ByStorm: the new name in accessible beauty

Accessibility is not always associated with glamour. But everyone deserves the chance to feel their best. That is the belief behind ByStorm Beauty, a new brand creating accessible beauty tools designed by and for people with disabilities.

Founder and CEO Storm Menzies is no stranger to the world of accessibility, both professionally and personally, but it was not until she broke her dominant hand that she experienced the full force of everyday inaccessibility.

“I have cerebral palsy that affects the right side of my body, but I didn’t feel like I lived with barriers. I am left-hand dominant, and I have just always adapted and made things work. But when I broke that hand I realised how inaccessible so much of the world is.”

Storm searched online for accessible makeup but found only one overseas result. Confused, she turned to a friend with a more severe form of cerebral palsy for advice. The response changed everything.

“She told me, ‘Storm, makeup is not made for people like us. No one thinks we are beautiful.’ I felt this mix of shame and guilt, because I’d never experienced that before. It sends the message to young girls with disability that you’re not worthy or beautiful enough to have makeup.”

Storm got to work. Reaching out to the disability community she began running surveys, hosting focus groups, and creating prototypes. What she learned surprised her.

“People didn’t actually want accessible makeup, they just wanted to use the same products as everyone else — but with a little more ease.”

She taught herself how to 3D model, bought a 3D printer, and began creating tools that could attach to existing makeup items. After years of testing and refining, ByStorm Beauty launched on 24 June.

The first two tools in the range are:

• Betty — a rounded grip for comfort and control
• Margie — a flat, paddle-shaped grip for open-hand use or low dexterity

Both can be fitted to standard beauty items, making it easier to apply makeup in your own way.

“One woman with limb difference uses Margie by tucking it under her arm. I had designed it originally for people who can’t bend their fingers very well, like me, so it’s been great seeing people use the products for a range of different needs.”

Storm was also surprised by the support from the chronic illness community.

“I hadn’t realised how much fatigue and joint pain can affect people’s hands. It has been wonderful to hear that these tools help with that too.”

The feedback has been heartfelt. Parents have written in with gratitude, saying their daughters finally feel included. Others say they feel like themselves again for the first time in years.

“It has been emotional, in the best way. Especially after so many people told me this was a risk. There’s this extra pressure because you don’t want to become the case study for why it doesn’t work, why we’re not worth investing in. But the feedback from the community has been so overwhelming and supportive.”

From the beginning, Storm was clear that people with disability needed to be at the centre – not just in product testing, but in the visuals too.

The launch shoot featured her friend Holly, who uses a power wheelchair, alongside models Kaylin and Charlie, both of whom have cerebral palsy.

“For me, representation is the most important thing. It’s not just about making accessible products, it’s about showing that people with disability are beautiful. Because when you never see that, it sends a message.”

And Storm has big plans for inclusivity in the future of her brand.

“My dream is for ByStorm to be fully run by people with disability. We want to hire within the community, collaborate with disabled creatives, and make sure those voices are always in the decision-making seats because we just don’t see that.”

She also wants the beauty industry to do more.

“Accessibility is not an optional extra, it should be part of how things are designed from the start. That doesn’t mean creating a separate ‘disability range’. It means integrating inclusivity and making products that everyone can use with confidence.

I want to see the beauty industry take that next bold step: make inclusivity the standard, not the exception. Beauty should never be about fitting into a mould; it should be about celebrating who you are – unapologetically and effortlessly.”

You can find out more about ByStorm Beauty and shop the range of products on their website: https://bystormbeauty.com/

*Responses have been edited for length/clarity.

Images Supplied by ByStorm