14 Tips and Products for Hair, Skin, and Beauty Routines with RA
July 30, 2024
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Many products require dexterity and repetitive movements, which can aggravate my rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here are a variety of tips and products that make for an arthritis-friendly beauty routine.
Living with RA can make daily tasks, including beauty routines, more challenging. But with the right techniques and products, you can simplify your regimen and continue looking and feeling your best.
Here are 14 beauty tips and products that I’ve discovered to accommodate my RA:
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1. Use easy-to-open products
Tip: Look for beauty products with easy-to-open packaging. Brands like Eucerin and CeraVe offer pumps and flip-top lids, which are gentler on the joints.
Product: Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion
This pump bottle eliminates the need for twisting or squeezing.
Is your favorite beauty product difficult to open?
Finding a product you love can sometimes take time. If it’s not easy to open, you could try using lid grippers.
2. Opt for lightweight tools
Tip: I choose lightweight beauty tools that reduce strain on my hands and wrists.
Product: Revlon Light and Fast Hair Dryer
Due to its lighter weight, this hairdryer is easier to hold for longer periods of time and minimizes potential discomfort.
3. Try electric makeup brushes
Tip: Electric makeup brushes can blend foundation, blush, and eyeshadow without requiring repetitive hand movements.
Product: Michael Todd Beauty Sonicblend
An electric, rechargeable makeup brush that ensures a flawless finish with minimal effort. It rotates, so it does the work for you!
4. Consider thick grip makeup brushes
Tip: If electric makeup brushes don’t work for you, I recommend any with thicker grips, as they’re easier to hold and control.
Product: Sigma Beauty F80 Flat Kabuki Brush
The thick handle provides a comfortable grip, making application easier for those of us with arthritis, but any “fat grip” makeup brush will do.
5. Explore cream-based products
Tip: I find cream-based makeup products easier to blend and apply than powders.
Product: Maybelline Dream Urban Cover Foundation
A lightweight, creamy foundation that can be easily applied with fingers or a sponge.
6. Incorporate skin care tools
Tip: Skin care tools like jade rollers and gua sha can be soothing and reduce puffiness without much effort.
Product: Herbivore Botanicals Jade Roller
This jade roller gently massages the skin and can help with product absorption and puffiness, plus, incorporates the healing properties and benefits of “lucky” Jade!
7. Use pump-dispensed hair products
Tip: Hair care products with pump dispensers reduce the need for squeezing bottles. I really enjoy tea tree products for hair growth and scalp health. Some tea tree hair products can be purchased via a flexible spending account (FSA) or a health savings account (HSA), which can help you save money.
Product: Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo
The pump dispenser makes it easy to use even with limited hand strength.
8. Invest in electric nail care tools
Tip: Electric nail files and clippers reduce some of the manual effort required for nail care. RA can sometimes affect your nails, but good nail care can help prevent any cracks or breakage due to ridging or thinning.
Product: Beurer Electric Manicure & Pedicure Kit
This product offers a variety of attachments to handle nail care with ease.
9. Explore automatic hair styling products
Tip: Consider hair styling tools that require minimal manual effort. I’ve had a lot of fun trying automatic curlers.
Product: Conair Unbound Cordless Auto Curler
An automatic curler that simplifies the curling process without the need for twisting.
10. Choose minimal-effort makeup removers
Tip: Micellar water or cleansing balms require minimal rubbing to remove makeup.
Product: Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water
This cleansing water removes makeup with a gentle swipe, reducing the need for extensive rubbing.
11. Opt for comfortable, cushioned hairbrushes
Tip: I use a hair brush with a comfort handle. This can be a gel or memory foam grip that is padded for some extra cushion and ease on the hands.
Product: Conair Gel Grips Soft Gel Handle Hairbrush
Enhance the grip you have on your hairbrush with this soft and comfy option.
12. Consider hair extensions
Tip: Using removable hair toppers, falls, or extensions can reduce maintenance and allow you to update your look with ease. It can also hide thinning or brittle hair from the side effects of RA medications or disease activity.
For the best results, try using Remy-certified hair with a thinner “fishing line.” Remy, or Remi, refers to the highest-quality human hair extensions made of virgin hair (undyed, unprocessed, and intact) where all the cuticles remain intact and are completely unstripped.
Product: Hidden Crown Halo® Extensions
Halo with Daydream ends are lightweight and natural to fill in sparse hair that may thin from medication or illness. You can remove them each night, almost like a headband.
13. Try paraffin hand wax
Tip: Hot paraffin wax hand dips can help arthritis pain in your hands and feet. It’s easy to do at home, but be sure to follow safety instructions. In addition to providing warming comfort, it can also help the skin stay soft and supple.
Product: HoMedics Paraffin Wax Machine
Arthritis or not, you can let your hands take a dip from the comfort of your own home with this option. Different models at various price points are available.
14. Find a spray or roll-on SPF that works for you
Tip: Protecting your skin with SPF from the effects of the sun is really important. Some medications used to treat RA can cause extra sun sensitivity. Using SPF can also be an effective remedy and treatment if you have dry or itchy skin with RA.
I find a spray sunscreen particularly helpful, but roll-ons can also be really effective for arthritis as they require minimal extra effort to rub in.
Product: Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Spray SPF 50
This is my current go-to sunscreen.
Bonus tip: OXO Good Grips
OXO’s Iconic Good Grips Handles were originally designed to be arthritis-friendly.
OXO mostly offers kitchen items, but there are occasionally bathroom accessories that could aid your beauty, self-care, and getting-ready routine, helping you get a comfy and arthritis-friendly grip on your pampering.
The takeaway
RA doesn’t have to mean giving up on your beauty, hair, or skin care routine.
Incorporating these tips and products into my daily regimen has helped me to continue feeling my best when my RA sometimes has other plans. I hope they also make your routines more manageable and comfortable.
Medically reviewed on July 30, 2024
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