If the mirror is your main light for shaving and make-up, choose front-lit; if you want a soft glow on the wall, choose a backlit mirror; and if you want a balance of both in a clean, frameless look, choose edge-lit.
The short version
| Type | Where the light goes | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Front-lit | Forward, onto your face | Shaving, make-up and close-up tasks |
| Backlit | Behind the mirror, onto the wall | Atmosphere, feature walls and hotel rooms |
| Edge-lit | Around the edge of the glass | A diffused, even glow with a minimal look |
Some mirrors do more than one. The Orna Rectangle and Orna Arch let you choose front light, back light or both together.
What is a backlit bathroom mirror?
A backlit bathroom mirror has a concealed LED strip behind the mirror body. The light shines onto the wall and creates a soft halo around the edge. You see the glow, not the light source.
The effect is atmospheric rather than task lighting. That makes a backlit mirror a good fit for feature bathroom walls, boutique hotel rooms and bedroom vanity areas, where appearance comes first.
The trade-off is that less light lands directly on your face. If you shave or apply make-up at the mirror every day, pair a backlit mirror with good ceiling or wall lighting, or look at front-lit instead.
Sensio backlit mirrors include:
- Mistral Round, frameless, ⌀500mm or ⌀600mm, with TrioTone® light.
- Mistral Soft Rectangle, frameless, 400mm x 600mm or 500mm x 700mm.
- Mistral Arch and Mistral Pill, both frameless at 500mm x 800mm.
- Nebula Round, 600mm, framed in black or brushed brass, with TrioTone® light.
- Nebula Soft Rectangle, 500mm x 700mm, in black, brushed brass or bronze, with light that adjusts from warm white (3000K) to cool white (6000K).
Every mirror in our backlit LED mirrors range has a demister pad and is IP44 rated for bathroom zone 2.
Nebula Round backlit LED mirror in brushed brass.
What is a front-lit mirror?
A front-lit mirror has its lighting at the top, sides or all edges of the mirror face. The light points forward, onto you. That gives even, glare-free light for close-up tasks like shaving and make-up, with fewer shadows on your face.
If the mirror is the main light you use to get ready, front-lit is the safest choice.
Sensio front-lit mirrors include:
- Aspect Round TrioTone®, 500mm, 600mm or 800mm, in black, brushed brass or chrome.
- Aura Round, 500mm or 600mm, front-lit through a colour-matched lens in a black, brushed brass or gunmetal frame.
- Frontier Round and Frontier Pill, in black or brushed brass, with light that adjusts from warm to cool white.
- Luka LED Bathroom Mirror, frameless, with Amazon Alexa and Bluetooth speakers built in.
- Kai Plus and Shannon, both frameless at 500mm x 700mm, with cool white light and a built-in shaver socket.
Aspect Round TrioTone® front-lit LED mirror in brushed brass.
What is an edge-lit mirror?
An edge-lit mirror lights the glass from its edge. You get an even glow across the mirror and a soft wash of light onto the walls, without a visible LED strip. Our product pages describe it as glare-free light with a soft wall glow.
Edge-lit sits between the other two. It gives more useful light on your face than a backlit mirror, and a softer, more decorative look than many front-lit designs. It suits contemporary bathrooms and bedroom vanity areas where a clean, diffused light is preferred.
Sensio edge-lit mirrors include:
- Celestia Round (⌀500mm or ⌀600mm), Celestia Rectangle (400mm x 600mm or 500mm x 700mm), plus the Celestia Arch and Celestia Pill, all frameless.
- Luna Round at ⌀800mm, Luna Pill at 500mm x 800mm and Luna Soft Rectangle at 600mm x 800mm, all frameless.
The Maris range works in a similar way. The Maris Round, Maris Rectangle, Maris Arch, Maris Pill and Maris Soft Square are inward-lit: the light is hidden in a gunmetal frame behind a colour-matched lens and casts a soft glow onto the glass.
Luna Round edge-lit LED mirror.
Light colour matters as much as direction
Whichever type you choose, check the light colour options. They change how the mirror feels as much as where the light goes.
- TrioTone® switches between warm, natural and cool white. Most Mistral, Celestia, Luna, Maris, Aspect, Aura and Orna mirrors use it.
- CCT adjusts smoothly from warm to cool white. The Frontier and Nebula Soft Rectangle mirrors use it.
- Single colour mirrors, such as the Kai Plus and Shannon, have a fixed cool white light (6000K).
Warm white suits relaxing in the evening. Natural or cool white shows colours more accurately, which helps with make-up.
How to choose: three quick questions
1. Is this your main light for getting ready? If yes, choose front-lit or edge-lit. If you already have good task lighting, a backlit mirror adds atmosphere.
2. What look do you want? Backlit gives a floating halo on the wall. Framed mirrors in black, brushed brass, gunmetal or bronze can match your taps and fittings.
3. Do you want both? The Orna Rectangle and Orna Arch give you front light, back light or both, so you can switch between task light in the morning and a soft glow at night.
Fitting and guarantee
Our mains-powered mirrors are IP44 rated for bathroom zone 2 and must be wired in by a qualified electrician. Most hang on a French cleat bracket, and some use keyhole fixings or a back box, so check each product page. Our bathroom zones and IP ratings guide explains where a mirror can go.
No power at the wall? Our battery mirrors need no wiring. Read are battery operated bathroom mirrors any good? to see if one suits you.
Every Sensio bathroom mirror carries our 7 year guarantee. Mirror glass is guaranteed for 12 months, excluding accidental damage.
Backlit, front-lit and edge-lit mirror FAQs
Is a backlit mirror bright enough for shaving?
A backlit mirror gives atmospheric light rather than task light, because the light shines onto the wall, not your face. If you shave or do make-up at the mirror, choose front-lit or edge-lit, or add good ceiling or wall lighting.
What is the difference between edge-lit and front-lit?
Front-lit mirrors point light forward onto you for close-up tasks. Edge-lit mirrors light the glass from its edge, giving an even glow across the mirror and a soft wash onto the walls.
Can I get a mirror that is both front-lit and backlit?
Yes. The Orna Rectangle and Orna Arch have three modes: front light, back light, or both together.
Do backlit mirrors have a demister?
Every mirror in our backlit range has a demister pad to keep the glass clear of steam. Read our guide to heated mirrors and demister pads to see how they work.
Can a backlit mirror go in a bathroom?
Yes. Our backlit mains mirrors are IP44 rated for bathroom zone 2 and must be wired in by a qualified electrician.
Explore the ranges
Browse our backlit LED mirrors, front-lit LED mirrors and edge-lit LED mirrors, or see all our LED bathroom mirrors. For size, styles and features, read how to choose an LED bathroom mirror.
