Meet these 8 beauty brands creating adaptive products for customers with disabilities

The beauty world has become far more inclusive in recent years – having make-up shades that suit all skin tones is a must, we now see campaigns using real people and unfiltered images, and genderless beauty is on the rise.

However, beauty products that aim to make things easier for disabled people have taken a little longer to appear. Mastering a flawless eyeliner flick, perfectly curling hair, or reading the minuscule print on a bottle can be tricky enough anyway, but for those with certain disabilities, these may seem like impossible feats.

Luckily there’s a growing number of brands now thinking about this, using innovative design ideas and the latest technology to make skincare, make-up, and hair styling something that everyone can feel confident doing. Here’s how the beauty industry is meeting the needs of its customers with disabilities…

Make-up

Intricate eye make-up is always tricky, but for those with motor disabilities or visual impairments, it’s even harder. One brand aiming to help is Kohl Kreatives, which sells make-up aids such as adhesive eyeliner stencils, easy-grip tan applicators, and make-up brushes that don’t slip out of hands.

After a perfect winged liner in a second? Try an eyeliner stamp pen, like Ciaté’s Stamp & Drag Liner, which prints a flawless flick simply by touching the nib to the corners of your eyes.

Plus, look out for two smart new pieces of beauty tech. Lancôme has created HAPTA, a computerised device for applying lipstick and mascara for those who have difficulty lifting and controlling their arms, keeping the product level and wobble-free. The L’Oréal group, meanwhile, has unveiled 3D shu:brow, a tool that prints non-permanent eyebrows – tailored to your own face – at the touch of a button.

Kohl Kreatives Quickie Stickies, £9.99 here

Ciaté Stamp & Drag Liner, £15 here

Hair styling helpers

Styling hair with hot tools often requires a lot of arm gymnastics, having to lift them above your head and twist them at exact angles to create curls, waves, and flicks. But Dyson changed all that when it launched the Airwrap in 2018. You simply attach the right nozzle and hold the tool near your hair, then targeted airflow uses the “Coanda effect” to whip hair around the barrel, creating effortless curls in seconds.

Other brands have since adopted this technology, including the Shark FlexStyle and the Beauty Works Aeris. Another type of tool are “auto curlers”, stylers that suck hair into their barrels, curl it, then release as a perfect ringlet – BaByliss’ Wave Secret Air is a great first choice. And if holding up a hairdryer is hard, you can buy stands on Amazon for about £20 that keep your tool lifted at head height for hands-free blow-dries.

Beauty Works Aeris Multi- Styler, £220 here

BaByliss Wave Secret Air, £150 here

AI aids

Browsing bricks-and-mortar stores to test out make-up isn’t possible for everybody, but when shopping online, you want to know you’re buying the correct product. Look for augmented reality tools – many brands have them on their websites, including MAC, Too Faced, and L’Oréal. They use your phone or laptop camera to virtually place the product on your face and can be used to find your right shade of foundation, see how a lipstick would look on you, or try out a hair colour. And Estée Lauder has a voice-enabled make-up assistant app that rates your foundation, eyeshadow, and lipstick application, offering tips along the way.

Estée Lauder Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant app, free to download from the Apple App Store

Easy to read

There are a number (albeit a very small number) of brands that print Braille on their packaging for visually impaired shoppers, including L’Occitane and Bioderma. However, nowadays only 10% of the blind population read Braille, so instead many disability campaigners are suggesting that ideas like a universal raised symbol system (“S” for shampoo and “C” for conditioner, for example), or scannable QR codes that lead to an explanatory web page, might be more effective.

L’Occitane Shea Lavender Hands & Body Liquid Soap, £25 here

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