Lens review: MAX Elegance Tri-Tone Blue

Henlo!

I'll continue with the lens reviews. I thought some months ago that I'd be done with the backlog but then I found another cardboard box in a storage filled with lenses and was like "oh shit here we go again". xD So yep, expect my blog to be mainly lens reviews and maybe some cosplay tests this year as COVID-19 has cancelled pretty much all anime conventions.

Today I will review the MAX Elegance Tri-Tone Blue circle lenses! I remember buying these lenses ages ago and forgetting that I had them, oops. I still remember how the violet pair was hands down the most horrible lenses I've tried in terms of comfort. Probably that's why I yeeted these somewhere deep and forgot lmao.

Let's get on with this!

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 15.0 mm

Water content: 55%

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

I can't deny that the color is hella pretty, like holy shit I dig it! The design itself is quite generic but I still like it, I mean it's not my first choice in terms of patterns but it's one of those that you just know works. And I dunno why but the print makes me think of the insides of a kiwi fruit...

The blue shade is really zeisty and fresh. It's lively and a very good color for cosplay in my opinion. I'm fond of blue lenses that have an unnatural blue shade and these lenses hit home for me! There is also a prominent black limbal ring lining the edges of the lens, which adds a cartoony effect or somewhat of an 'anime' look. The black streaks in the lens somewhat anchors it from looking obnoxiously bold.

One lens in.

As you can tell the lenses are pretty big. Like big big. Of course I've worn bigger but these look rather huge and still somehow... passable? As in it's big but not overdoing it to the point it risks looking creepy. It could be further helped by how the design itself is somewhat, err, sophisticated? As in that there's only really one shade of blue and the color is streaky, which means that there's transparent lines between from which your real eye color can blend through. I'm not even sure what I'm trying to explain at this point...? xD But there is some yellow and dotted "pointy" tips at the center of the lens which also helps somewhat with the blending.

Lens photos ahead ~

All photos taken by me during a June evening 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.

Natural light indoors.

Yellow light indoors.

Flash photo indoors.

Bathroom light. (natural light on the viewer's right side)

Unlit corridor. Poor distant natural light.

Facing a window. Not sun side.

Outdoors, facing a wall. (back against sunlight)

Outdoors, facing the sky while under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing sun directly.

Much to my relief these lenses weren't horrible at all to wear! They were thin, I barely felt them in my eyes and they were overall comfortable. Of course I couldn't wear them long due to safety (these lenses had expired by the time I found them, so I just snapped the photos and then immediately discarded them) but they felt fine and I wouldn't hesitate to repurchase these if needed. There was perhaps a slight blurring effect but I'm honestly not sure if it was the lens or my eyes as I do not have perfect vision lol. Regardless I'm estimating wearing time to be around 3-4 hours on dry and sensitive eyes, which is pretty solid. 

This is a pretty lens, it's simple yet beautiful and it works for a lot of things. You can use them for cosplaying and most likely also for lolita and other j-fashion styles that are a bit extra. They might be too big for daily looks but that will entirely depend on your style and preferences. Overall this is a fun lens and I remember buying them from HoneyColor, I do think they might be exclusive to their site as I have no memory of having seen the MAX brand anywhere else.

Distance photo!

Want to see other colors?

Check out this: Violet, Red
 

Short summary:

Color: 8/10

A fresh, vivid blue shade this is full of life. I really like the color, it stands out.

Design: 6/10

Quite basic but it's pretty in its simplicity.

Opacity: 7/10

Very opaque, can't complain. There are transparent lines in the lens that lets slivers of your real eye color through.

Enlargement: 6/10

Definitely on the bigger side but manageable.

Comfort: 6/10

Thin and generally comfortable. Estimated wearing time around 3-4 hours on naturally very dry eyes.

Naturalness: 2/10

The pigment and sheer size slams these immediately as unnatural.

Thanks for checking out my reviews!

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: Princess Pinky Twilight Green

Hello!

It's been a long time since I last blogged. So long in fact that I noticed, much to my horror, that Blogger had completely changed while I've been away! I'm so lost oh god, thankfully I found that I can still go back to the old layout but who knows for how long...

My plan was that I'd do a lens review today. I will review the Princess Pinky Twilight Green, a small diameter but bright lens that used to be recommended for cosplay when I first started this hobby. Time sure flies by because yeah, since then there has been so many new lenses that I doubt the Princess Pinky Twilight series still is as relevant as it used to be. Oh well, I've wanted to try these for the longest time, despite the staggering amount of people saying that this series is uncomfortable to wear. And I agree, the blue pair I reviewed ages ago was not comfy...

But without further ado, let's go!

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm

Water content: 38%

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

So as I said this is a small diameter lens, which is not the default when it comes to circle lenses. These are in fact barely bigger than what my natural iris is, which is good if you are one of those who prefer smaller lenses. 

The design looks quite natural, except for that the color is very bright and it stands out – not in a creepy way though, it's more in a "wow" sort of way. So yes, it's natural but still it's not natural, if you get what I mean? xD I do like the design and color, I don't know what it is but there is something alluring about these lenses!

One lens in.

The green color looks more "normal" in the vials but once you wear them they turn a lighter, slightly unnatural shade which is great for cosplay. I am expecting the color to appear somewhat differently depending on what your natural eye color is though, I have light blue-gray eyes with a golden ring next to the pupil. These lenses do have a yellow inner circle which I think is there to help with the blending, or transition, between lens and iris.

You can tell on the photo above that there's barely any size difference between my natural eye and the lens. The lenses have a slightly darker limbal ring so it does add some intensity but it doesn't do much for the illusion of bigger eyes, it basically just frames my eyes a bit more and that's it.

Lens photos ahead ~

All photos taken by me during a June evening 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 flash photo.

Bathroom light. (natural light to the side through a window)

Unlit corridor. Poor natural light.

Facing window. Not sun side.

Outdoors, facing the wall. (back against sunlight)

Outdoors, facing the sky while under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun directly.

Regarding comfort I'm not sure what to say. The right lens was pretty decent, sure I felt it slightly in my eye but it wasn't overly unpleasant in any way – it was wearable. The left lens though was scratchy and felt thick to wear, more so than the right lens. I tried to clean and reinsert it a few times but it was always the same exact feeling of discomfort. I have naturally very dry and sensitive eyes but I expect that I can wear these lenses for maybe 2-3 hours, which is a drop below average for me. I recommend bringing eyedrops if you get any Princess Pinky Twilight lenses as they are quite known to not be the most comfy.

Other than that I do like these lenses. Vibrant, small diameter lenses are still not common to find and when you find a pair with cosplay-quality color coverage it's always a treat. Shame the comfort is not the best but, to be honest, I've had worse lenses. *shrugs* If you will like these or not will depend on what you want to use them for, they work for some daily but extravagant looks, for fashion and for costuming. You won't do any moe moe anime girls with these but for serious characters, adults and male character they are pretty good. It's overall a decent lens.

Distance photo below.

Check out my other review: Blue

Short summary:

Color: 7/10 
Vivid and bright green lens. It has a slightly unnatural shade but it's very likeable!
Design: 7/10 
Resembles a real iris but with a bit more flair to it. Beautiful and versatile.
Opacity: 7/10
The colored parts are more opaque than what you'd assume by looking at the lenses in their vials.
Enlargement: 3/10

Really small, there's barely any difference when compared to my natural eyes.
Comfort: 5/10
Comfort is not as disastrous as with the blue pair. These are wearable but the left lens felt like it was a bit scratchy, the right lens was fine. I feel them in my eyes but otherwise okay, could be worse.
Naturalness: 7/10 

Thanks to the rather realistic design these balance on the fine line between natural and semi-natural.

 Thanks for reading and I hope you found this review useful.

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: ICK Any Pink

Eyy in the house!

I have another circle lens review to share with you all today and it's gonna be the ICK Any Pink. I haven't reviewed all that many pink lenses which is a shame because I do like pink lenses. Oh well, let's get on with this!

Base curve: 8.6 mm

Diameter: 15.0 mm

Water content: 42%

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

When you look at these lenses in the vials you can kinda guess that the pupil opening will be quite big and while that's a common thing, especially for bigger circle lenses, it does affect slighly on what lenses I personally think are the most suitable for cosplay. Regardless this is a very pretty lens in terms of color and how soft the design itself is!

One lens in.

Yes, so as you can see these lenses have a really soft, pleasant color and it's very pastel in shade. It's a super cute, innocent hue and I guess you can say that it's this kind of baby pink color and honestly, really precious as such. But as mentioned above the pupil hole is really big so you better be prepared that a lot of your real eye color is completely visible through the middle – thankfully the pink somehow attempts to blend so it doesn't 'clash' as much as I initially feared it would.
The coverage of the colored parts is quite good, it's definitely pink and yet doesn't look terribly out of place? I don't know how to explain but the color somehow appears gentle and despite pink being an unnatural color it doesn't come off as freaky at all.

There is a moderate to big enlargement effect but I kinda feel like these aren't as dolly as some of the other large lenses, possibly because of the design trying to be more semi-natural than cartoony.

Lens photos below!

All photos taken by yours truly during a March morning with a very clear, bright 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.

Natural room light indoors.

Yellow room light indoors.

Flash photo.

Standing in a corridor, natural light in my back.

Unlit corridor, poor distant light.

Facing window, not sun side.

Outdoors, back against sun. (facing the wall)

Outdoors, facing sun.

These lenses feel thin and comfortable overall, I hardly feel them much but I suspect that they might be one of those that could feel a bit dryish after a while – but I have naturally very dry eyes so yeah, there's that. Comfort is based on my first impressions (had to discard lenses after taking these photos due to expiration) so there's room for error and well, everyone's eyes are different so there will never be a lens that is perfect for every single person anyway. *shrugs* Nevertheless, I estimate wearing time for these lenses to be around the 3-5 hour mark on dry eyes, which is quite good.

This is a lens that I enjoy and would love to wear more. Pink is really growing on me as a color and this is such a smooth, pleasant shade that is great for pastel looks, j-fashion and anything of the like! I'm not completely sure how suitable these would be for cosplay as, on light eyes at least, it is easy to notice the amount of your natural iris showing through. But at the same time it's very alluring and from a distance the effect actually looks better? I can't decide on if this is a reasonable cosplay lens or not, halp. xD

Distance photo below.

Short summary:

Color: 8/10
Beautiful, super cute and alluring light pink. Perfect pastel shade for galaxy looks and such!

Design: 8/10

It's quite simple but has that perfect balance between extraordinary and yet discreet.

Opacity: 7/10

The pink parts themselves have good coverage, shame there's not more of it.

Enlargement: 7/10

Surely these are big but somehow I don't feel like the illusion is as big as on other lenses.

Comfort: 7/10

Pretty good. They are thin and comfy like most lenses but they miiiight be a bit of the drying kind? Estimated 3-4 hours on naturally dry eyes.

Naturalness: 4/10

Big and pink is always a no but these actually aren't half bad. Something with the design keeps these from looking supernatural.

Thanks for reading! Do you like pink lenses?

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: ICK Adora Violet

Hello peeps!

It's been a while since the last circle lens review and I gotta admit that I thought I was nearing the end with these but hahah nope, I found more in a box I had stashed away. xD So yeah, I think I will do a generous amount of lens reviews for this year too lol. 

 But without further ado today I had plans to show you all the ICK Adora Violet lenses, let's go!

Base curve: 8.6 mm

Diameter: 15.0 mm

Water content: 42%

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

This is a design that you can tell is very bold and costume-y just by looking at them in the little glass bottles. The color appears really striking and that huge black rim screams dolly! This is easily, hands down, suitable as a cosplay lens.

Always put lenses to soak before wearing them for the first time. I have stupidly dry eyes to live with, very dry naturally so I always take precautions with wearing lenses because even in my day-to-day life I constantly carry eyedrops with me just to be safe, lol.

One lens in.

Okay so, I popped one into my eye and was not disappointed. The color is about as covering as one might expect and that black limbal ring really frames your eyes and brings out that 'anime eye' look, or dolly if you may. 

The violet shade is pleasing, a mid to dark color depending on light and what color your natural eyes are. I feel like this particular shade is easy to work with; I expect it to look favorable in most eye colors and it's a really fun color all in all. I don't know why but I've always had the fancies for unnatural colors on lenses like yellow, red and violet. :D But eyy, be prepared that some of your real iris shows through at the center because, after all, it kinda does on almost all circle lenses and in particular the bigger ones. This is not solely a negative thing though as it keeps your vision from getting obstructed, aka seeing colored corners in poorer lights due to natural pupil enlargement.

Lens photos below!

All photos taken by yours truly during a March morning with a very clear, bright 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.

Natural room light indoors.

Yellow room light indoors.

Yellow room light indoors, slightly weaker.

Flash photo.

Facing window, not sun side.

Outdoors, back against sun. (facing the wall)

Outdoors, facing the sun.

This is seriously such a gorgeous color, I really would have liked to wear these to a fantasy photoshoot but sadly that was not possible. It's such a pleasant, ethereal shade that immediately makes me think of fairytale stuff and anything that has this kind of mystique to it, you know? 

Comfort was a bit weird. One of the lenses was perfect, no itchiness and I did not feel it at all! It was super comfy, invisible and really thin. The other one was really uncomfortable and stingy, possibly defect? I don't know, I just snapped the photos quickly and then discarded these as the expiry date had passed. ^^" But I suspect that I could have worn these lenses for 4-5 hours if they hadn't been past due date; I don't want to take unnecessary risks so I base comfort solely on first impressions in cases like this. I know it's not the most accurate nor fair but it gives a vague idea of what to expect. *shrugs*

All in all this is a lens that I like and can imagine repurchasing if the need arises. It's one of those lenses that really suits cosplayers because of the reliable opacity, color payoff and the general design itself which is suitable for a plethora of anime and manga characters. For western and video game cosplays you might want to go with something a bit less cartoony and bold, of course depending on the character in question. But yeah, this is a nice lens and I hope that if I get around to buying them again that I don't get a defect one as there's always that tiny tiny risk. xD

Distance photo!

 I've reviewed other Adora lenses too! 

Check 'em out: Red

Short summary:

Color: 8/10
Beautiful, alluring violet shade that moves the thoughts to fantasy.

Design: 8/10

It's simple but it's extremely versatile and suitable for both cosplay and j-fashion!

Opacity: 9/10

Really reliable coverage, a great lens if you want the color to pop!

Enlargement: 8/10

Big and definitely in the dolly realms.

Comfort: 7/10

One lens was perfect, super comfy and thin while the other was possibly defective? Regardless I estimate that I could wear these for 4-5 hours on dry eyes. Pretty good.

Naturalness: 1/10

No, not with that size and color.

Thank for checking this review out! More coming soon.

Shiro Samurai says bye~