The upgrade was a plug-in vanity sconce, mounted with two adhesive strips beside my bathroom mirror. That's it. That's the whole upgrade.
The bathroom had a single overhead globe that made everything look slightly autopsy-adjacent. The sconce added warm, side-mounted light at face level. The difference was immediate and embarrassingly large for a $40 fixture.
Why Side Light Is Everything
Overhead light casts shadows downward — under your eyes, your nose, your chin. Side light (mounted at eye level, 60–65 inches from the floor) illuminates evenly and is genuinely flattering. The same face, lit from the side instead of overhead, looks better. Not marginally — dramatically.
This is why every makeup artist, every Hollywood dressing room, every decent hotel bathroom has side lighting. It's the single most impactful lighting position for a space where you look at yourself.
The Installation
Cleaned the wall with alcohol. Applied adhesive strips rated for 5 lbs. Pressed and held for 30 seconds. Waited 24 hours. Plugged it in. Done. My landlord has no idea it exists and I plan to keep it that way.
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