BBC broadcaster and disability activist Lucy Edwards has joined P&G’s Pantene as its latest ambassador.
Edwards, who suffers from vision impairment, will lend her voice to Pantene for its Silky & Glowing product range as the group develops more beauty skus with accessibility in mind.
Throughout her career Edwards has garnered a strong following on social media, boasting 1.7 million followers on TikTok and more than 400,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel.
The 25-year-old creates explanatory videos on how she navigates her life, including doing her make-up, driving and going to the gym.
“I love beauty, I love looking good, but there is an assumption that because I can’t see, I don’t care,” said Edwards.
“But of course, it is still important to me how I feel [that] I look.
“The power of hair and the positive impact of a good hair day on my confidence, self-esteem and identity is just as important to me as it is for anyone else.
“I just experience it through touch, which is why I love Pantene Silky & Glowing, as it makes my hair feel silky soft.
“From experience, visually impaired people in the UK, including myself, feel overlooked and misunderstood by the hair and beauty industry.
“I can’t wait to work closely with Pantene on leading the way in creating a more inclusive industry and society, not only for the visually impaired, but for everyone.”
Off the back of a study by the hair care brand, which sought to find out how social content can be improved for people with disabilities, Pantene has launched a social code of conduct that strives to ensure beauty tutorials are accessible to everyone.
This will include clear content descriptions and captions, audio describing elements and introducing and describing the speaker.
Sumaria Latif, P&G’s Accessibility Leader, who is also blind, added: “I am not only P&G’s Company Accessibility Leader, first and foremost I am a blind consumer.
“I know from personal experience just how important a role brands have to play in making me feel more confident.
“Our partnership with Lucy Edwards is an incredibly exciting and important step forward, not just for Pantene, but for the hair and beauty industry as a whole; demonstrating that the power of a good hair day extends far beyond what you can see.
“P&G is on a journey to create a more accessible and inclusive world, both within our organisation and in wider society.
“We recognise that we may not have all the answers, but we are proud to be one step closer towards a more equal world.”
