PMU treatments require precision and high attention to detail in order to produce the best possible results. High-quality lighting not only reduces strain on the eyes but also helps the artist see better when carrying out a treatment.
Having a good lighting setup is vital – without it, artists won’t be able to unlock their full potential. It is also essential for taking professional photos and videos of your work.
Choosing the best lighting for your salon can be a daunting task so we’re guiding you through the thought process behind light shopping and share our top 5 salon lighting picks to help guide you through your decision.
How to Choose Your Salon Lighting?
First things first, let’s talk about what’s really important when choosing lights for salon:
Salon Lighting Should Accurately Render Color
Have you ever heard stories about clients getting their brows microbladed in a particular shade only to walk outside and the color appears differently? Lack of judgment when choosing the correct pigments to use on your clients can be directly linked to bad salon lighting.
So, you need bulbs or LEDs in your salon that accurately render color.
How well a bulb renders color is determined by the bulb’s Color Rendering Index (CRI) which represents the quality of light and its reliability when rendering colors. Always request bulbs that have a CRI of 86 or higher for the most accurate results.
Image source: Freepik
Salon Lighting Should Be Able to Eliminate Shadows
When working as a brow artist, achieving even results on both sides of the client’s face can sometimes be very difficult.
To make the whole process easier for you, choose a dimmable floor lamp or ring light that is wide enough or manageable enough to equally light both sides of your client’s face.
Salon Lighting Should Flatter the Complexion
Bulbs and LEDs come in a variety of temperatures ranging from very warm to cool with a bluish hue. A 2,700 to 3,500 Kelvin temperature bulb is considered warm, while anything 4,800 Kelvin and up is considered cool.
When choosing the perfect salon lighting, pick a floor lamp or ring light that has a wide range of color temperature settings to find the light that best suits your client’s complexion and looks good on camera.
Salon Lighting Should Be Portable and Adjustable
Adjustable lighting that offers flexibility will make quite a difference in your everyday. When researching lighting you’ll want to find something that has a fairly long gooseneck (adjustable attachment or stem) and multiple brightness options.
If you’re an artist that often travels and works in various salons, having a lightweight and portable lighting system will make your life so much easier. Choose something that is easily detachable and folds up nicely in your travel bag.
Top Salon Lighting Recommendations
From floor lamps to ring lights, we’ve analyzed the most frequently used salon lights for a variety of PMU businesses. Let’s take a look at our Top 5 picks:
1. GLAMCOR Elite X
We’ll kick off this guide with a true staple among the PMU and lash community and our top pick, the Glamcore Elite X.
The Glamcore Elite X double head light is easy to adjust and reposition thanks to its 2 flexible arms. It is a lightweight, portable lighting solution for PMU artists, lash techs, estheticians, and makeup artists.
Equipped with 5 brightness settings and dual HD 5600K cool-touch LED lamps, it provides the best possible daylight illumination.
The Glamcor Elite X comes with an adjustable tripod and is super easy to travel with, which makes it perfect for mobile PMU artists and lash techs that often switch salons.
The stand is also collapsible, so it doesn’t take up a lot of space when stored away. You can easily set up the Glamcor Elite X light in less than a minute – no assembly required!
2. Neewer Ring Light Kit: 18″
The Neewer 18” ring light is one of the most popular salon lighting options among the lash and PMU communities.
Its size provides you with fuller coverage of light and brightness, and its design is sturdy and durable.
It has a smooth, gradual brightness setting knob which makes it easier to control while working, plus it won’t be a harsh transition for your clients. The Neewer ring light comes in a kit with 2 color filters (White and Orange), ranging in temperature from 3200K to 5600K.
This ring light also comes with a phone holder and a tripod, which makes it extremely useful when filming your work. However, this light is definitely heavier than the Glamcor Elite X and takes up more space.
If you’re a mobile artist that needs to travel light, then this might not be the best option for you.
3. Brightech LightView Pro
The Brightech LightView Pro LED floor lamp comes with a hands-free magnifying glass. It’s easily adjustable and super flexible so that you can focus the magnifier and light exactly where you need it.
It is super convenient to have in your salon especially if you’re a lash artist or esthetician since this lamp allows you to use both hands to perform professional tasks. The diopter glass will magnify whatever you are working on by up to 175%!
The LED lamp has an adjustable color temperature that ranges from 3000K warm white to 6000K cool white and it is extra bright.
An added benefit of the Brightech LightView Pro is that it comes on wheels, making it easy to manage and use across your salon.
If you’re working on larger areas of the body, for example, if you’re a stretch mark camouflage artist or a tattoo artist, then this probably won’t be the right kind of product for you.
4. GLAMCOR Multimedia X Content Creation Kit
If you’re looking for ways to showcase your work in a more professional way, then the Glamcor Multimedia X Content Creation Kit is the solution.
It has the traditional double head light design for which Glamcor is known, but in addition, it has a phone stand and a USB power port for your smartphone or tablet. Making time-lapses of your work and not running out of battery is now finally possible!
The dual LED lamps are continuously adjustable between 2700K (warm lighting) and 5600K (daylight) via Bluetooth remote. This also allows you to seamlessly pause and record videos or take selfies while working.
This kit is easy to travel with and comes with an adjustable mirror so your clients can watch the whole course of their procedure.
5. Ebrlaxin U Light
Whether you’re a new salon owner or someone who’s been in the business for a long time, you’ve probably heard about the infamous CosmoGlo U-shaped lamp.
Although practical for brow and lash artists, the CosmoGlo comes at a whopping price of $375. That’s why we decided to find the absolute best dupe for the CosmoGlo light and it’s available for order at Amazon – introducing the Ebrlaxin Lash Lamp!
The Ebrlaxin Lash Lamp has the CosmoGlo’s signature half-moon shape and provides even lighting from ear to ear. You can seamlessly adjust the brightness and color temperature by turning the knobs on the side of the lamp.
It has a sturdy, metal construction that is adjustable in height and a flat base so it won’t easily fall or wobble out of place, plus, no tripod legs that may cause people to trip.
The Ebrlaxin Lash Lamp also comes with a phone holder to make filming your work much easier.
Final Note
Choosing the best salon lighting option for your business can truly be a daunting task, especially with so many floor lamps, ring lights, and magnifying lamps available on the market.
The right brightness, color temperature, and design can not only help you achieve the best possible results for your clients, but also take your social media game to the next level. So, make sure you consider all the factors listed in the article when making your decision.
If you need some help with editing your photos once you’ve taken them, here’s a useful article!
