All glass is not created equal. The glass that Aptations uses to make all of the mirrors they offer is of very high quality, sourced from the most discerning glass suppliers in the world. This ensures that the magnified mirrors will be distortion-free and you will be able to see yourself magnified without any weird waves in the glass. This also ensures that the frosting that lets the light shine through will be uniform and your mirror won’t have any spots where the light is brighter or dimmer. While we’re talking about glass, let’s talk about “desilvering.” This is the process that happens when older mirrors–and some that aren’t all that old–begin to turn black and streaky around the edges. This happens when the reflective material that has been applied to the back of the glass comes into contact with moisture. The glass that Aptations uses in our mirrors is protected from this moisture by two things. First, the reflective material is coated with a layer of paint that helps protect it from moisture. Then the glass is inserted into the frame and held in place with silicone glue, which, among its other functions, protects the edges from moisture. It is very rare for the reflective material on Aptations’ mirrors to desilver but if it does, you can count on our 3 year warranty.

The next most important thing is the metal surrounding the mirror. Because these mirrors are being used in a damp room, the metal is susceptible to rusting. Aptations mirrors are better so that is why the mirrors that we offer go through several plating processes. First, the metal is plated in brass to protect it from moisture. Next comes a nickel plating that forms a hard smooth surface. Next comes the “pretty” finish: we offer mirrors in chrome, brushed nickel, polished nickel, Italian bronze, brushed brass and our newest offering….rose gold. Finally, a protective lacquer is applied to keep the mirror looking beautiful for years to come.

October 2007 was a really big month for us! That was when we introduced the first LED Lighted Magnified Makeup Mirrors into our collections. In less than 10 years, the LED revolution has swept across the globe and through our product mix. In 2007, we were considered revolutionary because we were adding a few LED lighted mirrors to our offering. In 2016, all of the lighted mirrors in our collection use LEDs. Because of LEDs….. We can offer any of our lighted mirrors in both warm white light and cool white light, allowing the end-user to have the color of light they prefer. The mirrors–both the large vanity mirrors in the Sergeña collection and the magnified make-up mirrors in the Kimball & Young collection–use a fraction of the power that the old incandescent and fluorescent mirrors used. Saving money…..saving the planet. Because the LED’s are low voltage, we can offer a battery operated mirror with a rechargeable battery. 3 hours plugged in to charge and you have 3 hours of bright LED light. Now you can have a wall mounted lighted mirror without either an electrician or messy cords. And you can have a bright lighted freestanding mirror that you can move anywhere you need it.

To pick the perfect magnifying mirror or large vanity mirror for your bathroom takes a bit more consideration than most people realize. Most people don’t think much about their bathroom mirror, and that’s how it should be! If you make the best decision when you are buying your mirror, then all you’ll worry about when you look at the mirror is how great your hair looks! Let us help you with the details that you should consider….

Large vanity mirror, magnifying mirror, mirrors with lights….there are a lot of options to choose from! When you are making decisions about your bathroom design, remember to focus on function over form. Both are important but begin with function. When you put on makeup or do skin care, do you need some additional magnification and the additional information that comes with it? How about additional light? Do you live in a place where it would be difficult or expensive to install a hardwired lighted mirror….maybe an apartment or an older home with limited electrical wiring? Are you approaching….or past (gasp!)…. that magical 40th birthday when everyone’s eyes seem to get a bit more dim? Have you ever thought it would be great to have a frame of light around your face to better see how you look? These questions are all about function – how you will use your mirror and how it will work in the space you have chosen as your home. That said….while function is very important, it’s no excuse to not pay attention to form as well. Just because something is functional is no excuse for it to be ugly! We’ll discuss the elements of form a bit later in this article. For now, let’s keep exploring function. Magnifying Mirrors – how will you use this mirror? It can be an important tool in your grooming process and help ensure that you will go out into the world confident that you look great…and isn’t that a wonderful feeling? Wall mounted or freestanding? The space where you will use the mirror really determines this. If you have limited wall space, a freestanding mirror gives you the most flexibility. However, if you have very limited counter space, or like a clean, bare look, putting the mirror on the wall makes the most sense. Lighted or non-lighted? Obviously, lighted magnified mirrors help illuminate your face to help with your grooming or makeup application. That said, if your bathroom or grooming space is already well lighted, you may not need to spend the additional money to get a lighted magnified makeup mirror. Not all rooms need them – not all budgets do either. How much magnification do you want?……need? Most magnifying mirror users get all of the information that they want with either a 3x or 5x magnified lens. While there are mirrors with up to 20x magnification (Yikes!!) read our explanation below before you invest in one of those mirrors. Double-sided or Single-sided? Do you want a mirror that has a magnified side AND a regular (1x) side? This question is tricky. If the mirror you are in love with is a minimalist style, it will only have a single-side….because it is minimalist. Or…you may want to only have a magnified mirror since this mirror will likely be placed somewhere really close to a non-magnified mirror. In that case, having the regular magnification on the opposite side may seem excessive….or a bonus mirror. Regardless, be sure to consider this when making your choice. Lighted Vanity Mirror Does your bathroom have enough light? Does it surround your face or is it an overhead light bar or side sconces that inevitably cast shadows on your face? Most of us start our day in our bathrooms. Make sure that you pick a mirror that functions so you go into the world confident that you look and feel your best. Shape and size? You certainly can choose a rectangular mirror with a band of lighting around the edge. You’ll have many options to choose from…..like you have many options when buying vanilla ice cream. We love vanilla ice cream. Who doesn’t? But aren’t you glad that Ben & Jerry’s invented so many other flavors of ice cream? As with ice cream, be sure that you’ve looked at all of the options so you make the best choice for what you need. Light color options Once you’ve chosen the mirror shape and size that best fits your bathroom, the next really important decision is about light color. We talk more about light color below but you can decide what will work best for your needs – warm white light (3,500k), cool white light (5,500k) or a mirror that allows you to “tune” your light, adjusting smoothly from warm white light to cool white and everything along that light color spectrum.

Since LED lighting has become the new standard for lighting, we’ve all been able to take advantage of the options of different light colors that are offered. Again…..we recommend that you focus on function first when you decide which light color to choose for your bathroom mirror. LED lights are available in a rainbow of colors, but for grooming it’s best to stay away from red or purple and stick to these options….. Warm white light color (3,500k). This is sometimes also called “natural” white light. If you are going to spend your day inside and want to see how you will look in that light, this is the light color that you want to use for your grooming. Cool white light color (5,500k). This is the same light color that you get on a bright sunny day. If you are going to spend your day outside, this is the light color you want to use. Do you have to pick one or the other? Sometimes. And sometimes mirrors come with a type of “hybrid” lighting where you would have multiple options of light colors. For example: Tunable light allows you to adjust the light color, typically at the on/off switch. This option is typically found in the large, lighted vanity mirrors. If you hold the switch, the light color will smoothly along the range running from very warm (2,700k) to very cool (5,800k) Like a radio dial, the adjustment is smooth and can be easily controlled by the person doing the “tuning.” That way you get the exact light color that you want. Switchable light color is a feature on the mirror where you can get either warm white light OR cool white light. The on/off switch is a toggle switch and push it one direction for warm white light and the opposite direction for cool white light. This option is typically found in the magnified makeup mirrors.

A quick review of the magnified mirrors offered in the market will give you a dizzying array of options ranging from 2x magnification to 20x+ magnification (as if you needed “+” with a 20x magnified lens!) Let us share some information that will help you make the best choice for your grooming practices. It is a fact that the higher the magnification of the mirror, the closer you have to be to be in focus. Obviously, there will be some differences between users, depending on their eyesight however, the following are good guidelines. If the mirror is magnified 3x, you will be in focus about 12” away from it If the mirror has a 5x magnification, you will be in focus 5” – 8” away from the lens If the mirror has a 7x lens, you will be able to see yourself clearly when you are about 3” away from the lens If the mirror is 10x, you need to be so close to the lens that it will, in fact, be difficult to do much grooming. This lens is best for people who have severe vision problems. “But there are so many mirrors offered that have a much higher magnification” you say. And we respond….”yes, but that is what is currently referred to as ‘Fake News’ and it simply isn’t true.” There are no guidelines on the level of magnification, outside of a 7th grade science class, so mirror purveyors can tell you what they think you want to hear. Since your mirror is a tool that will help you look and feel better, we think you should pick the mirror that best meets your needs. https://www.aptations.com/customer-service/frequently-asked-questions/

Remember above when we talked about form and function and promised to say a few words about form? Here they are. Mirrors don’t just make you look fantastic….they also provide a perfect finishing touch to your beautiful bathroom. We think of the mirrors in a bathroom as the “room jewelry.” The same way that a beautiful necklace can complete the look of a fabulous outfit, you can put the perfect finishing touch on a beautiful bathroom when you pick your mirror. You’ve probably spent hours picking out the various fixtures and elements in your new bathroom. When you pick the accessories….. Do you want the uniform look of matching accessories? Well, that’s easy then. Match the finish on the mirror to the finish on the faucets and hardware. Do you want to highlight various parts of the bathroom with a pop of color or contrast? There are some great ways to do that with a finish on the mirror that will contrast with the other elements in the bathroom. Whether your mix or match the finishes, you’ll be able to use the mirror finish as a way to add some “room jewelry” and complete the look you’ve been dreaming of. There are a number of factors and features to consider when you pick the perfect magnifying mirror or large vanity mirror. If you take the time and consider the way you will use the mirror – the function – and then consider how you want the mirror to accentuate your décor – the form – you will choose a mirror that is best for your needs. Then all you have to think about is how great you look when you go out into the world.

It is our vision to provide world class products, innovative choices and a distinctive experience. It is our mission to serve our trading partners through the design and delivery of high value products and bold leadership. We can be counted on to deliver consistently, reliably and on time.

We offer a three-year warranty on all finishes, mechanical parts and reflective materials. Mirror frames are pre-tensioned and have screws that can tighten or loosen as required. Wall mirrors feature hidden hardware for a superior appearance. All lighted mirrors are ETL tested to the current Underwriters’ Laboratory standards. All mirrors go through rigorous quality control inspections throughout the production process.

..so your customer quickly receives their order. Your orders are fulfilled from a distribution center located in Kansas City, MO. This central location results in products arriving at their destination in no more than three days and helps hold the rising cost of shipping and freight to a manageable level.

These are well made products with a three year warranty that are offered at prices that are lower or competitive with other mirrors on the market. Value!

Answer

Magnification of mirrors is not something that is regulated so a mirror company can say that the magnification is whatever they think will sell. We feel pretty strongly about telling the truth so you can count on us to give you a 5X magnified mirror when we tell you that is the magnification. The “other guys” regularly give you a 5X magnification wrapped up in 15X – or even 20X – packaging.

Answer 

When a mirror has a higher magnification, you need to be closer to it to be in focus. For example, to see yourself in focus in a 5X mirror, you will need to be within 5″ – 7″ of the lens. To be in focus using one of our 10X mirrors, you will need to be approximately 3″ from the lens.

Answer

Correct – we only offer our square and rectangular mirrors in 3X. We want to be sure that there is no distortion in the corners of the mirrors.

Answer

Mirrors become magnified when you bend the glass into the shape of a shallow bowl. If you want higher magnification, you make that bend deeper. Imagine putting a rectangular piece of paper into a bowl. The corners start to crease so that it fits. When you do that with glass, the “crease” becomes distortion. We only sell distortion-free mirrors so we don’t offer mirrors with corners in magnifications that are higher than 3X.

Answer

The color that is better is the one that you prefer. If you like the traditional yellowish color of a conventional incandescent lamp, then you will probably prefer a warm white light. If your personal taste leans more toward a modern, crisp look, then you will probably prefer the cooler white light color. That is why we offer most of our LED lighted mirrors with both a warm and cool light color.

Answer

Color “temperature” is based on a scale that measures how the color of metal changes as it is heated, changing from red to yellow to blue. This same range has become helpful in describing the color tint of white light. Warm white light is typically found on the red/yellow end of this scale and cool white light is found on the blue end of this scale.

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Then mix and match them. There is no reason why you could not have a mixture of colors in the same room. For example, you might want a back-lit vanity mirror with a warm white light that helps light the entire bathroom while your magnified make-up mirror has a cool white light to help you with detailed grooming tasks.

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We recommend that all of the lighted, hardwired mirrors that we offer be installed by a licensed electrician. All of these mirrors come with detailed installation instructions that are very easy to follow, but when dealing with electricity, it is best to use a trained and licensed professional.

Answer 

The color that is better is the one that you prefer. If you like the traditional yellowish color of a conventional incandescent lamp, then you will probably prefer a warm white light. If your personal taste leans more toward a modern, crisp look, then you will probably prefer the cooler white light color. That is why we offer most of our LED lighted mirrors with both a warm and cool light color.

Answer

Color “temperature” is based on the Kelvin scale that measures how the color of metal changes as it is heated, changing from red to yellow to blue. This same range has become helpful in describing the color tint of white light. Warm white light is typically found on the red/yellow end of this scale and cool white light is found on the blue end of this scale.

Answer

Bonus – We have 2 answers to this question!

1. Our double-sided magnified mirror and single-sided round magnified mirror are available with switchable light color.  The on/off switch also allows you to change from warm to cool white light color in the same magnified makeup mirrors…..or…..
2.  Mix and match them light colors the same way you would other parts of your decor.  There is no reason why you could not have a mixture of colors in the same room.  For example, you might want a back-lit vanity mirror with a warm white light that helps light the entire bathroom while your magnified make-up mirror has a cool white light to help you with detailed grooming tasks.