THE REAL TRUTH
Fragrance has always fascinated me because it weaves together science, culture, and personal identity in a way few things can. From the fresh top notes to the lasting base, every scent tells a story, not just of its wearer, but of the ingredients and global processes behind it. The Real Truth is a project that uncovers the hidden journey of Yves Saint Laurent’s popular “Y” cologne by tracing the path of its four core ingredients: bergamot, sage, cedarwood, and ambroxan.
I spent significant time researching the topic, diving deep into sourcing practices, ethical concerns, chemical processes, and global logistics. Using that research, I created a static world visualization in Adobe Illustrator that maps the movement of these ingredients from Italy, Morocco, the Balkan Peninsula, and Bulgaria through seven key production stages—harvesting, processing, transport, testing, and more. I then brought the concept into Figma to develop a working interactive prototype, allowing users to follow the journey themselves. My goal is to reveal the often unseen complexities behind a familiar fragrance and show how luxury products are deeply tied to global systems of labor, science, and sustainability.
To view the project, click here
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While conducting research for this project, I compiled a detailed document outlining the entire lifecycle of the four main ingredients in Yves Saint Laurent’s “Y” cologne—bergamot, cedarwood, sage, and ambroxan. I gathered information on each ingredient’s origin, the methods of harvesting and extraction used in Italy, Morocco, the Balkan Peninsula, and Bulgaria, and the ethical, environmental, and labor-related concerns tied to their production. As I organized this information, a complex and interwoven system began to emerge: one that revealed global dependencies, questionable labor practices, environmental risks, and industry regulations often hidden from the final product’s sleek packaging. The research not only unpacked the logistical journey of each ingredient but also illuminated the broader implications of the luxury fragrance industry, offering a deeper and more transparent view of what truly goes into a bottle of cologne.
While translating my research into a visual format, I created a static world visualization using Adobe Illustrator that maps the journey of each core ingredient in YSL’s “Y” cologne. The graphic follows bergamot, cedarwood, sage, and ambroxan through seven major production steps, starting from harvesting in their country of origin and ending at the YSL fragrance headquarters. Each ingredient’s path is marked by a series of detailed, interconnected nodes that highlight the environmental impact, ethical concerns, and safety issues present at each stage. As I laid out the information visually, patterns of exploitation, uneven labor distribution, and global interdependence became more striking and easier to grasp. The static design became a powerful storytelling tool, not just to inform, but to help viewers visually trace the often-overlooked complexity behind a seemingly simple product.
The interactive prototype I built in Figma takes everything from my research and static design and turns it into a more engaging, hands-on experience. Instead of just looking at information, users get to explore it for themselves in a way that feels more like uncovering a mystery. The layout is designed to be easy to navigate but still layered, letting users dig deeper into each ingredient and its journey. The interactive elements, animations, and design choices all work together to create a sense of discovery, pulling back the curtain on the clean, polished image that YSL presents. It’s meant to be eye-opening but also approachable, giving users the freedom to explore and connect with the information in a more personal and memorable way.
