Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Pacific Mall Lenses

So I went on an excursion to Pacific Mall on Steeles today just to see what's new. 

 I got to see Santa's Kingdom!


While browsing the shops, I noticed how many were selling fake or off brand circle lenses.
In fact, most vendors who sold lenses at all had either all or mostly fake lenses. I only saw one vendor which only sold authentic Geo Medical brand circle lenses, but they were closed.

When buying lenses be careful. You often get exactly what you pay for, and can end up with a pair of fake lenses that will damage your eyes.






I decided to be sneaky and take photos of all the lenses I could find. Here's what I got...




First, notice the label. This is a discontinued label design that was only meant for distribution in China.

There are also no Geo authenticity check stickers on any of the vials.

You can also see that these labels have been applied by hand as they are not perfectly even. Geo's lenses are packaged mechanically and would all be exactly the same.







 Some vendors are even selling lenses with the labels removed.

Other vendors sell lenses with questionable stickers on top. Geo Medical's labels are not colour coded like these appear to be.






Don't trust your eyes to just any lenses. Only buy authentic Geo Medical circle lenses, or any other brand you trust. Do your own research and ask questions. It's important when buying something like circle lenses to be sure you can trust your supplier. This is why we at Toronto Circle Lenses are always bringing you the best deals on only authentic lenses!













Friday, November 18, 2011

Lash Talk

We all want thick luxurious eyelashes, but sadly few of us are actually born with them. We do what we can to make our lashes look longer and thicker like applying black eyeliner...






  Unfortunately though, sometimes black eyeliner doesn't look quite right...













Then we apply our nice thick mascara. That should do the trick without being too overwhelming, right?





Perhaps if we spend a whole lot of money, we can get a descent result. There are other options such as getting eyelash extensions or transplants, and even dying eyelashes which is called eyelash tinting. The result?


Eyelash extensions can look unnatural, and cost from $100 - $500 USD to have done. Eyelash transplants can cost even more, and you'd have to keep trimming your lashes because they use your hair to transplant in to the follicle, so they keep growing!

Eyelash tinting can cause serious chemical burns or allergic reactions, but is more reasonably priced than extensions or transplants but... you could come out looking like the lady above. So, what's the best solution for those of us who want thick lashes, but don't want the risk or expense of procedures?

False lashes of course!

Falsies are easy to apply, and can look natural or dramatic, depending on which you buy. The best kind to start out with are the ones you get for less than $10 at the drug store because the lashes cost enough to be good quality, but don't cost so much you'd be scared to ruin them. Be sure to pick up some eyelash glue while you're at it.

Start by holding the lashes up to your eye to measure the length. You'll want them to start a little bit after your natural lashes do if you have dense but short eyelashes, or a little closer to the inside if you have sparse eyelashes. Trim off the excess length from the outer (longer) edge.

Some people apply their lashes after their makeup, but I find they end up peeling off when I do this. My tip is to start off by priming your eyelid with liquid foundation or concealer, then applying the lashes. I find the foundation keeps oils from loosening the glue, but doesn't stop the glue from sticking.


Some false lashes are on a stiff band, so be sure to wiggle the band a little to make sure it's flexible, or bend it to more closely match the contour of your eye. Apply a thin line of glue to the lashes. You want enough glue that you can see a solid line, but not globs of it. Wait just 15 - 30 seconds for the glue to firm up a tiny bit, then using tweezers, stick the lashes on starting at the outer edge. Try to make sure the corners are stuck down where you want them, then hold in place for at least 30 seconds.
Once you have them stuck on, wait a few minutes before going further. Maybe work on your lipstick or hair in the meanwhile to give the glue a chance to really set.

With just the lashes on, you may notice you have an obvious line where they end. This is easily fixed with a bit of liquid eyeliner. Just start where the lashes end, and go toward the corner of your eye. If your line is too thick you can lightly wet a cotton swab with either water, or a bit of baby/mineral oil and trace the upper edge of the line  until it's as thin as you like. Curl with your eyelash curler, apply a bit of mascara if you like, and that's it! 

Be sure to do all this after you put your circle lenses in though!! 

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Super Size 17mm Circle Lenses

Circle lenses come in sizes ranging from 14 to 15 millimetres; the average iris is 13.8 millimetres in diameter. Now that circle lenses are becoming more popular worldwide, sellers are using different marketing techniques to draw in customers. One of these techniques is size confusion.


You may have seen ads that look like this:
17.5mm? That wouldn't hardly fit in your eye!



These lenses appear to be huge and as a first time buyer or to someone who's bought 14mm lenses and wasn't happy with the size, may seem fantastic. The problem is that there are no lenses that are truly larger than 15 - 15.5mm. This super large size is measured by flattening the lens; removing the curvature adds diameter. Circle lenses are measured by the manufacturer by their diameter subtracting the curvature. This is done by simply measuring the diameter of the lens as it sits and not flattening it. This causes slight differences in the reported sizes, and some may say a 14mm lens is 14.2mm but these slight differences are not intentional exaggerations like claims of 17.5mm lenses. Yes they are that wide, but only when flattened, with the curvature they may only be 15mm.




Don't be fooled by such simple marketing techniques. Don't use just any supplier's photos as a guide, instead use the photos of the lens in an actual person's eye as your guide. This way you'll see what your lenses will actually look like, not how some suppliers want you to see them!






Geo Angel in Green 14mm

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Halloween Nail Ideas

Need some ideas to get awesome Halloween nails in a hurry? After reading up on the subject myself, and trying a few things out, I've come up with some time saving tips to get great Halloween nails!



On the pinky I've got a cute Candy Corn design! Easy to do with just three colours.
Start with the Orange as a base
Do a dab of yellow near the cuticle to make a shape like your natural moon
Finish with a stripe of white
Done! Looks great, but if you don't have matte orange, yellow, and white, you're out of luck.


On the thumb I've got black and orange as a base and Sally Hansen's Crackle nail polish in Fractured Foil. Looks great, but what if you don't have the crackle polish?

You can easily do any of the three designs on my index, middle, and ring finger provided you have any light colour to use as a base, and ... a Sharpie!
First, paint your nails in your chosen base colour. Apply clear coat, and wait til dry. Thoroughly.
Using a good quality permanent marker like a Sharpie, draw your design being very gentle and only barely touching the surface of the nail with the marker. If the marker seems to skip along the surface, or is streaky, you are pressing too hard.
Tip: Ask a friend to do your dominant hand for you.

You can see how to do the skull and spider web at Lipgloss and Black's blog. They are a Toronto based indie fashion house with awesomely dark but modern clothes. Check out their blog to see an alternate way of doing the spider web.


Drawing the spider web is easy, just make kindergarten waves!




Fig.1: Terrible drawing using laptop's touch pad

Start with the curved lines, making what looks like the way a kindergartener would draw waves in the water if asked to. Join each wave line together with a straight line going through the points of each.

As for the ghost design... Well, I'm sure anyone can draw a better ghost! Mine's terrible! >.<
You can even write something (Boo!) draw a bat, or anything else you can imagine...



Once you're done drawing your design, be sure to wait several hours before applying topcoat. When you do, use as few strokes of the brush as possible, as it's easy to get streaks of black on the white. If this happens no worries, you can just touch it up with your white nail polish on a toothpick. Clean up any nail polish from your cuticles with a cotton swab and some remover, and you're good to go to the Halloween party!


What do you think? My favourite is the Candy Corn nails, but I hate the candies!


Monday, October 24, 2011

How to Put in Contacts

I personally have always found eyeballs and the mere thought of touching my own to be quite disgusting. Our eyes are delicate, and quite magical in the way they work. Because of this, and stories I'd heard about contact lenses becoming lost in the eye, I'd never wanted to try them. Once I heard of circle lenses though, I really wanted to try them out because of the awesome eye enlarging effect. The tips I've posted here are what got me to finally try circle lenses, and now I love them!

To get over the fear of touching your own eye, and putting something in it, you need two things; knowledge, and practise.

Did you know there is less feeling in the sclera (whites) of your eye than the iris? You can actually touch the sclera and not feel any pain at all! To try it out you just need some contact lens solution; first go to the bathroom and wash your hands and dry them thoroughly. Pour a little contact lens solution on your finger, then look to one side in the mirror. With your clean wet finger, gently touch the corner of your eye. You should feel the pressure of your finger, but no pain. This is because you are not disturbing your eye at all, just gently touching with a wet finger. This is what you will feel when putting in your contact lenses.



Here's the best video to show you how to put in and take out your lenses. It's made by Acuvue, and is what helped my get over my Ommetaphobia (fear of eyeballs)






How to Insert Contact Lenses

  • STEP 1: Thoroughly wash and dry your hands with soap and a clean towel.
  • STEP 2: Rinse your lens with solution to remove any trace of debris.
    Tip: Do not use your lenses straight out of the vial. They must soak in solution for at least 4 hours prior to first use.
  • STEP 3: Place the lens on the tip of your index finger. Be sure the lens is correctly oriented by checking the sides are straight, and not flared out.
  • STEP 4: Use your other hand to hold your upper eyelid so you won’t blink.
    Tip: Be sure this hand is dry to avoid your eye still pulling shut
  • STEP 5: Pull down your lower eyelid with the other fingers of your applying hand.
  • STEP 6: Look to the side and gently place the lens on the white part of your eye.
  • STEP 7: Slowly move your eye to look at the lens to centre it.
  • STEP 8: Release your eyelid and close your eye for a moment, or blink a few times.
  • STEP 9: If your lens feels uncomfortable, remove it and inspect for damage or debris. If it’s damaged, discard it. Otherwise, rinse with more solution and reapply.

How to Remove Contact Lenses
  • STEP 1: Thoroughly wash and dry your hands with soap and a clean towel.
  • STEP 2: Move your head to the side while looking straight in to the mirror.
    Tip: To avoid mixing up your lenses, always apply (and remove) them in the same order.
  • STEP 3: Bring your index finger close to your eye until you touch the edge of the lens.
  • STEP 4: Gently hold it in place as you move your head back to centre. This drags the lens off of your iris without having to touch it.
  • STEP 5: Gently squeeze the lens between your thumb and index finger and remove it.
  • STEP 6: Remove the other lens following the same procedure. Always be sure to rinse your lenses before putting them away.
 

So, now that you know how easy it is to put your contacts in and take them out, you can order your circle lenses! Just visit the Shop page and there you'll find all our latest styles of circle lenses in stock and ready to ship to you! One more tip, when choosing your first pair of circle lenses, try to go for a smaller (less than 14.5mm) size, and a colour close to your own. This will help you get used to putting them in, and their bright big eyed look!




Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Spotting Fake Geo Circle Lenses

There are so many sites, blogs, Facebook pages, and people on Craigslist, and other classifieds sites selling lenses, it's hard to imagine where all these lenses are coming from, and if they're the real deal or not. Some brands like Besvue, Dueba, G&G, and others don't offer any sort of counterfeit detection system, but Geo Medical, the leader in circle lenses does.




Fake lenses can seriously damage your eyes. If you can stomach seeing a really gross infected eyeball, visit the Geo Police. This is a blog dedicated to calling out sellers of counterfeit lenses, and showing consumers what the authentic Geo Medical counterfeit detection sticker should look like.





Why is it so important to use only authentic lenses?
Consider this, have you ever bought a knock off handbag, maybe a Cuess, or Vuis Luitton? These bags look similar to the real thing but are made of cheaper materials, using cheaper manufacturing methods. These bags often end up with malfunctioning zippers, handles that break off, and liners that are easily torn. The same can be said about counterfeit lenses, but with much more devastating consequences than having to carry your purse home with no strap.

Fake lenses are often made using clear, daily disposable or three month disposable lenses, which are cheaper than yearly disposables. Using daily disposable contact lenses for a year could have serious effects on your eyes, especially dehydrating the eyes. The method that the colour is applied to the lens is different as well.

Authentic Geo Medical circle lenses are coloured using the Dyeing Process, which allows the most oxygen to reach the eye, resulting in a more comfortable experience for the wearer. This is the safest type of lens, and the kind you can only get for sure from Geo Medical. Don't trust your eyes to just any cheap circle lenses. Be sure to only use quality, authentic, circle lenses from a source you trust!

Links to Geo Medical's fake lens alerts:
17mm Fake Geo Lenses
Fake Anti-Fake Seal and Website 
Fake Packaging



Tuesday, October 18, 2011

New Lenses in Stock

We've just added some new lenses to our already great selection!

Princess Mimi Chocolate Brown is back in stock after being sold out, and comes in prescription strengths. The Princess Mimi series, designed by Tsubasa Masuwaka really gives a bold effect, which shows up great and still looks natural in photos. They are 15mm in diameter, and will really make your eyes look big and bright!





 In prescription strengths from -.50 to -8.00 in -.25 increments (eg; -1.00, -1.25, -1.50 etc..) We should have the correct strength for you in stock for only $30.67 Buy Your Circle Lenses Here!

If you prefer a lens that looks more natural close up, then you may like our newest addition, Besvue's Daisy series in Green, Brown, and Grey. These lenses are 14.5mm which will make your eyes appear bigger, and will have a more natural looking effect than the Princess Mimi series would. Besvue's Daisy series is only $28.06, and comes in prescription strengths from -1.00 to -6.00 in -.50 increments (eg; -1.50, -2.00, -2.50 etc..) so everyone can have big beautiful eyes!



  No matter which lenses you choose, you get a free lens case with your order, as well as shipping for only $5 with tracking!



Thursday, October 13, 2011

Facebook's New Translate Option

Have you noticed something different about Facebook posts from your favourite pages?
Facebook has quietly slid the Translate feature in to posts written in a language other than English. Now, you may see the option to translate the post, or comments if in another language, right next to the like and comment button.






This is great if you know English, but I guess everyone else is out of luck for now until Facebook fully integrates the feature with their current platform, and works out the bugs.







The translations are provided by Microsoft Bing, but are moderated by users. This means that bilingual users can enter a translation in that pop-out window. The human translations can be managed by page administrators using a “manage translations” link underneath posts on pages they manage. Try it out Here.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

My, What Prominent Limbal Rings You Have!

If you've been shopping around for circle lenses, you may have noticed that some have a prominent black line around them while others don't. This is the limbal ring. If you go and run for the mirror right now, you may or may not see your own. This ring is thought to be an indicator of youthfulness as they appear thickest near your early twenties, and fade from there.

Researchers at the University of California at Irvine have even gone so far as to do a study where they showed volunteers eighty pairs of male and female faces. The faces were completely identical except for the darkness and size of the limbal ring. When asked who they thought was more attractive, the faces with the larger limbal rings invariably won out.

We already know that a bright white sclera (whites of the eyes) is an indicator of good health, and we generally use this, as well as facial symmetry, colour and shape of teeth, hair health and many other minor cues to determine attractiveness. The darker limbal ring may only be providing the appearance of brighter eyes by providing contrast, but if we're willing to whiten our teeth, use wrinkle creams, and adjust the appearance of our features with make up, it's no wonder people are rushing to get circle lenses.

This doesn't only affect men's perception of women. According to the study, men are judged equally by women seeking youthfulness, symmetry and health, so stock up on your circle lenses, boys!



Source: Evolutionary Psychology – ISSN 1474-7049 – Volume 9(2). 2011

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Halloween is Almost Here!

Do you have your circle lenses yet?
Whether you're planning on dressing up, or just dressing nice, circle lenses will add the finishing touch! Our brand name lenses will have you comfortable and stylish, rocking those big kawaii eyes all night long. We have so many styles to choose from that you're sure to find something to match your style.





You'll need to order soon though, as it can take up to three weeks for your lenses to arrive! You get free tracking with every circle lens order though, so you'll know where your package is at all times.

Circle Lens Tips:

Properly soak your new lenses before trying them on for the first time.
Lenses need to soak for at least four hours when you first get them. The solution they are stored in is not regular contact lens solution and could hurt your eyes!

Be sure to try out your lenses before hand!
You don't want to fail by having itchy/watery red eyes at the big Halloween party. Try wearing your lenses around the house for at least four hours a few days before the event.

Always have your contact lens kit with you.
When wearing any contact lenses, you should always have a kit containing lens solution, lens case, and eye drops.

Never wear your Circle Lenses for more than 6-8 hours at a time.
Circle lenses, and some regular coloured contacts should not be worn for more than 8 hours at once. The larger surface covering your iris blocks oxygen from reaching your eye which causes irritation and redness. To combat eye fatigue, be sure to have good quality eye drops with you that are specifically for contact lens wearers. Regular use will keep your eyes hydrated so they look and feel their best!

Now that you're ready, have a look at our Order Form or check out our Shop page to see what we have ready to ship!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Does Size Matter?

Of course size matters, at least when it comes to your Circle Lenses! If you want to have the most natural looking eye enlarging effect, you'll want to have the right size of lens. It all depends on the actual size of your eyes. For the most part, we all have the same size eye ball and iris, with slight variations. The size part is how much of your iris is showing when looking forward naturally.
 




If when you look straight in to a mirror, and you can see a bit of white all the way around your iris, you can go for the larger 15mm lenses. This will make your eyes look bigger without filling in too much of your eye.


If you look straight in to the mirror and see that your iris is partially concealed by your eyelid, then you should opt for lenses 14.5mm or smaller. This will give your eyes a more defined, and natural enlarging effect without making your whole eye look dark.




Check out our full selection of Circle Lenses, from 14mm to 15mm and in between.  

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Free Shipping Til' September 1st

Order today and get free shipping on any order!
Just fill out this form and your Paypal invoice will be on it's way
Check out our newest styles on our Shop tab or like us on Facebook to stay up to date!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Special Edition Lenses!

We've just added a new style of lens that's only going to be available through us 'til the end of the summer! Get them before September 1st, or it'll be too late!


Sunday, July 10, 2011

Now in Your Prescription!

Now you can order prescription strength Circle Lenses from us! On the order form, each heading now states what strengths each style of lenses come in. Some styles like Geo Forest, do not come in prescription, and are still available in only plano (0.00)

Remember, your contact lens prescription is not the same as your eyeglass prescription! If you have never worn contacts, require a prescription, or are concerned about trying circle lenses, please speak with your eye care professional. Your eyes are too precious to mistreat!

Unfortunately, at this time we do not offer toric lenses for astigmatism. Please check back as we may be able to add them in the future!

We have also added some new styles! Just added on July 9th 2011, Besvue brand Ageha 14.5mm lenses, only $32.75 and $5 worldwide shipping!

Check out our order form HERE

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Just Added

We've just added a whole bunch of new lenses for you to choose from!
Most recently: Geo Princess Mimi Cafe Series Macchiato, Waffle, Cappuccino, and Latte.
Macchiato
Latte


Check out our Shop Page To see all our latest styles of Circle Lenses, and to order your pair!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Are Circle Lenses Bad For Your Eyes?

Circle lenses are just like regular coloured contact lenses in that they do not allow as much oxygen to reach the iris as would without anything on the surface of the eye. This is where the Water Content of the lens becomes important. The water in the lenses is the carrier of oxygen, therefore the higher the water content, the more comfortable and safer to wear the lens is. Circle lenses should never be worn for more than 6-8 hours, nor can they replace your regular prescription contact lenses.

Any contact lens can damage your eyes if the proper steps aren't taken to prevent this. Contacts should never be worn if they are damaged, or if you've found they irritate your eyes. It is also important to properly store and clean contacts regularly. For more information on proper lens care you can visit this site, or see your optometrist.

If used with care, Geo Circle Lenses can provide the doe eyed look and still be just as safe and easy to use as regular colour contact lenses.

Monday, May 16, 2011

What Are Circle Lenses?




 


A circle contact lens, also known as a big eye contact lens and circle lens, is a cosmetic contact lens that makes the eye's iris appear larger. These contact lenses are wider in diameter than regular coloured contacts, and cover just a little more than your iris; creating the effect of having larger eyes. Circle lenses often have a prominent limbal ring, which is the dark circle around the outside of the lens. This ring creates more contrast between the iris and the sclera (whites) and makes your eyes stand out more, as well as adding to the appearance of youth. Read more about the importance of the limbal ring here

Our circle lenses come from the most popular companies, and we only stock authentic Geo Medical and Besvue circle lenses.