When it comes to the best light bulbs for makeup, there is surprisingly very little debate. In fact, the best makeup vanity light bulbs all have one thing in common: they’re LED! Now it’s important to note, though, that there are other factors to consider when choosing the right vanity bulbs for your specific setup. Things like the size of your vanity, the shape of your mirror/layout of your vanity setup, and the rest of the lighting in the room will all play a role in deciding the best vanity light bulbs for you. Read on to find out the top things to consider when choosing your vanity bulbs and also what not to do.
LED Makeup Lights
Freedah Luxury always recommends starting off with an LED light, not only for environmental purposes but also because these vanity bulbs are more similar to natural daylight and will thus give you a realistic representation of what you’ll look like once you step outside. LED vanity mirror bulbs are also among the most affordable, averaging at a cost of $20 for ten bulbs. Many LED makeup lights also come with features such as color correction or connection to WiFi.
Adhesive Vanity Mirror Bulbs
If you have a vanity mirror with no built-in lighting, and you are looking for an easy way to add some, try looking for some adhesive LED light strips. Adhesive makeup mirror light bulbs can be attached to almost any flat surface, making them the easiest lighting addition if your vanity doesn’t already come equipped with lighting. Most of them come with a peel away sticker to reveal a glue-type backing or some form of a suction cup.
These are among the best light bulbs for makeup vanity mirrors because you are not restrained with where you can place them. You can follow the frame of your mirror or get creative and form a shape or pattern. Some brands also feature a sensitive touch switch, meaning the intensity or even the color of the makeup light can be easily changed with the touch of a hand.
Warm Vanity Mirror Bulbs
For vanity mirror bulbs that cast the least amount of shadows in the area, it’s best to go with bulbs that emit a strong, warm white light. Similar to the LED light bulbs, those that produce a bright, warm glow will be able to properly simulate outdoor lighting within the comfort of your own home.
Utilize Natural Light
While relying solely on natural light to illuminate your face at your makeup vanity won’t always work, it’s important to keep in mind that natural light can be used strategically to enhance your setup. Warm LED lights are still the best light bulbs for makeup, but supplementing with some natural light can be super beneficial.
If possible, set up your vanity near a window so that you will have the ability to utilize just natural light during certain parts of the day, a combination of natural and LED vanity bulbs, and just LED when it’s dark. That way you’ll have the most optimal lighting when it’s light and bright outside and you can ensure your makeup will look as good outside as it does in front of your vanity.
What Lighting to Avoid
Fluorescent Lighting
While warm LED vanity bulbs are known for creating the most natural lighting possible, fluorescent lights provide the opposite. Fluorescent lighting is known to be harsh, which may actually cause you to overdo your makeup. Then, once you’re in natural light, your makeup will look much heavier than it looked while you were applying it.
Colorful Accent Lights
While colorful lights can provide some incredible mood lighting, they’re definitely not the best light bulbs for your vanity, at least during your makeup application. If you want to add them just for fun when you’re not using your vanity for makeup, then go for it!
Uplighting and Downlighting
Aggressive lighting that comes only from one direction (either above or below your face) creates a ton of shadows and makes proper makeup application much harder. That’s why a Hollywood vanity mirror is so effective because it provides your face with soft lighting from all directions, not just above or below.
At Freedah Luxury, both our Vanity Travel Cases and our Hollywood Vanity Mirrors come with high quality LED vanity mirror bulbs. Your product will include the necessary amount of bulbs, ranging from four to fourteen. For example, our Round Frameless Hollywood Vanity Mirror comes with eleven custom-made XL energy-efficient bulbs for impeccable lighting, and also includes a spare bulb. But, in the event that the bulbs die out, you’ll be able to easily replace them with the makeup lights of your choosing. Whatever makeup lights you choose to go with, you will always look beautiful in your vanity mirror.