Adaptive Beauty - Designing For Disability In 2023

Adaptive beauty — make-up that meets the needs of people with disabilities — is the epitome of inclusivity. By catering to disabled people who want to apply make-up with greater independence, it has opened up the cosmetics industry to those previously excluded, and promised a historic shift in how we define ‘beauty’.

Brands such as Guide and Kohl Kreatives are changing the game — creating innovative tools like easy-grip brushes and ingenious eyeliner applicators for those with limited dexterity or visual impairments. As I explain in my new book, See Me Rolling, this emerging breed of stylish, inclusive design heralds a new era for disability equality — where physical limitations are no longer a barrier to one’s agency or empowerment.

In 2023, things are ramping up a gear once again thanks to the advent of ‘smart beauty' - where technology meets beauty — from manicure robots and metaverse make-up, to flawless brows at the push of a button. Say hello to the future of adaptive beauty…

AI Make-Up Assistants

Earlier this year, Estée Lauder rolled out a new app that helps visually impaired make-up lovers apply their favourite products. From foundation to feline flicks, the Voice-Enabled Make-Up Assistant (or VMA) guides individuals through the application process — offering feedback on whether the make-up is precisely applied. Powered by artificial intelligence, the virtual assistant analyses the user’s face and gives audio feedback on which areas could be touched up or blended.

To develop the technology, Estée Lauder worked in collaboration with consumers who have visual impairments. With more than 2 million people living with sight loss in the UK, the VMA app is now giving scores of people the confidence to apply make-up independently. It’s completely free to download and use, and will detect any products, not just Estée Lauder brands.

Brows At The Touch Of A Button

Achieving your desired brows can be a time-consuming endeavour — with volumising gels, pomades, waxes, pencils and tints all in rotation. But what if you had a tool that could give perfect brows at — quite literally — the touch of a button? Later this year, L’Oréal will be launching Brow Magic. This is a lightweight, handheld machine that prints non-permanent eyebrow tattoos on your face.

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Here’s how it works: first users scan their face with the Brow Magic mobile app. Once the preferred shape, thickness and eyebrow effect are selected, you'll be asked to swipe the gadget across the brow area in a single, sweeping motion. Using 2,400 tiny nozzles and printing technology, the ultra-precise machine applies the correct amount of product — which can be easily removed with a standard make-up remover. Less beauty tool, more magic wand.

Lipstick Computers

Lipstick application is a fine art: a combination of technique, a steady hand and, let’s be honest, luck. For the 50 million people across the world who have reduced fine motor skills (like those with Parkinson’s disease), this process can feel especially challenging due to limitations with gripping and performing controlled hand movements. Now, Lancôme have engineered an innovative solution that promises to reduce these accessibility barriers.

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‘HAPTA’ is the world’s first computerised make-up applicator. Developed in partnership with Google, the device uses real-time sensors and self-levelling technology to provide flawless lipstick application every time. The handheld tool not only gives users an improved range of motion, but it also distinguishes hand tremors from intentional movements. It’s launching later this year — absolutely something to smile about.

Smart Nail Salons

Manicures are the millennial embodiment of self-care. But, for many people with disabilities, this act of indulgence can feel frustratingly out of reach due to the inaccessibility of high street nail salons, or physical difficulties with applying nail polish independently. So can a group of leading physicists, engineers, coders and beauty enthusiasts conjure up a solution?

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Enter Nimble, the world’s first at-home smart nail salon. Meticulously engineered to produce an immaculate manicure in 40 minutes, Nimble uses artificial intelligence and a robotic arm to scan, paint and dry your nails within one table-top device. After studying the shape of your nails, it applies a base coat, two coats of colour and a topcoat for a high-shine manicure that stays chip-free for a week — all from the comfort of your own home. Nimble, indeed.

AR Make-Up Apps

From colour matching your foundation, to selecting a flattering lipstick shade, a trip to the beauty counter was previously the only way to ‘try before you buy’. Now, Augmented Reality is a lifeline for disabled people who want to test out new make-up products but can't easily travel into stores. Mobile camera technology blends the user’s real-time video with interactive virtual overlays of everything from eyeshadow, contour and blush, to concealer and lip gloss.

Our favourites include Chanel’s LipScanner app, M.A.C and E.L.F Cosmetics Virtual Try On. For an even more personalised experience, ByTerry and Space NK are offering free virtual beauty consultations — online appointments where experts share advice on colour matching, skincare and more.

Virtual Beauty Playground

The internet has revolutionised our lives, delivering unprecedented opportunities for disabled people. Now, the metaverse promises to turbo-charge how we interact with the virtual world — bringing even more immersive experiences direct to the individual. Beauty brands have been especially eager to conquer Web 3.0. Clinique, for instance, unveiled its first virtual laboratory. Here, shoppers can trot around as an avatar, exploring the brand’s skincare products and interacting with Clinique consultants. Elsewhere, Elizabeth Arden, Charlotte Tilbury, Burberry and NARS are fully immersed in NFTs, virtual perfume and cosmetics.

With the first Metaverse Beauty Week coming on 12 June (featuring a host of digital experiences like wearable NFTs and interactive gaming) it’s clear that when it comes to beauty the possibilities are infinite and inclusive.