Ways to Check Whether a Mirror is Two-Way So You Won’t Malu Yourself

Last Updated on 2021-08-29 , 4:56 pm

The first thing you’ll notice when you walk into a dressing room is the mirror. What’s so special about it? It’s just a mirror anyway.

That’s when you’re wrong, my friend. Sometimes, our dressing room mirror might be a two-way one, hence it is always safer to do a quick check.

If you don’t understand what I meant, here, take a look at this video:

So, how do you know if the mirror you’ve just used to check yourself out isn’t actually a transparent glass?

Here are some ways to determine before you make any funny faces to the mirror.

The Mirror Image

The first, and simplest, way to check out if your mirror is a two-way one is to do the fingernail test. Simply place your fingernail against the surface of the mirror.

Real Mirror: When you touch your fingernail to a surface of the mirror, you can’t touch your own reflection. Instead, you will see a gap caused by a second layer of glass over the mirrored surface.

Two-way mirror: When you touch your finger to a surface of the mirror, you can touch your own reflection, since there’s no additional layer of glass in between.

Although the finger test is a very popular way to determine a two-way mirror, it still depends on the type of material and quality of the mirror. In this case, the test might not be that accurate. Hence, it is better to perform it together with other tests as a measure of accuracy.

The Sound Test

For this sound test, you’ll have to tap on the surface of the mirror with your knuckle. A normal mirror will produce a dull, flat sound since it’s placed in front of a wall.

However, a two-way mirror will produce an open, hollow and reverberating sound because there is an open space on the other side. The sound of tapping a two-way mirror has also been described as bright or sharp as opposed to a thud from an everyday mirror.

Though here’s a piece of advice: don’t knock so hard. You might just break the mirror.

The Light Test

Turn on your phone’s flashlight and shine it very close and directly into the mirror. It’ll work best when your surrounding is dark. In a two-way mirror, you’ll likely be able to peer through to the other side, since it’s technically a glass and not a mirror.

Now, here’s a disclaimer: don’t be too paranoid and start checking every single mirror you see after reading this article! Not every dressing room you visit has a two-way mirror.

Featured Image: 7Days Design / Shutterstock.com