Many people, both men and women, seek to invest in a good lighted make-up mirror. Before doing so, it is important to know what features to look for, what works the best, and what NOT to buy.
Why do you need one? Estheticians and skin care professionals use state-of-the-art facial systems, which include cool things like various extractors, high circular wave devices, glavanic instruments and of course, a lighted magnifying lamp. They use the magnifying lamp to get a close up view of the skin they are examining, necessary to treat specific areas appropriately. If you are going to provide daily treatment to your skin at home, you need the same view.
What are the important features? A mirror is a mirror, right? Wrong! There are some specific features you should look for in your lighted make-up mirror: Magnification, type of light, size, and power source.
When you choose your mirror, right off the bat you can exclude anything less that 7x magnification power. Power less than 7x really will not give you the magnification you need to get a good look at your skin. You need to see very close up. A 5x will get you by, but why bother with something that will barely meet your needs, if at all? It is better to start out right. A 10x mirror is just too much for most people and may actually strain your eyes a little. There are many choices out there that have a 7x on one side and a 10x on the other – a good possibility.
The type of light is a also an important consideration for your lighted make-up mirror. It’s the old incandescent vs. fluorescent debate. And the winner is? Fluorescent. The incandescent lights almost always make your skin look a weird yellow/orange color. You want a nice white light that will show the natural color of your skin.
A common complaint about lighted makeup mirrors is that the light is too dim. Make sure the light is sufficient. So many manufacturers will say “bright lights” or “great illumination” blah, blah, blah. But when you get the mirror home, it barely gives off any light at all, or it is directed away from the mirror entirely.
Another common difficulty is size. Many lighted make-up mirrors will say that they are 8″ or 10″, but when you get them home, you realize that the actual mirror is only 5 or 6 inches! Just make sure you check the size of the actual mirror and not the entire light apparatus and frame.
Lastly, you will want to make sure that the mirror is the right height. A mirror with a 15-18 inch “neck” will allow you to examine your skin without bending over too much.
There are many lighted make-up mirrors on the market. With these guidelines you are sure to purchase one that works great for a long time.
