Exploring Beauty Product Accessibility for Individuals with Upper Extremity Disabilities

Objective This study explores the accessibility of beauty products for individuals with upper extremity disabilities. Methods Participants with varied upper extremity impairments used Rare Beauty makeup products over two weeks. Assessments of hand function and questionnaires evaluated usability and satisfaction. Results Product features like bottle shape, cap design, and texture significantly influenced usability for those with hand and arm impairments. Notably, individuals with fine motor skill impairments reported easier gripping with larger bottle sizes and ease of opening with cap enhancements. The unique product shape and enhanced caps were also found to be more accessible for participants across all ability levels. Overall, the products were well-received, with most participants finding them comfortable and user-friendly. Conclusions The study emphasizes the need for inclusive design in the beauty industry, catering to those with upper extremity disabilities. It reveals the importance of ergonomic and adaptable product features to enhance usability and accessibility. Plain Language summary This study investigated the use of beauty products by people with upper extremity disabilities. Participants tried Rare Beauty makeup for two weeks and provided feedback. Results showed that product design, like bottle shape and cap ease, significantly impacts usability for those with hand and arm function impairments. Key findings included better grip on certain products for those with fine motor skill challenges. Overall, participants found the products comfortable and easy to use, highlighting the importance of inclusive design in beauty products for people with disabilities. ### Competing Interest Statement We wish to disclose that our research, titled “Exploring Beauty Product Accessibility for Individuals with Upper Extremity Disabilities,” received funding from Rare Beauty. The brand provided financial support for the materials and resources necessary to conduct the study, including the beauty products tested by participants. Despite this financial contribution, Rare Beauty held no influence over the study's design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation. Our findings and conclusions were drawn independently, and Rare Beauty had no role in the writing of the manuscript or the decision to submit the paper for publication. Each author has contributed significantly to the work and maintained academic and research integrity throughout the study. We have conducted our research under the ethical guidelines provided by our institutional review board, which emphasizes the importance of transparency and objectivity in our scientific inquiry. We declare this conflict of interest to maintain the transparency and uphold the integrity of the research process and the dissemination of our findings. ### Clinical Trial NCT05945784 ### Funding Statement This study was funded by Rare Beauty. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: The research presented in this manuscript was conducted with the approval of the Casa Colina Hospital Institutional Review Board (IRB) (FWA0006711), adhering to the highest ethical standards in research involving human subjects. The procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Casa Colina Hospital IRB and consistent with the revised (2000) Helsinki Declaration, as detailed on the World Medical Association website. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors