Looking to amp up your beauty look but don’t want the latest makeup product? Japanese coloured contact lenses are the answer. A quick and temporary seemingly small change to the colour of your eyes gives off a subtle yet powerful effect to your overall look.
What used to be reserved for members of subcultures and fans of fashion niches have become somewhat ubiquitous. There’s a colour or design for your every style mood now too.
The contact lenses market in Japan is expected to generate a revenue of US$2.69 billion in 2024, according to Statista.
Japanese coloured contact lenses have become a favourite amongst beauty and fashion lovers. (Photo from: Pexels)
The history of contact lenses in Japan
The idea of contact lenses is often credited to Leonardo Da Vinci, who wrote about them in his 1508 Codex of the eye, Manual D. But the first pair of wearable contact lenses were made in 1888 by ophthalmologist Adolf Gaston Eugen Fick. It was in 1913 that contact lenses were brought to Japan and in 1951 when Kyoichi Tanaka developed the first corneal contact lenses in Japan.
Over time, contact lenses, which were first meant to be for eyesight correction, have spawned cosmetic variations. Whether you want to enhance your natural features or sport a whimsical look, coloured contact lenses are a good way to achieve it.
Japanese coloured contact lenses are distinct for their colours and materials. (Photo from: Pexels)
Types of coloured contact lenses
Coloured contact lenses come in a range of tints that vary from barely-there to dramatic.
Visibility Tints: These lenses feature a faint tint, typically in blue or green, and are designed to make handling easier without altering the wearer's natural eye colour.
Enhancement Tints: Made for those who want a subtle change to their look, these semi-transparent lenses lightly intensify the natural colours of the eyes.
Opaque Tints: These are for those looking to sport a pronounced change in their look. They are opaque lenses that fully mask the natural colours of the eyes and come in shades like blue, green, hazel, and grey.
Theatrical Tints: These special-effect lenses — popular in film, theatre, and Halloween costumes — allow wearers to adopt eye colours and patterns not found in nature. From glowing effects to catlike eyes, these lenses are crafted for maximum impact.
Circle Lenses: Popular in Japan, these lenses make the eyes appear larger or rounder. Made to give a doll-like look, they have a dark ring around the iris that enhances its shape.
Japanese coloured contact lenses are often used by members of fashion subcultures and the cosplaying community. (Photo from: Pexels)
Japanese coloured contact lens brands
Ready to update your look with coloured contact lenses? Here are Japanese brands to put on your list.
Loveil
Their lenses are designed for beauty lovers who want vibrant yet natural-looking eyes. The lenses are available in natural shades with a slight emphasis on defining the iris.
Try the Honey Trick variant, which brightens the eyes while keeping the look more natural and suitable for daily wear.
Loveil Honey Trick is available via Push Color for ~SGD21.
Flurry
Asuka Kirara wearing Flurry’s Watermelon Soda contact lenses.
Flurry is known for their circle lenses, which enhance the eye size — perfect for those looking to sport the doll-like look. The lenses have a larger diameter and lighter tint.
Try their Watermelon Soda variant, a soft pink hue lens that has a brown ring for that round-eye effect.
Flurry Watermelon Soda is available via Push Color for ~SGD21.
Ever Color 1Day Natural
Yuko Araki wearing Ever Color 1Day Natural Moist Label UV in Brown Mariage.
Looking for something that’s subtle but eye-catching for everyday wear? Look through Ever Color 1Day Natural’s collections. They have a vast variety of styles from enhancement tints to opaque tints.
Try their Brown Mariage variant. It’s a warm brown shade that gives just the right amount of oomph to your eye look.
Get the Ever Color 1Day Natural in Natural Brown at SG Contact Lens for SGD40.