Shaky hands? Bad eyesight? These seven disability-friendly brands are making beauty more accessible for everyone
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If a swipe of lipstick, slick of mascara or spritz of scent are joy givers, then the frustration that comes from not being able to apply them properly is the opposite.
For many of us, illness or the effects of ageing means it becomes increasingly challenging to paint products on with precision. Liner is wonky, brow gel blotchy, base badly blended. Thank god then, that the beauty business is starting to take notice of those of us who need some extra help.
When actress and singer Selena Gomez created her (really very good) Rare Beauty brand she was insistent it be disability friendly. A sufferer of lupus and arthritis, she wanted products that were easy to use with ‘finishes that allow for a secure grip’ and ‘applicators that are comfortable to hold and manoeuvre with precision’. Case in point? The brand’s recently launched Rare Beauty Rare Eau de Parfum (£71, sephora.co.uk) has an ergonomic twist-spray pump to benefit those with dexterity issues.
The US beauty industry is leading the field in this space with a slew of new brands launching. Frustratingly, they aren’t yet available here, but I’m going to tell you about them anyway in the hope that a) you might know someone who can send them to you, or b) it might encourage them to start shipping overseas. First up is Guide Beauty (guidebeauty.com), which was created by make-up artist Terri Bryant, who had issues with movement and strength after developing Parkinson’s. It includes ergonomic tools to make application easier and formulations that are more blendable than most. Similar is Tilt (tiltbeauty.com), founded by psoriatic arthritis sufferer Aerin Glazer, who wanted products that are easier to open, hold and apply.
For a brand that is available in the UK, try Kohl Kreatives (kohlkreatives.com). Its easy-grip tools are great for those with motor disabilities.
Beauty giant L’Oréal is innovating, too. In 2023 it unveiled HAPTA, a handheld computerised make-up applicator designed for those with motion issues, Huntington’s disease and arthritis. The machine counteracts unintentional movements (such as tremors) by using advanced sensors and motion-stabilising technology to keep the device level, and it constantly adjusts to the user’s position. It is also ‘ergonomically designed, with an easy-grip handle specifically made for those with arm, hand and wrist-related mobility conditions’. While the device is yet to be on sale in the UK (again, sorry!), the company hopes the technology will be available here in the near future.
And what about those with eyesight issues? After listening to the frustrations of clients, whose compromised vision made it hard to apply products, make-up artist Donna May created her Magnified Make-Up Glasses With Flip Lens (£12, donnamaylondon.com). These have one magnifying lens that can be moved left or right to enable one eye to see clearly as you apply make-up to the other.
Another tool for the blind and visually impaired is Estée Lauder’s voice-enabled make-up assistant. This AI-powered app will scan your face, talk you through your make-up application and offer audio feedback on where you might need to blend or correct.
Of course, there are practical make-up artist hacks for those with vision or mobility challenges, too. Ruby Hammer suggests using cream formulas as they are easier to blend and also correct if you make a mistake. May advises switching a liquid eyeliner for a pencil and using products with larger handles, while make-up artist Caroline Barnes’s tip is to steady a shaky hand by anchoring an elbow on a table. She also recommends investing in a magnifying mirror. Which, as anyone who has one knows, is as horrifying as it is helpful.
Watch out for...
Anya Hindmarch giving Boots’ everyday toiletries, from soap and shampoo to mouthwash (above, £8), a joyful upgrade with her signature googly eyes. Buy them at the designer’s Chelsea store or in Boots from 8 March. Prices are a joy, too – £10 and under.
LIGHT BUT MIGHTY
Props to Gatineau’s innovative new Collagene Expert Melting Cleansing Balm (£48, gatineau.com). which, while deeply indulgent, doesn’t overload the skin so it’s suitable for rosacea-prone or oily skin types. It swiftly removes eye make-up, while nourishing with goodies such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, squalane and peptides.
Beauty clinic
Q I know satin lipsticks are more flattering but how can I stop mine feathering?
Anne Clark, 64, Gateshead
A Use a creamy lip pencil that will glide on to create a base/outline that holds lipstick in place. Check out Clinique, which has just launched new shades of its excellent Quickliner For Lips (£20, clinique.co.uk).
