Everything, with one hand

A baked powder foundation that goes on creamy and sets demi-matte, with buildable light-to-medium coverage.

Passes the strict test completely. The compact opens with a thumb, the product is simply there with no dispensing step, and the supplied sponge applies it — all with one hand, and nothing to spill if the case is knocked. It is also a good base for mature skin rather than a workaround.

A balm-textured stick that buffs out to light-to-medium coverage with a satin finish, built around not dragging on skin.

Also passes outright: cap off with a tug, twist once, draw onto the face. The wide barrel is easy to control in one hand and the balm texture does not drag — important when you cannot stabilize your face with the other hand. Nothing about this needs a second hand at any stage.

A twist-up corrector stick sold in green, peach, lavender and yellow tones.

The corrector step one-handed, which the conventional pot-and-brush format makes impossible. Twist up, draw a thin line, blend with the same hand's fingertip. It also often removes the need for a separate concealer, which is one fewer product to manage.

A twist-up cream shadow stick that sets and resists collecting in the crease.

Eye makeup is where one-handed application is hardest, because the conventional approach uses one hand to steady the lid or hold a palette. A twist-up cream shadow needs neither: draw it on the lid and smudge with the same fingertip. It sets, so it does not need a setting step either.

An all-in-one brow gel that fills, shapes and sets in a single pass.

One stroke per brow, from a container that opens with one hand, with a brush that does the shaping as it deposits. The alternative — a pencil drawing individual hairs — is difficult one-handed because there is nothing holding the brow taut. A gel needs no tension and no precision.

A latex-free blending sponge with a flat edge and a rounded base.

Passes the test by definition: held in the palm of the hand you are using, pressed onto the face, and cleaned by squeezing against a flat surface if you cannot use two palms. It needs no second hand at any point, and it is the right tool for mature skin independently.

A trifold lighted mirror with several magnification panels, including a high-magnification section.

The most important item on this page after the base. A mirror that stands on its own means your one hand is never occupied holding a mirror — and the trifold shape also lets you see the sides of your face without turning your head, which matters if neck movement is restricted too.

A smudge-proof tubing mascara from a range designed throughout for people with reduced movement or strength.

Mascara one-handed is genuinely hard, and this helps in two ways: the moulded handle with a finger rest means the hand can brace against the face rather than hovering unsupported, and the tubing formula removes with warm water — which matters enormously, because one-handed removal with a solvent and a cotton pad is considerably harder than one-handed application.