Nova Series Tabletop Personal Mirrors

Q. "What does "Optical" stand for?"
A. "Optical" stands for optical lenses. These high quality, distortion-free magnification lenses are an optician's lens that has been silvered and hand ground to further enhance its magnification quality. The result is a distortion-free image of unparalleled sharpness.

Q. "What is the advantage of selecting 'optical glass'?"
A. The lenses of optical glass mirrors are made from the same material that's used to manufacture high quality telescope and camera lenses. The lens is precision-ground and hand-lapped, providing an undistorted reflection of unequaled clarity.

Q. "What is optical select glass and how does it compare to optically ground glass?"
A. Optical Select Glass is an alternative to optically ground glass. Magnifying mirrors are slightly curved by design (this is what causes the magnification) and without precise grinding, this can cause ghosting and double images. One way to virtually eliminate these effects is to use optically ground glass as it has extremely precise grinding and inspection requirements. The effects are wonderful, but it does raise the price of the mirror. Optical select glass is a less expensive, but considered an equally good alternative to optically ground glass as it is actually ground and inspected to the same rigorous standards as optically ground glass, ensuring the beauty and precision of the glass.

Q. "How is the magnification effect achieved?"
A. In their standard (non-optical) mirrors, the manufacturer uses very thin 3 mm convex-shaped (balloon-shaped) glass in their 3x and 5x models, which distorts and magnifies the image as needed depending upon the curve of the glass. In their optical mirrors, the manufacturer's 3x and 7x lenses are crafted with even thicker glass (10mm or 12mm, depending upon the diameter of the mirror and its magnification power), which is machined to obtain a plain convex lens in order to obtain the best reflected image possible with no distortion.

Q. "What do you mean when you say a mirror is "distortion free"? "
A. We choose to offer the finest quality of mirrors; from the economy line, to the affordable, to the ultimate highest quality glass mirrors available. The higher quality glass mirrors will have very little to no distortion when the user is in front of the mirror and using it. However, because of the nature of the glass and the way these mirrors are made, distortion of the user's image will be apparent the farther away the user is from the mirror. For example, even when using the finest mirror, the user's image will be somewhat indistinct when more than 2-3 feet away from the mirror. This is because these mirrors are designed for up-close use, to provide the ultimate quality reflection for applying makeup or shaving

Q. "How do I know which magnification I should choose for my mirror?"
A. There are a few factors to consider when choosing a magnified mirror, such as the user's vision. Some may find if their vision is "less than perfect" they may require a stronger magnification, while others may be better suited with a lower magnification. In general, most people find a 3x magnification sufficient.

Q. "What can I expect when I receive my magnified mirror?"
A. Magnified mirrors are made using convex-shaped glass, which distorts and magnifies the image as needed depending on the strength of the magnification. For this reason, the mirror must be brought close to the user's face in order to obtain a focused reflection. Typically the user's face should be within a foot of the mirror. The more distance between the user and the mirror, the more the image will be distorted and indistinct. Likewise, the stronger the magnification of the mirror, more distortion will occur the farther away the user is from the mirror.

Q. "If the mirror needs to be close to the user, how should the mirror be installed?"
A. Since the mirror must be close to the user's face in order to obtain a focused reflection, this generally becomes a plane equal to the edge of the counter. In other words, you want the mirror to come to the edge of the counter, not short of it which would cause you to have to lean forward to get a focused reflection. If the mirror is installed in a way that requires the user to lean forward to focus repeatedly, this may lead to bad posture. If the mirror will be mounted on the wall behind the counter, a double extension arm is necessary to make the reach from the wall to the counter edge. If the mirror will be mounted on a side-wall, a single arm style is generally sufficient. Mount the mirror so that when it is in use, it will come out to the edge of the counter and when not in use it will swing back and store flat on the wall.

Q. "Do you offer makeup and shaving mirrors with different magnifications?"
A. Yes. We offer bathroom mirrors with the following magnifications 0x (no magnification), 1x, 3x, 5x, 7x, and 10x. Whether you are looking for magnifying vanity mirrors, lighted makeup mirrors, wall mounted shaving mirrors, floor standing mirrors, magnified compact and travel mirrors, fogless bathroom mirrors and defoggers, as well as bathroom shaving and shower mirrors, we are your number one source!

Q. "Do you offer any portable mirrors?"
A. Yes, we offer portable mirrors which are great to have while traveling.