To see what you really look like to others, you need to use a special type of reflection that doesn't flip the image horizontally, unlike standard mirrors. The most well-known device for this is called a True Mirror.
The Standard Mirror vs. How Others See You
When you look in a regular mirror, you see a reversed image of yourself. Your left side appears on the right, and your right side appears on the left. This is why text looks backward in a mirror. While this is the reflection you are used to seeing, it is not how other people see you. They see your features in their non-reversed orientation.
The True Mirror: Seeing Your Unflipped Reflection
A True Mirror provides a reflection that is not flipped horizontally, showing you a more accurate representation of how you appear to others. As noted in the reference, "Similar to the inverted filter, the True Mirror flips a person's image to reveal how they're seen by others." This is the key difference that allows you to see your non-reversed appearance.
How the True Mirror Works
Unlike a single flat mirror, a True Mirror achieves its effect by using two mirrors placed at a precise angle.
- Double Reflection: The True Mirror works by reflecting your image twice. When two mirrors are joined at exactly 90 degrees (a right angle), the second reflection effectively cancels out the horizontal reversal caused by the first reflection.
- No Horizontal Flip: The result is an image where your left is on your left and your right is on your right, showing you how you would appear if you were looking back at yourself from another person's perspective.
- Seamless View: When looking straight into a well-designed True Mirror, like the one described, "there is no distracting line in the middle of the image," providing a cohesive, non-reversed view of yourself.
Why It Shows You What Others See
The reflection you see in a True Mirror is the orientation of your face and body that everyone else sees every day. It can sometimes look slightly unfamiliar or even surprising because you are so accustomed to your reversed mirror image. Using a True Mirror allows you to view your facial symmetry (or asymmetry) and expressions as they are perceived by the people around you.
Essentially, the True Mirror provides the perspective of someone looking directly at you, rather than your own reversed perspective in a standard mirror.
