Good lighting is at the center of every flawless makeup look, which is why beauty enthusiasts and makeup artists stock their vanities with lighted makeup mirrors to achieve the perfect glam.
We started by evaluating the construction of each lighted makeup mirror before doing our makeup and dove into the technicalities as we glammed, paying special attention to the mirror’s portability, durability, and any unique features, such as Bluetooth speakers or a shelf for your phone and essential cosmetic products.
Riki Loves Riki Skinny Smart Portable LED Vanity Mirror
Size: 9.5 x 13 x 0.39 inches | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Colors: 2 | Assembly Required: No | USB Compatible: Yes
Star Qualities
· All-around vanity-style lighting
· Removable magnifying mirror included
· Phone holder is magnetic for extra security
Red Flags
· Brightest setting may be too high for those with sensitive eyes
The Riki Skinny Smart Vanity Mirror is one of the most recognizable models thanks to the endorsement of celebrities and influencers. After testing, we see why. The sleek vanity mirror is surprisingly durable despite its thin frame and uses high-quality glass to deliver a perfect reflection. It’s bordered with LED lights with five brightness levels to really illuminate your face, creating a ring light effect and ensuring there are no dark areas (just be mindful of the brightest setting if you have sensitive eyes).
This lighted makeup mirror’s attachments also stand out. Included is a 10x magnification mirror that gives you an impressively in-depth look at your pores, brows, and lashes, plus a magnetic phone holder so you can take selfies, record yourself, or watch makeup tutorials. The mirror even has a Bluetooth selfie option so you can nail the perfect pose with the best lighting. You can also attach the magnification mirror to the larger mirror with magnets if you can’t sacrifice the counter space, and there’s a carrying case you can purchase separately for travel. While it’s not inexpensive, there’s no denying the value of the Riki Skinny Smart Vanity Mirror.
Flymiro Tri-Fold Lighted Makeup Mirror
Size: 9.4 x 7 x 1.2 inches | Weight: 1.76 pounds | Colors: 6 | Assembly Required: Yes | USB Compatible: Yes
Star Qualities
· Multi-angled view for hard-to-reach areas
· Two magnification levels
· 180-degree rotation
Red Flags
· Brightness level can only be adjusted slightly
The Flymiro Tri-fold Lighted Vanity Makeup Mirror doesn’t sacrifice quality for price. It’s equipped with 21 LED light bulbs that provide adequate brightness in naturally lit and dark rooms so you can do your makeup without any shadows (however, the brightness level can only be adjusted down slightly).
Its tri-fold design ensures that you can see every inch of your face. It can also be rotated 180 degrees for different views. It also features two small mirrors on the right side that provide 2x and 3x magnification. The side panels fold down completely to protect the mirror and make it more portable for travel. This sleek and lightweight mirror also has a small catch-all tray at the base which can be used to store small makeup products. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly makeup mirror, this one won’t disappoint.
Amiro 9-in. Lighted Makeup Mirror
Size: 10.7 x 17 inches | Weight: 2.93 pounds | Colors: 2 | Assembly Required: No | USB Compatible: Yes
Star Qualities
· Customizable with 3 lighting temperatures and 6 brightness settings
· Includes a small 10x magnifying mirror
· Strong silicone suction base keeps it steady
Red Flags
· We wish it held its charge a little longer
The Amiro 9-inch Mirror is a standout for its motion-detecting feature, lighting up with a button press and turning off when you step away, which preserves the battery. Though it holds a five-hour charge, if you spend about an hour a day on your makeup, you’ll likely need to recharge weekly with the included USB-C cable.
We love this mirror’s silicone suction base, which keeps it firmly anchored to a desk or vanity — even if bumped. Its strong hold is sometimes challenging to detach, but we prefer this to it tipping over. The adjustable brightness and color temperature settings — natural, warm, and cool white — allow for the perfect lighting regardless of your room’s ambiance. After nearly seven months of testing, this mirror remains one of our editors’ personal favorites.
iHome Hollywood Vanity Mirror Pro
Size: 13.99 x 18.79 x 5.12 inches | Weight: 4.84 pounds | Colors: Silver chrome | Assembly Required: Yes | USB Compatible: Yes
Star Qualities
· Has a 10x magnifying mirror for detail
· Multiple brightness and warmth settings
Red Flags
· Bulky design
The iHome Hollywood Vanity Mirror Pro is a luxe mirror that can transform your beauty routine into a glamorous affair. The splurge-worthy lighted mirror exudes vintage style with an oversized frame and protruding LED bulbs that border the mirror to fully illuminate your face.
The mirror offers four brightness settings and the option to customize its warmth with three dimmable hue adjustments: bright daylight, soft, and warm evening. This customizable glow projects a sharp reflection to clearly see all of your facial features. It also comes with a crisp 10x magnifying mirror and is fitted with a Bluetooth speaker that can connect to your phone to play music, podcasts, and videos while you get ready. This mirror is a bit bulky, so it’s less portable. But if you have space on your vanity, this high-end mirror is worth it.
Impressions ChargeUp Compact Mirror
Size: 3.5 inches in diameter | Weight: 0.5 pounds | Colors: 2 | Assembly Required: No | USB Compatible: Yes
Star Qualities
· Includes both magnification and standard mirrors in one compact package
· Doubles as a phone charger
Red Flags
· Brightness and temperature settings are not adjustable
We all know the feeling of grogginess after a long flight or drive, so why not pull out your little light-up compact for a quick touch-up? The Impressions ChargeUp LED Compact Mirror was one of our favorites. It’s small enough to fit in a back pocket or purse, yet despite its 3.5-inch diameter, it lights up with the strength of a larger mirror. Though you can’t adjust the level of brightness or temperature the way you can on other mirrors, we found no faults in its clarity and tone.
Another unique perk of this mirror is its double life as a portable phone charger. Simply plug your phone cable into the charging port on the side of the compact and gain a full battery while you touch up your foundation. When it comes time to recharge your compact, use the same port.
Fancii LED Lighted Travel Makeup Mirror
Size: 5 x 5 x 0.7 inches | Weight: 6.7 ounces | Colors: 3 | Assembly Required: No | USB Compatible: No
Star Qualities
· Sleek and sturdy
· Attractive metallic finish
· Survived our drop tests
Red Flags
· Brightness isn’t adjustable
The Fancii LED Lighted Travel Makeup is a less-expensive alternative to the Impressions travel mirror. This compact has fewer bells and whistles but is perfect for midday touch-ups and can fit snugly in your purse. It remained damage-free after our drop tests, so we’re confident we could throw this in our bags without a second thought. Its sleek color options (particularly the metallic rose gold) were another draw for this compact because your touch-up tools should be just as beautiful as you are.
We would have loved to be able to adjust the brightness settings of this compact, but this light fully illuminated our faces. For the budget-friendly price and full-sized quality in a travel-sized compact, we couldn’t imagine leaving the house without this dependable little mirror.
SimpleHuman Sensor Mirror Trio
Size: 8 inches in diameter | Weight: 3.75 pounds | Colors: 3 | Assembly Required: No | USB Compatible: Yes
Star Qualities
· Sleek look and bright lights feel hotel quality
· Full color-spectrum LED lights
· Three magnification levels between both sides
Red Flags
·
Price definitely reflects the quality
When you’re the master behind red carpet glam for celebrities like Selena Gomez and Cara Delevingne, you need the best lighting and mirrors to craft those closeup-worthy makeup looks — which is why celebrity makeup artist Hung Vanngo loves SimpleHuman mirrors.
The state-of-the-art Sensor Mirror Trio feels like one you’d find in a five-star hotel. We love the surgical-grade, touch-controlled LED lights, with brightness you customize by dragging your fingertips up or down along the side. Choose between cool and warm-toned lighting to better prepare for the day, night, or red carpet ahead, and flip the mirror around for a regular reflection, 5x magnification, or 10x at the bottom. With all of these high-end features, it’s easy to understand why this lighted makeup mirror has a high price point, but we think it’s worth the investment for serious beauty lovers and professionals.
Deweisn Folding Travel Lighted Makeup Mirror
Size: 7.5 x 10 x 0.8 inches | Weight: 1.43 pounds | Colors: 5 | Assembly Required: No | USB Compatible: Yes
Star Qualities
· Budget-friendly option
· Adjustable brightness and tone
· Protective screen doubles as stand
Red Flags
· No storage compartments
You don’t have to spend too much to get a makeup artist-approved mirror. Oakley has found that this option from Amazon does the trick for herself and her clients. She loves its affordable price point, easily adjustable lighting, and long charging time — all non-negotiable when you’re a sought-after makeup artist. “I love this one because it’s extremely compact and easy to fit no matter how much of an over-packer you are,” says Oakley. It’s just about the size of an iPad, making it easy to throw in a weekender bag or backpack for trips like Oakley often does.
We love its fold-over protective screen that doubles as a stand, making this mirror an incredibly compact and versatile option for hotel rooms, dimly lit bathrooms, and other places that lack sufficient lighting. Though it doesn’t include storage, we think its versatility (and makeup artist’s stamp of approval) more than makes up for this small oversight.
Fancii Vera Premium Lighted Vanity
Size: 6.5 x 13 inches | Weight: 2.6 lbs. | Color: 3 | Assembly Required: No | USB Compatible: Yes
Star Qualities
· Lightweight and easy to move around
· Sleek, silver design
· Adjustable brightness and temperature
Red Flags
· Automatically shuts off after 30 minutes
If you’re often shuffling around in search of the best lighting (or selfie background), then you’ll love this cordless, small-scale lighted vanity. The strong LED light features customizable brightness and temperature levels for your best glow. And since this rechargeable light is completely cordless, you can move around without tangling or dragging a cord along.
We love that no matter where we’re glamming ourselves, we can have perfect lighting and a non-warped reflection thanks to this sleek mirror. Its simplistic metal stand tilts up to 45 degrees for optimal angles and adds style to your desk or bathroom countertop. You have to turn the light back on after its automatic 30-minute shutoff time, but this energy-saving component allows this cordless mirror to last for up to 10 hours per charge. For those who like to move around while they get ready, this cordless option is the way to go.
