The First Beauty Brand to Meet the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease of Use Criteria Has Arrived
Aerin Glazer, a 21-year-old New York University Stern School of Business student, is bringing inclusive design to beauty.
More than five years in the making, her beauty brand, Tilt — developed alongside industry veteran and chief operating officer Steve Levine, previously at Bobbi Brown’s Jones Road Beauty — has launched direct-to-consumer, aiming to help people with chronic pain and dexterity issues use makeup with ease.
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The first beauty brand to receive the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease of Use certification, Tilt features two refillable products at launch, a $28 Lashscape mascara and a $26 Grip Stick lip treatment coming in five sheer shades.
“I wanted to make something that everyone could use,” said Glazer, who grew up with psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia, which made applying — and even opening — makeup products difficult. “If you have a physical difference, it’s harder to do things sometimes. Creating Tilt was so important because having one thing go right when you really need it to means so much.”
The Arthritis Foundation reports nearly 60 million adults in the U.S. have arthritis, while a 2021 study assessing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicates more than 7.5 million have psoriasis. 50 million Americans aged 18 and older, meanwhile, report some degree of vision loss.
With its accessible packaging and sensitive skin-safe formulas, Tilt aims to meet the needs of these consumers and beyond.
“The mission here is so much larger than just a brand — we’re here to create a whole new category,” Levine said. “Nobody’s really speaking to this need for accessibility and doing it in a way that’s cool and fun and doesn’t exclude people who perhaps don’t have a dexterity challenge — Aerin wants to lead the industry in that effort.”
Case in point: Tilt’s exterior cartons feature pull tabs for a more seamless opening experience, and are embossed with braille to indicate product type and shade. Both products are encased in ergonomic “grippy cases” which have easy-open magnetic closures.
“You don’t have to have a physical difference; if makeup is hard and you want an easier way to do the things that you love — this product is for you,” said Glazer, whose next product is a makeup pencil which widens in the center for a more steady hold.
Though neither Glazer nor Levine commented on sales estimates, industry sources estimate that Tilt, which plans to release new products on a roughly quarterly basis, could do between $2.5 million to $5 million in first-year sales.
“Design has the potential to include or exclude,” said Deborah Gokie, vice president, consumer health and ease of use at the Arthritis Foundation. “Tilt’s commitment to bringing an inclusive beauty line to market is significant not only for people with arthritis and chronic pain, but also for consumers who prefer easier-to-use products.”
“I want people with disabilities and dexterity issues to be represented not only as strong, but as themselves — I’m excited about creating a space in beauty where ergonomics can be made simple,” Glazer said.
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