Guide Beauty

Beauty With No Exceptions.

Guide Beauty was founded by Terri Bryant, a makeup artist and beauty educator who was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and set out to redesign the tools of her craft to work for hands that shake, grip differently, or move unpredictably. The brand launched in 2020 with a clear mission: make beauty application accessible to anyone, regardless of ability.

I worked with Guide Beauty across two phases — the original brand launch in 2020 and a major product and partnership expansion in 2021.

THE WORK

For the launch, I designed the brand identity, packaging system, and press kit, working closely with product design agency PA Consulting to ensure the visual identity was consistent across both the brand and the physical products. The packaging needed to feel premium and inclusive without skewing into clinical or medical aesthetics—beauty first, accessible by design.

The launch was met with significant recognition. Products were featured in The New York Times and Allure, and the brand went on to earn Allure’s Best of Beauty Awards, an Oprah O-Ward, an Essence Best in Black Beauty Award, and a Daytime Beauty Award Tool of the Year, among others.

In 2021, Guide Beauty returned for a second phase of work centered on a major brand moment: the announcement of Selma Blair as Chief Creative Officer, paired with the launch of the brand's first eyeshadow palette and first makeup brush collection. I designed the campaign creative, new product packaging, and a fully redesigned website. I also art directed the product and lifestyle photoshoots, managing shoot prep, on-site run of show, selects, and retouching notes, and consulted on the video storyline and edit. I created retailer and celebrity partnership pitch decks used to facilitate conversations with potential partners and designed the creative for the private announcement event.

OUTCOME

Following the launch of the redesigned website, Guide Beauty saw a 240% increase in sales. The Selma Blair partnership announcement generated widespread press coverage and brought the brand to a significantly larger audience, reinforcing its position as a leader in inclusive beauty.

Creative Director: Courtney Perti, Contraire
Lifestyle Photography: Raul Romo
Product Photography: Angela Marklew
Product Design: Essential / PA Consulting
Website Development: Makeway