Inclusivity is becoming a buzzword in the personalised beauty and wellness industry too. For instance, painful medical conditions like arthritis, osteoporosis can make it tough for people to open packages or use products. But a crop of personal beauty brands backed by beauty experts and disability advocates are making adaptive makeup and application tools with easy-to-use products that anyone, regardless of physical ability, can use.
Features like flip-top lids, pumps, and braille labelling are some changes made to products. Take for instance, Lancôme. The brand has an application of lipstick and mascara in Hapta, a handheld motorised makeup device applicator, for people with limited arm mobility, hand-motion disorders, arthritis, Huntington’s Disease, and stroke-related motion challenges. The device harnesses the power of technology to assist those who have difficulty raising their arms due to limited mobility issues, and people with limited grip strength who struggle with precise application.
While consumers demand hyper-personalised and science-backed products, Estée Lauder introduced a voice-enabled makeup assistant (VMA) application, a first-of-its-kind artificial intelligence-powered mobile app to help visually impaired users more easily and confidently apply makeup.
In the UK alone, the National Health Service estimates that more than 2 million people are living with sight loss, of whom 340,000 are registered as blind or partially sighted. The VMA uses voice instruction technologies to assist the user in makeup application; users receive audio feedback and tips on whether their lipstick, eyeshadow, or foundation is evenly applied.
Another UK-based beauty brand Kohl Kreatives has accessible products for people who have trouble with fine motor skills. The makeup brushes stand on their own, as well as some with non-rolling cuboid handles, which make them easier to pick up. The Flex collection of brushes are bendable while makeup brushes come with an audio guide to direct those with vision impairment.
Back home, brands like The Body Shop, Ibaeuty, Blur India, L’Occitane, among others are trying to reach people with better representation of products. The Body Shop started a Braille initiative last year in select activist stores across India — Mumbai, New Delhi, Gurugram and Bengaluru.
“By integrating Braille category call-outs and braille script, we empower visually challenged customers to navigate through our stores independently. This initiative will follow a phased rollout across our stores nationwide,” says Harmeet Singh, chief brand officer, The Body Shop, Asia South.
French skincare brand L’Occitane too has braille packaging to assist visually impaired customers. It offers in-store experience including trained beauty advisers to provide personalised assistance. “User-friendly packaging and tactile differentiation indicates that inclusivity is essential in beauty,” says Simi Dewan, deputy GM & country head pan-India business L’Occitane En Provence.
Homegrown beauty brand Ibaeuty has disability friendly packaging with easy-to-open designs that require minimal strength or dexterity, flip-top lids, pumps, or magnetic closures instead of twist caps. Every formulation is designed to be inclusive, effective, and beneficial for all skin types and tones, breaking away from conventional beauty standards. The tactile markers such as raised symbols, embossed textures, or uniquely shaped bottles differentiate products by touch along with readable text, clear labelling for those with low vision or cognitive disabilities. Bottles and jars are designed for an easy grip, especially for those with limited mobility or arthritis. Lastly, the QR codes allow smart packaging with scannable QR codes that redirect to brand pages.
Brands like Blur India working with individuals who have faced societal bias, including acid attack survivors and people with vitiligo, reinforcing the message that makeup is for everyone and it’s inclusive. They work with specially-abled creators and transgender artists to refine products, ensuring they are intuitive and easy to use. “We’re expanding into accessible packaging and formulations. The portfolio includes inclusive beauty essentials like shade-inclusive lip kits, lip oils, unisex solid perfumes, designed in collaboration with the Aravani Art Project, where transgender artists redefine love through their own words and art,” says Riya Pant, founder, Blur India.