Your favourite mirror

[Stormy Weather]

I guess many of us are a little concerned about the image we present to the world and if there's one thing that never fails to surprise me, it's that some mirrors can make you look fabulous and some are just awful.

Whether it's due to the lighting or the situation or the glass, there are some I try to avoid.

My bathroom mirror is merciless, revealing, but not as bad as seeing my reflection in a tube (London Underground) train window. But on the other hand, there's a pub just down the road from my office with a large mirror behind the bar that, I swear, takes 10-15 years off your face and just paints everything with a radiant glow. Every friend I've taken there has said the same thing: instant flattery.

Mind you, when you get home a few drinks later and turn on the bathroom light...

[Stormy Weather]

...my magnifying mirror is my nemesis...

Oh please, don't even think of it. You're a far braver woman than I. I've got one of those flippy ones on a stand that I do my makeup in by the kitchen window (natural light) before going to work and I never dare to flip it over into magnify mode; it wouldn't be a good start to the day.

Fast-food restaurant mirrors can be nasty too.

[Julie Marie]

I've come to the conclusion all mirrors lie, at least the ones I look into.  I'll do the whole nine yards, even the lighted, magnifying makeup mirror.  Then I look in the bathroom mirror and do any touch ups I need.  Then I take one good look and when I'm satisfied I look good, I confidently walk out of the house, head held high. 

Even when I'm out and go to the ladies room I'm still happy with the reflection.

But reality hits when I'm at a function where someone has a camera, and mercilessly posts the pics on the Internet!  Almost without exception I look at the pictures of me and say, "What happened?!"  If I knew that's how I looked I would have worn different clothes or done my hair or makeup differently or just hid under a rock.

Yep, the mirrors in my life are all liars! 

Mirror, mirror on the wall
Why can't you just tell the truth?!

Julie

[Sophie]

My bathroom mirror is actually very nice to me...


Cameras, on the other hand, are pure evil. They're all out to get me.

[Kate]

I could never figure out why they call it a "vanity" mirror/light. "Insecurity" mirror is more like it.

Harsh lighting is my bane, as is any direct light. I still have some acne scarring (I'm working on it) and largish pores around the mouth, so direct light shows that up terribly. Diffuse light... I'm OK with.

Cameras. OMG. I'm a mutant in most photos. My face lengthens to 2', my nose looks like a clown's prop, my skin is dry as sand and yet the flash makes it look like an oil slick somehow... it's just AWFUL. I'll take photos, totally freak out at what I see, and run to decent mirror just to make sure I Do Not Look Like That.

Our bedroom mirror is the worst. Suspecting treachery, my wife and I actually conducted a scientific experiement on it a few weeks ago. And yup, it's confirmed: it adds 20-30 pounds in ALL the wrong places. Evil, nasty thing.

There's one small wall mirror in the hall outside the bathroom. Lighting is diffuse. Mirror is clear. And darn it, from most angles, I actually look basically *female* now in it. Honest to goodness. I LOVE that mirror.

If only society reflected me that accurately! Society seems to be more akin to cameras for me, lol...

[Melissa]

Cameras. OMG. I'm a mutant in most photos. My face lengthens to 2'...

Aww Kate, why the long face?

Most mirrors are actually pretty nice to me and I think I usually turn out good on camera's (at least that's what people tell me), but the bathroom mirror at work is simple marvelous.  I always look really good in that one.  It's the dim reflections off dark windows that make me look my worst.  Probably because it hides many details.

Melissa