Don’t let dark mornings ruin your makeup application

Bathroom Mirror Light

Earlier this year, we carried out some research looking at the many ways lighting can affect our customers’ daily beauty routines, and we were surprised to find that three out of four women are applying their makeup in poor lighting, often leading to disastrous consequences. The main issues were that the lighting in the room where women typically apply their makeup either varies too much, or is too dark.

As we settle in for another dark winter, achieving a flawless makeup application is only going to get more difficult – certainly not ideal when party season is also looming.

Daylight saving time may have come to an end, but that doesn’t mean your makeup routine has to suffer. With the average woman spending almost £22k on makeup products in her lifetime, we put together the following tips for achieving optimal lighting so you can get the most out of your makeup, and look flawless, all year round.

  1. Step into the daylight – Natural light is the best light for applying makeup, and this is obviously in limited supply once the clocks have gone back, so it’s important to choose lightbulbs that closely mimic daylight.
  2. Lumens, lumens, lumens – the brighter the source of light, the easier it is to see the finer details when applying makeup. Choose a lightbulb with around 1350lm (lumens) to ensure enough brightness.
  3. Side to side – Setting the lights either side of where you apply your makeup, 90-100cm away from each other, with the radiance focused at eye level, will reduce shadowing.
  4. Avoid downlights – Lights that shine in a downwards direction will highlight wrinkles, bags, and skin problems making the face appear – and feel – instantly older, leading to inevitable overcompensation of products.

At Lighting Direct, we have a number of products to illuminate your makeup area, whether that’s in the bedroom, bathroom, or somewhere else. Bathroom LED Swing Arm Mirror Light, for example, is framed with a built in white bulb ring light so you can always see what you are doing. It offers 3x magnification and can easily be tilted up and down.

EDIT BEAUTY ILLUMINATED LED SWING ARM MAGNIFYING MIRROR LIGHT

Alternatively, the Edit Bravi 3 Light Bathroom Mirror Light fitting is great for small spaces as it can be can be fitted vertically or horizontally. What’s more, the light is IP44 rated, making it suitable for use in bathroom zones 1 and 2.

MINI MIRROR LIGHT - CHROME

Whilst it’d be great if we could all completely overhaul our fixtures and fittings to suit our personal makeup needs, you don’t have to spend big to achieve better lighting. Something as simple as upgrading to a daylight bulb can make the world of difference.
If you need some help choosing a lighting solution, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

 

maxine author bio

Maxine Clarke Senior Buyer

Maxine has been our decorative buyer since 2015. With her experience in working for consumer-led brands, she is the perfect person to pick out the latest lighting trends for both your home and business. Maxine has an eye for the best up-and-coming lighting from the UK and around the world and works tirelessly to add new brands to our portfolio. One of her trends to watch in 2020 is connectable garden lighting; with summer garden parties more and more popular, being able to build and extend your own outdoor lighting with spotlights, festoons and string lights has never been easier – simply plug and play.