It is quite embarrassing for a lady to discover she botched her makeup routine due to poor lighting. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, do not underestimate the power of cosmetics to transform the looks of any woman. In this day in age, to apply makeup the right way, you need a well-designed lighted mirror. Most men might consider it frivolous spending, but what do they know about beauty upkeep secrets? Let’s define what a lighted mirror is, and what it can be used for.
What exactly is a Lighted Mirror?
Lighted mirrors are commonly called makeup lighted mirror, and most will have a lighting mechanism to clearly illuminate the face. Apart from the magnificent glass used in makeup mirrors, the light bulbs are usually brighter than your average light bulb.
To properly illuminate your facial features, a lighted makeup mirror will be capable of replicating a natural lighting condition, so that you can apply your makeup without missing a spot or creating too much mess.
With the right best-lighted makeup mirror one can tell if the foundation is not blended the right way. It is the ideal tool to help any woman perfect eyeliner application with ease.
The right lighted makeup mirror can significantly increase accuracy when performing beauty upkeep like eyebrows tweezing. It is the right type of mirror when doing your own facials, especially with powerful ingredients that require you avoid the eyelid and eyelash areas of your face.
Different Types of Lighted Mirrors
In this digital age, we’re living through it is not cool to use your bedroom dresser mirror or the mirror in your bathroom to apply your makeup. While many women do it on a daily basis, your makeup will look more spectacular when applied using a mirror with the right natural lighting to highlight every feature of your face.
A top rated lighted makeup mirror can be found in different shapes and sizes, but let’s examine the types that are available, which makes choosing the right one easier to accomplish.
Countertop Lighted Makeup Mirror
This is probably the bestselling type of this cosmetics application tool. It is able to stay on your countertop because it will come with a sturdy and durable base. Now, the stand is what determines how and where you can use the lighted mirror.
You’ll have to decide if you want one with a permanent stand or one with a base that’s retractable. It is also common to find this type with double sided lighted mirrors.
Travel Sized Lighted Makeup Mirror
The name for this type says it all, for it is small enough to fit into your bag or makeup purse. It is commonly called pocket-sized lighted makeup mirrors. Most will be designed to use double AA or triple AAA batteries for the illumination. This type is good for use just about everywhere you go.
Mounted Lighted Makeup Mirrors
Mounted lighted makeup mirrors are far better at helping you see your facial features while applying cosmetics. It would be naive to try to compare them to bathroom cabinet mirrors because they usually have very intense and brighter lighting to illuminate your face.
The need for do-it-yourself mounting means this type would probably cost you the most money. On the other hand, it is the right type of lighted makeup mirror to use for facials, tweezing eyebrows, or fake eyelash application. Not only is this type the most durable, it will also last the longest.
Should You Get a Lighted Makeup Mirror with Magnification Features?
Most of the listed lighted makeup mirror types can also be purchased with magnification qualities, which means you can see finer details of your facial features missed by a regular lighted mirror. Do keep mind that seeing such close up facial skin details might freak you out.
The human skin is full of tiny holes when examined under a magnifying lighted mirror. The very tiny hair particles might not be visible to the naked eye. Such tiny details might cause you to overdo your makeup, or try to cover up flaws others cannot see.
I must say, a lighted mirror with magnification power is the best type to use for tweezing your eyebrows or plucking hairs from your nose or ears. Just be careful, as you might overdo it and pluck all the noticeable hairs on your eyebrows out.
Choosing the Right Makeup Mirror Buying Process
Before you can buy at least a good lighted mirror you can use to apply your cosmetics it is crucial you identify the location where it will be placed. The worst thing you can do is to buy one and then find a suitable location for it.
If you want one in your bathroom, the brands you should consider would be different as compared to wanting to use one on your dresser stand. Let’s examine some of the most important features required before we can call the product one of the best-lighted makeup mirrors.
Wall Mounting or Countertop
A lighted makeup mirror that requires wall mounting do come with some advantages over the countertop models. The wall mounted types will require hard wiring, which means it will have constant power and the bulb should be at its brightest whenever you turn it on.
Countertops models come with a stand or a suction cup to keep the unit stationary for use. The countertop lighted makeup mirror with a suction cup might be the way to go if you have a permanent space for the mirror.
Should You Pay Attention to the Design?
Even if I told you no, it would not matter, for the human brain is wired to take the aesthetics and design of a product into consideration before making the buying decision. With dozens of finishes and shapes to choose from, the brand that catches your eye should at least match the decor of your bathroom or bedroom.
What about Energy Saving Light Bulbs?
The most recent trend in lighting features is the use of LED light bulbs. While halogen and fluorescent lighting will appear brighter, the LED lighting will have a longer shelf life. Also, a LED light bulb will emit less heat as compared to a halogen bulb.
Regardless of the power source, LED bulbs will use less of it. It is also true that LED bulbs do cost more than halogen bulbs.
Should the Size of the Lighted Makeup Mirror Matter?
Yes and no, depending on your available space. If you’re going for a full sized lighted mirror you should at least select a product that will be capable of showing your entire facial features as you put on your cosmetics makeup.
It is also true that a smaller unit might be more appropriate for travel or to take with you when going out.
Pay Attention to the Warranty Terms
Even the best lighted magnifying makeup mirror might come with some factory defects, so the warranty terms from the manufacturer should be closely examined. The industry standard is one full year limited warranty, and the brand you select should at least be covered for that long.
Feedbacks from Current Users
One of the best ways to avoid buying a defective product is by reading some of the experiences of the current users of the lighted makeup mirror. While it is almost impossible to find a unit that is loved by all the current users, the vast majority should at least rate it very high.
Lighted Makeup Mirror Reviews
A lighted mirror is preferred for applying makeup due to the fact that it can stimulate daylight, which is what you need during the application of cosmetics to your face. There are quite a few different styles to choose from in the marketplace, and it was quite difficult to curate the products found in this review.
I had to leave other top rated lighted makeup mirrors out of this list, but you can still read about the left-out products by clicking the images found below or above. I choose units with higher approval ratings from the current users.
1 – 7x Magnifying Lighted Makeup Mirror by Upper West Collection
This is a magnifying type of lighted makeup mirror that is small enough to be carried for travel, and yet wide enough that you can see all your facial features while applying your cosmetics.
The lighting system uses LED bulbs, which the manufacturer claims can last up to 50,000 hours resulting in more than 5.5 years of usage.
This lighted mirror can be held on just about any type of clean, flat surface, and it has a rotating feature with adjustable arms. The 30 degrees rotating arm is quite unique and not found in many other lighted makeup mirrors within the same price range.
It is not only collapsible but can also be used wirelessly. On a cautionary note, the lighted makeup mirror with 7x magnifying powers will only stick to surfaces made out of materials like ceramic, porcelain, acrylic, marble, enamel, and even other mirrors.
The suction cup will not work on surfaces made out of wallpapers, stucco, drywall, and other walls made out of cement-like materials. The lighting mechanism in this unit is powered by three , which is not included with your purchase.
Is this product the best lighted magnifying makeup mirror? Probably not, but it should at least be included on the top 10 best list. There is also another unit from the same manufacturer with slightly less magnifying power, and can be bought for less.
2 – Conair Natural Daytime Lighted Round Mirror Review
The round design for this Conair lighted mirror makes it suitable for regular home use. The eye-catching finishes of the Conair natural daytime lighted mirror should complement any bathroom decor. The sturdy base holds up an 8.5-inch surface with double sided mirrors.
On one side, the mirror has 1x magnification powers while the other side is 10x more powerful. Be careful, as the 10x magnifying power will reveal minor details of your facial features that might alarm you.
Most of the details shown might not be visible to the naked eye, so you need not worry about them. You can confirm you look normal and fine by looking at the normal side of the lighted mirror.
It has a swivel hinge and the fluorescent lighting requires a corded connection. Not only is the lighting similar to natural light, the bulb itself is replaceable. It is designed to use less power and you do not have to worry about the loss of any battery power since it uses electricity.
The brightness is not adjustable and uses an on/off switch setup. Conair is one of those brands that has being around for decades, which means they’ll be around to honor any warranty claims. You get a one-year limited warranty to cover any potential factory defects.
3 – Jerdon HL65N Lighted Wall Mount Makeup Mirror Review
The 5x magnifying power is less than the one offered by the Conair natural daytime lighted mirror. It is available for purchase with three other finishes and has a 360-degree swivel design. The Jerdon HL65N 8-Inch lighted makeup mirror comes with a one-year warranty.
It is quite common to find this lighted makeup mirror brand in luxury spas and hotels around the world. You’re required to wall-mount this unit, and it requires a corded connection. The wall mounting is an easily accomplished do-it-yourself project.
The two-sided mirror has different degrees of magnification, and the unit uses a 25-watt replacement light bulb. This nickel finish will not be affected by condensation or moisture. Both sides of the mirror have good fog free features.
4 – Simplehuman Sensor Mirror Review
What a name for a lighted mirror one can use to apply makeup? It is available for purchase in three different versions, a countertop unit, a wall mounted unit requiring hard wiring, and a wall mounted unit with rechargeable features.
The fact that it has a sensor that activates the lighting mechanism as your face approaches the mirror makes this brand the true best-lighted mirror for makeup one can buy online.
It uses LED bulbs that are powerful to illuminate your entire facial features evenly. The cordless version is rechargeable using the provided USB cord. You can get at least several weeks of usage from just a single full charge.
The Simplehuman sensor mirror is a single sided lighted makeup mirror with 5x magnification powers, which means you better have a regular mirror close by to view your makeup and hairdo in normal view.
The fact that the unit’s lighting is sensor activated requires you set it up in a less traveled area of your living quarters. You get a five-year limited warranty for your purchase of the lighted mirror for applying makeup from Simplehuman.
Paula F. Kennedy
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