Applying eyeliner can be a challenge when you have a disability or health condition that affects your mobility, fine motor skills, or hand-eye coordination. A makeup artist, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, used her experience to create accessible products so getting the perfect brow or eyeliner look is a snap.
Terri Bryant worked as a professional makeup artist and educator for years, which included a commitment to making the art form more accessible to beginners. She eventually noticed symptoms of what turned out to be Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease that mainly affects your motor skills.
Bryant noticed how his Parkinson’s symptoms, like a tremor, exposed the challenges many people face when putting on makeup.
“As a makeup artist, I understand the mechanics of application and what it takes to get great results,” Bryant told The Mighty. “My experience with Parkinson’s disease has allowed me to Feel where traditional tools and products may not achieve these results.
As a result of his experience, Bryant started Guide Beauty, a company that creates beauty products using universal design to make them more user-friendly for everyone.
“Makeup artistry requires a high level of precision and fine motor skills,” said Bryant, adding:
Drawing a straight line of eyeliner across the eyelid and defining symmetrical brows are just a few of the techniques that most makeup users find difficult and time consuming. … We create universally designed products that enhance and facilitate the achievement of a level of artistic precision in a wide range of skills and abilities.
Guide Beauty currently sells three products. Products include Lash Wrap Mascara and Brow Moment Gel, which come in containers with a handle to more comfortably stabilize mascara or gel during application. The Eyeliner Guide Duo has a flexible tip applicator and a stabilizing handle that makes it easy to apply eyeliner.
Many disability advocates have pointed out that universal design or adaptive products often exclude people with disabilities – who are more likely to be considered low-income from the market. Guide Beauty’s mascara and eyebrow gel retail for $ 26, and the Guide Eyeliner Duo will retail for $ 50. Bryant said they’ve had a lot of conversations about pricing.
“We knew we wanted to design a line of beauty products that were not only functional but also beautiful and offered luxurious makeup artist-grade formulations,” said Bryant, adding:
Luxury, beauty and universal design don’t need to be mutually exclusive. In fact, they are better together. From the start we were told we were below the price of a luxury line, but we were convinced that our prices in the prestige makeup space should remain as affordable as possible.
Guide Beauty launched its mascara and brow gel earlier in February. And although the Eyeliner Duo Guide is not yet available, Bryant said it should be ready in a few weeks. She added that overall, the Guide’s universal design products were received with enthusiasm.
“The immediate and overwhelmingly positive response is incredible,” said Bryant. “We knew the need was there. Listening and connecting one-on-one with people so excited about what we’re doing has been beautiful and humbling. “
