Scarlette French, a 13-year-old from Oneida Nation of the Thames near London, Ont., is navigating her self-expression journey like many teenage girls. Despite her severe vision loss due to an eye disorder since birth, Scarlette embraces punk rock music, dark fashion, and makeup experimentation.
To assist with her makeup routine, Scarlette labeled her products in braille for identification. However, the process was challenging. Recognizing Scarlette’s struggle, Tiffany Houston, CEO of the Shine Foundation, collaborated with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and Cheekbone Beauty, an Indigenous-owned makeup brand based in St. Catharines, to create “Scarlette’s Palette.”
This innovative makeup palette includes three lip and cheek creams, two highlighters, and one powder blush, all housed in a user-friendly case with tactile features. Notably, the palette features raised edges around each product to prevent accidental smudging during application. Moreover, a QR code at the top links to an audio description video explaining product navigation and color details, enhancing accessibility for visually impaired individuals who may not read braille.
While only 20 prototype palettes have been produced, Scarlette and Houston aim to ignite discussions within the beauty industry and charitable organizations about enhancing makeup accessibility. Scarlette’s mother, Samantha Kennedy, shared that the experience has significantly boosted Scarlette’s confidence and self-care routine, leading to positive transformations in her daily life.
Scarlette envisions a future where her journey inspires others with disabilities to explore self-expression through makeup. Empowered by her role in promoting makeup accessibility, Scarlette aspires to pursue music and social media influencing, hoping to motivate girls facing similar challenges to embrace their creativity and abilities.
