Even if you spend lots of time and money on your makeup, you will never achieve that flawless look if you don’t have the right lighting. Dim or uneven lighting can make applying your makeup messy business. To attain a delicate, winged liner, a flawless brow, or an impeccable lip, you will need the perfect amount of lighting.
Lighting for makeup application isn’t just about getting the most light you can onto your face, it’s about the way that light hits your face. Direct light bouncing off a mirror can be harsh and create deep, unflattering shadows that you may not actually have. This will cause you to contour and conceal incorrectly. Instead, you want an even, diffused light that illuminates the face and allows you to see trouble areas and detail without being harsh, similar to the light you would receive on a bright, but cloudy, day.
The easiest way to achieve this light is to invest in a lighted vanity mirror. These mirrors give the perfect amount of light to illuminate your facial features and allow you to easily and quickly apply your makeup.
While you can find plenty of costly options for a lighted vanity mirror, most of us aren’t looking to spend hundreds of dollars on a mirror to do our makeup. Plus, we’d like to keep that extra money to buy more makeup! Instead, look to buy a cheap vanity mirror with lights that does the job without breaking the bank. Here are five of our favorites:
- Herwiss Lighted Vanity Makeup Mirror
This three-paneled, lighted vanity mirror has a 180-degree rotation and a small, circular section that offers 10x magnification. It’s also totally portable and can fold up and fit in your bag, which makes it great for travel!
- Sanheshun 7X Magnifying Lighted Travel Makeup Mirror
With 16, super-efficient LED lights that will last up to 10,000 hours, the Sanheshun magnifying lighted travel makeup mirror provides you with 7x magnification in a 6-inch mirror, which will come in handy for those detailed tasks.
- Ovente 8.5 Inch Smart Touch LED Lighted Mirror
If you suffer from limited counter space in your bathroom, then this option will work great for you. The Ovente lighted mirror is only 8 inches tall but comes with a double-sided mirror surrounded by a daylight-spectrum bulb that allows you to recreate the look of natural light on your skin.
- Zadro 10x/1x Cordless LED Lighted Wall Mirror
While a bit more expensive, the Zadro Cordless LED Lighted Wall Mirror is a battery operated, wall-mounted mirror that frees up precious counter space while still giving you access to a sophisticated tool that will allow you to apply your makeup flawlessly.
- Conair Oval Double-Sided Lighted Mirror
This classic from Conair is adjustable and affordable. Double-sided, this mirror offers 7x magnification on one side and a standard mirror on the other. Lighted with efficient LED lighting, this mirror is a great addition to your daily routine.