Lens review: Vassen Dolly Plus Blue

Hello everyone!

It's time for another circle lens review today! I will be reviewing the Vassen Dolly Plus Blue, sometimes also spelled as Vassen Dolly+ Blue. I was cautiously hopeful with these as the green pair was such a disappointment earlier.

Now let's roll!

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm

Water content: 42% 

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

Just as the green pair these look super nice in the vials, I absolutely love that blue shade. It's so pleasant and beautiful. I didn't want to hope too much but thankfully these actually look pretty good on my eyes so I'm somewhat satisfied. Of course the cosplay dude inside me is yelling "NOT GOOD ENOUGH" but hey, this is an improvement from the swamp troll poo...

I've worn a lot of blue lenses over the years and the competition is fierce. The Vassen Dolly Plus series used to be popular back in the days but I honestly don't know how relevant they are nowadays? I remember cosplayers recommending them on forums (holy shit, forums? Remember that? :D) and now I just feel like that grumpy oldie who whispers "there's so much better out there", lmao.

One lens in.

Okay so, err, these babies are big. Big as in kawaii size, pretty much. xD There's a notable 'halo effect' where the lens exceeds my iris and it's gorgeous when it shows. The color on these blue ones is an improvement from the green pair and looks more flattering on my blue-gray eyes – it actually blends in a somewhat cool way too when you look closer. Sure, it could still be a lot more vibrant (it's a bit on the dark side due to lack of coverage) but at least these lenses deliver and the color is likable enough for me to give a halfhearted thumbs up. I'm not sure why but the color reminds me of that one bird with the long thick beak... the... *googles* ... common kingfisher?

Overall this is an 'anime' style of lens, if you may. There's a distinct black rim to create the illusion of bigger and more impactful eyes and the design is somewhat cutesy and cartoony in style. The design itself isn't the most unique in the world but it has enough going on to be easy to enjoy. Yes, it is dolly in style and thus also suitable for j-fashion.

Lens photos ahead!

All photos taken by me during an August 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.

Bathroom light.

Flash photo.

Unlit corridor, poor distant natural light only.

Facing a window. (backyard view, aka not sun side)

Outdoors, back against the sun. Facing the wall.

Outdoors, facing the sun while under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun.

I like these enough to not feel like I just got smacked with a wet fish in the face but I still feel like they could have been so much more. Although I will admit that these lenses are one of those kinds that actually look nicer in real life than on camera. I actually stopped in front of a mirror to look closer at the blending effect and it was almost like a little galaxy in there; the center of the lens transitions, in a quite delicate way, into my natural eye color. Those black dots and streaks might help it somewhat.

Regarding comfort it's the same story as with the other pairs I've reviewed lately – in other words these had expired before I found where the heck I had put the box I stored them in. That means I can't grade comfort more than what my first (and only) impressions were and well, that's not very fair to the lens so please do not take my comfort grading as the ultimate truth or something. But yeah, I only wore these for the review photos but they seemed decent? They were thin but I felt them slightly in my eyes. Also, they were a bit itchy upon insertion but that went away rather quickly. Possibly dryish although I can't really tell because my eyes are naturally super dry and yeah, might just as well have been my eyes having a bad day. My guess for wearing time is anything between 2-4 hours on dry/sensitive eyes, which is decent.

I'm not sure how much I'd recommend these lenses but they are definitely not bad. It's just that there's a lot of blue lenses to choose from and I prefer better color coverage in general. I guess that's one of the things that comes with being a cosplayer, I'm always judging lenses based on how cosplay-friendly they are and for that you need lenses that really show up and dramatically change your eye color. These are fine for fashion but maybe not a first pick for costuming. Of course your mileage may vary but yeah, I will say in their defense that these lenses look their best in outdoor lights.

Distance photo!

  Looking for reviews of Dolly Plus lenses in other colors?
I got you covered: Green, Violet, Brown, Gray, Red

Short summary:

Color: 5/10
It's a decent shade of blue, quite pretty but turns a bit too dark on my eyes to really leave an impact.
Design: 7/10 
Simple kawaii style lens. Big black limbal ring creates 'manga' look.
Opacity: 5/10 

It makes my eyes blue but I lowkey wish the coverage was better. At least they blend nicely..
Enlargement: 8/10
Very much dolly.

Comfort: 5/10 

They are thin but potentially dryish and both lenses were itchy upon insertion. I slightly feel them.
Naturalness: 4/10

Way too big to be passable but I mean, if you're young and cute why not?

Thanks for reading, stay safe out there!

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: Cupid Flame Red

Hi there!

I'm back with a new circle lens review! This time I'm bringing quite a different one to the table as this is a brand I have not tried before – it's time to review the Cupid Flame Red! I bought these from a limited sale at Momoko Lens a couple years back, I am not affiliated with this particular site but thought I'd mention where I got these lenses. I have not been able to find this pair on the site since then (that, or I'm bad at navigating the site) so it might just have been a flash sale styled limited run.

Let's go~

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm

Water content: 40% 

You might notice that I'm not writing out life span on these and that's because I can not find that information anywhere (I did not think of taking a screenshot back then when the lenses were in stock on the site) and if it's on the blisters then I'm sorry but I can't read Chinese. I would guess it's the usual 365 days but as I can't be sure I'd prefer to not say anything in case I'm wrong.

Also, blisters! I have never had circle lenses in blisters before so this felt wild. I don't know if it's because I'm so used to glass vials but I had some serious trouble opening these lol! And getting them to photograph was hard too but I hope you get the gist of what the design looks like at least.

One lens in.

The design itself is nothing hyper unique but it does seem to create a sort of, err, blotched and wild look to your eyes? Like it's unstable and burning or something. There is some yellow mixed in with the primarily red color so it's actually quite lively and in some lights it even takes on an orange shade, which is pretty cool! Flame Red really fits the impression I get of these.

The red color itself is bright, shows up well and has great coverage. There's a thin limbal ring and the lenses are notably on the bigger side. The pupil opening is a bit irregular and that actually helps with not making my light eyes 'clash' horribly in the center where lens meets iris. I think the transition is not half bad, in fact.

Lens photos ahead ~

All photos taken by me during an August noon 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 room light indoors.

Yellow room light indoors.

Flash photo.

Unlit corridor with only poor distant natural light.

Facing a window, not sun side.

Outdoors, back against the sun. Facing the wall.

Outdoors, facing the sun while standing under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun.

Sadly these were not comfortable at all. I could feel the edges of the lens very clearly on both eyes at all times, it was uncomfortable and scratchy. They blurred my vision somewhat and were not good in any aspect, except maybe for that they were thin enough to be floppy. But floppiness makes lenses harder to insert so it's kinda annoying too lol. In fact I struggled to wear these for the 15 something odd minutes I needed to get the photos; I wanted to immediately throw them where the sun doesn't shine but had to get the photos done first. Like okay I've worn even worse lenses but these are on the bottom of the list. I would not be able to wear these for more than 30 minutes even if I tried, they were that bad. I don't know, maybe I just got a defective Monday example? I have another Cupid lens that I will review later so let's hope that one is good. In terms of comfort these were a huge letdown, I'm sorry.

Also, these lenses were horrible when I first opened them last month too. They were just as unwearable back when I was doing my Kashuu Kiyomitsu cosplay. I initally first tried to wear these for the photoshoot but they were so goddamn awful I had to swap them for another red lens that I will review later, stay tuned for that.

In terms of color and design these are likable and cool but the comfort drags all of those merits into the mud. I can't recommend these at all, based on my experiences, even though I liked the orange-ish red shade. It doesn't always go as expected and sometimes you end up being disappointed. No can do but move on and remember folks, don't force yourself to wear lenses that feel wrong to wear for longer periods of time. If it hurts it probably hurts for a reason – I yeeted these straight into the trash as soon as I was done with snapping photos.

Distance photo.

Short summary:

Color: 9/10
It's a red with orange undertones, quite rare color. There's yellow spots to give a flaming, wild look.
Design: 6/10 
It's a fairly ordinary design but it still has some lowkey chaotic vibes.
Opacity: 8/10 

Great coverage and goes surprisingly well with light eyes.
Enlargement: 7/10
On the bigger side but nothing insane. Black rim is tiny when compared to more dolly lenses.

Comfort: 1/10 

Unwearable. I feel the edges of both lenses "hugging" my eyes and it's really scratchy and uncomfortable. Blurs my vision somewhat and is overall just not good in any way.
Naturalness: 2/10

It's a freaking red lens, it's not meant to be natural.

Thanks for reading this review!

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: Vassen Sweet Bliss Violet

Hello!

It is time for the second last review of the Vassen Sweet Bliss series, namely the Vassen Sweet Bliss Violet! These lenses sometimes go under the alternative name Vassen Cloud Nine Violet but it's the same lens. I've said it before but I'll say it again – this is a great lens for anime style eyes and cosplayers!

Without further ado, let's go!

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm

Water content: 55% 

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

This is a lens with a design that grabs your attention. There's this bold, intense black rim with cute tiny black lines running along it that creates a cartoony feel. The color placement is in "teary eye" shaped blocks with varying transparency and these are honestly adorable. It's such an unique way to do the color instead of just taking the usual approach and I really like it a lot. It is true that some spots are more see-through than others with these lenses as the gaps between the blocks, so to say, allows your real eye color to peek a little and this in turn creates a beautiful effect.

One lens in.

How can you not love these?? That's such an amazing violet shade, it's so ethereal and magical! I am absolutely in awe, this is easily one of my favorite shades when it comes to violet lenses. The color is so bright and youthful, perfectly unnatural yet soothing and I could drown in these for days. I'm falling in love with violet lenses all over again, ahaha. ;w;

These are big and cute so there's definitely a dolly effect going on and yeah, the color coverage is great. I really like how unobtrusive my real eye color is with these lenses, despite how it shows a little bit – it's almost like it's meant to be there by design. These are really pleasing and look great on light eyes, it maybe even adds to the whole fairytale feel~

Lens photos ahead ~

All photos taken by me during an August noon 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.

Bathroom light.

Flash photo.

Facing a window, not sun side. (backyard window)

Outdoors, back against the sun. (facing wall)

Outdoors, facing the sun while standing under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun.

As with the previous lenses I found these too late, they had expired by the time I found the cardboard box I had stored them in (I weep) so sadly I can't grade comfort accurately. I only wore these beauties for about 20 minutes while taking the photos for this review and then I discarded the lenses for safety reasons, even though they felt okay to wear. Just don't wear expired lenses to events, okay? Yes, people seriously do that – I once met a person who casually said that they were wearing over 2 years old lenses at an anime convention (as in they had the lenses open and in use for that long) and I think my brain just up and died. God please no.

What I can tell from my first and only impression of wearing these lenses they were thin, I barely felt them in my eyes except for that the left lens was a lil' bit scratchy but nothing too bad. There might have been a slight case of colored corners in my vision but that's to be expected when the pupil hole is a tad smaller than on average circle lenses, especially in poorer light conditions. 

I have naturally very dry and sensitive eyes so I can't wear circle lenses as long as most other people, but I am assuming that if these lenses had been fresh I could possibly have worn them anywhere between 3-5 hours, which is pretty good in my standards. I mean I'm one of those who have to occasionally spam eyedrops in daily life (I wear glasses, not lenses) because my eyes decide to be little shits.

But honestly this is such a gorgeous lens and if you have any inclination to be drawn towards unnatural colors you should definitely try these out. It's such a mesmerizing shade of light violet and combined with the 'anime' eye look its beauty is without words! I would have loved to wear these lenses for longer and I definitely will consider repurchasing them shall the need arise. It's a perfect lens for cosplay, magical looks, cutesy styles and any kind of mystical creatures like elves, fairies and the like. 

Distance photo!

Want to see Sweet Bliss lenses in other colors?

Check these out: Gray, Brown, Green, Pink, Red, Blue

 

Short summary:

Color: 10/10
One of the most beautiful light violet lenses I've tried! Ethereal and full of magic.
Design: 9/10 
Mesmerizing "teary eye" style lens that has the added bonus of making you look like a manga character.
Opacity: 8/10 

Great coverage and goes well with light eyes.
Enlargement: 8/10
Big and definitely on the dolly scale.

Comfort: 7/10 

Appears to be good. Thin and I barely felt them, except the left lens was a bit scratchy (possibly just dirt I did not get out). Estimated 3-5 hours of wear on dry eyes.
Naturalness: 2/10

This design is not meant to look natural.

Thanks for reading this review, hope you found it useful!

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: GEO Color Nine Light Red

Hello folks!

I'm continuing with the circle lens reviews again, need to pick up the pace as the sunlight hours will soon start decreasing and that's gonna make things harder for me. ^^" Today I'm reviewing the GEO Color Nine Light Red, a tiny dark red lens that is quite suitable for cosplay if you need said color.

Let's go! 

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.2 mm

Water content: 40±2% 

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

I honestly bought these ages ago and have no memory from what site; they seem a bit hard to find and I remember they were hard to find all those years ago too. It's almost as if I wonder if this series has been discontinued since then? Whatever the case I will still review them as it's a nice lens and this color is pretty hard to come by.

One lens in.

This is a quite small lens, there's not a particularly big enlargement effect although there is a black rim that does add an illusion of bigger eyes.  They are just slightly bigger than my natural iris as you can see, pretty good if you don't want moe eyes. :) I would maybe recommend these if you need dark red lenses for a serious or shounen type anime character cosplay.

So it's a super dark red, like really dark. The darkest red lens I've worn to date, I think? It's a deep color, a bit wine red in shade but it's intense and definitely cool. The design is quite simple but sometimes less is more! I would say that the design and modest size makes these very versatile. The opacity is great, I have nothing to complain about as it obviously changes my eye color. One might notice though that when you look closer the whole print of the lens itself is made up of countless tiny dots, this makes it so that your real eye color does somewhat affect the final color outcome – in my case the lenses have a slight hue of a cherry red in the vials but turn blood red when worn.

Lens photos ahead ~

All photos taken by me during an August noon 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.

Bathroom light.

Flash photo.

In a corridor with poor, distant natural light only.

Facing a window. (not sun side)

Outdoors, back against the sun. (facing the wall)

Outdoors, facing the sun while standing under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun.

I can't really judge comfort as these had sadly expired by the time I got around to do this review so I basically just snapped the photos and immediately discarded the lenses after. Yes, this is the fate of most lenses I've reviewed lately and will be for many more to come as I found that goddamn box that I had yeeted into storage and forgot about and yes, it was filled with lenses. So sadly there was a lot of pretty lenses in the box but I figured I'd at least review them in case it helps someone, out there, some day. 

So yep, in other words I can only base comfort on my first (and only) impression of wearing these lenses for the approximately 20 minutes it took to take the photos. They felt kinda decent, I did feel them in my eyes but it wasn't outright uncomfortable – except for that one lens was a lil' bit scratchy while the other one was perfectly fine. My vision was slightly blurred and they might have been a tiny bit drying? I'm honestly not sure if it was the lenses or my eyes cuz my eyes were already dry before I started doing the review lol. But yeah, on a good day (assuming I had non-expired lenses, of course) I would maybe have been able to wear these around 3-4 hours I think, which is pretty decent considering how sensitive and naturally dry my eyes are.

I don't have so much to say about these lenses, really. They are small, have a rarer bloodish shade of red and thanks to the simple design they lend themselves to cosplay, Halloween monsters and why not metalheads, goths and others who dress in dark styles. This is maybe not as much of a cutesy lens as most circle lenses are so it's a rather "low threshold" lens to try if you're a first-timer or looking for an unnatural color that somehow doesn't have fake plastered all over it.

Distance photo below.

 

Short summary:

Color: 6/10 

A really deep, dark red lens. Yes, the name Light Red is deceiving lol.

Design: 6/10 

It's a simple design with a black rim, single color and has a streaked center.

Opacity: 8/10

My eyes are obviously not light blue-gray anymore. Great coverage despite the "dotty print".

Enlargement: 4/10 

Very slight enlargement effect, mainly just an illusion from the black rim. Won't make or break anything.

Comfort: 5/10 

Overall quite decent but perhaps a bit dryish and one of the lenses was a little bit scratchy? Minor vision blur.

Naturalness: 3/10 

Cut the color some slack and it's not too shabby due to the lack of size.. for being a red lens.

Thanks for reading my blog! More reviews coming soon~

Shiro Samurai out.