Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Me peino frente al espejo para que mi pelo no me tape la cara. - I comb my hair in front of the mirror so that my hair doesn’t cover my face.

Peinar (non‑reflexive) = to comb/brush someone else’s hair.
- Yo peino a mi hija. = I brush my daughter’s hair.
Peinarse (reflexive) = to comb/brush your own hair.
- Yo me peino. = I brush my (own) hair.

Spanish usually omits the subject pronoun yo because the ending -o in peino already shows that the subject is I.
So (Yo) me peino = “I brush my hair.”

What does me mean in me peino?

Here me is a reflexive pronoun referring back to the subject (yo).

Yo me peino. = I comb myself → I comb my own hair.

It shows that the action of combing is done by the subject to themself.
Other reflexive pronouns are te, se, nos, os, se (for different persons).

Why frente al espejo and not something like delante del espejo?

Both are correct, but there are small nuances:

frente al espejo = literally “facing the mirror / in front of the mirror,” but it often suggests you are directly opposite the mirror, facing it.
delante del espejo = “in front of the mirror” in a more general sense (not necessarily facing it).

In everyday speech, for this sentence, frente al espejo and delante del espejo are practically interchangeable.
Frente a is perhaps slightly more formal or neutral; delante de is extremely common too.

Why is it frente al and not frente a el?

In Spanish, the preposition a + the masculine singular article el contracts to al:

a + el espejo → al espejo
So frente a el espejo is grammatically wrong.
It must be frente al espejo.

This contraction is obligatory (except when el is a pronoun, which it is not here).

Why is tape used instead of tapa in para que mi pelo no me tape la cara?

Because para que usually introduces a clause of purpose and in Spanish that structure requires the subjunctive.

tapar (to cover)
- Present indicative: tapa (it covers)
- Present subjunctive: tape (it may/should cover, etc.)

para que mi pelo no me tape la cara
= “so that my hair doesn’t cover my face”

After para que, Spanish uses subjunctive because the result is desired, prevented, or potential, not simply stated as a fact.

What is the role of para que here?

Para que introduces a purpose clause — it answers “why?” or “for what purpose?”.

Me peino frente al espejo
= I brush my hair in front of the mirror
para que mi pelo no me tape la cara
= in order that / so that my hair doesn’t cover my face.

In English we normally say “so that”, but “in order that” is closer in structure to para que.
Remember: para que + subjunctive is the standard pattern for expressing purpose affecting another clause.

Why is it mi pelo instead of el pelo? I thought Spanish uses the definite article with body parts.

You are right: very often Spanish uses the definite article with body parts:

Me lavo las manos. = I wash my hands.
Me duele la cabeza. = My head hurts.

So you could indeed say:

Me peino para que el pelo no me tape la cara.

Using mi pelo instead of el pelo:

Puts a little extra emphasis on “my hair” (as opposed to someone else’s).
Sounds natural and acceptable, especially in casual speech.

Both mi pelo and el pelo work here; el pelo is slightly more in line with the usual pattern for body parts, but mi pelo is not wrong.

Why do we need me again in no me tape la cara?

Here me is an indirect object pronoun, not reflexive. It means “to me” or “from me.”

tapar la cara = to cover the face.
taparme la cara / tapar la cara a mí = to cover my face / to cover the face for/from me.

In no me tape la cara, the structure is:

mi pelo = subject
tape = verb (subjunctive)
me = indirect object (= to me, affecting me)
la cara = direct object (the thing being covered)

Literally: “so that my hair does not cover my face (to me).”
The me shows who is affected by the action, which is very common with body parts in Spanish.

Can I change the word order in para que mi pelo no me tape la cara?

Yes, Spanish allows some flexibility in word order. For example, all of these are possible:

para que mi pelo no me tape la cara (original)
para que el pelo no me tape la cara
para que no me tape la cara el pelo
para que no me tape el pelo la cara (possible, but sounds less natural)

The most natural options are the first three.
Moving el/mi pelo to the end (para que no me tape la cara el pelo) gives slight emphasis to “the hair”, but the meaning is the same.

Is me peino enough, or should it be me peino el pelo?

Both are used, but me peino by itself is completely natural and common.

Me peino.
Literally “I comb myself,” but in real usage it means “I brush/comb my hair.” The idea of “hair” is understood.
Me peino el pelo.
Literally “I comb my hair.” This is also correct and explicit.

In everyday speech, people often just say me peino, especially when the context already makes it clear that it’s about hair.

What is the difference between pelo and cabello?

Both refer to hair, but with some nuances and regional preferences:

pelo
- Very common and neutral in Spain for hair on the head.
- Also used for body hair, animal fur, etc.
- Everyday, colloquial word.
cabello
- Sounds a bit more formal / literary in Spain.
- Very common in some Latin American countries in ordinary speech.
- Typically refers just to the hair on the head.

In Spain, in a casual sentence like yours, pelo is the most natural choice:

Me peino para que mi pelo no me tape la cara.

Are there differences between frente al espejo and enfrente del espejo?

Yes, but they’re subtle, and in many contexts they overlap.

frente a (algo)
Literally “facing (something).” Often used for being directly opposite something.
enfrente de (algo)
Also “in front of / opposite,” very common and everyday.

In your sentence, you could say:

Me peino frente al espejo…
Me peino enfrente del espejo…

Both sound natural. frente al espejo is perhaps slightly more neutral or a bit more formal than enfrente del espejo, but the difference is small here.