Tell me what mirror you have and I'll tell you who you are.

I will go powder my nose: the oldest excuse in the book wouldn't have the same credibility without its trusted ally, the mirror. One of women's best friends, along with diamonds and lipsticks, the mirror is an object that has never stopped evolving. Frescoes and hieroglyphics from Ancient Egypt depict female figures using metal mirrors to apply makeup and fix their hair, Greeks and Romans used bronze mirrors for personal care and religious purposes, while in the Middle Ages these tools were a luxury for the wealthy classes, often adorned with metals and gemstones. In short, it's almost impossible to establish who was the inventor of the mirror, but we can certainly pinpoint when its transformation into a handbag accessory began: it was indeed in 1690 when Madame de La Fayette referred to a woman using a small mirror to touch up her makeup in the novel The Princess of Cleves. We can follow through books the explosion of popularity of handbag mirrors during the Victorian era: just think of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and the famous mirror used by Miss Bingley to check her appearance before the ball at Netherfield Park.

Mirrors with Lights

And today? Handbag mirrors evolve and transform, fighting with all their might against smartphones, which allow us to scrutinize and check our appearance with a quick selfie or simply by opening the front camera. There are those sold by luxury brands, to be casually pulled out at a party or at the bar. Then there are the technological ones, accessorized with LED lights to allow us to do our makeup on the train, or to check the texture of our skin or the precision of our eyeliner very well before an important meeting, be it a date or a work interview. In short, the mirror continues to change, and it won't stop.

Mirrors for Selfies and Hybridization

With the advent of the internet and the birth of the first smartphones, many thought that this object was destined to lose importance: today we can affirm that it is not at all the case. Despite data showing that 54% of the world's population has a phone with high-definition front cameras, there are still many people who continue to carry a small mirror in their bag, but not only that: the latest accessory trends invite us to discover some hybrid innovations: for example, on TikTok the mini adhesive mirror is super viral, used by creators and influencers to take perfect selfies with the external camera. The object has a dual function, as it is not only useful for creating social content, but also for quickly and easily checking one's appearance.

Technological Innovations and Social Accessories You Absolutely Must Know About

Not just mirrors. Social media, over time, have also made some new gadgets go viral, which can help us make the most of our phones' capabilities, creating a real list of must-haves: at the top is undoubtedly the mini video projector with Bluetooth connection, perfect for a car date with your crush. Or… let's face it, we all have a passion for stickers, but what if we told you that you can create totally personalized and instant stickers? To do this, all you need is Phomeo's portable photo printer. Last, but not least, the small fan to be directly connected to the port you always use to charge your devices. It's a very cute accessory, but also a godsend for the hottest summers. Pocket-sized and glamorous are the keywords for a new era of small technology, increasingly social and also linked to the beauty world. But no one can ever beat the portable mirror.