Makeup artists often stress the importance of lighting when applying makeup. Some of the professionals in the entertainment industry will stress the importance of makeup lighting and in fact will often say that lighting is more important than the actual makeup they are using.
The best lighting for makeup is natural daylight. The goal is to replicate the benefits of that natural daylight effect indoors by using the right combination of light fixtures, bulbs and kelvin temperatures.
We will take you through what we believe are to be the basics when it comes to understanding how to provide adequate lighting for applying makeup. Then, we will provide you with our recommended makeup lighting options.


How Many Lumens Are Needed for Applying Makeup?


Lumens are the primary factor when determining whether you have the best lighting for makeup. Lumens is the measurement of the amount of light that a bulb or a fixture gives out. Years ago, when every light bulb was incandescent, brightness was measured in watts.
As time passed and lighting technology evolved, we saw the introduction of fluorescent, halogen and then LED bulbs. What we found was that each of these other bulb options produced different amounts of light (lumens) without requiring the same number of watts to do it. Once again, for makeup you are looking for as many lumens as possible.


Which Color Temperature is Best for Makeup?


Color temperature is measured on the Kelvin scale. Every bulb sold will reference which color temperature it will yield right on the package. These colors range from warm (yellow in color) to cold (blue in color) This would be a good time to read about the Kelvin color temperature scale so that you have a full understanding before continuing because selecting the right color is also important.
The best lighting for makeup will likely have a temperature of at least 5000k. This will more closely replicate that natural light effect that we discussed earlier. How does this impact your shopping for your lighting options? You should narrow your search to light fixtures that come with bulbs that are at least 5000k.


Eliminate Shadows to Provide the Best Lighting for Makeup


When you think about the natural lighting you get from the outdoors, the light really covers you evenly without dark spots. We want to bring that same effect into wherever you apply makeup every day.
One of the problems we encounter with certain light fixtures or vanity lighting is they often have the light source directly in front of you. That is great when you are applying makeup on the tip of your nose. However, not so good when you are seeing shadows on the sides of your cheeks.
When planning your makeup lighting project or deciding on which fixture to purchase, you should seriously consider something that will provide lighting at wider angles and essentially surround you if possible.
If you are looking to purchase a makeup lighting fixture that will sit on a table in your bedroom for example, then the selection of your fixture is critical. Most bedrooms have very poor lighting and often times there is nothing more than a few table lamps. If you purchase a fixture for applying makeup, then you will want something that is as wide as possible to eliminate these shadows.

Here is my recommended fixture to provide the best lighting for makeup:

QIAYA 2 in 1 LED Light Ring with makeup mirror

  • Cost: $43.99
  • Three colors light,every color has 10 brightness modes.
  • The ring light equipped with two sides mirror ,normal and magnifying mirrors.
  • Two-in-One design ,you can make up and live video together.
  • Adjustable light tripod stand ,can extendable to about 32 inch.
  • With packed bag ,it will make it’s portable and easy to store and carry.
  • With wireless bluetooth self-timer (including button battery),you can control smartphone freely.