Accessible Beauty: How Inclusive Design is Transforming the Beauty Industry

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Written supported by AI.

The beauty industry, once known for its narrow standards and limited accessibility, is undergoing a profound shift toward inclusivity.

A key part of this transformation is the rise of accessible beauty products designed for individuals who are blind or have other disabilities. These innovations are not only empowering more people to engage with beauty on their own terms,they’re also redefining what it means to be inclusive in a $500 billion global industry.

For individuals who are blind or visually impaired, something as seemingly simple as reading a product label, matching foundation to skin tone, or applying makeup with precision can become a significant challenge. Similarly, those with physical disabilities, such as limited hand mobility, may struggle with packaging that’s difficult to open or brushes that require fine motor skills.

Historically, the industry has often excluded these consumers, inadvertently assuming that beauty is only for the able-bodied. But times are changing.

Accessible beauty products aren’t just about convenience, they’re about independence, empowerment, and self-expression.

Features Making Beauty More Inclusive:

• Braille and tactile labels: Adding Braille to packaging allows blind users to identify products independently.

• Color indicators and app integration: Some brands now integrate smart technology to help users select colors and shades using apps that describe hues or simulate their appearance.

• Ergonomic packaging: Easy-to-grip handles, pump dispensers, magnetic closures, and twist-top designs are revolutionizing usability.

• Verbal instructions and accessible tutorials: Voice-activated instructions and screen reader–compatible tutorials help users learn how to use products with ease.

  
  

L’Oréal

L’Oréal made headlines with its AI-powered handheld makeup applicator HAPTA, designed specifically for people with limited hand and arm mobility. This motion-stabilizing device, introduced at CES 2023, allows users to apply lipstick and other products with precision. The company has also implemented Braille on some of its Garnier product lines and continues investing in inclusive tech.

Guide Beauty

Founded by makeup artist Terri Bryant, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Guide Beauty offers ergonomically designed tools that make makeup application easier for people with tremors or limited dexterity. Their Guide Wand and Brow Moment applicators are intuitive, user-friendly, and stylishly inclusive.

Olay

Olay has introduced accessible packaging with easy-open lids, developed in collaboration with consumers who have limited mobility or dexterity. These lids require less force to open and feature a winged design for better grip.

Fenty Beauty

While best known for its revolutionary foundation shade range, Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty also ensures its product descriptions are compatible with screen readers and that tutorials are accessible via YouTube’s captioning and descriptive audio features. The brand’s overall ethos embraces diversity of all kinds,including ability.

L’Occitane

The French brand L’Occitane has included Braille on many of its products since 1997. The initiative began in 1996, when founder Olivier Baussan observed a blind customer engaging with products through touch. Inspired by this moment, he introduced Braille labeling the following year to ensure accessibility for all.

Rare Beauty

Founded by Selena Gomez in 2020, Rare Beauty is known for its inclusive product range and commitment to accessible packaging. Its “Made Accessible” initiative, launched in partnership with the Casa Colina Research Institute, tested products with individuals experiencing upper extremity disabilities. Findings showed that features like matte, textured finishes and spherical caps made products easier to grip and open, especially for those with dexterity challenges.

Procter & Gamble

In 2018, Procter & Gamble’s Herbal Essences became the first mass-market hair care brand to introduce tactilely distinct shampoo and conditioner bottles for blind and visually impaired individuals. Shampoo bottles feature four vertical lines; conditioner bottles have two rows of dots. Tactile markers that don’t require Braille. This innovation, spearheaded by blind inclusive design consultant Sumaira Latif, has been widely praised and encouraged across the industry.

Estée Lauder

Estée Lauder has made strides in enhancing accessibility with its Voice-enabled Makeup Assistant (VMA), a free iOS app that uses AI and AR to provide real-time audio feedback during makeup application. It helps users apply foundation, eyeshadow, and lipstick evenly by analyzing the face through the front camera and offering audible guidance.

Key Features of the VMA app:

• Audio Guidance: Step-by-step verbal instructions.

• AI & AR Integration: Analyzes makeup coverage and suggests improvements.

• Customizable Voice Settings: Users can adjust voice speed and tone.

• Inclusive Design: Developed with input from the visually impaired community.

The company has also improved web accessibility, aligning with WCAG standards, and offers the eSSENTIAL Accessibility app, which provides hands-free navigation, voice commands, and text-to-speech functionalities. The VMA app is currently available on the App Store in the US and UK, with plans to expand to Android and other regions.

The VMA has been recognized with the 2023 CIO 100 Award in IT Excellence and the World 50 Impact Award for Innovation.

True inclusivity isn’t a marketing trend—it’s a mindset. Here are ways companies can better serve people with disabilities:

1. Engage with the disability community: Co-create products with disabled consumers and activists to ensure authentic, practical design.

2. Implement universal design principles: Design with accessibility from the beginning to benefit the broadest range of users.

3. Use inclusive marketing: Feature models with disabilities in ads, tutorials, and campaigns. Representation matters.

4. Ensure digital accessibility: Websites, apps, and tutorials should meet WCAG standards and support screen readers, contrast controls, and keyboard navigation.

5. Train store employees: Equip beauty advisors with the skills to assist disabled customers respectfully and knowledgeably.As conversations around equity and inclusion expand, accessibility in beauty is no longer a niche concern, but a crucial benchmark for modern brands. Accessible design benefits not just people with disabilities, but everyone. Universal design often leads to better products for all users, regardless of ability.

The shift toward accessible beauty is a powerful reminder that beauty isn’t about fitting into someone else’s mold, it’s about having the freedom and tools to express who you are. Everyone deserves access to that freedom.

By embracing accessible design, the beauty industry isn’t just widening its market. It’s redefining what it means to be beautiful.