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Illuminated mirror advice

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  • 17-05-2015 12:38pm
    #1
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hey folks...

    Some of you might remember me from around this time last year, when I wrecked your collective head asking for make-up recommendations for a box I was putting together for my girlfriend.

    Well this year I was thinking my follow-up could be somewhat complimentary to last year, and I know a well-lit mirror is a big issue she has at the moment.

    So I'm wondering if people could recommend a decent illuminated mirror that I could pick her up - ideally something sub-€100.

    I've no preference as to whether it's wall-mounted or table-top - either will do... once it's good for doing make-up it doesn't matter.

    If it was possible to get something with a degree of control - dimmable, or even changing tones like this thing - that would be great (but not vital).

    If all else fails I'd be willing to do a DIY job - though I'm not too well versed in wiring etc, so I'd be thinking of doing something with LED strip lighting... Anyone here had any experience with this and, if so, is it a decent light source for this kind of thing?

    Thanks in advance!!


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    #2
    Holly Tree
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭Holly Tree


    Ikea do the strip lightbulbs, ( I know make up artists that use them at home) they're about 50 euro for a set I think and look nice too!


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    #3
    lubie76
    Registered Users Posts: 1,150 ✭✭✭lubie76


    I love the Hollywood mirrors- sorry I can't attach pic as it keeps kicking me out but Google them and you will get the idea. While they may not be quite as practical as the one you attached the pic of, they are really glam and luxurious looking and if it's for a dressing room/ vanity area it will really finish it off.

    A lot of the pics look like the bulbs are attached to front of mirror but I have seen ones with the built in bulbs and it gives as nice an effect and will be easier to clean.


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    #4
    Valentina
    Registered Users Posts: 4,281 ✭✭✭Valentina


    flogen wrote: »
    So I'm wondering if people could recommend a decent illuminated mirror that I could pick her up - ideally something sub-€100.

    If it was possible to get something with a degree of control - dimmable, or even changing tones

    Boots have a No7 tabletop mirror that does all of those things. Also one side is 5x magnification. It's under 100 at full price but is often periodically on special offer .

    I have one and love it. Don't know what I was doing without it!


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    #5
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Holly Tree wrote: »
    Ikea do the strip lightbulbs, ( I know make up artists that use them at home) they're about 50 euro for a set I think and look nice too!

    Thanks - I spotted them, might pop in next week and have a look... my only fear with strip lighting is that it can often be a bit ugly so I'd need to figure a way of 'masking' them if I used them.

    Once they're good enough for the purpose I can figure that out, though!
    lubie76 wrote: »
    I love the Hollywood mirrors- sorry I can't attach pic as it keeps kicking me out but Google them and you will get the idea. While they may not be quite as practical as the one you attached the pic of, they are really glam and luxurious looking and if it's for a dressing room/ vanity area it will really finish it off.

    A lot of the pics look like the bulbs are attached to front of mirror but I have seen ones with the built in bulbs and it gives as nice an effect and will be easier to clean.

    I know the ones you mean - a bit of Googling has brought me to these things from Ikea, which a lot of people have added to a mirror to get that effect... might just fit the bill (and it looks the part too!)
    Valentina wrote: »
    Boots have a No7 tabletop mirror that does all of those things. Also one side is 5x magnification. It's under 100 at full price but is often periodically on special offer .

    I have one and love it. Don't know what I was doing without it!

    Thanks - I think I spotted that on offer when I was in Boots a week or two ago... might have a look to see if that's still the case.


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    #6
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Just thought I'd come back with an update to this -

    After struggling to find something off-the-shelf (bar some bathroom mirrors, which isn't what I wanted) I ended up putting one together myself with the help of Ikea.

    I bought two of these wall lamps and wired them to one plug, and then attached them to this mirror (long story short - I fixed the lights to each side of the mirror with some small screws and also drilled a few holes to run the wiring through, so the whole thing would sit flush against the wall if hung up).

    There are a few tutorials on youtube where people do pretty much the same thing with the same products, for anyone interested in seeing it in more detail. Once I figured out how to do the wiring (with the help of the electrical forum) it was all relatively straight-forward...

    Anyway, this is the end result:
    350769.JPG

    And with it plugged in...
    350770.JPG

    I had hoped to add a dimmer but couldn't find one that I could wire in easily - I can always pick up a plug-in dimmer down the line. Also plan to add a switch to the flex so it's easier to turn on and off, but will probably leave that for another time!

    In the end I spent a bit over €120 on the whole thing - €50 of which went on the bulbs!! I probably could have gotten them a little cheaper if I'd shopped around but overall I think the price was alright.

    I'll know for sure if it was worth the cost/work when she opens it on her birthday in a few weeks!

    Thanks everyone for your help with the hunt.


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    #7
    retro:electro
    Registered Users Posts: 21,039 ✭✭✭✭retro:electro


    flogen wrote: »
    Just thought I'd come back with an update to this -

    After struggling to find something off-the-shelf (bar some bathroom mirrors, which isn't what I wanted) I ended up putting one together myself with the help of Ikea.

    I bought two of these wall lamps and wired them to one plug, and then attached them to this mirror (long story short - I fixed the lights to each side of the mirror with some small screws and also drilled a few holes to run the wiring through, so the whole thing would sit flush against the wall if hung up).

    There are a few tutorials on youtube where people do pretty much the same thing with the same products, for anyone interested in seeing it in more detail. Once I figured out how to do the wiring (with the help of the electrical forum) it was all relatively straight-forward...

    Anyway, this is the end result:
    350769.JPG

    And with it plugged in...
    350770.JPG

    I had hoped to add a dimmer but couldn't find one that I could wire in easily - I can always pick up a plug-in dimmer down the line. Also plan to add a switch to the flex so it's easier to turn on and off, but will probably leave that for another time!

    In the end I spent a bit over €120 on the whole thing - €50 of which went on the bulbs!! I probably could have gotten them a little cheaper if I'd shopped around but overall I think the price was alright.

    I'll know for sure if it was worth the cost/work when she opens it on her birthday in a few weeks!

    Thanks everyone for your help with the hunt.

    You're actually annoyingly good :) well done hope she likes it


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    #8
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    anna080 wrote: »
    You're actually annoyingly good :) well done hope she likes it

    Ha - hopefully she agrees!


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    #9
    molly09
    Registered Users Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭molly09


    I think that is amazing ....... So do you have a song brother, cousin , long distant cousin once removed .........?????????


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    #10
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    molly09 wrote: »
    I think that is amazing ....... So do you have a song brother, cousin , long distant cousin once removed .........?????????

    Thanks - hopefully herself is of a similar opinion!

    And I do have a brother... though he's even less handy than me (which is saying something!)


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    #11
    molly09
    Registered Users Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭molly09


    Ah but is he as thoughtful ����


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    #12
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Thankfully she was very happy with the end result - now to find a place to put/hang it!

    Thanks for all your help.


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    #13
    Worried247
    Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭Worried247


    flogen wrote: »
    Thankfully she was very happy with the end result - now to find a place to put/hang it!

    Thanks for all your help.

    You should honestly sell them, they're brilliant!


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    #14
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Worried247 wrote: »
    You should honestly sell them, they're brilliant!

    Thanks - but I think I'll leave that to the professionals!


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