Lens review: Vassen Shinny Green

Hello people!

There's a massive heat wave going on right now but I still have to chug out new content so hey, lens review time! Today it's the Vassen Shinny Green lenses that are on the spotlight – I actually spent a really long time trying to find these lenses as I had very high hopes for them. I love green lenses and have been looking for the perfect green pair for a long time and I think I'm pretty near!

Let's get to it!

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm

Water content: 42% 

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

If you're anything like me you'll wonder why they're called Shinny and not Shiny, is it a typo? No one will know but what I do know is that these are much prettier when worn than what the look in the vials suggests.

I had some trouble finding reviews of these lenses and it was a challenge to find a reputable lens store that even carried them (please note that it was years ago I bought these, so I'm not aware how currently available they are) but when you want something really bad you find a way! The reason I was desperately looking for these is because I had the impression that they would be the perfect green lenses for cosplaying Souji Okita from Hakuouki, one of my favorite characters of all time – and for once I think I hit the mark. Or at least a pretty damn good pair for cosplay purposes.

One lens in.

I have naturally light blue-gray eyes, as the photo above shows, and these lenses make my eyes look undeniably green and a very beautiful, true green at that. The color shows up incredibly well and doesn't do the typical "muddy green" look that some green lenses quite often do on eye colors similar to mine. I honestly love the color – it's bright, vibrant and lively while still not looking fake. One might also notice that the center is of a lighter, more yellowish shade which also helps with the blending and thus in creating a more natural look – it also adds depth to the lens. Hands down this is one of the best green lenses I've ever tried, in terms of color.

There's a moderate to big size increase that is further accentuated by the black limbal ring. I really like how the black rim is incorporated into the design so that it's a smooth transition and not just a sudden wall of blackness that looks really cartoony.

Lens photos below!

All photos taken by me during a July afternoon with a clear sky. There's no color filters or such on the close-up photos and that's so that the colors would be as true to real life as possible.

Indoors, natural room light.

Indoors, yellow room light.

Indoors, unlit corridor.

Bathroom light.

Flash photo.

Facing backyard window. (shadow side)

Facing window. (sun side)

Outdoors, back against sun. (facing wall)

Facing the sun while being under the roof's shadow.

Facing sun.

Comfort is all fine and dandy. The first time I wore these they were incredibly comfortable – I did not feel them at all, which is rare, and I also managed to easily wear them past 3 hours. Now 3 hours might not sound like much to most of you but to someone who has really dry and sensitive eyes it's better than average! I think I might even be able to wear these for up to 5 hours or perhaps more on good days. One time when I wore these they started to feel dry after about 40 minutes though, so as with most lenses wearing time might change depending on how moist your eyes have been on that day, along with other factors. But overall these lenses have been a positive experience in the comfort department.

These lenses are really noticeable and pretty even from a distance! I definitely think that this is a great green lens for both cosplay and fashion alike. There's a great color payoff, a nice and versatile design, modest enlargement and good comfort – these are all kinds of awesome, in other words. ^.- I'd totally recommend the Shinny Greens if you're a fan of green lenses or looking for a semi-natural pair for cosplay (that still somehow manages to look anime) that has a great impact both near and far!

Distance photos!

Short summary:

Color: 10/10
Absolutely gorgeous vibrant, bright and lively green with a lot of depth to it!
Design: 9/10
Simple but really versatile and eye-catching.
Opacity: 8/10 
Solid color coverage, despite the lenses looking a bit transparent in the vials.
Enlargement: 7/10
Quite big in size!
Comfort: 7/10 
Thin and easy to wear – I don't feel them much at all and could easily wear them for multiple hours, despite having ridiculously dry and sensitive eyes.
Naturalness: 3/10

Interesting middle ground between semi-natural and unrealistic.

Thanks for reading my blog! Stay cool out there!

Shiro Samurai out.