THE BEST (and Worst) Tool in the Bathroom
There are so many tools that make our job so much easier in our daily preparations with makeup and skincare in the bathroom. There are hair dryers, curling irons, straightening irons, electric toothbrushes, radios, shampoo dispensers, soap dispensers, containers to hold cotton tipped applicators and cotton balls, clocks, and so much more. But there is one tool that I find is indispensable to me. It is....TA DA...the magnifying mirror!
Why the Magnifying Mirror is the BEST Tool
It is the best tool because you can catch so many mistakes before leaving the house. If you are applying skincare lotions, you can check the mirror to make sure you spread them evenly on your skin. If you are putting on makeup, you can view the application to make sure you got all the places covered the way you want them. Plucking eyebrows is easier with the magnified mirror. Applying mascara and checking for mistakes becomes much easier. Separating eyelashes after applying mascara is easier to do with the magnified mirror. Use the mirror to check your eyeshadow application to make sure it is blended the way you want it to look. Lip liner and concealer become easier to double check for mistakes. Use the magnified mirror to apply sunscreen to the face and get it evenly distributed. Using the magnifying mirror when applying self-tanning lotions or creams on the face helps tremendously.
Keeping an eye on blackheads, clogged pores, erupting acne is made easier with the magnifying mirror. Using concealer or foundation to cover up the offending blemish is simplified with the magnification. An unfortunate side effect of aging is the size of the pores on the face. They become larger with age. As your upper epidermis, the stratum corneum, becomes thicker, it weighs down the skin and causes the pore size to enlarge. This can lead to increasing incidences of blemishes.
Now some people believe that ignorance is bliss. I have to wear glasses and so I apply makeup without the aid of my glasses. I apply my skincare and makeup using the regular mirror and I look GOOD! Then I double check myself in the magnified mirror and Aaarrhhh! Boy, did I miss some places. You sometimes see older women who have WAY too much eyeshadow or mascara streaks on the upper eyelid or foundation that shows visible lines at the jaw. This can be prevented by using the magnified mirror.
Why the Magnifying Mirror can be your WORST Tool
I said it is the BEST (and worst) because while the magnification can help you catch errors and help you apply products to your face, it also can show you the imperfections. I look in the regular mirror and my skin looks pretty good. Then I check the skin with my magnified mirror and YEE GADS!...it looks like the craters on the moon have settled onto my face. I could run 4-wheelers around the craters on my face. And don't even get me started on what the blemishes look like with the magnification!! It is just plain scary. But a magnifying mirror is necessary to keep a handle on any potential problems with the skin.
Types of Magnifying Mirrors
I have the kind that attaches to the wall. It is a small, inexpensive plastic encased model that has a gooseneck on it so I can change the angle of the mirror to fit my height and what I want to view. There are various types of magnifying mirrors. There are the kind that have suction cups and stick to the main mirror. There is the kind that has a built-in stand to place on the counter. Then there are the kinds that illuminate. There are fancier ones that anchor to the wall and can extend out for easier viewing and accordion back to the wall when you are not using it.
So even though it can be a frightening view, the magnified mirror can be your BEST tool in the bathroom. You can decide what magnification works best for you. There is 5X, 10X, 12X, 15X and more. I use the 10X in my bathroom and then I have a travel sized 12X. It is possible to get too much magnification so you lose perspective with the powerful magnification. So don't get too much. Most stores let you try the mirrors in the store. If you apply your skincare/makeup without your glasses, then be sure to try them in the store without your glasses or contacts. If you get it home, try it and don't like it, then most stores will let you return the mirror with a receipt. So keep the receipt until you are sure you will keep the mirror.
If you haven't tried a magnifying mirror, no matter how old you are, try one. You may see a whole world on your face you didn't know existed. You can thank me later.