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The Very Best Make-Up Mirrors With Lights For Dark Winter Mornings
They really are worth the investment.
Make-up artists often recommend applying your make-up in natural sunshine for a seamless application, but given the English weather and dark winter mornings, the advice is a tricky one to follow. Plus, we have it on good authority that even the best professional artists rely on a lit-up make-up mirror backstage at fashion week and photoshoots. Next to skincare gadgets, a make-up mirror with lights is arguably the most useful beauty investment you can have in your arsenal.
Best Make-Up Mirrors With Lights
Why You Should Get A Make-Up Mirror With Lights
Additional lighting from a make-up mirror is one of the best ways to ensure a perfect application every time. It allows you to see the colours more accurately and helps to make sure you don’t miss any areas of foundation or blush that require blending.
Forget versions of old, where subpar lights had a lifespan of approximately two minutes; now, a new generation of bright and sleek mirrors offer everything from built-in sensors to state-of-the-art lighting technology.
Whether it's a generously-sized version for your dressing table or a portable one for your handbag, there's a light up mirror out there for every need.
What To Look For In A Make-Up Mirror
Before splurging on one, consider the area where you usually do your make-up. Are you on a spacious dressing table or does your work desk double as a make-up station? Do you prefer to do you make-up in the bathroom?
Next, think about portability. If you tend to do your make-up at work or on your commute, a lightweight, small design is ideal. If your job or lifestyle requires multiple make-up touch-ups throughout the day, a bigger but foldable mirror will work brilliantly. Additional magnifying benefits are great for detail work (this editor needs it for her poor eyesight), and many now come with multiple light settings. When shopping for your make-up mirror with lights, do bear in mind the power source; whether that’s rechargeable or battery-operated.
How We Test
Thankfully, the ELLE beauty team have varying approaches to everyday make-up application. Beauty writer Katie Withington often does hers en route to the office (with stellar results) while I prefer to take my time in my dimly-lit bedroom. My go-to is the Beautifect Glow Mirror which sits nicely on my desk. We also test the convenience of each mirror – how seamless it is to charge and turn on, and how flattering the light settings are.
The Best Light-up Mirrors To Invest In
The Beautifect mirror makes applying your make-up a breeze, and it looks good doing it with a sleek nude or gold base, crystal clear 10” mirror with a magnetic magnifying mirror on top, and precision control dial for adjustable LED lighting.
Product specifications
| Size | 10" diameter mirror |
|---|---|
| Light settings | 3 light settings with brightness control |
| Magnifications | 5x magnification |
| Power source | Rechargeable |
Fancii Large Makeup Mirror with Natural LED Lights
This sleek make-up mirror wins points for practicality as it not only features dimmable LED bulbs to mimic natural sunlight and two magnifying mirrors, but also has a little storage area in the base (which, might we add, is detachable for easy transport). Plus, it can work using either batteries or a USB cable charger. A winner all-round.
Product specifications
| Size | 32 cm L x 35 cm W |
|---|---|
| Light settings | True daylight dimmable lights |
| Magnifications | 5x and 7x magnification |
| Power source | Batteries or rechargeable through USB cable |
This is one of those unexpectedly brilliant buys that you'll find yourself relying on. The petite, bag-sized compact features a mirror surrounded by LEDs that mimic natural daylight, meaning you can touch-up your make-up in low lighting – think bars, dimly lit restaurants, and even the back of a cab.
Product specifications
| Size | 127mm |
|---|---|
| Light settings | Natural daylight |
| Magnifications | 10x magnifications |
| Power source | Rechargeable |
Not only does this mirror have a sensor built in which turns on when you're sitting in front of it, but you can wave goodbye to harsh fake lighting because Simplehuman uses 'tru lux' technology to imitate sunlight, allowing you to apply your make-up as easily and accurately as you would in natural light.
Product specifications
| Size | 38.4cm L x 23.1cm W |
|---|---|
| Light settings | Dual light settings with light control |
| Magnifications | 5x magnification |
| Power source | Rechargeable |
HoMedics’ no-fuss mirror is brilliant for space savers – it’s battery-powered with a small base, so it's perfect for storing on a smaller surface. Plus, the rotating mirror offers 1x and 7x magnification for getting up close and personal with your reflection.
Product specifications
| Size | 16.5cm L x 25cm W |
|---|---|
| Light settings | Dimmable light |
| Magnifications | 7x magnification |
| Power source | Batteries |
With 21 LED lights controlled by a touch sensor, you can adjust the brightness as much or as little as you like. It has a high-sensitivity touch screen sensor to easily turn it on and off, while the small – detachable – 10x magnification mirror makes it easy to see up close.
Product specifications
| Size | 16.5cm L x 26.9cm W |
|---|---|
| Light settings | Light control |
| Magnifications | Detachable 10x magnifiying mirror |
| Power source | Batteries |
This sleek, battery-operated light-up magnifying mirror has suction cups on the back so you can use it both as a handheld compact or attach it your mirror or a flat surface. It offers 15x magnification so you can tweeze stray brow hairs and spot conceal with ease.
Product specifications
| Size | 42mm L x 8mm W |
|---|---|
| Light settings | One |
| Magnifications | 15x magnification |
| Power source | Batteries |
This rechargeable make-up mirror features LED lights to make the prettifying process effortless, plus its heated mechanisms mean it resists fog and steam build-up post-shower.
Product specifications
| Size | 15cm L x 9cm W |
|---|---|
| Light settings | One |
| Magnifications | None |
| Power source | Rechargeable |
Medina Azaldin is the beauty editor of ELLE and Harper's Bazaar UK, working across print and digital features. She has more than seven years journalism experience and has previously written for Red and Good Hoousekeeping. When she's not demystifying the latest skincare ingredient, sniffing out the next big perfume trend or uncovering the science behind wellness practices, you'll most likely find her in Hatchards Piccadilly or watching a crime series with her cats. Oh, and she's a competitive cheerleader, too.
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