Guide Beauty is bringing inclusivity to the beauty industry.
Guide Beauty was launched in 2020 with one mission: to redefine the beauty industry through products that have been designed from the ground up to be ergonomic, inclusive, and disruptive to the current market.
It was founded by make-up artist Terri Bryant who, after noticing a loss of dexterity in her hands, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Armed with an understanding of the struggles of applying beauty products with fine motor challenges and the industry’s ableism, she set out to change things.
“As a professional makeup artist, I felt a natural ability that most of my friends, family, and clients did not share,” Bryant says. “When that ability shifted due to the onset of Parkinson’s Disease it became so clear that my needs, like so many, had not been considered in the design and development of the products I had always used, so I decided it was time to create them.”
Guide Beauty was the result, founded with her extensive knowledge as a make-up artist, in collaboration with human factors designers and clean chemists.
It makes products accessible through a number of ways. Its Guide Eyeliner Duo, for example, features a handle that’s easier to hold and steer with the Guide Wand having a built-in finger rest. Its Easy On The Eyes shadow palette features an extended lip on the palette for easier opening. The Fan Brush has an ergonomic design, including a shorter handle.
In 2022, Guide Beauty announced it would be appointing acclaimed actress Selma Blair as its chief creative officer to help accelerate its mission around the world. As someone who has been vocal about living with multiple sclerosis and the impact of inclusive makeup tools, the collaboration is a powerful one, and Blair has talked about how discovering Guide Beauty was a real turning point for her.
It’s clear that Guide Beauty is a true Challenger Brand. It creates products that are well-designed and thoughtful, but more importantly works to make the world a more inclusive, educated, and better place. Not only that, but the brand is cruelty-free, vegan, and a member of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies Program.
To find out more about Guide Beauty and its work as a Challenger on their website. For more Challengers changing the world, check back to our blog soon.
