Can You Claim Adaptive Makeup Tools Through the NDIS?
Short answer?
Yes... and no.
(Welcome to the magic of NDIS.)
Let’s break it down properly — because we know this gets confusing, and you deserve straight-up answers.
What is Assistive Technology?
In NDIS terms, Assistive Technology (AT) is anything that helps you do things that might otherwise be difficult due to your disability. Think: shower chairs, modified cutlery, screen readers.
The NDIS often funds low-cost AT (under $1,500 per item), as long as it meets the following criteria:
- It’s directly related to your disability
- It’s clearly linked to goals in your NDIS plan (such as independence, personal care, or social participation)
- It’s not something generally used by the wider population, an 'every day item' or something considered luxury.
More info from the NDIS: Assistive Technology Explained
So... what about makeup and beauty tools?
Here’s where it gets a little more complex.
What can be funded:
Everyday beauty products themselves usually won’t be covered. That includes things like:
- Mascara
- Foundation
- Lip gloss
- Even if they’re easier to open or marketed as “accessible”.
The NDIS generally classifies these as everyday personal purchases, unless the product itself directly addresses a functional limitation caused by your disability.
What won’t be funded:
Everyday beauty items, such as mascara, foundation, or lip gloss, won’t be covered, even if they’re easier to use or have accessible packaging.
The NDIS classifies these as general personal purchases, unless the product itself directly addresses a functional limitation caused by your disability.
Example
Let’s say you live with rheumatoid arthritis, and holding a mascara wand is difficult or painful.
You use Betty, our grip tool, to apply mascara without strain. For the first tim you cna do your mascara without help.
- The grip tool may be claimable as low-cost assistive technology.
- The mascara will definitely not be funded.
“The NDIS funds supports that help people do things that they can't do because of their disability — not everyday items used by the general population.”
NDIS Guidelines – What Assistive Technology Do We Fund
How to actually claim it
If you're not sure where to start, here’s your checklist:
-
Talk to your Support Coordinator or OT
Ask whether the tool could be justified as low-cost assistive technology. -
Link it to your NDIS goals
For example:
“I want to be more independent with my personal care routine.” -
Get a short justification
A brief letter from an OT or health professional explaining how the tool helps you do something you otherwise can’t do safely or independently.
You can also take our Reasonable & Necessary Quiz.
We’ll send you a copy of your results that you can pass on to your plan manager.
-
Keep your receipts and documentation
Especially if you’re self-managed or plan-managed. Audits are not the time to rely on vibes.
Accessible Beauty Tools We love
Betty by ByStorm
(Yes, we’re biased. But we’re also right.)
What it is
Betty is a soft, flexible silicone grip aid that slides over everyday makeup products such as mascara, lip products, and nail polish.
Who it’s commonly used by
People with arthritis, chronic pain, reduced grip strength, tremors, wrist fatigue, or limited hand endurance.
Why it may support access
By increasing surface area and stability, Betty can make standard makeup products easier to hold, open, and control, supporting independence with personal care.
Accessibility note
Betty adapts existing products rather than replacing them, which can be relevant when discussing low-cost assistive technology.
The Guide Wand by Guide Beauty
What it is
A stabilised eyeliner wand designed to support controlled application by guiding movement rather than relying on fine motor precision.
Who it’s commonly used by
People with hand tremors, reduced fine motor control, or who apply makeup one-handed.
Why it may help
The stabilising design can reduce the impact of involuntary movement, helping users apply eyeliner more accurately and safely as part of their personal care routine.
Flex Brushes by Kohl Kreatives
What they are
Makeup brushes with flexible, bendable handles that can be shaped to suit different hand, wrist, or arm positions.
Who they’re commonly used by
People with limited wrist mobility, joint stiffness, arthritis, pain, weakness, or difficulty maintaining a traditional straight grip on tools.
Why they may help
By allowing the handle to bend and hold its shape, these brushes reduce the need for precise wrist movement and sustained grip strength. This can make makeup application easier and less fatiguing!
Universal Cuff by EazyHold
What it is
A strap-on universal cuff that secures items like makeup brushes into the hand without requiring finger grip.
Who it’s commonly used by
People with limited or no finger movement, muscle weakness, paralysis, or reduced grasp ability.
Why it may help
By securing the brush directly to the hand, a universal cuff removes the need for finger grip altogether. This allows someone to apply makeup using arm or wrist movement alone, making personal care possible even when grasping, pinching, or sustained grip is not.
Bottom line
Wanting support with beauty isn’t being “extra”
It’s being human.
Personal care is about more than getting ready. It’s about confidence, independence, and being able to show up in the world as yourself — on your terms.
And while the NDIS isn’t here to fund makeup, it is here to support access. When adaptive tools remove barriers created by disability, that matters.
So yes, the NDIS can support that.
You just need to know how to frame it, and what to ask for.
Sources