I don’t really consider myself “brand loyal” at all. Simply put, I really love to try new products (which is probably why I became a beauty blogger!). I might find something awesome, but then I’m immediately ready to try something new. So that being said, it’s kind of a big deal when I find a brand to be loyal to. When it comes to beauty mirrors and trash cans (yeah I said trash cans – we’ll get to that in a minute), I am loyal to SimpleHuman.
Just a note: this post is not sponsored or paid for in any way. I bought a large SimpleHuman trash can for my kitchen about 4 or 5 years ago. SimpleHuman sent me the Wide View Pro mirror to review a year or so ago, which started my obsession with the brand. And recently, they sent over the 8 Inch Round Pro mirror along with the small step can trash can for me to review for you guys.
I’ve tried many lighted makeup mirrors, but nothing comes close to SimpleHuman mirrors. I’m not going to lie – these babies aren’t cheap, but they are completely worth saving up for. The default light setting is the best I’ve found to mimic daylight. It’s very bright, and it’s not too yellow or too harsh like other mirrors I’ve tried. They say it’s 600 lux and has a color rendering index of 90. I have no idea what that means, but it must be good, because the lighting is perfect! The light comes on automatically when you put your face near the sensor and shuts off automatically (you can use the app to determine how long it stays on – or you can even set a timer to keep it on for a specified length of time.
Speaking of the app, it’s not something I really use often. I find the default lighting setting works just fine for me. But if you want to get fancy, you can use the app to mimic a cloudy day, restaurant lighting or even candlelight. There are a few options, and then you can create your own by simply taking a photo. It automatically detects the light settings in your office, coffee shop, or wherever you want, and saves it. That way you can see exactly how your makeup will look in those places.
There’s a rechargeable cord, so you can keep the SimpleHuman mirrors on your vanity or in your bathroom cord-free. One charge lasts about 3-4 weeks, depending on how often you use it.
The SimpleHuman Sensor Mirror Wide View Pro is my baby. It’s HUGE! I keep my vanity in my living room because the lighting is good there (and we have a small place). Most people that walk into the living room think it’s a computer monitor until they get closer and see the lights come on. It looks pretty darn cool. Everyone who comes over is impressed – even the guys! When I first got it (in 2016), I didn’t have a vanity, so I didn’t have anywhere to put it. Now that I do, it’s seriously heaven-sent.
Previously I was doing my makeup under VERY yellow bathroom light. One day my friend came over to get ready for an event, and she was like, “How can you possibly see what your makeup looks like in here?” I realized she was right, and my foundation was not even close to matching my skin tone. How did I operate as a beauty blogger for so many years without realizing this? I was embarrassed! So, I bought a vanity and took my SimpleHuman mirror out of storage. My makeup game has VASTLY improved since then, and I can never go back to yellow bathroom light. I can even do my makeup at night and get great non-yellow light.
It has a 1x magnification (so basically NO magnification) but comes with a small magnetic 10x magnification mirror that you can attach to the mirror surface. This is my only problem with the mirror – the 10x magnification is only useful for super close-up things like tweezing hairs, and it only sticks in certain places on the mirror. It would be nice if you could flip it for a 5x magnification, or perhaps if the side panels were 5x.
It’s also got a great warranty. I’ve had mine for some time, and at one point it pooped out. I couldn’t get it to charge or turn on. I contacted customer service and they sent me a new cord to see if that was the problem. That didn’t help, so they sent me a return label for the mirror, and sent me a brand new one – no questions asked!
Recently, I got my hands on the SimpleHuman 8 Inch Mirror Pro. The base mirror has 5x magnification and the removable magnetic stick-on mirror has 10x. Why did I need another mirror? Well, I needed one for close-up work. I’m not getting any younger, and neither are my eyes. Although the Wide View Pro is great, it doesn’t have 5x magnification, and it doesn’t angle as much as I’d like. I thought if I got a mirror that I could look DOWN into, I’d have an easier time creating a cat eye, or putting on false lashes. Boy was I right about that! Previously I had been applying liquid liner straight on, not being able to see what I was doing all that well, and just hoping for the best! Now I can really see what I’m doing.
And not only that, because the higher magnification on this one is easier to use, I realized that I need to be better about plucking wayward facial hairs! Oh man – the things I suddenly realized! As a beauty blogger, I often take closeup photos of my face (which makes every single hair seem HUGE), and this has helped immensely. So, if you need a mirror for close-up things, this is THE one. But please note that it doesn’t have a regular (1x) option, so you still need a the Wide View Pro (or any regular mirror) to see your whole face at once.
This mirror is also smaller and more portable, so it’s easier for me to bring it into the bathroom or wherever I need it. It comes in brushed stainless steel or rose gold. I got the brushed steel to match my other mirror.
And last but not least, let me tell you about the SimpleHuman trash cans! My fiancé, Gregg, and I are on a kick to improve our home as much as possible this year. Nothing is too small. Anything that makes our home look nicer, or makes life easier in some way, is welcome.
As I mentioned, we already have a large SimpleHuman trash can in the kitchen, so I was happy to get a smaller version for the bathroom. You may think it’s weird to get excited about trash cans, but when you have a good one, it makes life so much easier! Both of the trash cans I have are step cans, but SimpleHuman also makes automated sensor cans that open with your voice or a wave of your hand (I may upgrade to those one day).
I got the 10L Profile Step Can for my bathroom, because we have VERY limited space, and I needed something small to fit between the wall and the toilet. The SimpleHuman garbage can has a lid that closes slowly and completely silently after you open it, so no more BANGING sounds in the middle of the night if Gregg or I get up to use the bathroom! It comes with a removable inner bucket so you don’t see the garbage bag hanging out. You can use a recycled grocery bag or you can use SimpleHuman’s R Custom Fit Liners to get a perfect fit. It looks so much nicer than the old one we had, and the brushed steel is fingerprint-proof so you won’t see smudges all over it.
Everything I’ve tried from SimpleHuman has been amazing, so I’m really excited to try more of their products out. Anything that looks nice and makes my life easier is a huge win in my book!
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