Counter
From Zero to Launch
From Pioneer to Powerhouse
Founded by Gregg Renfrew in the 2010s, Beautycounter became synonymous with clean beauty advocacy, ingredient transparency, and a community passionate about higher standards and increased regulation in personal care products. After a private equity acquisition in 2023, the brand faced uncertainty—until Renfrew courageously bought her company back, determined to rebuild it stronger than ever.
Elevated Brand Expression
Working alongside the renowned identity firm Established, we brought Counter's bold brand vision to life across their digital touchpoints. The power of a brand system doesn’t stop with a logo, website or tagline – it’s about how the brand makes people feel, and our goal was to create something beautiful, refined and slightly subversive.
Across the storefront, we created an experience that leads with confidence – recognizing that being clean shouldn’t come with compromise. The website elevates products and photography – giving each formulation space to shine while allowing Counter’s exceptional story to unfold, page by page.
This strategic departure from beauty tropes positions Counter as an undisputed industry leader in clean beauty and skincare. Every interface element—from typography to spacing to interaction design—reinforces Counter's premium positioning and commitment to sophisticated simplicity.
Best-in-Class Ecommerce Design
Our mobile-first design philosophy recognizes that beauty discovery increasingly happens on mobile devices. Every touchpoint was designed with mobile users as the primary consideration, resulting in lightning-fast load times, intuitive navigation, and conversion-optimized checkout flows that work seamlessly across all devices.
The user experience prioritizes discovery and education, with intelligent product recommendations, rich ingredient information, and seamless integration between content and commerce. Customers don't just shop—they learn, explore, and connect with Counter's mission of safer beauty.
Immersive Brand Storytelling
As Counter prepared for their relaunch, we recognized that the brand's transformation story needed to be told with the same sophistication as their product formulations. We created an immersive, multi-chapter storytelling experience that guides visitors through:
- Origins & Evolution: The compelling journey from Beautycounter's founding through transformation to Counter's emergence, told through rich multimedia experiences that blend photography, typography, and interactive elements.
- Founder’s Vision: An intimate exploration of founder Gregg Renfrew's motivations, challenges, and unwavering commitment to clean beauty advocacy, presented through personal narratives and behind-the-scenes insights.
- Mission Manifestation: How Counter's values translate into concrete actions, from ingredient sourcing to community building, demonstrated through interactive timelines and impact visualizations.
The storytelling platform is built for evolution, allowing Counter to add new chapters as their story continues to unfold, while maintaining the sophisticated, gallery-like aesthetic that defines their brand expression.
Ingredient Transparency & Education
Central to Counter's mission is radical transparency around ingredients and formulation standards. We designed a comprehensive Ingredients Summary page that serves as both educational resource and brand differentiator, featuring:
- Complete Ingredient Glossary: An extensive, searchable database of every ingredient used in Counter products, complete with sourcing information, benefits, and scientific backing. Each entry includes clear explanations that transform complex chemistry into accessible knowledge.
- The Never List™: Counter's proprietary exclusion list showcasing the products and ingredients they avoid at all costs. This powerful tool demonstrates Counter's unwavering commitment to safety, allowing customers to understand not just what goes into products, but what deliberately stays out.
Setting New Standards
This project represents a new paradigm for beauty brand digital experiences, demonstrating how mission-driven companies can leverage technology to amplify their impact while achieving commercial success. The flexible, modular architecture we built positions Counter for sustained growth and innovation:
- Rapid Feature Deployment through our modular component system allows Counter to launch new functionality in weeks rather than months.
- Seamless Third-Party Integrations as business needs evolve, with pre-built connection points for future expansion.
- Global Expansion Capabilities with multi-currency and multi-language support ready for international growth.
- Advanced Analytics Foundation for data-driven decision making, providing actionable insights across all customer touchpoints.
Where Purpose Meets Performance
Built for the demands of today and the vision for tomorrow, our work enabled Counter to evolve from a traditional direct-sales model to a sophisticated multi-channel approach: the Shopify foundation seamlessly integrates with best-in-class solutions for Loyalty, Affiliate, Subscriptions, Social Shopping and more—ensuring the brand can meet customers wherever they are.
Revolutionary Brand Partner Program
A first-of-its-kind, flexible affiliate program accommodating various seller types and commission structures:
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting for individual affiliates
- Automated payout management with flexible redemption options
- Centralized information management to avoid multi-system complexity
- Advanced tax compliance and documentation handling
