Lens review: I-Codi Eclipse CO4-01 Brown

Happy summer folks!

Hope y'all having a nice weekend. :) I will continue to do circle lens reviews as per usual (shame I don't really have any new cosplay content yet) and this time it's the I-Codi Eclipse CO4-01 Brown, a super pretty multi-colored lens!

Let's roll~

 

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 15.0 mm

Water content: 38%
Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

 

As you can see this is not your typical brown lens. It has this kind of multi-color burst pattern with brown, orange, some yellow and blue shades and it's honestly thrilling! I've never come across a lens like this and it's so unique and gorgeous. I remember buying these from ifairycon, in case anyone wonders where you can find these lenses (I'm not affiliated with this shop). 

There's a prominent black rim although it's not super thick like on some other lenses. It still really frames your eyes and adds to the illusion of big, youthful peepers.

One lens in.

When worn you can kinda tell that the primary color is brown but the blue speckles are quite prominent as well! It makes me think of stained glass or a supernova or something, it's really fancy. The design is very eye-catching and it definitely won't pass as natural so yeah, wear these with funky fashion outfits that already turn heads and you'll turn even more heads lol. x) Oh and yeah, in terms of size these lenses are quite big but it's not too big, you know?

The color coverage is really good, it completely covers my real eye color. I'm actually lowkey surprised how the pupil opening doesn't clash badly where it meets my iris – it works better than I thought, despite the design being so intense and busy. Actually, I feel like the pupil hole might be just a tad smaller than average for circle lenses of this size now that I look closer...

Lens photos ahead! All photos taken by me during a June 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, weak natural light in the far distance.

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

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

Outdoors, facing the sun while under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun.

I've mentioned this in a lot of previous reviews before but, just in case someone new is reading this, I want to clarify that these lenses were in a cardboard box I had forgotten I had until way past expiration. When I found it again, years later, all the unopened lenses inside had expired. This means I am unable to grade comfort on these lenses along with most other lenses I will review for some time. I'm literally only wearing this pair long enough to get the photos for the review (approximately 10 minutes) and then I immediately discard them. Please do not wear expired lenses for events etc.

 

From what I can tell these lenses seemed fine – they were thin and I barely felt them. There was a moment immediately after I inserted the left lens that it was a little bit itchy around the corner but it settled after about one minute. I can only guess but it wouldn't surprise me if  I could wear these for the usual 3-4 hours (note: I have naturally very dry eyes so this is standard/good wear time for me) if they had not been expired. It's a shame I can't get some use out of these lenses as I really like the design and the, well, color vomit. xD 

 

Summa summarum this is a gorgeous, fresh and feisty lens. The burst-like design draws attention and the multiple colors work together in a wonderful, magical way. I feel like the blue shades in particular liven up the brown and gives it this kind of fantasy flare and it's exciting! It's a really unique lens with a cool color combination that you really don't run into every day. If you like multi-color lenses that stand out then don't sleep on these!

 

Distance photo~ 

 

Short summary:

Color: 9/10
Beautiful multi-color lens! Brown is the primary color but there's oranges, yellows and blues mixed in.
Design: 8/10
It has a respectable black rim and a wild, burst-like design that looks amazing up close.
Opacity: 8/10 

Really solid color coverage. High pigmentation.
Enlargement: 6/10
It's a bit big but still fairly modest. These aren't overly dolly.

Comfort: 7/10 

Seemed to be decent, thin and I didn't feel them much. A little itchy upon insertion but it went away fast.
Naturalness: 3/10

Somewhat too big, but definitely too colorful to really fly much at all.

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

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: Vassen Dolly Plus Gray

 Hello people!

 

Summer arrived very suddenly this year over here, man it's hot outside. xD I need to chug out more circle lens reviews while midnight sun is a thing and I have plenty of daylight hehe. This time I will review the Vassen Dolly Plus Gray lenses, also sometimes spelled as Vassen Dolly+ Gray.
Back in 2013 when I started using colored contact lenses for cosplay these lenses were a popular choice for cosplayers but nowadays there's a lot more options flooding the market than there used to be so yeah, I'm not too sure how things currently stand. Regardless, this is a beautiful lens and worth checking out!

Let's get on with the review~

 

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm

Water content: 42% 

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

 

This is a really big and dolly lens, just like the name implies. It's a great pick for lolita, cosplay, j-fashion and the like where having an 'anime eye' look is part of the desired aesthetic. There's a thick black rim to add to the illusion of big, youthful eyes and the color coverage is solid – despite the gray being very light in shade. It's a lovely, attractive lens that will look good on almost anyone. Actually I'm kind of surprised how nice it goes with my natural gray-blue eyes despite the design of the lenses not really having a smooth color transition at the center.

 

One lens in.

 

As you can see these are big and do indeed look a lot like 'manga eyes'. Because gray is close to my real eye color I feel like those black streaks near the pupil hole bring attention to the lack of blending between the lens and my iris – it's not necessarily a bad thing but it just strikes me more with these gray lenses than with the other Dolly Plus colors I've reviewed before.
I'm usually not drawn to gray lenses all that much, find it a bit of a dull color so to say, but these lenses are honestly very pretty. It's a light, almost pristine gray color that looks very clean and somehow alluring? It has this certain pull to it that I rarely feel with gray lenses, it's just captivating in a way.

 

Lens photos ahead! All photos taken by me during a June 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.

Facing a window (backyard view, 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've mentioned it many times before but I've kind of made it a rite, by now, to clarify just in case there's new readers stumbling into my blog who haven't read previous lens reviews I've done the last year or so – these lenses were in a cardboard box I had put a lot of unopened lenses in and then just stashed away and literally forgotten.. for years. When I found it again everything had expired, much to my chagrin. This means I am unable to grade comfort on these lenses along with most other lenses I will review for a while. I stress, do not wear expired lenses to events or for prolonged periods!! I'm literally only wearing the lenses long enough to get the photos for the review (approximately 10 minutes) and then I immediately discard them. 

The only thing I can really say about the perceived comfort is that the lenses felt thin and were easy to insert, despite a little bit of floppiness on my fingers. They appeared to be comfortable and I didn't feel them in my eyes almost at all. My estimate is that if these had not been expired I likely could have worn them the usual 3-5 hours that is standard for me, considering how stupid dry my eyes naturally are (yes, I'm one of those people who use eyedrops a lot).

Overall I'd say that this is a lens worth trying, even more so if you happen to like gray lenses. In my opinion it perhaps has a bit too much of an impact to be worn as a daily lens but for events, costumes, alternative fashion and the like I'd say this is a good option. The design is simple enough to work for many different looks and the color coverage is great, you even have the chance of getting a slight 'halo effect' in some lights and that's always a bonus! It's seriously a lovable lens, even for those like me who almost never choose a gray lens as their first choice haha.

And lastly, the distance photo~

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

Short summary:

Color: 8/10
A gorgeous, cool light gray. It shows up well and goes nicely with naturally light eyes.
Design: 8/10 
Simple and cute style that is rather versatile in what looks you can rock with it.

Opacity: 8/10 

Color coverage is solid and sufficiently intense, without being overbearing.
Enlargement: 8/10
Definitely large and dolly. The black limbal ring adds to the illusion of big, moe-like eyes.

Comfort: 7/10 

I barely felt them in my eyes, they were thin and comfy. A bit floppy but still easy to insert.
Naturalness: 3/10

The color could work from a distance but these are way too big and cutesy otherwise to really fly.

Thanks for reading, another lens review coming soon~

Shiro Samurai out.

Top 50 Cosplay Blogs

Hello!

I'm just making a quick post because I recently learned that my blog has been selected by one of Feedspot's panelists to be part of the "Top 50 Cosplay Blogs" on the internet. It's a comprehensive list of blogs run by cosplayers like me, just as well as cosplay stores and news sites. 

I'm honored to be part of this list and surprised that I'm as high up as number 9 currently. :D Not gonna lie I think it's kinda wholesome that my contribution to the community is noticed and acknowledged like this – I've had this blog since December 2011, so it's definitely been around for a while and I do plan to keep it alive for many more years to come. Motivation boost go!

But anygays, the link to the list is posted above so if you wanna check who else made the cut then head over there – you might find some new cool blogs to follow!

See ya next month~
Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: GEO Xtra Lotus Brown

Yo!

Here it is, my other circle lens review for this month. I'm trying to motivate myself to keep pushing these reviews out as I still have a looooot left to go through. OTL 

Today's review is the GEO Xtra Lotus Brown, a pretty lens with a lotus flower design! The identification code for these lenses is WFL-A14.

Let's go!

 

Base curve: 8.8 mm
Diameter: 14.8 mm

Water content: 40±2%

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

 

These lenses are a part of the GEO Xtra Flower series, inspired by...well, flowers. GEO is a well-known brand that has been around for a long time and all their lenses should come with authenticity stickers, that you can check up online to make sure that your received pair is legit. Yes, fake lenses do exist so do your research and be mindful of what stores you buy from.

 

GEO lenses can be both big and small but this particular series is on the big side, as one can probably guess from the fact that they have Xtra in the name. 

One lens in.

These lenses have a soft, delicate brown shade that is accentuated by the gray parts in the design. The brown color doesn't show up a lot on my eyes but you can tell there's something different going on and the effect is still pretty magical. The print has a petal design that's honestly really soft and pretty – it looks a bit like the lens is rimmed with crystals or something! I actually really like this type of artsy design, it's lovely and mesmerizing. 

And yes, due to the design not being particularly opaque there is some transparency that ends up making an alluring 'halo effect' on my eyes. Oh and yeah, these lenses blend wonderfully into my light gray-blue eyes in a way that isn't distracting at all, in my opinion. The transition is really smooth and I don't know why but these lenses just appear very fairytale-like to me and I love it.

This is the kind of lens that is more for fashion and enhancement effect than for color change. The unique design is its strong suit. I feel like this is not really a cosplay lens as I doubt it would show up enough when photographed from a distance.

 Lens close-up photos ahead.

All photos taken by me during an April noon with a partly cloudy 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 (backyard, not sun side).

Outdoors, back against the sun. (facing wall)

Outdoors, facing the sun while standing under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun.

Sadly I can't grade comfort properly. These lenses had expired by the time I found where I had stashed them away years ago, oops. Oh well, as with many other lens reviews I've done recently I figured I'd at least take some photos before I throw them away so that maybe it helps someone out there. 

But from what I can tell from my first (and only) time wearing these lenses was that they felt thin and comfy, I didn't really notice much that I had lenses on. They were a bit floppy and hard to insert due to how big and thin they are – they kept flopping over on my finger lol. But yeah, had these lenses been fresh I believe I could have worn them the usual 3-4 hours keeping in mind that my eyes are naturally dry af.

So yeah, if you like flashy and fancy lenses with eye-catching designs then you might want to try something from the GEO Lotus series. They're a treat with the 'halo effect', dual color (gray and the main color) and that delicate petal-like design. A beautiful lens for close-up photos and sparkling days~

Distance photo below.

 

Want to see Xtra Lotus lenses in other colors?
I have reviewed a few: Gray, Green, Violet

Short summary:

Color: 7/10
Delicate light brown color, there's not a lot of it but it goes really well with my natural eye color and it brings out the golden-ish brown ring closest to my pupils.

Design: 8/10

A detailed, artistic lotus flower print that looks like crystals. It's honestly gorgeous.

Opacity: 5/10

These are not very opaque, think of them as an enhancer type of lens more than a colored lens.

Enlargement: 7/10

These are somewhat big but definitely not too big.

Comfort: 7/10

Appeared to be comfortable to wear, thin and I barely felt them. A bit floppy to handle.

Naturalness: 4/10

If you excuse the size and extravagant print then these aren't all that crazy.

Thanks for reading! See you next time~
Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: GEO Angel Brown

 Hello everyone!

 

It's been a while, I've had to motivate myself to keep up with the blog lately. I've been quite busy with other things and well, there's not a lot going on in terms of cosplay right now so I'm mostly just chilling at home playing video games lol. 

But today I wanted to do a circle lens review and it's gonna be the GEO Angel Brown, their identification number is CM-834. I have no memory how I got these lenses but I think they might have been from one of those "buy 2 get 1 free surprise pair" type of deals cuz I clearly have no memory of consciously purchasing these lenses lmao. xD

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.2 mm

Water content: 40±2% 

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

 

This is the kind of super classic circle lens design, like it's so basic that this is the type of lens I immediately imagine in my head when I hear the world "circle lenses". :'D I feel like lenses similar to this one has been around for a long time and have been copied and adapted by several major brands over the years. In all its simplicity it's even perhaps a bit boring to me? It's been done to death, ya know?

One lens in.

I don't have so much to say about these lenses. They represent the cutesy, moe style with a big size and a rather big black limbal ring too. There's some black streaks at the center and some dotted "spikes" meeting these lines from the opposite side. The general look is a bit cartoony or 'anime', if you may.

I'm not really a fan of the color, it turns into this rather bland and uninspiring brown on my light gray-blue eyes. I feel like these lenses are likely meant for dark-eyed individuals as they don't really blend well on my eyes either; the part where my eye color shows through the pupil ring clashes quite a bit. ^^"

 Lens close-up photos ahead.

All photos taken by me during an April noon with a mostly cloudy 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 to the backyard (not sun side).

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

Outdoors, facing the sun (hidden) while standing under the roof's shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun while it's hidden by a veil of clouds.

I can't really grade comfort (as has been the norm for a while now, if you've been reading my other reviews) as these lenses had expired by the time I found them stashed away. I quite literally just took the photos and then immediately discarded them so yeah, the only things about comfort that I can say are essentially first impressions based on 10 minutes of wearing the lenses. 

But what little I can say is that they felt thin overall and I didn't feel the right lens much at all. The left lens though was horrible, it constantly stung and was almost unbearable. I had some trouble inserting the lenses too, they didn't really want to stick to my eyes and kept falling out although that might just as well have been because I have not handled circle lenses in two months. I have no idea how comfortable these would potentially be if they hadn't been expired but my wild guess is something between 2-4 hours on very dry eyes like mine.

So here we are, at the end of the review. I'm not sure if I would recommend these lenses for anyone with a similar eye color as me, it's a pretty dull color in my opinion. I do like brown lenses sometimes but the essence of what makes brown a beautiful and alluring color is lacking in these. I do suspect that these lenses would come to their right on hazel or light brown eyes. Oh and yeah, I almost wonder if it isn't my own eye color that somewhat shines through and makes the brown color of the lenses mix and look more... grayish? 

Distance photo~

In these corona times I'm part of the #bathrobegang

Short summary:

Color: 4/10 

Meh. Would probably look nice on hazel/brown eyes but on me it looks kinda muddy and dull.

Design: 5/10 

Probably the most basic circle lens design there is. Everyone has worn a similar lens to these lol.

Opacity: 7/10

It does change my eye color considerably but it's not crazy opaque. Feels like your natural eye color affects the outcome.

Enlargement: 7/10 

This is a pretty damn big lens. The black rim is huge and gives a very dolly look.

Comfort: 4/10 

They're okay I guess. Can't really grade comfort but they were thin and decent, save for the left lens which was horribly stingy and irritating the whole 10 minutes I wore them.

Naturalness: 3/10 

These are way too big and noticeable to really fool anyone to think your eyes actually look like that.

Thanks for reading my blog. Another review coming soon~

Shiro Samurai out.