Having the best makeup products and skincare routine certainly contributes to how good your makeup looks everyday, but another important component of your makeup application is where you actually do it. Sitting on the ground in your dimly lit closet with your makeup all over the place and a teeny tiny mirror is probably not the best spot to do your makeup. Enter the makeup vanity!

Makeup vanities come in all shapes and sizes to best accommodate your home layout and give you the space to do your makeup that you so desperately need. So of all the types of makeup vanities available, how do you determine what’s the best one for you? Check out our list below to see all the different types of makeup vanities and which situations each type is best for.

Lift Top Vanity

A lift top vanity is a piece of hybrid furniture that serves as a desk/table when the mirror is folded down and a makeup vanity when the mirror is up. It usually takes seconds to transform, so it’s very easy to go from table to vanity then back to table.

Lift top vanities are especially useful when you have limited space. By making use of this hybrid piece of furniture, you can reduce the amount of furniture in your home and make the best use of the space that you do have.

Another great benefit of a lift top vanity is that it is a much more subtle look. If you don’t want your makeup vanity to be on display at all times, you can take the more minimalistic approach and fold the mirror down. This control over when your vanity is visible and when it’s tucked away makes lift top vanities a highly sought after vanity type.

Makeup Vanity with Drawers Only

Makeup vanities vary greatly in terms of the amount of storage they offer. The most common type of vanity offers at least 2 drawers. People typically use these drawers to store their makeup products and brushes. Although, some people do combine the storage for hair products as well.

When it comes to the amount of storage you want for vanity, it’s important to first do an inventory of what you have. Is there anything that you need to throw away? Is there anything that is going to be too big to fit in a drawer? How many drawers do you need to fit everything you have (and plan on keeping)?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you should have a better idea of what type of makeup vanity is right for you based on your storage needs.

Makeup Vanity with Drawers and Cabinets

While less common, there are makeup vanities available that offer cabinet storage space in addition to drawers. If you have an airbrush kit or other large makeup tools that require more space to store, a makeup vanity with storage space beyond drawers may be best for you.

Again, it’s important to review what makeup products and tools you currently have in order to properly assess your storage needs. Additionally, consider what tools and products are necessary to have close by (i.e. stored in your vanity) and what items do you rarely use and therefore can store in a different space within your home.

Lighted Mirror Vanity

When it comes to getting the best makeup application possible, we think that lighting is the key component to getting that flawless look. There are a variety of different ways a mirror can be lit, but we would argue that there’s one best type of vanity lighting for makeup application.

The Hollywood vanity mirror takes the cake every time. This type of lighted vanity mirror allows you to get lighting from every direction. You can quickly and easily see if there are any areas of your makeup application that need to be adjusted.

If you’re looking for a flawless makeup application, a lighted mirror vanity is the best option for you. Once you try it out, you’ll never look at overhead lighting the same way.

Travel Vanity

Whether you’re a makeup artist or frequently travel with your own makeup, you may have had the experience of trying to do your makeup in a hotel mirror (or worse, in a random bathroom). Nothing is worse than going from applying your makeup in front of a beautiful, well-lit vanity in your home, to struggling to even see while you’re traveling.

When it comes to traveling, make sure you get the perfect application by bringing along your own travel vanity case. Wherever you go, you’ll always have a lighted mirror to ensure the best application possible. 

While this isn’t all the types of makeup vanities available, they are the most popular – and for good reason. Depending on whether you’re focused on space, storage, lighting, or mobility, there’s a makeup vanity out there for you that will change the way you do your makeup. All you’ve got to do is get out there and find it!

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