Reflecting on Beauty (Literally)

Is it a makeup mirror or a ring light? It's both!

Hello, Gorgeous!

When I was a wee makeup girlie, I remember watching my big sister apply her makeup at her super glam vanity makeup mirror. Back in the day everyone had those makeup mirrors with bulbs on the side that could be adjusted for daytime or evening. There was also some weird green lighting that served no flattering purpose (hospital waiting room lighting? industrial elevator lighting?).

My sister's vanity setup was my first introduction to the power of good lighting - and good mirrors. In a post-ring light universe, a company called Ilios seems to have perfected dual lighting for makeup and Zoom.

Ilios Beauty Ring Mirror

Did you ever put on your makeup and feel absolutely stunning, only to change your mind when you caught a glimpse of your reflection in different lighting? Yup. Me, too.

And yet how is it possible that some folks always look lit from within on every single selfie? I’m guessing they don’t just use fantastic filters, they also have great lighting (Ryan Seacrest, we’re looking at you!).

Ilios Lighting was founded by photography and lighting specialists, including Kim K's makeup artist and Hollywood lighting expert, Mario Dedivanovic of Makeup by Mario. It's been designed to mimic natural daylight by up to 98%.

What I also really like about the Ilios mirror is that you can adjust the brightness and color temperature. So if you’re heading into an office setting with awful lighting, you can add a bit more color or coverage if needed.

But it’s not just for makeup application.

If you’ve ever been overzealous when plucking your eyebrows, you really need this mirror. It has reversible sides offering 1x and 5x magnification, so you can zero in for detail work.

You can also pop out the mirror and pop in your phone for some selfies, FaceTime or Zoom. On sale now for $233.10 (no, more, no less) at ilioslighting.co, this isn’t an inexpensive purchase, but I feel like it’s a cornerstone beauty tool. Of note, on the site they highlight the fact that it’s great for contouring so you can really see if you need to blend more. Who are we kidding? You always need to blend more!

I’m no fan of the Kardashian franchise disguised as a family, but apparently Kim blessed the brand with this profound quote “Literally the best makeup mirror I have ever seen."

Despite the Kardashian konnection, I really like this mirror too!

Do you use a special or specific mirror to apply your makeup? Let’s meet in the comment section to discuss!

Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋