Our Guide to Selecting the Correct Magnifying Mirror

Thanks for taking time to visit our store and we hope you will make one of our magnifying mirrors the next addition to your bathroom .

All our magnifying mirrors are designed to give you the best possible enlarged image of your face. They'll assist when applying and removing makeup, by adding accuracy and speed, and for men helping to achieve a clean and tidy shave.

We only stock high quality distortion free magnifying mirrors so you can buy with confidence.
 
So let's select a mirror that can be installed where it's needed and that will match your requirements.

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1.  Choosing the Best Mirror Magnification.

Short Answer: For general use we recommend 3x magnification.

It's the most popular magnification and the one selected by hotels. Opt for 5x or 7x magnification if you wear glasses or want a very detailed view of certain areas of the face. All our magnifications are scientifically selected to be safe and comfortable. If you decide on a higher magnification then we recommend you place it near a non-magnified main bathroom mirror. You may wish to consider one of our dual magnification mirrors combining 3x and 7x magnification.

Collection: Dual Magnification Mirrors

Long Answer: We offer three levels of magnification giving our clients options to fit their personal needs. These three magnification levels have been scientifically selected based on the standard radius of concavity providing comfort and avoiding eye strain over many years of use. Our suppliers do not offer the extreme magnification levels sold elsewhere.

Here are the options explained.

3-fold - It's our lowest magnification and is the magnification we generally sell to hotels. In fact many clients buy one of our mirrors after enjoying one in a hotel. 3-fold magnification is OK for the basics - general shaving and makeup rituals. Not usually sufficient if you wear glasses. Our standard 19cm mirror with 3x magnification will allow you to see almost the entire face at one time

5-fold - 5-fold magnification reveals a higher level of detail for makeup, plucking facial hair, removing skin impurities and precise application of cosmetics. For men perfect for precise shaving and detailed beard trimming and styling.

7-fold - Our strongest magnification – Recommended if you wear glasses. Delivers incredible detail but does take some getting used.

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2.  Illuminated Magnifying Mirrors - Yes or No?

Collection: Light System Mirrors with adjustable brightness and colour.

Short Answer: YES. You should seriously consider buying a magnifying mirror with LED illumination. Sufficient light ensures a high degree of extra comfort.

Update: Our newest LED designs also incorporate adjustable colour and brilliance. Imagine perfectly controlling light levels and then adjusting light colour to show your face in either artificial lighting (2700K-3500K) or daylight conditions (5000-6500K).

Note that hardwired LED mirrors are more expensive and will need to be hardwired by an electrician but we think they are well worth the extra hassle and expense.

Approx. 1/3 of the mirrors we sell are LED Illuminated. 

Update: We now offer Rechargeable LED Magnifying Mirrors with built-in long lasting Lithium-ion batteries. This means cordless convenience, less expensive installation, as you won't need an electrician, and impressive technology.

These battery powered LED mirrors offer performance similar to our traditional hard-wired options.

• 20,000 hour bulb life and 8-40 hour runtime on a single charge.
• Adjustable light colour and brightness
• A choice of rechargeable Lithium-ion battery models using a standard USB cable, much like a smartphone, or replaceable AA batteries. 

Just a quick note: Lithium-ion batteries power many rechargeable models, these may have restrictions on certain forms of travel, like flights, so it’s worth checking ahead if you plan to take yours on the go.

Collection: Zone Denmark AA Battery Powered

Collection: Blomus Rechargeable Lithium-ion models

Long Answer: Here are the options.

Non-Illumination - Rely on light levels in your bathroom. These light levels may be sufficient but can be improved  if the magnifying mirror is used in conjunction with a main bathroom mirror that has its own light source. However often ambient light levels are too low, shadows from overhead lights are annoying and colours will vary depending on the light source when applying makeup, etc. Mirror positioning to optimise available light (daytime and night time) becomes an important consideration.

LED Illumination - A proven technology - 50,000 hour durability and low power usage so you never need to replace a bulb for the life of the fitting. 

Note that cheaper models may suffer from flicker and individual diodes can fail but luckily we don't stock these cheaper inferior models.

In the past there was a choice between cool white and warm white LEDs but today this is all built in. The LED illuminated magnifying mirror you purchase from us will offer both cool and warm light levels (a toggle switch selects) and the premium models are dimmable as well.

Remember all our illuminated mirrors require electrical installation by an electrician and you will need power to the exact point of installation.

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3. Mirror Placement Ideas.

Short Answer: When in use your magnifying mirror should be able be comfortably positioned about 20cm from the face and hold this position so leaving both hands free. This can be achieved with either a wall mounted or tabletop mirror.

The actual mirror focal point will vary depending on the mirrors magnification level and diameter. More powerful magnifications take a little getting used to and you may be surprised how close your face needs to be before achieving a clear magnified image.

We like to place the mirror slightly below eye level but this is just our preference.

Wall mounted next to a larger bathroom mirror is our recommendation. The magnified image and true view image side by side.

Our wall mirrors with adjustable arms are designed just for this. They can be placed beside an existing bathroom mirror or on a sidewall and will pushback against the wall when not required. Multiple swivel points allow for considerable horizontal adjustment and some vertical adjustment

Long Answer: Along with magnification we consider mirror placement the most important choice you will make. If you get this wrong then you will most likely not use your new mirror as often as you could. The important point is that you need to be able to position your mirror about 20cm from the face and still have both hands free. A good mirror will do this easily via sturdy adjustable arms. Cheaper mirrors can become loose and not hold the position you need. This is where you get what you pay for.

Here are the options.

Wall-mounted Mirrors -  Our recommended option. Wall mirrors are always too hand and just where you need them. 

A good wall mirror is designed to fit compactly against the wall when not in use and then extend out towards the face and hold it’s position as required. We have wall mirrors available with fixed arms, swivel arms and multiple arms with extra reach for side walls and awkward installations.

To determine the model of mirror you need. Measure the height you would like the mirror to be on the wall and how far it needs to extend to be say 20cm from your face. Most of our product pages include detailed product measurements.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us and include an image of the area you wish to install the mirror if this helps.

Some of our wall mirrors have fixed arms (straight immovable supports) so you lose adjustability but gain in terms of aesthetics (Italian Designer Mirrors) or DIY installation benefits (Stick-on mirrors). Fixed arm mirrors will have a swivel joint behind the mirror surface to allow for some level of adjustment.

Collection: DIY Stick-on Mirrors

Stickon Mirrors - Mounted with commercial quality double sided tape. These can be mounted anywhere there is a flat clean surface. For example on an existing bathroom mirror.

Tabletop Mirrors - No installation required. Tabletop mirrors look good and they can be moved between bathrooms. A good option if you like to sit down when enjoying your makeup or shaving rituals.

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4.  Double Sided versus Single Sided Mirrors:

Short Answer: This comes down to personal preference. Double sided means the mirror has 2 faces. One side is usually a "true view" mirror showing the whole face exactly as you and the rest of the world will see you today. The other side shows a magnified image so you can get your makeup. etc just right. The mirror is designed to rotate easily between the 2 sides.

If you place your magnifying mirror beside an existing mirror then double sided is not really necessary. 

Most LED mirrors are for technical reasons single sided but we now have some double sided models.

Traditional magnifying mirrors are usually double sided.

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5.  Mirror Size and Shape

 Collection: Tabletop Magnifying Mirrors

Short Answer: Most of the mirrors we sell are ROUND and approx 19cm in diameter. 

This sizing (19cm) looks good on the wall and shows almost the entire face at 3x magnification and about 70% of the face at 5x magnification. 

Magnifying mirrors are concave so a round mirror shape works best but square and rectangular mirror shapes are acceptable choices.

Long Answer - Size: Our mirrors vary in diameter from 7cm to 23cm diameter or equivalent depending on the shape.

From these options we usual recommend a 19cm diameter round mirror because this size shows most of the face.

Remember the proportion of the face visible in a magnifying mirror decreases as the magnification increases and as the mirror size decreases. Here are the options.

23cm Diameter - Available on request.  

19cm Diameter - Recommended. 

15-16 cm Diameter – Still sufficient and may work best for you if space is limited or if your decor suits a compact design.

7-13cm Diameter – Offered as travel mirrors

Long Answer - Shape: Magnifying mirrors are concave so a round mirror shape works best.

We do offer both square and rectangular options. Generally these shapes are chosen to complement your bathroom decor, the most practical shape is round.

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 6.  Decor

Short Answer: Choose the design you like after all it’s your money. We select our mirrors carefully so that you can choose any of our mirrors with confidence.

Long Answer: We like to think our mirrors are not only useful but also attractive additions to your bathroom. For this reason we offer a range of designs and finishes. Here are the options.

Finish -  There are many finishes available on the market. For example chrome, bronze, black etc. 

We follow the lead from our suppliers who invariably prefer chromed-brass and stainless steel. 

Unlike most metals chrome is extremely hard and does not oxidise in air, thereby eliminating the need for regular polishing.

Our mirror frames and arms are constructed from rustproof brass that is nickel plated and then a thick layer of chrome is electro-chemically deposited across the entire surface. Nickel provides lustre, brilliance and corrosion prevention, while the chrome  contributes colour and tarnish resistance. The result is a very bright and durable finish.

Designs: Our mirrors are sourced from German and Italian designers and manufacturers. This gives our clients access to the latest European designs and also a deep well of quality design and manufacturing experience.

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We hope you find these thoughts useful when making your selection.

© 2022 The Magnifying Mirror Store