Why it matters to you
This may be the fairest mirror of them all, or at the very least, the smartest.
The “smart mirror” term has been thrown around a lot lately but rarely do those smarts ever reflect — pardon the pun — the actual use for a mirror. Until now, the smart mirror has, more often than not, been just another place to view general info like weather, calendar info, and notifications. In essence, it offers the same information you can already get on your phone, tablet, smart TV, watch, your car’s infotainment system, and so on. The HiMirror, on the other hand, actually uses its built-in smarts to tell you something different, like the condition of your skin, which can be used to build a daily skincare regimen, track results, and see improvement over time.
There are two versions of the smart appliance — there is the HiMirror Basic, which sells for $299, and the HiMirror Plus, which sells for $369. The latter promises a number of additional features, including smart ambient LED lights and increased memory capabilities to store up to six different users. So if you have a family full of preeners, the Plus may be for you.
By taking a makeup-free photo with the HiMirror’s integrated high-resolution camera, the device’s proprietary technology analyzes dark spots, red spots, dark eye circles, wrinkles, pores, fine lines, and other complexion elements. From these, it creates a personalized Skin Index Synthesis report, which reports on skin firmness, brightness, texture, clarity, and overall healthiness.
The mirror keeps an ongoing log of your skin to track your skincare goals. Skincare products can be scanned into the database by holding the barcode up to the camera, and the mirror will send you reminders about any approaching expiration dates. It also allows the user to provide feedback on the products in their routine right from the mirror.
The product is humidity-resistant, so it can be used even after a steamy shower and can be mounted on the wall or on an existing mirror, or wherever its 11-by-16.5-inch size can fit that is also next to a plug. For those freaked about having a camera in the bathroom, there is a cap you can use to put over the camera — something you will not want to forget to do with this Wi-Fi-enabled device.
HiMirror includes some of the standard smart mirror features, like displaying the local weather, syncing to your Google calendar or playing Spotify. It even includes facial and voice-recognition capabilities, which allows more than one family member to reap the benefits of automated skin analysis.
The HiMirror can be teamed up with the company’s Smart Body Scale, which you can buy for $99, and offers similar tracking capabilities for weight, body mass index, body fat, water level content, muscle mass, and more. Plus, it looks just like a sleek bathmat, so when you are not using it to keep tabs on your health stats, you can use it to dry your feet, too.
Update: The HiMirror family has expanded since CES 2017.