How Do Occupational Therapists Assess Makeup Brands? Here's What the Data Shows
TL;DR: Most occupational therapists don't recommend specific makeup brands - they assess products by function. A 2025 survey of 1,700 OTs by ByStorm found 68% don't feel fully confident assessing makeup for clients with motor impairments. Here's what occupational therapists actually look for, and what that means for you.
If you've ever asked your occupational therapist to recommend a mascara or a foundation, you've probably got a vague answer back. Not because they don't care, but because the question is more complicated than it looks - and the beauty industry hasn't made it easy for clinicians to help.
The ByStorm Accessible Beauty Clinician Survey 2025 is the largest survey of its kind: 1,700 occupational therapists and allied health professionals across Australia asked about their experiences with accessible beauty.
Do occupational therapists recommend specific makeup brands to their clients?
Rarely. The ByStorm Accessible Beauty Clinician Survey 2025 (n=1,700) found that the overwhelming majority of OTs don't direct clients toward specific brands. Instead, they assess individual products based on what you can do functionally. They look at: grip pattern, opening mechanism, applicator type, force required. The brand name is almost irrelevant to that process.
This isn't indifference. It's how occupational therapist's clinical reasoning actually works.
Occupational therapists are trained in task analysis, not product endorsement. When a client wants to apply lipstick independently, the OT looks at whether the person can hold a tube, twist the base, apply controlled pressure, and repeat the motion accurately. Which brand made the lipstick doesn't factor into that assessment.
How do occupational therapists actually assess beauty products?
A functional assessment is the framework for how they understand what beauty products can work for you. OTs use task analysis to break a grooming activity into every movement component, then identify where the breakdown occurs:
- Grip assessment - Can the you hold the product? Is the barrel too narrow, too smooth, too heavy?
- Force requirements - How much pressure does the cap, pump, or twist mechanism need?
- Precision demands - Is the applicator fine-tipped or broad?
- One-handed use - Can the product be opened, applied, and closed with one hand only?
- Fatigue load - How many repetitions does the task require?
- Cognitive load - Is the packaging legible? Are the steps intuitive?
Why don't more occupational therapists make specific makeup recommendations?
Three reasons come up repeatedly: liability, discontinuation, and the absence of a standardised tool.
Liability is real. If an OT recommends a specific product and a client has a reaction, the recommendation sits on the clinical record.
Discontinuation is constant. The beauty industry reformulates and repackages without warning.
The missing tool is the structural gap. That's where ByStorm Beauty grips - designed with the disability community - come into play.
68% of clinicians surveyed in the ByStorm Accessible Beauty Clinician Survey 2025 (n=1,700) reported not feeling fully confident assessing makeup products for clients with motor impairments. No standardised accessible beauty assessment tool currently exists to support this clinical process.
What do OTs look for in a makeup product for clients with motor impairments?
| What OTs Assess | What Beauty Marketing Focuses On |
|---|---|
| Grip diameter and texture | Colour payoff and finish |
| Cap and pump force required | Longevity and transfer resistance |
| Applicator width and control | Trend alignment and packaging aesthetics |
| One-handed usability | Fragrance and sensory experience |
| Weight and fatigue load | SPF and skincare benefits |
| Packaging legibility | Brand prestige and price positioning |
The ways OTs and people with disability assess makeup, and priorities of beauty marketing rarely overlap. That's the core problem.
Is there a standard accessible beauty assessment tool for OTs?
No. Not yet. This is the gap.
There are standardised tools for many ADL domains - kitchen assessments, home modification checklists, workplace capacity tools. But makeup specifically, as a functional task with its own product demands, has no dedicated assessment instrument.
Occupational therapists working in this space are filling that gap with clinical creativity. They're adapting general grooming assessment principles, drawing on product knowledge they've built informally, and sharing strategies peer-to-peer in ways that aren't captured systematically.
What should you ask your OT about makeup?
Don't ask for brand names. Ask for functional guidance:
- "Can you look at how I'm holding this product and tell me what's making it hard?"
- "What grip shape or diameter would work better for my hand function?"
- "Would a weighted or lighter applicator help with my tremor?"
- "Can we break down my whole makeup routine and find where the effort is highest?"
Bring your actual products. Let your OT handle them, watch you use them, and assess the functional match.
54% of occupational therapists surveyed in the ByStorm Accessible Beauty Clinician Survey 2025 (n=1,700) volunteered to participate in future product development focus groups - a strong indicator that clinicians want a more active role in shaping accessible beauty design.
What does this mean for how accessible beauty should be designed?
Occupational therapists are an untapped distribution channel, but only if products are designed with clinical credibility. A product that an OT can confidently assess, document, and recommend is worth more than any influencer campaign to the disabled community.
That means accessible beauty products need to be designed with the OT assessment process in mind and be able to answer clinical questions: What's the grip diameter? How much force does the pump require? Can it be used one-handed?
ByStorm built Betty and Margie with exactly this in mind. The silicone grip adapters work across existing makeup products, so OTs can recommend the grip system without being tied to a specific brand or formula.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my OT recommend specific makeup brands?
Most occupational therapists avoid specific brand recommendations. What they can do is assess individual products you bring to them and suggest adaptive strategies or product features to look for.
What is a functional makeup assessment?
It's when an occupational therapist watches you complete a makeup task and breaks down each movement to identify where the difficulty occurs. Bring your actual makeup to the appointment.
Why do 68% of OTs feel under-confident assessing makeup?
Because no standardised accessible beauty assessment tool exists. Occupational therapists rely on adapted general grooming frameworks rather than a dedicated clinical instrument.
Should accessible beauty brands work with OTs?
Yes. The same 2025 survey found 54% of occupational therapists volunteered for future product development focus groups. Brands that engage OTs early create products with real clinical credibility.
Related reading: NDIS and Personal Grooming Goals: A Guide for Occupational Therapists and How to Help Someone with Makeup: A Guide for Carers and Support Workers.
References
- ByStorm Accessible Beauty Clinician Survey 2025 (n=1,700 occupational therapists and allied health professionals)
- Occupational Therapy Australia. (2024). Scope of practice in activities of daily living. otaus.com.au
- Fisher, A. G. (2003). Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). Three Star Press.
- National Disability Insurance Scheme. (2025). Daily living and life skills supports. ndis.gov.au