Chai Beauty: Rooted in Culture. Powered by Us

Project Overview

CHALLENGE

Beauty branding often defaults to aspirational tropes that can feel generic or exclude diverse cultural expression. In the crowded beauty market, a concept brand like Chai Beauty needed an identity that would:

  • Communicate authentic cultural influence instead of generic beauty signals

  • Find a balance between approachable and confident

  • Feel at home across digital platforms and physical environments

The core challenge was: how might we craft a visual identity that honors cultural roots while feeling contemporary, versatile, and ownable across brand touchpoints?

OBJECTIVES

  • Develop a distinctive visual identity rooted in cultural resonance

  • Create a scalable identity system that supports real-world brand use

  • Reflect confidence, warmth, and community in the visual language

  • Enable easy application across social, signage, and promotional collateral 

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

The design direction centered on using cultural cues as strategic assets rather than surface decoration. Key strategic choices included:

  • A custom logo suite that pairs a primary wordmark with secondary emblems for flexibility

  • A logomark inspired by chai tea, evoking warmth and cultural grounding while connecting to the brand name

  • A color palette of warm neutrals and energetic accents that speaks to both boldness and approachability

  • Typography that prioritizes clarity and liveliness, reinforcing brand tone without sacrificing readability 

This strategy allows the brand to feel both rooted in heritage and forward-leaning, supporting consistent expression across formats and environments. 

OUTCOME & VALUE

This identity concept positions Chai Beauty as a brand that feels culturally grounded, boldly expressive, and strategically versatile. Even without live metrics, the project demonstrates:

  • Strategic thinking: aligning cultural nuance with visual expression

  • Scalability: a system ready to adapt across platforms and touchpoints

  • Narrative clarity: visual cues that support brand storytelling and positioning

Chai Beauty illustrates how intentional design can elevate a concept from a name and idea into a cohesive brand experience that feels real and ready for application.