Over 15% of the world’s population live with a disability, yet this community is often excluded from the beauty industry’s product offerings and marketing. To help tackle this issue, Olay is introducing the Easy Open Lid, a limited-edition prototype developed with disabled individuals, for disabled individuals.

To create the Easy Open Lid, Olay met consumers who had a wide range of conditions, from limb differences to vision impairment and dexterity issues. Together, using the consumers' feedback, the team created a lid with an easy-open winged cap, an extra grip raised lid, a high-contrast product label, and braille text reading "face cream." The new lid will be incorporated into the product design of Olay’s most in-demand products: Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Face Moisturizer, Retinol 24 Face Moisturizer, and Collagen Peptide 24 Face Moisturizer.

Journalist and model Madison Lawson, who lives with muscular dystrophy, worked closely with Olay to create the inclusive lid. "Accessibility makes things better for everyone," she says, "Everyone's been there where you get the product on your hands, or you're trying to open something and you can't, so I think it's cool that this is designed with us specifically in mind, but it also makes everyone's life better." The Easy Open Lid is one step closer to Olay and P&G's pledge to make its packaging more accessible for consumers with disabilities by 2025 to champion a more diverse and inclusive standard of beauty.

Chris Heiert, Senior Vice President of Olay, commented on the innovation: "We were honored to work closely with a passionate group of people to bring this Easy Open Lid to life. As a global brand, it's our responsibility to ensure that ALL consumers have access to products that serve their needs and fit seamlessly into their daily lives. But we can't do it alone, which is why we've chosen not to patent this lid and rather share the design widely with the beauty community. Our hope is that others will join us in our efforts in making products more accessible for everyone."

The Easy Open Lid is not the first beauty product to be catered towards the disbaled community; the product comes after Degree launched their inclusive deodorant for those with visual impairment and upper-limb mobility issues earlier in the year. With parts of the industry beginning to make a shift towards more accessible product design, Olay has shared the design of the Easy Open Lid widely within the industry in the hope of encouraging other brands to become more open to change.

The lid is now available at no additional cost with the purchase of one of the four Olay Regenerist Moisturizers mentioned above.