We often hear that the best lighting to apply makeup in is natural light, but that isn’t always possible. In this post we will talk about the difference between natural and LED lights when it comes to applying makeup and why shadows are bad for your application.
Natural lighting
Straight from the big fire ball in the sky, natural lighting is often described as the best lighting for photography, makeup and many other similar uses. The problem, is that its unreliable, will always cast shadows, and its not available at night. Usually
LED Lighting
LED light sources are available 24/24 HRS a day and they don’t cast shadows (well not in the same way). They also have a more consistent color temperature than many other artificial sources out there which means that it’s easier to create an appealing palette. LED lights come in different strengths as well so if you’re trying to do something delicate like apply eyeliner or mascara, then lower lumens may be your best bet.
Best types of LED lighting
Ring Lights are popular in makeup studios because they provide even illumination for the face, and you can easily control how much light is hitting your subject. The downside to ring lights, is that they will need to be placed on the side or higher than your mirror which will inevitably cause shadows to be cast. They can also be quite clunky and take up extra space on your dressing table or dressing space.
Hollywood mirrors use multiple bulbs which act as multiple sources of light around the edges of the mirror. This does not cast any shadows and make it easier to achieve a balanced look with no obvious blending lines.
The perfect combination?
When used together, natural and LED light give you the best platform to start with when applying makeup. Consider placing your dressing area near a window, and making sure your Hollywood mirror doesn’t block it too much.
Our Hollywood mirrors actually come with different light settings, such as cool and daylight modes so you can emulate different environments. All of our mirrors come with dimmable bulbs too so you can tone down the brightness if needed.
The effects of bad lighting
Bad lighting when applying makeup can unravel all your hard work spent in front of the mirror. It might look great in your bedroom but when you step in the boardroom, the harsher light might reveal areas you missed or didn’t blend well. Common areas missed are jawlines, and blending on to your neck. Bad lighting can also hinder your ability to judge how heavy your highlighter and blush really is, and can completely undermine the work you’ve put in.
