Case Study · Beauty Device
Bringing the spa's two steps home: a deeper cleanse, then ultrasonic infusion so skincare actually absorbs
Most facial cleansing brushes do one job: they clean. Yet much of the skincare applied afterward stays on the surface and is never fully absorbed. Users want a deeper cleanse and products that actually work. Any device that does both still has to feel gentle enough for every day.
The challenge
The client
NION Beauty creates at-home devices inspired by professional spa treatments. Its OPUS LUXE cleansing brush, known for a signature wooden finish and soft silicone bristles, became a best seller. Yet a single-function brush left room to do more for the skin.
The opportunity
NION asked us to evolve OPUS LUXE into a 2-in-1 device that adds ultrasonic infusion. The brief was clear: keep the wooden finish and soft form customers loved. We took on the full project, from bristle research to mass production.
Key successes
Behind the design
Bristles are the first thing a user feels. Yet most cleansing brushes are built on off-the-shelf specs and secondhand data. For LUXE PLUS, that data could not answer the real question: how do you clean deeply while staying gentle every day?
So we built our own bristle specification. Using first-hand data, we defined which bristle thickness and length belong where on the face.
The result is a zoned brush head. Longer, thicker bristles on the upper section reach the sides of the nose and under the brows. The rest use the size most people found most comfortable. A raised outdent area adds precision for detailed cleansing. The same specification now extends to our other cleansing products, from body to hands.
Validation
Every bristle candidate passed through two gates. First, we tested cleansing power on fruit skin coated with makeup, at the same vibration level, and removed the weaker options. Next, 13 participants tried the remaining bristles to find the right balance of clean and comfort.
The finding was clear: one bristle size does not fit the whole face. So we zoned the brush head. We also ran user testing on the buttons, indicator lights and grip, refining the controls before launch.
Engineered for production
Two technologies had to live in one handheld body. We engineered a dual-sided head: soft silicone bristles on one face, a stainless-steel ultrasonic plate on the other.
The body is fully waterproof for use in the shower, while keeping the signature wooden finish. Dirt-resistant, medical-grade silicone holds up to daily use. A built-in timer stops ultrasonic mode after three minutes.
We then carried LUXE PLUS from tooling through mass production in our own factory.
Project timeline
Bristle research
Built our own silicone bristle specification through the Tactile Map study
Brand pillars
Defined NION's three design pillars: spa professional, natural and soothing
Zoned brush head
Zoned the brush head based on bristle and user testing
Launch
Launched LUXE PLUS with kinetic cleansing and ultrasonic infusion
Red Dot Design Award
Won the Red Dot Design Award
In market
LUXE PLUS won the Red Dot Design Award 2024. The jury praised its comfortable feel and ease of use.
According to NION's clinical user results, 100% of users said their skin felt smoother and pores looked smaller. 98.2% noticed fewer wrinkles, and 96% felt instant hydration.
Skincare professionals, from estheticians to makeup artists, praised its deep cleanse and ease of use. They noted visibly improved texture, tone and clarity after regular use.
