Ideas for a comprehensive bathroom mirror arrangement

April 9, 2019 9:17 PM

I’m laying out a new bathroom but I’ve never seen a mirror arrangement I’ve really liked. I need three things: 1) a way to quickly glance and see how I’m looking in general, 2) A set up for shaving that allows me to easily see every bit of my face, including the bottom of my jaw, and 3) a set up that someone could do their makeup with. I’ve never worn makeup so 3 is particularly difficult for me to cover.

One thing I’ve thought about was buying a mirror with a built-in video screen and hooking the screen up to a fiber camera on a flexible arm. I could use the camera to be able to see everything on my face in detail and the mirror for the general view. I don’t know if that would help with makeup though.

We’re all friends here so there’s no idea too odd to share. Thanks!

posted by Tell Me No Lies to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (11 answers total)

Have you considered a countertop mirror that pivots and maybe lights up? You could also do a wall-mounted mirror that telescopes over the sink so you can get that mirror right in your face for shaving. If you are different heights, you could do both. A wall-mounted and a countertop moveable mirror. Three mirrors!
posted by amanda at 9:35 PM on April 9, 2019

My current house came with a double-sided wall mounted mirror that swings out and tips so it can be set to adjustable positions. I think you could get it set so you could see your whole face. One side is magnified, the other is regular. Magnified is nice when trying to make up without glasses on.
posted by metahawk at 9:40 PM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]

Good makeup mirrors need the best magnification you can get but also GOOD LIGHTING. Ideally from multiple angles. So include moveable lights.
posted by emjaybee at 9:52 PM on April 9, 2019

There are regular wall mirrors with a light up border (for best results an even strip rather than separate bulbs) and a magnifying inset. There's a reason "Hollywood mirror lights" are a visual cliche for a dressing room.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 10:49 PM on April 9, 2019

If you look at some of the images returned for a search on "Makeup Mirror for bathroom" then you may get some good ideas. The traditional make up mirror - that you will see in movies as the is seen to prepare to go on stage - has light bulbs all around its perimeter to give the "multiple angles" that emjaybee mentions. These days you can get mirrors which use that same pattern - or ones which use an LED light strip to achieve similar. You will see that there fixed versions of such mirrors as well as adjustable ones. If your bathroom has an extractor fan that is linked to the main light - and if the noise from this fan might disturb anybody else when the bathroom is used at night - then a separate motion activated mirror perimeter light can be great as a way of not disturbing others.

It can be useful to have mirrors on more than one wall of a bathroom if you are trying to see yourself form the back or sides.

Finally: some mirrors come with a heater - that can be used to demist them - and they may also have a socket to allow the charging of razors/ tooth brushes etc.
posted by rongorongo at 11:01 PM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]

For my shaving (after I shower), a demisting mirror makes such a difference. I've got a large mirror fitted in my bathroom with both an illuminated border and a heating element behind to prevent it steaming up - a bit like this one https://www.johnlewis.com/roper-rhodes-beat-illuminated-led-bathroom-mirror-with-integrated-stereo/p1123235 - and I have appreciated it every single time I use it.

However the makeup-using members of the household don't like it as much; apparently the light is "too good" for comfort.
posted by vincebowdren at 12:47 AM on April 10, 2019

I don’t shave much and don’t do makeup, but the thing I’ve noticed about self-inspection in a mirror is you need more than one, and you need to be able to look at yourself through a pair of them, so a big mirror and a smaller one that is repositionable would be good for, e g, looking under your chin.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 7:03 AM on April 10, 2019

For me, I find magnifying makeup mirrors gimmicky. What I like is the ability to get close to a mirror and for that mirror to have basically symmetrical light. So mirrors behind the sink are far away and mirrors on the side are oddly lit. in my ideal world, there is a dual sink set up, but only one sink and one more narrow piece of countertop for getting closer to the mirror and spreading out makeup/brushes.
posted by mercredi at 7:11 AM on April 10, 2019 [3 favorites]

A trifold mirror is very helpful. (Disclaimer: I have no connection with that company, they're just the clearest example I could find quickly.)
posted by Lexica at 11:05 AM on April 10, 2019

I have a medicine cabinet above the sink. I put a suction cup magnifying mirror on the regular mirror. The mirror/door swings out, and I can see to pluck eyebrows. This works well.

The main issue is lighting. There are lights on each side of the mirror, and a strip of 3 on the ceiling. 1 of those is pointed at the mirror and I am told it is helpful for shaving. Now I have LED bulbs and they are very bright and I like that.
posted by theora55 at 11:09 AM on April 10, 2019

I recently stayed at the Wynn in Las Vegas and the bathroom had a neat setup. There was the typical big mirror above the sinks. Between the double sinks was a vanity with a lighted makeup mirror, and a pull-out stool under the vanity. It was a great setup to do my makeup. It's the second picture on this slider.
posted by radioamy at 7:27 PM on April 10, 2019