The Best Accessible Beauty Tools and Makeup

Accessible makeup tools pictured by a mirror.

Cordless vacuums, touchless faucets, bendy straws, and voice-to-text. These innovations were originally designed for people with disabilities, and they worked so well that everybody has come to rely on them. But there aren’t many makeup tools or products worthy of that list … yet.

In beauty, universal and adaptive design hasn’t always been a priority. Things like styling your hair or applying makeup may be difficult if you have low vision. And twisting caps, gripping slim, slippery tubes, and opening compacts can be tough for people with arthritis, neurological conditions, or other challenges that affect hand strength and mobility. These barriers “turn a meaningful self-care routine into a frustrating or inaccessible activity,” said occupational therapist Frank Lombardo.

To bridge that gap, a growing number of beauty brands are launching accessible makeup and adaptive tools. We wanted to see how well these innovations, as well as other products, worked and if they could make beauty rituals easier.

In search of the best in accessible beauty, I interviewed two occupational therapists and a consumer-design advocate. Then, we tested 41 vision aids, easy-to-grip tools, and universally designed makeup products with the help of 11 people in their 20s to 80s with various ability levels and challenges, such as limited dexterity in their hands and low vision. In the end, we found nine standouts that worked well for our testers — which means they’ll work well for those with an array of accessibility needs.



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