Do you look at yourself in mirrors and wonder whether your eyes have a problem or worry that you are too self-critical? You probably don’t have any of these problems because many people feel they look different in different mirrors!
Relax; you are not alone. This is a really weird phenomenon. You look good one minute and then not so good when you look at yourself in the next mirror you come across.
Well, there is actually a scientific reason for this. If you are wondering: why do I look different in different mirrors, read on; the answer might surprise you.
Lighting makes you look different in the mirror
You know what they say about a good selfie? It is all about the lighting! The same is true for mirrors.
Light can distort or enhance your perception of your mirror image. There are different lighting conditions in different locations. So you will look different in a mirror where there is a lot of lighting and in a mirror where the lighting isn’t that great.
It is common for your skin to appear lighter in a mirror where plenty of light is flooding in. Light can also hide or accentuate your bodily features and skin ”imperfections.”
Mirrors come in different qualities
Mirrors are made differently, which greatly impacts your reflection. Older types of mirrors have a metal coating applied to the front, while modern mirrors have the coating applied to the back.
The position of the metal coating produces a unique mirror image due to the way the metal reflects light. Unsurprisingly, when you look at yourself in an antique mirror, your reflection might seem slightly different than how you look in a contemporary mirror.
You may also notice that a convex mirror makes you seem curvier than you are. Yet when you immediately look at yourself in a plane, flat mirror, you look like the normal self you are used to.
Something else you may encounter is that you look different in mirrors at clothing stores. Did you know that mirrors can be altered to make someone look slimmer, curvier, or lighter than they are?
Yep, that’s right! This explains why you look ”unusually” good in the skinny mirrors at clothing stores. After all, you are likelier to buy shoes or clothes if the mirror shows you an image of yourself that you perceive as attractive.
