Reviewing my old design work

Hope you've had a great start to the new year!

In today's newsletter, I'm doing something a bit different.

I'm taking you back to my early days as a logo designer to explore one of my first projects.

We'll look at where it missed the mark and how I'd approach it differently now with years of experience under my belt.

So meet Too Faced...

A beauty clinic that specialised in non-surgical cosmetic treatments (Botox, dermal fillers, etc.).

I worked with them in 2020 to design this logo:

We all start somewhere right? 👀

Apart from being hard to look at, what else is fundamentally wrong with this logo?

Well, let's take a look...

1. Hard-to-Read Text

The font and “creative” intertwining elements make it tough to read. And if you squint, it looks like there is an accidental curse word in there. (Can’t believe I didn’t spot that at the time).

2. Overly Busy Design

I threw way too much at this logo, trying to be clever with the "Too." Instead, it feels cluttered and unfocused, a big no-no for logo design. A chaotic logo overwhelms and looks unprofessional.

3. Unbalanced Composition

The typefaces don’t complement each other. The stark contrast in style and weight makes the whole design feel disjointed, like two different brands mashed together.

4. Weak Colour Palette

The colour palette wasn’t terrible, but it lacked contrast, making the logo harder to read.

These mistakes perfectly showcase my lack of experience back then.

At that time in my design career, I focused too much on aesthetics over function and simply followed client preferences without considering how they aligned with the brand's goals or audience.

I wasn't leading the process, I was just following instructions.

They said "jump," and I asked, "how high?"

What would I do differently if I redesigned it today?

Well, my approach is entirely different to what it was back then. Strategy leads everything I do.

So let's see what this logo would look like if I were to design it today:

Step 1: Choosing the Right Typeface

I picked a clean sans-serif font with subtle tweaks for a modern and legible feel. The thicker weight adds confidence, while its simplicity reflects the brand’s innovative approach to beauty.

Step 2: Creating a Logo Mark

The original concept of the “two faces” stuck with me, but I reworked it into a refined, stand-alone mark. When I merged the shapes, it created a heart in the negative space, a subtle nod to the brand’s mission to help clients “love the skin they’re in.”

Step 3: Adjusting the Colour Palette

The original colours didn’t capture the energy of Too Faced’s services. So, I introduced a deep, vibrant orange. This now speaks directly to the brand’s promise of empowerment and transformation.

The Results

In my opinion, the old logo feels dated, chaotic, and disconnected from the brand’s message. The new concept? Clean, modern, and versatile… ready to grow with the business for years to come.

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While no logo can promise infinite relevance, a well-designed logo that’s rooted in strategy can stand the test of time much better than one created on pure guesswork.

What do you think of the Too Faced redesign? Did I make it better or worse?

Chat soon,

Abi.

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