Makeup with Arthritis: Why It’s Hard (and What Actually Helps)
What are the best makeup tools for people with arthritis?
The best makeup tools for arthritis reduce the need to grip, squeeze, or twist. Look for wider handles, non-slip surfaces, and ergonomic grips that sit in the palm or rest between the fingers. ByStorm's Betty and Margie grips slide onto your existing makeup; no new products needed. Kohl Kreatives and Guide Beauty also make brushes designed specifically for limited hand mobility.
Let’s be honest
If you’ve ever tried to twist open a lipstick with swollen fingers, or hold a mascara wand when your hands won’t stop shaking, you already know the truth:
Makeup wasn’t designed with arthritis in mind.
And yet, beauty is still a powerful part of how many people show up in the world. It’s self-expression, routine, confidence, and identity, not a luxury to be “grown out of” when things get harder.
So if makeup feels painful now, or frustrating, or simply not worth the effort anymore, it’s important to say this clearly:
It’s not you.
It’s the tools.
The good news is that thoughtful design can make a real difference.
Why arthritis makes makeup harder
Arthritis isn’t one condition, but many. Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and psoriatic arthritis all affect the body differently- but they often share common impacts on the hands and wrists.
People living with arthritis frequently experience:
- joint pain and tenderness
- reduced grip strength
- stiffness, especially in the morning
- unpredictable flare-ups
- fatigue that makes fine motor tasks harder over time
According to Arthritis Australia, around 3.9 million Australians live with arthritis — roughly 1 in 6 people. The hands are often one of the first and most affected areas.
That means everyday beauty tasks like twisting a mascara tube, holding a thin eyeliner pencil, or applying pressure with a brush can become painful, exhausting, or impossible.
This isn’t about effort or resilience.
It’s about mechanics.
Where beauty products usually fail
Most beauty products are designed for an assumed “ideal user”:
- steady hands
- strong grip
- full wrist rotation
- minimal pain or fatigue
When those assumptions don’t hold, products become barriers.
Common problem points include:
- narrow, slippery packaging
- tight twist caps that require force
- small applicators that demand precision
- tools that require sustained grip
- products that need two hands to use
When design demands more than someone’s hands can comfortably give, accessibility is lost.
Tools that actually help (and why they work)
Accessibility isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about reducing effort, increasing stability, and supporting real movement.
Chunky, soft grips
Thin tools are harder to hold when joints are painful or grip strength is reduced. Increasing surface area makes a significant difference.
Products that add a soft, wider grip:
-
- reduce strain
- require less pinching
- allow the hand to relax
- Examples include:
Betty by ByStorm
A soft silicone grip that fits over most round makeup items from nail polish, to mascara, lipstick, brow brushes and lipgloss.
EazyHold Universal cuffs
Originally designed for utensils, They can also attach to makeup brushes if grasping is difficult.
These tools don’t change the makeup, they change how the hand interacts with it.
Adaptive makeup tools
Adaptive tools are designed around instability, weakness, and fatigue not -perfection.
Some examples include:
Guide Beauty tools
Designed by makeup artist Terri Bryant, who lives with Parkinson’s disease, to support application without requiring a steady hand.
Kohl Kreatives Flex Brushes
The brushes bend and adapt to different grip styles rather than enforcing one “correct” way to hold them
Tilt Beauty,
The first makeup brand to get a certification from the American Arthritus association, there products have a soft silicon cover making products easier to hold.
Packaging that doesn’t rely on strength
Packaging matters just as much as the product itself.
More accessible options include:
- pump dispensers instead of squeeze tubes
- click-up crayons instead of twist-off caps
- magnetic closures instead of snap-shut lids
Even changing one or two products can reduce your overall daily strain.
Small adjustments that make a big difference
These tips are commonly recommended by occupational therapists and people living with arthritis that can make a big difference when applying makeup:
- Rest elbows on a table to improve stability during application
- Use mirrors on stands to reduce wrist and shoulder strain
- Store makeup in shallow trays rather than zipped bags
- Choose cream or liquid products that blend easily without tools
- Sit down while applying makeup to reduce fatigue
- Using non-slip shelf liner or Velcro dots can stop palettes and mirrors from sliding, reducing the need for constant grip correction.
Accessibility doesn’t mean independence at all costs
For some people, arthritis means independence will fluctuate. For others, it may never be possible in the same way it once was.
Accessibility does not mean forcing independence.
It means making independence possible when it’s wanted, and support dignified when it’s needed. Products that reduce pain, effort, and frustration preserve autonomy — even when assistance is still part of the routine.
Bottom line
If makeup has started to feel like a battle, the problem isn’t your hands. It’s that most beauty products weren’t designed with arthritis in mind. But design can change.
And when it does, beauty becomes what it should have been all along: something that works with you, not against you.
Sources and reference
- Arthritis Australia – What is arthritis
- World Health Organization – Disability and health
- Guide Beauty – Adaptive makeup tools
- Kohl Kreatives – Inclusive beauty brushes