November 22, 2021

Lens review: I-Codi Colors of the Wind Leaf Green

 Hello again!
 
I'm back with another circle lens review and this time I'm continuing with the greens, woop! It's time for the I-Codi Colors of the Wind Leaf Green and let's-a-go immediately~



Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 15.0 mm
Water content: 38%
Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)
 

I don't think it's a surprise by now that I like green lenses a lot, despite the lurking danger that green lenses can be quite a hit or miss for blue-eyed people like me. xD But I've also noticed that, so far, none of my green lenses from the Colors of the Wind series have been shit and thus I also feel rather strongly that this is a quality series. Color coverage has always been pretty good and it's a massive bonus that there's so many colors to choose from in this set too, you're sure to be infatuated by at least something lol!
 
One lens in.
 
This is a lightish, somewhat mossy green lens that is really pleasant in my opinion. The shade of green has this nature-near feeling (think like leaves on a tree or something) and I love how that simple, semi-natural patterning in the lens really adds an alluring pull to it with those faint black streaks. This color just looks so good on my eyes and the blending is rather sublime too, there's no harsh edges where the lens meets my iris! It should also be noted that for being a light green lens the color coverage and general opacity of the pigment is really good; it somehow lands on that golden middle road where it has enough color intensity to clearly change the appearance of my eyes while also not being so much that it would cease to look semi-natural.
Oh and yeah, regarding the enlargement effect these land on the rather moderate scale. There's not a huge chunk of size improvement but it's definitely enough to be noticed. So basically no dolly kawaii eyes but rather this size that is flattering on a large array of eye shapes and styles.

Lens photos below!
All photos taken by yours truly during a November morning with a mostly 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)

Outdoor, back against the sun. (facing wall)

Outdoors, facing the sun.

And as always I can't grade comfort properly for these as they had expired (in their unopened vials) by the time I found them. If you've been reading my blog for a while you know the story, but if you're new here I'll write it down once more lol. So basically the story is that I had purchased a sizeable amount of circle lenses a long time ago and I had put them all in a cardboard box that I had then put away somewhere and then forgotten about.. for literal years. You can safely guess that everything in said box had expired when I found it. :) Fuck my life and so on.
So what I'm doing now is that I'm trying to review every single pair in said doomed box, to at least help the community before I throw 'em all away. With that said, please don't wear expired lenses! I'm only wearing them long enough to get all necessary review photos taken (which takes around 10-20 minutes) and then I immediately yeet them into the garbage bin.
So yeah, comfort. What little I can say is that during my short time wearing these beauties they were thin to the point I barely felt them in my eyes and overall they seemed to be really comfortable. I'm assuming I could have worn these for 4-5 or so hours if they had been fresh, which is solid in my standards as I have naturally really dry and rather sensitive eyes.

All in all Colors of the Wind series is a beautiful collection of lenses that comes in so many color variations that you're sure to find something you like. The Leaf Green color is honestly wonderful in my book and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it forward if you're on the search for this kind of green shade that fills your imagination with a lush, sleeping forest. It's not every day that you run into this kind of tender, soft green shade that doesn't simply turn into a muddy mess on blue-gray eyes.

Distance photo!
 
 
Short summary:

Color: 8/10
Gorgeous, alluring, delicate yet lively soft green.
Huge nature vibes.
Design: 8/10
Mimics a real iris yet has enough punch to turn heads. Rather magical, in fact.
Opacity: 8/10 
For being such a light green the color coverage is stellar!
Enlargement: 4/10
There's some size enhancement but it's not too much.
Comfort: 8/10 
Appears to be thin, comfy and very wearable. I didn't really feel that I had lenses on much at all.
Naturalness: 6/10
Somewhat too big but otherwise passable, as long as no one looks too close. Semi-realistic.

Thanks for reading my blog~

November 20, 2021

Lens review: I-Codi Colors of the Wind Ever Green

Hello!
 
I'm continuing with even more lens reviews (at least these work as a respirator for the blog until I get some proper cosplay content done xD) and today I thought I'd show y'all the I-Codi Colors of the Wind Ever Green circle lenses.

Let's go!



Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 15.0 mm
Water content: 38%
Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)


I'm not gonna pretend otherwise I am quite fond of this series. The design itself is not the most unique out there but there's such a plethora of colors available that I can't but marvel. And the design is by no means boring, it's semi-natural but there is that one ~something~ that makes them really speak to me. It's hard to pinpoint what exactly it is but I just feel like the Colors of the Wind series are really easy to like as they are so versatile and thus will look good on most people and work for many different purposes, be it costuming or daily fashion.

One lens in.

In terms of size these are moderate, they're not really big but not small either. There is a black limbal ring but it's rather thin and doesn't make your eyes look super dolly or anything. The print is rather simple and somewhat mimics a real iris, although with a tinge of fantasy flair added to it.
I do also like the color coverage green lenses can be very hit or miss (depending on your natural eye color) but these show up very clearly as green and it's a rather clear green too, which is definitely a plus in my book. I also like how these seem to blend and transition nicely into my real eye color at the pupil hole, there's no obvious glaring edges where the lens meets my iris.

Lens photos below!
All photos taken by yours truly during a November morning with a mostly 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 distance.

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

Outdoors, back against the sun. (facing wall)

Outdoors, facing the sun.

I can't grade comfort properly for these as they had sadly expired in their unopened vials by the time I found them. Most people who have been reading my blog for a while or so know the drill, but if you're new here the story is basically that years ago I had purchased quite a lot of circle lenses and I had put them all in a cardboard box that I had then yeeted somewhere safe and forgotten about.. until somewhat recently. Much to my disappointment everything in the box had expired and so I'm now trying to at least get reviews done, to help the community, and thus not have my moolah completely wasted. With that said, please don't wear expired lenses I'm only wearing them long enough to get all necessary review photos taken (which takes approximately 10-20 minutes) and then I immediately discard the lenses.
So yeah, what little I can say regarding my short time wearing these lenses is that they were thin, overall comfortable and I barely felt them in my eyes. They were easy to insert but just be aware that this is one of those lenses where it's rather hard for inexperienced contact lens wearers to tell the right side from the wrong side. Oh and yeah, I'm assuming that if these lenses had been fresh I probably could have worn them for 4-5 or so hours, which is good in my standards as I have naturally really dry and somewhat sensitive eyes (I periodically have to use eyedrops daily).

All in all Colors of the Wind series is a fun and somewhat playful collection of lenses. There's tons of colors to choose from and they fit a lot of different purposes unless you're trying to go for a really over-the-top style, then these might be on the fence of being "too natural". Although they are more semi-natural due to the good color payoff, slightly enhanced size and just general fanciness. I find this series very likable, even as a cosplayer, and I would recommend checking it out if you want a lot to choose from.

Distance photo!


Short summary:

Color: 7/10
A really nice, somewhat deep and darkish green that has this alluring pull to it.

Design: 8/10
Mimics a real iris and it also sports a thin black limbal ring, simple but very versatile.
Opacity: 7/10 
Great color coverage and the lens transitions somewhat smoothly into my iris, despite the notable color difference.
Enlargement: 4/10
Moderate size enlargement, it's not a lot but it's still clearly noticeable.
Comfort: 8/10 
Appears to be thin, comfy and easy to insert. I barely felt them at all.
Naturalness: 5/10
The color itself, for being green, is a bit too rich to really fly but otherwise not bad.

Thanks for reading, I hope you found this review helpful~

October 26, 2021

Lens review: Vassen Dolly Plus Red

Hello there!

As I promised earlier I would review the red lenses I used on the costest for Prussia and here it now is. This is a review for the Vassen Dolly Plus Red, a circle lens that used to be quite popular among cosplayers and I assume that such is the case even today.

Without further ramblings, let's do this!

 

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm

Water content: 42% 
Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)
 

This is a large and very colorful lens with an 'anime eye' design, hence its popularity for cosplay purposes and j-fashion in general. There's a distinct, black limbal ring that adds to the big eye effect and makes you appear rather youthful. This is one of those lenses that is very easy to like as it simply just looks so good on most people!

One lens in.

This is not a lens that you wear if you wanna look natural, that's for sure. You wouldn't pick a red lens for that in the first place, right? :D The red color is very obvious, it's not an insanely bright lens (not crazy lens levels) but still vibrant enough to show up even when viewed from a moderate distance. The color coverage is superb but be prepared that some of your real eye color will show through the pupil hole as is the norm on bigger circle lenses.

Lens photos ahead! All photos taken by me during an October afternoon with a mostly 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.

Indoors, facing a window. (backyard, not sun side)

Indoors, unlit corridor with weak natural light in the distance.

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

Outdoors, facing the sun while standing under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun. (it was about to get blocked by a roof)

As per usual these lenses were also part of that box of unopened lenses I had forgotten about. I found it after pretty much every single pair in there had expired so I'm only wearing each pair I review until I get the necessary photos taken and then I immediately discard them. That means I wear a lens for approximately 10-20 minutes and that's what my comfort grade will be solely based around – obviously it's not optimal so take it with a big pinch of salt. Also, please don't wear expired lenses for any prolonged time – it's potentially dangerous and just not worth it. Just don't.

What I can say about the comfort is that these lenses appeared to be really comfortable; I barely felt them in my eyes and they were thin and easy to insert. I did not experience red corners in my vision field nor blurring. I would say they were comfortable and if these lenses had been fresh I could likely have worn them for 4-5 hours (I have dry and sensitive eyes naturally) which is good in my book.

I would definitely recommend these lenses if you fancy red lenses in general or if you need this style and color for cosplaying. Also great for alternative fashion, goths and basically anything that you want to have red eyes for when dressing up. I think it's a really beautiful lens with a great color that's intense without being overwhelming or excessively fake-looking. You can't really go wrong with these, in my opinion.

Distance photo!

Yup, this was from the Prussia cosplay test as well.

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

Short summary:


Color: 8/10
Vibrant, clear red color that simply looks great.
Eye-catching.
Design: 8/10 

Simple 'manga style' lens with a big black rim. Dolly in style but very flattering on most people.
Opacity: 8/10 
Color coverage is very solid, no doubt that your eyes will look red with these.
Enlargement: 8/10
The black limbal ring adds to the illusion of big eyes but yeah, these are notably enlarging.
Comfort: 8/10 
Thin and I didn't really feel that I was wearing lenses. Easy to insert.
Naturalness: 2/10
Red lenses will never be natural for obvious reasons and these are too cartoony as well.

Thanks for reading, stay safe~

October 18, 2021

Prussia (Hetalia) cosplay makeup test

Hello guys!

I haven't done any cosplay content in forever and, while I can't call this one proper either, I did get a sudden urge today to do a makeup test just for fun and for practicing (it's been ages and I'm legit getting scared here that I'd forget how to do cosplay makeup at this rate lmao) and then I was like "is there anyone I can do that I already have a suitable wig for and also have lenses that I need to review?" and after a while it clicked Prussia from Hetalia: Axis Powers. I mean, I have a lot of white and silver wigs so can't really go wrong with this one!

Some of you might remember that I did actually cosplay Prussia at Närcon several years ago; it was a very impromptu thing where I borrowed Firith's Teutonic Knight outfit. I might one day steal borrow this cosplay again just so that I can at least have a proper photoshoot...

I don't have his usual uniform or anything of the sort so yeah, the closest I could use that had some resemblance to what the character actually wears was basically a simple black dress shirt. I mean he does have a black shirt under the uniform lol. xD I'm not sure if I will cosplay him seriously at some point in the future, time will tell.
 


I.. umm, have a wig dilemma. If I do eventually end up cosplaying Prussia I can't decide on which wig I should use. On the two photos above I'm wearing a silver-white wig and, while I think that it might be better in color than the pure white wig on the photo below, I'm not sure about it because I feel like this silver wig is too thick, fluffy and layered on top. But then again, the pure white wig I like the cut and style of better and it's "thinner" and less top-heavy which I feel looks better but yeah, is it too white??
I was gravitating towards the silvery wig at first but the more I think the more I'm starting to doubt. Send help. >o< If you have a preference on which wig suits Prussia better please let me know!


That's all I have for now. I live alone and no photographer available so I'm limited to selfies (I do have a tripod... somewhere) for the time being. The lenses I'm wearing I will be reviewing later so stay tuned for that~

October 13, 2021

Lens review: RevoColour Meteor Blue

Hello folks!

It's been a while since the last post, I haven't really had the energy to blog and do reviews as there has been quite some stuff going on lately and yeah, it has been pretty damn heavy... #fuckcancer
But I'm not gonna go more into that, I came to write a circle lens review for the RevoColour Meteor Blue.

Shall we begin?
 
 

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm
Water content: 45%
Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)
 

I'm not usually fond of natural-looking lenses and the only reason I grabbed these in the first place was simple curiosity because the color looked pretty vivid. I remember buying these lenses from HoneyColor but they don't seem to carry them any longer. It's been some years, oops.
Oh well, as you can see on the photo above these lenses are single color and have a really simple pattern that lacks any kind of limbal ring or artistic spice to it. In a way one would easily think of it as boring but if you are looking for a daily lens that can be worn just fine, even without any makeup, then these are pretty okay. It doesn't always have to be big and fancy.

One lens in.

Please ignore my wound on the nose, it's really itchy and sensitive if anything touches it (including my glasses) so I really could not wear makeup for this review today. I'm waiting for it to heal but today was literally the first day in over a week when I even saw the sun properly so yeah, I had to make use of this opportunity to take some photos lol.

As you can see these lenses are really small, there's hardly any enlargement effect to even speak of (definitely doesn't feel like a 14,5 mm lens). The color blends surprisingly nicely into my gray-blue eyes which I wasn't really expecting due to how, umm, "rough" the lenses look in their vials? Dunno how to explain but the printing just looks a bit blocky to me in a way. I'm also surprised by how good the color coverage ended up being; I was half-way expecting these to kinda just disappear into my eyes without doing much lol.
Anyway, the blue color of the lenses is clean and albeit it's certainly bright it doesn't look very unnatural at all. I've seen some people who have really intense and eye-catching eyes naturally so it's not that far-fetched.

Lens photos ahead!
All photos taken by me during an October noon with a mostly 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 wall)

Outdoors, facing the direction of the sun while under a shadow.

Outdoors, facing the sun directly.
 
And just like with all other colored contact lenses I've been reviewing for some time now (and will review in the near future) these had sadly expired by the time I got to do this review. I quite literally forgot about this one big box of lenses I had stashed away years ago and now I'm going through it whenever I've got the time, reviewing and then immediately discarding the lenses after I'm done taking photos. Maybe these reviews are helpful to someone out there someday, then my effort will be worth it haha.
What this also means is that I can't grade comfort properly as I'm only wearing a pair for approximately 10-20 minutes and then it's the trash bin. So any comfort grades or remarks that I dish out for expired lenses should be taken with that in consideration – that they are indeed expired and I only wore them once, for a very short time. Do note that all expired lenses I open for the review; I haven't had them lying around opened in lens cases for years, that would be gross.
About the comfort for this pair I can say that I constantly felt them in my eyes, especially when I blinked cuz it felt like they wouldn't really settle properly and kinda just drift around a bit? It didn't outright itch but it was quite uncomfortable nonetheless. Otherwise they were okay-ish but tbh it was a relief to take them off lmao.

I don't have so much more to say about these lenses. I have no idea where you can find them nowadays, if they still exist, but they're pretty fun for more casual looks while still packing something to get moderately excited over – namely a solid blue color.

Distance photo!
 

Short summary:

Color: 6/10  
Single-color medium blue that is quite bright while retaining a mostly natural look.
Design: 5/10
Very simple design as it's just... blue. There's nothing extraordinary about it.
Opacity: 6/10
Coverage is a lot better than I expected. These actually are vibrant (for being a natural lens) and notably change my perceived eye color.
Enlargement: 2/10
Really tiny. I hardly notice a difference, even without makeup.
Comfort: 4/10
Take my comfort grade with a pinch of salt, for abovementioned reasons, but I constantly felt these and they weren't the most pleasant to wear due to some lowkey itchy "drifting" when blinking. Wearing time 1-3 hours on sensitive eyes at best.
Naturalness: 7/10
The small size and lack of any extra 'oomph' design-wise makes these appear rather natural. The color might be a bit much for some but some people have really bright blue eyes so it's not completely off either.

Thank you for reading my reviews~
Shiro Samurai says bye.