App Showcase: Skan
App info
- App name: Skan - AI Skincare and Beauty
- Onboarding steps: 44
- Paywall type: No Free Trial - Soft Paywall
- Monthly installs: 80,000
- Monthly revenue: $90,000
- App category: health and fitness
What it does
Skan is an AI-powered skincare advisor designed to eliminate guesswork from beauty routines. The app's core function is to analyze a user's skin via their phone's camera, identifying and scoring key concerns like acne, redness, and wrinkles. Based on this scan and a detailed quiz, Skan generates a personalized skincare plan, recommends specific products, and allows users to track their progress over time. It also functions as a product research tool, with features for scanning product labels, comparing items, and getting AI-driven advice.
Where it shines
Skan's strength lies in its highly structured, data-centric onboarding. The experience is built around a face scan (01:14), which immediately demonstrates the app's primary value. This creates a strong hook and provides a foundation for the extensive quiz that follows. The app also excels at building anticipation; a theatrical loading animation (02:20) makes the analysis feel sophisticated and valuable. Finally, its product comparison tool (07:33) offers genuine utility, helping users make informed decisions by placing products in a direct, side-by-side breakdown.
UX highlights
- Guided Scanning: The app provides clear visual examples and real-time feedback during the face scan (01:15), ensuring a successful capture and reducing user friction.
- Staged Results Reveal: Instead of showing everything at once, results are unveiled progressively: first a single 'Skin Health' score (02:57), then a breakdown of metrics, creating a more engaging reveal.
- Comprehensive Filtering: The product discovery section includes robust filters for product type, skin type, effects, and country (06:11), giving users powerful control over their search.
- My Shelf Feature: Users can add their current products to a virtual 'shelf' (09:21). This smart feature helps the app understand the user's existing routine and could be used for advanced recommendations.
- AI Skin Assistant: An integrated chatbot (07:45) allows users to ask questions about specific products, providing instant, personalized advice within the app context.
Monetization & growth
Skan uses a soft paywall strategy. It allows users to complete the entire onboarding process, including the scan and quiz, and see their initial skin analysis for free. Full access to the personalized plan, detailed product recommendations, and progress tracking is locked behind a premium subscription. The primary paywall (04:30) is presented right after the results are summarized. If the user dismisses it, a special, one-time discount offer immediately appears (04:33), creating a sense of urgency and providing a second chance to convert.
Who it’s for
This app is clearly aimed at skincare enthusiasts who feel overwhelmed by the vast number of products on the market. It targets individuals who are looking for a data-driven, scientific approach to building a routine. The detailed analysis and focus on ingredients would appeal to users who are already knowledgeable about skincare but want a tool to optimize their choices, as well as beginners who need expert guidance from the ground up.
Notes & opportunities
The onboarding flow is exceptionally long, which could be a significant drop-off point for less motivated users. While thorough, streamlining the quiz or breaking it into smaller, optional chunks post-onboarding could improve completion rates. The AI assistant's value is also gated; offering more robust free queries could better demonstrate its power and encourage an upgrade. Lastly, the 'Your Recs' and 'Discover' sections on the main screen could be more clearly differentiated to reduce initial confusion for new users.