[Sponsored] Lens review: EOS Super Neon Violet

Hello puppies!

Today I feel like it's a lens review day so say hello to the EOS Super Neon Violet! It's a really nice dark violet lens with great color coverage and a deep mystic shade. I'd rate it cosplay-friendly as well as suitable for many fashion styles! LoveShoppingholics sent me these gorgeous lenses for review purposes so thanks to them for making this review possible ~

The lenses that I'm reviewing in this blog post were sponsored by LoveShoppingholics, meaning that I did not pay for the product(s) myself. This does, however, not affect my honesty in any way. The words and opinions in this review are mine and mine alone, I don't ever compromise the truth.

Base curve: 8.8 mm
Diameter: 14.8 mm

Water content: 38%

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

For more information about LoveShoppingholics and their online shop, be sure to check out this lens review where I talk about their store, my impressions and such!

If you're new to circle lenses I highly recommend that you take the lenses out of their little glass bottles and put them to soak in ordinary lens solution over the night, before wearing them for the first time. The reason why is because the solution that the lenses are stored in is of a different kind (stronger) and thus it might irritate your eyes and, well, as your sight is really important I urge you to be careful with your eyes and not take any unnecessary risks.

The EOS Super Neon series of lenses have a wide and intense black limbal ring, often feature a dark color and have a rather eye-catching design. It's not a single color but actually multiple different shades of violet, which adds depth to the lens and keeps them from looking flat and unrealistic. I dare say that the color is beautiful and it also appears to be densely pigmented, which means that it will cover your real eye color well.

One lens in.

As you can see on the photo above the violet is darker than average, the black ring might enhance the effect but whatever the case it's a beautiful color that you don't stumble upon too often. I also like how the design has this subtle 'burst' style pattern that gets lighter towards the center. It's a lovely, rich dark violet that shows up really well and adds that kind of alluring, mysterious look – I really have nothing bad to say about it.

Lens photos below!
All photos taken by me during a July afternoon with a clear sky. All close-up photos are free from color filters and such and that's so that the colors would be as true to real life as possible.

Natural indoors room light.

Yellow indoors room light.

Unlit corridor.

Flash photo.

Bathroom light.

Facing window. (sun side)

Facing window to the backyard. (shadow side)

Outdoors, back against sun. (facing wall)

Outdoors, facing the sun while being under the roof's shadow.

Outdoors, facing sun.

Comfort is doable. Easy to insert and no stinginess, scratchyness or irritation when I move my eyes around. I don't feel them in my eyes at all, except for that the first signs of dryness come really early – 30 minutes in and my ultra dry eyes react. Then again, be aware that everyone's eyes are different and I just so happen to have super-dry and sensitive eyes which tend to manifest in the sense that lens wearing time is drastically shortened for me;  average is 1-3 hours (when for "normal eyes" it would probably be 3-6 hours) and anything beyond 4 hours is extraordinarily good for me. So yeah, do read my comfort gradings with that in mind as I grade according to my eyes and, in the case of the Super Neon Violets, I would estimate wearing time to be somewhere between that average 1-3 hours for me. :) The dryness does seem to go on and off so yeah, as long as I bring eyedrops then these are definitely wearable!

All in all I like these lenses. They have such a great color that is really versatile, thanks partly to the simple yet striking design which lends them to both cosplay and j-fashion alike. I also want to think that because of the dark violet shade that these would also be a great addition for goths and other mystery seekers! It's definitely a violet lens worth trying, especially if you enjoy darker tones.

Distance photo!

Want to see more of EOS Super Neon lenses?

Check out my other reviews: Blue, Green, Brown, Gray

Short summary:

Color: 8/10
Dreamy, alluring, deep dark violet. What's not to love?

Design: 8/10
Beautiful yet simple with multiple shades that run towards the center.
Opacity: 8/10
Thanks to the dense color pigmentation these are really covering!
Enlargement: 6/10
Big but not massive. If you want dolly eyes then these got it.

Comfort: 5/10
Average. Dries really quickly but otherwise invisible to wear. 1-3 hours on super-dry eyes, approximately.
Naturalness: 1/10
Unless you've been living under a rock you know that huge violet eyes aren't realistic.

Kudos for reading my review, I hope you found it helpful!

Thanks LoveShoppingholics for being my sponsor~

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: Flora Gerbera Pink

Hello folks!

I'm back on the circle lens review roll and today I'm gonna feature the Flora Gerbera Pink lenses! It's a pretty lens but the color vibrancy sadly doesn't quite live up to my expectations. Nevertheless, let's get on with the review!

 Go go gooo ~

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 15.0 mm

Water content: 55%
Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

These lenses have a sort of 'burst' design with colored streaks reaching towards the center. It looks really nice but as you can see the color is not very dense, which means that these are not super opaque nor bright. My guess is that the pink color would perhaps stand out more on dark eyes because, on my eyes at least, it gets diluted and appears a grayish shade or just this kind of undistinguishable color.

One lens in.

These lenses sport a generous size increase and the black limbal ring adds to the illusion. They fade well into my real eye color the closer to the center it gets, which is nice if you like more natural-looking lenses. Pink of course is not a natural color but because of how subdued these look on my light blue-gray eyes it's actually not all that weird. I can't quite decide if I like these or if I'm disappointed in how the color lacks a certain intensity.

Lens photos below!
All photos taken by me during a July afternoon with a clear sky. Close-up photos are all free from color filters etc 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.

Bathroom light.

Unlit corridor.

Facing window. (sun side)

Facing backyard window. (forever in the shadows :D)

Outdoors, back against the sun. (facing wall)

Outdoors, facing the sun while being under the roof's shadow.

Outdoors, facing sun.

In some poorer lights the color is hard to make out what exactly it is, even more so in real life. In bright/optimal lights it looks pink and during those moments it's a cheerful and cute color that's surprisingly natural. The color is quite transparent and thus my real eye color does shine through a bit and mess with the color, hence why it looks grayish sometimes – like I already mentioned.

Comfort is pretty okay. They're a bit hard to insert as the lenses are really thin and a bit flimsy, if you know what I mean – they like to fold in half and just be a nuisance to insert quickly, lol. Feels a bit scratchy sometimes when I move my eyes at first but it settles really quickly. I can easily wear these past 2 hours, despite having super dry eyes, which is quite fine in my standards. My wearing time estimate would be 2-4 hours in my case, possibly longer. They tend to blur my vision occasionally too.

I would not recommend the Gerbera Pink for cosplay as the color doesn't show up much, especially when viewed from even the slightest distance (at least in the case of light-eyed individuals). This is definitely more geared for being a fashion lens and in particular I'd like to say for classic lolita, mori, gyaru and other cute looks on which you want enlargement but still want to keep a realistic approach.

Distance photo!

Need more Gerbera reviews?

Check out these: Red, Blue, Green

Short summary:

Color: 6/10
It's okay overall but a bit disappointing on my blue-gray eyes as it tends to just turn this undistinguishable, almost grayish color.

Design: 8/10

Nice-looking 'burst' pattern with streaks racing towards the center.

Opacity: 5/10

Quite transparent and blends a lot. Not a cosplay lens by any means.

Enlargement: 7/10

Cute and dolly, good for j-fashion looks.

Comfort: 6/10

Sometimes feels a bit scratchy after insertion and occasionally blurs my vision, otherwise I can easily wear these for at least a couple hours with no dryness, despite having mega dry eyes!

Naturalness: 5/10

Too big to pass for real eyes but the soft color, despite being pink, actually kind of works.

Thanks for reading and do leave a comment if you have any questions! 
~ Shiro Samurai out.

[Sponsored] Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi photoshoot!

Good day everyone!

To better showcase my new Star Wars costume from CosplaySky I wanted to have a photoshoot with it! This is my first time cosplaying a non-anime character, aka a movie/real-life actor/face character, which is a huge step out of my comfort zone. Obi-Wan was my first favorite character when I watched all Star Wars movies for the first time last year (yes, I'm late to the party) and I felt like I wanted to do him, despite the challenge it would provide as I feel like I'm too young to pull him off realistically. I wish I had darker crepe wool for the facial hair (as I can't grow my own in the same shape as his) but all of the darker colors were out of stock when I ordered, rip. ;_;

I will include some links after the photos on where you can get Jedi tunics like this – or any other costume you desire! Be sure to check them out~

But now it's time to indulge in a galaxy far, far away.. enjoy!

Cosplayer: Shiro Samurai (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Photographer and stylist: Sacchan
Photo editor: Shiro Samurai

Want to be one with the Force too? Check out the links below!

Link to CosplaySky main page: CosplaySky Online Cosplay Store

Jedi tunic link: CosplaySky Star Wars Kenobi Jedi TUNIC Costume

All Star Wars costumes: CosplaySky Star Wars costume selection

I just want to say a few words about this costume as well. ^^

It's nice, easy and comfortable to wear, except that the tabards like to fall off my shoulders if I move around a lot but that makes sense as they're only secured in place by the belt. x) This is great even as a generic Jedi outfit (you don't have to be Obi-Wan) if you want to dress up for the next Star Wars movie marathon or something! Fans who don't have super high accuracy standards will surely enjoy it, just like I do. Overall I'm really pleased with this costume and I'd warmly recommend CosplaySky to my fellow geeks and costuming fans alike.

Pssst, be sure to check out my detailed and 100% honest review about them here ~

~ Bonus photos ~

One does not simply oppose the high ground.

Jedi frog dance. Remember to serious-face.

That's all I have to say for this time!
Thanks for reading my blog and may the Force be with you.

A big thank you also goes to CosplaySky for sponsoring me! ♥

~  Shiro Samurai says farewell.

[Sponsored] CosplaySky review: Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi cosplay costume!

Hello geeks from all over the world!

It's cosplay costume review day today and this time it's not your typical anime bishounen that I have chosen but someone from a galaxy far, far away. Yes, of course I'm talking about Star Wars. ;) CosplaySky took contact with me and together we teamed up, which means that they sent a costume for me to review here on my blog! I'm pretty stoked, not gonna lie, as I've been wanting to go beyond my comfort zone and try cosplaying from movies for a while now!

For those unaware – CosplaySky is a big, established and well-known online costume store that has been around for a long time and is selling mainly cosplay costumes, but also props and wigs for affordable prices. They sport a wide selection of costumes ranging from TV-series and movies to anime and video games.

My reviews are always 100% my genuine opinion, no matter if the items were sponsored or bought with my own money. I never compromise my honesty and true thoughts to my readers. 

With all of that said I want to welcome you to a honest review of CosplaySky! I hope you will find it helpful and feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions after you're done reading. 

Let's go! 

~ "Forewords" ~ 

I feel like I should mention that I am observant when I browse online cosplay costume shops – I have a habit of scrutinizing even the smallest details (I'm a perfectionist!) and comparing them with official reference photos to see how accurate they really are. I do often try to find the most accurately made costume possible but I also keep realistic expectations in mind – you can't get something that's 100% accurate, well-made and with high-end quality fabrics for cheap. The simple and often true saying of "you get what you pay for" is something that I always keep in mind. :) Most cosplayers do agree on that quality goes before price, meaning that they are willing to pay more for a nicer costume and yes, I'm in that cast too. I do believe though that CosplaySky has an overall fair price versus quality standard, meaning that considering the price you pay you do get something that is worth the money (especially if you are aware of how much it would cost to have a private seamstress do it custom-made for you). There might be some flaws or sizing issues but considering the affordable prices it's often a non-issue.

 ~ Contact, packaging and shipping ~

CosplaySky contacted me on the later half of last year, around late November. Yes, I acknowledge that this review has been super delayed and I'm terribly sorry for it but yeah, I got stuck in an economical crisis (still am) and didn't have any spare money to buy the remaining supplies that I needed to do this review in time. ;_; I also had issues with getting a photographer and with the weather being bad whenever it would have been possible to take the photos for this review.

I am not sure when or how long exactly my costume was produced, but I can assume it took around one week based on the dates set on my costume information sheet that came with the package. I have no sure-fire way to track or know how long the costume took to arrive (as I received no notification on exact shipping date) but from my email conversations I can land it somewhere between 1-2 months from China to Sweden, which is reasonable.

Costume bag.

The costume basically came in a plastic bag and inside a zippered costume bag. The costume bag is pretty neat as it's roomy and all costume pieces fit nicely in it and because of the zipper it keeps all kinds of dirt out. Definitely keeping the bag for storage!

~ Costume thoughts, fabrics and sewing quality ~

Okay so, on the site it says that the costume pieces consists of three different fabrics: linen, cotton and polyester for the robe. That should be enough of an indication for the serious Star Wars fans who are looking for a 501st Legion approved costume to keep on looking, as this won't be anywhere near screen-accurate – despite the costume page claiming it is. It's a good jedi outfit for a casual fan or someone who just wants to dress up for fun (or to a convention) but if you're applying to be a part of any Star Wars costuming group with rigid costume standards then this likely won't fly. I'm gonna have to admit that I'm pretty new to the Star Wars universe (I only watched all movies for the first time last year, don't judge me lol) so this also means that I haven't spent countless hours staring down details on the screen and thus I am blissfully unaware of how screen-accurate this budget-friendly jedi outfit really is. For me, as a new fan, it's great for the price and fills its purpose!

What is included:

• Inner tunic (kimono style)

• Outer tunic (kimono style)

• Tabards

• Belt
• Under-belt
• Robe
• Pants

What is NOT included:

• Boots

My first impression was positive. The outer tunic, tabards and the under-belt feels like a medium thick cotton or linen fabric, which is nice when you've gotten used to expect everything from China to be polyester despite what the description says. xD The brown inner tunic seems to be a polycotton blend and is really thin but still okay. The robe is polyester and kinda thin too, which is good in the sense that it picks up wind and flies easily but not so good in the sense that it looks... cheap, for lack of better words. At least I always imagine Star Wars robes to be thick and warm.

The belt is fake leather with a metallic purely decorational clasp in front and it closes with velcro at the back, same velcro closure goes for the white under-belt as well. You will need a sash or cord or something to hold the inner tunic in place as it's a wrap-around kimono style tunic, just like the outer tunic is. The tabards are two really long rectangular pieces that you throw over your shoulders and secure in place with the belt(s). Pants are really ordinary pressed brown pants with a zipper and button closure and that has belt loops, if needed.

Belt close-up. Photo by Sacchan.

There's a leather pouch attached to the belt, I don't know enough to say anything more about it. ^^" Sewing quality is generally good and consistent, straight seams and such. There were some loose threads poking out in a few places but those were easy to just cut off. 

One thing that I really don't get is why the robe has strings at the front, as if for tying it closed near the neck? I really don't get it and those strings just end up looking goofy and out of place when they live their own life on photos – I'd definitely cut them off or remove them as they are quite annoying and long enough to get in the way.

This particular costume is about 95% accurate to the stock photos on the site, which is solid. The only difference I notice is that on the stock photos the fabrics perhaps appear to be thicker? Make sure to study the stock photos closely as you are likely to get something really similar to it if you buy from CosplaySky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Photos taken by Sacchan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Front view.

Side view.

Back view.

Without the robe.

Want to be one with the Force too? Check out the links below!

Link to CosplaySky main page: CosplaySky Online Cosplay Store

Jedi tunic link: CosplaySky Star Wars Kenobi Jedi TUNIC Costume

All Star Wars costumes: CosplaySky Star Wars costume selection

CosplaySky store & Star Wars jedi tunic rundown – Pros and cons:

+ Actual linen and cotton costume parts for the most part
 + Comfortable and easy to wear
+ Very accurate to store's stock photos
+ Affordable and recognizable
+ Decent sewing quality
+ The costume came in a convenient clothing bag
+ Great for fans who just want to have fun
+ Can be worn as a generic Jedi, doesn't have to be Obi-Wan

- The pants don't fit despite ordering custom size
- Likely not applicable for Legion 501st standards
- Not for those who demand screen-accuracy

~ Sizing ~

The sizing is generally adjustable with this kind of mainly wrap-around, loose-wearing outfit. Everything fits me despite the pants, which wasn't really a surprise anyway as I struggle with finding pants even in normal life as I don't have an ideal body type. The pants being unwearable (I can wear them but they're too small/narrow to be closed) is of little concern to me because I have a pair of fitting brown pants from another costume that I can use instead.

I ordered custom size but I'm not too sure how custom it really is – it might just be that custom really is just mixing and matching sizes from the standard sizes to get as close to your measurements as possible. So if you want to be safe (especially if you are a bit bottom heavy and/or have some belly) then order a size up as it will pretty much only affect the size of the pants and the belts (because of velcro closure), the rest is more or less one size with only the length varying. The fabrics have no elasticity.

Obi-Wan Kenobi reference image.

~ Conclusion and final thoughts ~

Okay, so to wrap up this review I want to make it clear that, despite some of my ehh-moments (robe ties mainly) I am overall very pleased with this Force-positive costume that I received and with CosplaySky's service. ♡ I voice my humblest apologies for how overdue this review is but I really enjoyed this collaboration with CosplaySky and I'd warmly recommend their store forward.

Both beginners and more seasoned costuming fans can enjoy what CosplaySky has to offer. They are a reputable online costume store with a huge costume selection and decent quality. They are also pretty fast with the turn-around times, but as with any online purchases from overseas you should plan in advance and order at least a couple months prior to the event you need the costume for, just to avoid any shipping delays. Their costumes also work as decent bases if you can't sew but want to do some small modifications to an existing costume.

I can recommend this Jedi tunic for Star Wars fans who want to have fun while dressing up – you don't even have to be Obi-Wan to wear it as it just so happens that his outfit is the most generally recognized one by the masses and thus you can use it as a base to do your very own Jedi character; I've seen countless Obi-Wan inspired Jedi creations come alive! Have fun with it and may the Force be with you.

Final Grade (from A-F): B+

Recommend to others: Yes

That about wraps it up. I hope you found this review helpful and hey, do hit that "follower" button if you aren't reading my blog yet, there's a lot more content coming up soon, including an Obi-Wan photoshoot!

A huge thank you goes out to CosplaySky for making this review possible and to you for reading this! ♡
~  Shiro Samurai says farewell.