L'Oréal unveils makeup applicator for those with limited mobility

Beauty brand L'Oreal has unveiled a new portable, handheld device which makes application of makeup easier for people with limited hand mobility. The device, called HAPTA, is part of the brand's efforts to be more inclusive and push products that differently abled persons can use. The brand has stated that the device is aimed at the 50 million people who have fine motor skills. L'Oreal has said the device has a clicking feature that allows the user to intuitively set the intended position, stay in position during the time and allow for the user to lock in customised setting for future use. HAPTA also comes with a built-in battery which results in one hour of continuous use.

Deputy CEO in charge of research, innovation and technology a tL'Oreal, Barbara Lavernos said that inclusivity is at the heart of their innovation and beauty tech strategy.  "We are dedicated and passionate to bring new technologies powering beauty services that augment and reach every individual's ultimate desires, expectations, and unmet needs,” she added.

HAPTA was initially piloted with L'Oreal-owned Lancome in 2023, with the first device being a lipstick applicator. "For years, Lancôme has sought to provide every woman with beauty solutions adapted to their needs. Beauty tech has enabled us to fulfill this mission in an even more powerful way, revolutionizing the way we develop beauty products and services and enabling greater personalization," said Françoise Lehmann, Lancôme global brand president. He also added that HAPTA makes beauty more accessible to use, which everyone should have equal access to.

Along with L'oreal's efforts in being more inclusive, other brands have also taken active steps to do so. Selena Gomez’s makeup brand, Rare Beauty, is another brand that has actively made an attempt to  be inclusive of differently abled people. According to the brand, the makeup products’ packaging was specifically designed for people with dexterity challenges in order to emphasize ease of use as Gomez suffers from Lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes joints to swell up. The brand did state that they did not conduct official testing on the packaging, they are continuing to test and explore how to make their brand more inclusive.

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