A Brand Built on Accessibility
Rare Beauty’s goal was always to be more than just another celebrity makeup brand. Since launching in 2020, the brand has stood out in an industry known for retouched models and trending products.
Unlike so many other makeup brands, Rare Beauty’s focus has always been on celebrating people’s differences and making makeup accessible to all. Founded by singer and actress Selena Gomez, Rare Beauty was inspired by her belief that makeup should be accessible for all.
Beauty as Care, Not Performance
What makes Rare Beauty different is its mission in making putting on makeup an empowering experience. The brand has worked to create beauty tools that instill confidence in using, rather than frustration and ultimate defeat. From early product lines to larger initiatives, Rare Beauty ensures that comfort, confidence, and care are at the heart of everything it creates.
Listening to the Community
That mission deepened when the brand began hearing from customers with dexterity challenges. Many found Rare Beauty’s packaging easier to hold and open compared to others. Rounded caps, soft matte finishes, and lightweight materials turned out to make a real difference.
For some, those details meant they could enjoy makeup again after struggling to use it for years.
Turning Feedback Into Action
Rare Beauty could have taken the compliment and left it there, but they dove right in and took it a step further. Rare Beauty Made Accessible was born. A program focused on improving accessibility in packaging and design.
They partnered with the Casa Colina Research Institute, where participants with dexterity difficulty tested products and gave direct feedback. Occupational therapists were also brought in to help refine prototypes and ensure the prototypes were actually helpful.
Real Impact for Real People
The results have been personal and powerful. Customers have written to say that Rare Beauty products help give them back a sense of self. The products help save time and patience. Some no longer need help applying makeup, while others say these small changes have brought joy back into their daily routines.
Makeup is a deep form of self-expression, and being able to do it alone instills confidence to be bold.
The Perfume That Changed Everything
One of the best examples of accessible design is the Rare Eau de Parfum. Traditional perfume bottles often require pressing a small nozzle with one finger, which can be painful or difficult.
Rare Beauty redesigned a perfume with a larger pump that can be pressed in multiple ways, whether with several fingers, a palm, or even a forearm, while the bottle rests on a table. It proves that accessibility and elegance can go hand in hand.
Beyond Products
As Karin Quissell, Rare Beauty’s Director of Research and Development, shared, the goal is for inclusivity and accessibility to become standard among all brands. Just as make-up shade ranges have grown in the last few years to reflect diverse skin tones, she hopes accessible design will soon be an expectation, not an exception.
In addition to its commitment to accessibility, Rare Beauty’s efforts extend beyond inclusive packaging. Through the Rare Impact Fund, the brand has pledged to raise $100 million over ten years to expand access to mental health services. This work reflects a simple belief: beauty and mental well-being are connected, and everyone deserves to feel supported in both.
A New Kind of Beauty Standard
Rare Beauty continues to stand out by putting purpose first. Every decision, from the shape of a cap, to the commitment to mental health, reflects a deeper intention to make beauty feel like it belongs to everyone.
The brand’s work reminds us that inclusivity isn’t a trend; it’s a mindset, and it starts with listening.
Upcoming Workshop: Reclaiming Beauty, Style & Disability Pride
Inclusive beauty doesn’t stop at packaging—it’s also about how we see ourselves and express who we are. If this story resonated with you, join Ability Central for Reclaiming Beauty: Style, Body Image, and Disability Pride on Friday February 13th, 2026 at 11:00 AM PST—a 60-minute, affirming workshop exploring confidence, self-expression, and redefining beauty on your own terms.
This session is designed for young women ages 18–22 with communication disabilities, and participation is welcome in whatever way works best (speaking, typing, AAC, camera on/off, or just listening). The workshop is led by disability advocate and author Sarah Todd Hammer (“Sarah Todd”).
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Additional Information
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