Severe Symptom Tracker & The Light Symptom User. I posed myself the question - How do I design in a manner that keeps two individuals whom have varying needs in mind?
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Doesn't want tracking to feel like work—her symptoms are mild enough that daily logging feels unnecessary and burdensome
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Values simplicity and speed above all else; opens the app sporadically just to confirm where she is in her cycle
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Wants just enough awareness to optimize her life (meal planning, workouts, energy levels) without constant monitoring
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Seeks a tool that respects her time and stays out of the way until she actually needs it
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Struggles with severe symptoms that genuinely disrupt her life—work suffers, relationships strain, and some weeks feel completely unmanageable
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Desperately wants to understand why her body does this and find practical strategies to regain some sense of control
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Gets overwhelmed by complex apps when she needs help most—needs supportive, educational guidance that doesn't add to her stress
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Craves predictability and coping mechanisms to get through the hardest days, not just data about what's happening
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Problem Statement
How might we help menstruating individuals understand their hormonal fluctuations and make supportive food choices, even during low-energy phases, without adding to their mental load?
This statement captured the core design challenge: providing education and actionable tools while respecting limited energy and avoiding overwhelm.
Design Principles
From research insights, four critical principles emerged:
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Education builds trust — Users won't follow recommendations they don't understand
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Simplicity enables action — Complexity creates barriers during low-energy states
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Context drives relevance — Phase-aware suggestions feel more helpful than generic advice
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Flexibility accommodates reality — Rigid requirements don't match lived experiences
Feature Road Map | Defining core features
I prioritized features based on what would provide the most immediate value while addressing the core problems users expressed: lack of actionable guidance, the "why gap" in recommendations, and varying needs for engagement depth. Using the MoSCoW method, I identified Must-Have features for the MVP, Nice-to-Have enhancements for future iterations, and Surprising & Delightful features that would differentiate Phaze from competitors.
For my final features, I decided to move forward with the Phase-Based Dashboard, Recipes by Phase, Detailed Onboarding, and Symptom Explanations & Insights (the educational "Why This Helps" sections). These stood out because users really want immediate context and actionable guidance when symptoms hit—not just predictions. The dashboard answers "where am I in my cycle?" and "what should I eat?" without requiring any effort. Detailed onboarding captures dietary needs, symptom patterns, and engagement preferences so the app adapts to whether someone wants daily support or weekly check-ins. And the ingredient benefits education was critical—3/5 users specifically said they wanted to understand why certain foods help during different phases. It not only builds trust, but also empowers users to make informed choices and recognize what works for their own bodies over time.
Lo-Fi Wireframes
I began with low-fidelity wireframes to quickly explore layout, hierarchy, and flow without getting caught up in visuals. This stage helped me focus on how users would move through the app — from discovering their current phase to saving a recipe — and identify pain points early. Testing these sketches clarified what information needed to appear first and ensured the experience felt effortless before refining the UI.
Developing a Brand Style
When designing for hormonal health, I knew the visual language needed to do a lot of heavy lifting. This isn't just about looking nice—it's about creating a space that feels safe, inclusive, and empowering.
The Color Story I moved away from the typical pink-heavy palettes you see in women's health apps. Instead, I chose earthy, nature-inspired tones—warm wheat, sage green, and golden ecru—that feel grounding and calming. These colors evoke nourishment and balance without being gendered.
Typography Choices Abril Fatface brings personality and a touch of whimsy to headlines—it's confident without being aggressive. Paired with Lato for body text, which is clean and highly readable, the combination feels approachable yet professional. You get warmth and character where it matters, and clarity where you need it.
The Bigger Picture People dealing with hormonal health issues often feel overwhelmed, dismissed, or stuck in spaces that don't represent them. It's sophisticated without being pretentious, educational without being sterile. It's a visual language that says "this space is for you, whoever you are."
Key Insights
Overall, users had no trouble navigating the app — the flows worked smoothly — but the testing made it clear that ease of use wasn’t the main issue. The biggest gap was understanding. Several participants wanted to know why certain ingredients were recommended for their phase or what nutrients they were getting, showing that the app needed more educational depth. A few also weren’t sure if their recipes had actually been saved, and others mentioned that some screens felt a bit visually overwhelming or crowded.
Key Changes Made
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I focused on improving clarity and trust. I added clear feedback when recipes are saved, built in educational content explaining the benefits behind ingredients, and reduced visual clutter so users could focus on what matters most without feeling overwhelmed.
The Problem
Most cycle-tracking apps tell users what to do—eat this, avoid that, expect these symptoms—but they rarely explain why. During research, I heard users express frustration with being given surface-level recommendations without understanding the reasoning behind them. They wanted to feel informed and empowered, not just instructed.
The Solution
I designed an ingredient benefits screen that breaks down the nutritional "why" behind each recipe. Users can now see exactly how each ingredient—like cacao's magnesium for mood support or chia seeds' omega-3s for inflammation—supports their hormonal health during their current cycle. This transforms recipes from simple suggestions into educational moments that give users real knowledge and agency over their health.
The Problem
During usability testing, I noticed two critical pain points: users had no confirmation that their recipe was actually saved, and they weren't sure where to find their saved recipes later. This created uncertainty and made the save feature feel incomplete.
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The Solution
I designed a "My Recipes" screen as a dedicated space for saved content, making it clear where recipes live after saving. I also added immediate visual feedback—the save button transforms to a confirmed state showing "✓ Saved to My Recipes"—so users know their action was successful the moment it happens.
04 - Deliver
Final Prototype | The solution
An App That Actually Listens
The final Phaze prototype reflects everything I learned from users: their frustrations with generic recommendations, their desire for real education, and their need to feel seen.
It begins with onboarding that treats users like individuals—asking about their unique dietary needs, hormone disorders, and even their pronouns. No assumptions, just genuine personalization. Once users are in the app, they find recipes specifically curated for their current cycle phase, each one backed by clear nutritional breakdowns that explain exactly how each ingredient supports their hormonal health.
But here's what makes Phaze different: it doesn't lock knowledge behind premium features. Users don't have to upgrade to understand their bodies. The education, the personalization, the empowerment—it's all there from the start. Because hormonal health support shouldn't cost extra.
Through this project, I transformed Phaze from a concept into a more intuitive and educational experience. Usability testing revealed that users didn’t just want to track their cycle — they wanted to understand it. Adding ingredient benefits gave the app a stronger sense of purpose and trust, while clearer feedback and simplified visuals reduced confusion and overwhelm. These changes made Phaze feel more personal, empowering, and aligned with its goal: helping users connect with their bodies through awareness, not pressure.
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