How NUDEMETER Creates Accessibility for Makeup Lovers with Disabilities
NUDEST and its revolutionary shade-matching technology, NUDEMETER, have created a way for makeup users of all skin tones to find their place (and match) in the world of beauty. However, NUDEMETER does far more than just pave the way for skin tone inclusivity; it also eliminates obstacles that consumers with disabilities struggle with when shopping for makeup.
Some disabilities can eliminate the possibility of driving, making beauty retailers physically inaccessible. Still, for beauty lovers who are able to make it to the stores, there are numerous other obstacles shopping in-store presents that NUDEMETER has helped remove.
Small Print Packaging
For many visually impaired makeup fanatics, shopping at a brick-and-mortar store can be incredibly challenging. Displays can be difficult to read because product names and prices are often printed in incredibly small fonts, and if there’s a crowd of people it can be nearly impossible to physically see what is displayed on the shelves.
After the hassle of shade matching, finding the correctly labeled box with your chosen color inside makes the process twice as long. Many mainstream companies eliminate production costs by minimizing the font size on labels. While some brands like L’Occitane have committed to using braille on their accessible packaging, many people with low vision don’t read braille.
Cluttered Product Displays
Navigating a makeup store is just as difficult for someone with a mobility impairment. Aisles become narrow obstacle courses for wheelchair users, especially when crowded. Products placed on the bottom shelves become inaccessible without squatting down to floor level. Similarly, top shelf products can be unreachable if a shopper is in a wheelchair, uses their arms to balance or doesn’t have full range of their arms.
The products for sale are typically placed behind rows of testers, meaning a shopper has to reach far back into the display to grab what they want. This becomes yet another barrier for those with mobility impairments.
A full display of makeup products in Sephora’s retail store.
Overwhelming Retail Environment
For those on the autism spectrum, beauty stores can be incredibly overstimulating. With bright lights, loud music, large crowds, strong scents and employees asking you if you need help, it can be too much to take in. For similar reasons, people with social anxiety can become overwhelmed when trying to shop for makeup as the environment can agitate claustrophobia.
Store layouts are strategically organized to maximize the amount of products in one space, and with the ever-increasing product launches, having so many options can become dizzying. It may be necessary to ask for help when choosing a product, but this can be uncomfortable for some. Sales rep recommendations can leave a customer feeling pressured to buy a product they may not want.
Online Retail and NUDEMETER
Online retail has made it easier for people with disabilities to fully participate in the beauty industry. Those who are visually impaired can zoom in on products to read the small print or use a screen reader to find the products they want. Someone with limited mobility can access any makeup product they want with a simple search bar. All of this can be done from the comfort of their couch without the pressure to ask a stranger for help.
NUDEMETER makes the online retail experience even more accessible and inclusive by eliminating any concerns of purchasing the wrong shade. The shade matching technology skips the small print packaging, unreachable product displays and uncomfortable retail environment to give you a quick and accurate shade match. Now, makeup lovers with disabilities can more fully explore the beauty world in whatever environment and with any accommodations they need.
NUDEST has done much to shape the future of makeup and make it more inclusive so that everyone of any ability can feel beautiful.
