Over the years, people have experimented with their appearances to create new looks, from changing their hair colour to trialling different makeup. But what is the latest trend?
Coloured eye contacts.
Coloured contact lenses have come a long way since their initial development in the 1960s, now allowing us to alter our appearance realistically and safely. Although coloured contact lenses are largely associated with Halloween, there are now countless colours to pick from of varying subtleties for everyday use.
How do coloured eye contacts work?
Coloured contact lenses are designed to transform or enhance the natural look of the iris – the coloured tissue that surrounds the pupil. They work in the same way that regular contact lenses do, as they have a clear area in the middle that lines up perfectly with your pupil so that light can travel through, allowing you to see clearly. Unlike regular lenses, however, these lenses feature a coloured film that changes the colour of your eye.
Coloured contacts can be used for both cosmetic or vision correction purposes, as prescriptions can be added to ensure you can try a new style whilst maintaining clear vision.
What are the different types of coloured contacts?
If you want to go for a more natural look that will subtly enhance your eye colour, you should choose ‘enhanced tinted lenses’ or ‘Freshlook Dimensions.’ These lenses are best suited to people who are wanting a more subtle change or want to intensify their natural eye colour. Since these lenses offer a subtle change, they are typically a better option for those with naturally lighter coloured eyes rather than darker eyes.
If you are wanting to opt for a more dramatic look, you should try ‘opaque coloured contact lenses.’ These lenses offer a solid tint, transforming your eye shape and colour completely as they cover the entire iris. There are many lenses to select from, including white lenses, perfect for completing a spooky costume, to emerald green lenses.
Remember, if you have perfect vision then you only need coloured lenses for cosmetic purposes, and you should ensure you only purchase ‘plano lenses.’ When ordering, choose power 0.00, which guarantees that your lenses will be purely cosmetic and not have a prescription in them.
Do coloured contacts work on dark eyes?
Coloured contacts work on every eye colour, however, the most suitable lens for dark eyes to provide the best result are ‘opaque lenses.’
Coloured lenses need to be visible over the iris in order to make a difference to the appearance of the eye. Therefore, ‘colour enhancers’ and ‘Freshlook Dimension’ lenses will not provide the same results, as their transparency only provides a subtle tint that won’t stand out over a naturally dark eye.
Opaque lenses, however, use deeper colours to provide a more enhanced change to the natural eye that will show up against a dark iris. There is still a huge variety of opaque contact lenses, so there is still the opportunity to change your look.
How to choose coloured contacts that match your skin tone
Before you wear anything on your face, from makeup to coloured contacts, it is important that you understand your skin tone. Different to complexion, your skin tone refers to the undertones of your skin. A person’s complexion can change throughout the year depending on exposure to sun and other elements, whereas the undertones will always remain the same.
Undertones determine what colours best suit you, and choosing coloured contacts based upon it will ensure your new eye colour looks both complimentary and flattering to your natural features.
There are three types of undertone; warm, cool, and neutral. Cool includes pink or reddish undertones, warm includes yellow or golden and neutral is a mixture of both.
Here’s how to determine your skin’s undertone:
- Look at the veins on your wrist: If you have blue or purple veins, you have a cool skin tone. Green tinted veins suggest you are warm toned and a mix of green and blue means you have a neutral skin tone.
- Which jewellery looks best on you? If you always opt for gold jewellery, then you most likely have warm undertones in your skin. However, if you wear both silver and gold, you either love all jewellery or you have neutral undertones.
- How does your skin react to the sun? Makeup artist Daniel Martin explains “if you burn easily, you’re a cool undertone. If you tan easily, you’re a warm undertone. If you burn and then tan, you’re likely a neutral undertone.”
Once you have established which undertone your skin has, you can then choose coloured contacts that will complement this. If you have warm undertones, you may want to opt for a light green contact as the golden tones will make your eyes stand out more. On the contrary, if you have cool undertones and pale skin, you may want to select a blue contact that will help your eyes to really show up against the skin.
How to choose coloured contacts to match your hair colour
Generally, there are no rules against which eye colour suits which hair colour best, however, these combinations will help your eyes to stand out most:
What coloured contacts are best suited for blonde hair?
Typically, people born with blonde hair have lighter coloured eyes, such as blues or greens. So if you’re naturally fair and want to make a dramatic change that is still natural, you may want to opt for a dark brown or hazel. However, if you want to stand out a little more, then consider going for alternative colours such as purple.
What coloured contacts are best suited for red hair?
Red hair comes in two forms – the natural gingery ‘red head’ or the dyed fire engine red, both of which would look great with piercing blue eyes. The blue creates the perfect amount of contrast for those with red hair and a cooler complexion. However, many natural redheads will already have light coloured eyes, so you could just enhance your natural beauty and go for an enhanced tinted lense in a light green, which is a complementary colour of red on the colour wheel.
What coloured contacts are best suited for dark hair?
It is a known rule that the best way to make something stand out is to ensure it contrasts. Therefore, when choosing a colour to go with your black or brown hair, always go for a light colour that will pop. Light greens or blues will certainly enhance your eyes, and your hair will act like a dark backdrop for them.
What coloured contacts are best suited for bright hair?
Bright hair is for those who love to experiment with colour and have fun with their appearance, so their eye colour will likely reflect this too. However, you don’t want the colours to clash too much, therefore always go for something that compliments your hair. The easiest way to choose an eye colour for your bright hair is to match the tone – for example, your bright blue bob will match perfectly with some royal blue contacts but will clash with some mauve tones.
What else should you consider when choosing coloured contacts?
Take the concept of matching your belt to your shoes to the next level – consider matching your coloured contacts to your outfit or accessories. Bright blue eyes would be a great addition to a blue handbag outfit, or dark eyes for your winter looks.
It is important to remember that every person’s eye colour is different, so results from coloured contacts will vary from individual to individual.
It is also essential to remember that coloured contacts are for temporary use only, and you must consult with your optician before using them. You should always stick to the schedule your optician has recommended, and stop using your lenses if they become irritated or if you start experiencing persistent discomfort, following safe lens wearing practices.
Some designs may only be available on a non-prescriptive basis or may not fit your eye properly, so before you use them ensure that they are comfortable and are appropriate for your eyesight.