Violet - Purple Colored Contact Lenses

The Overview of Purple Contact Lenses

Though it is impossible to have naturally purple eyes, they certainly have an undeniable appeal. Purple is the most popular unnatural shade when it comes to circle lenses, but it can be difficult to select the right pair of purple lenses when you’re not sure what to look for.

Tones

Tones are the most unusual with purple lenses, especially if you want them to look convincingly real. Purple lenses are limited in the tones that they can provide, and it’s broken down into two categories: warm purples, and cool purples. Purple is a mixture of red and blue. Warm purple is a purple that has a little more red, and cool purple has a little more blue. Because of this, the tones will often be in the same family.

Some cool purple lenses will have tones of silvery lilacs, most reminiscent of natural blue eyes. Warm purple lenses will generally have deeper, redder tones that are more reminiscent of brown eyes. Sometimes, purple lenses will contain flecks of gold around the center to help them blend with other eye colors, since natural blending is a difficult task with this particular color.

Limbal Rings

Like all circle lenses, purple lenses come with or without a pronounced limbal ring. Most people will find that they need a black limbal ring to make purple lenses work with their eyes. The only people who do not necessarily need a limbal ring are people with blue eyes who want a natural appearance. Limbal ring also has a significant tie with diameter for most purple lenses.

Think about how big you want your lenses to be. Very large purple lenses need a black limbal ring to create efficient contrast, and this is necessary for two reasons. First, purple is a light color, and having a contrasting limbal ring on a light colored lens provides definition and structure to the eye. The second reason is that the black limbal ring will overlay your eye color, helping to mask the edges of your natural iris.

Size or Diameter

Selecting the right size depends on your natural eye color. Blue eyed people generally have free range over what size of purple circle lens they can select, but people with other eye colors may find the selection process difficult. The larger the lens, the bigger risk you’re taking. If you don’t mind your natural eye color showing through the center of the lens, you’re free to go as large as you want. For a natural look, you’re a little more confined in your selection.

Natural looks require a smaller diameter lens. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll want the lens to match the natural diameter of your eye, but it does mean you won’t want the lens to be drastically bigger. Small to medium diameter prevents most of the natural eye color from showing through, and the rest of the look can be balanced with the tones you select. Just make sure the lens you finally decide on has a sufficient limbal ring, and don’t attempt to go too large if you want the lens to look realistic.

Advice for Green Eyes

People with green eyes will have the hardest time with purple lenses. This is because green and purple are on opposite sides of the color wheel, and they naturally create contrast with each other. This natural contrast will make the green in your eyes appear more visibly, which makes it difficult to find a lens that will give you a natural look. There’s a specific system you’ll have to use to create a realistic look with your lenses.

If your eyes are hazel green, or have flecks of gold in them, opting for a purple lens with gold tones will really help the blend. The smaller the diameter, the less open space you’ll have. Opacity is also very important, since green and purple are colors that play against each other. You’ll want the most opaque lens possible. The purple needs to be much stronger than your natural eye color if you want the green to be completely cancelled out.

You’ll also need a very thick limbal ring on your lens. The eye is naturally darker around its natural limbal ring, and a black limbal ring on your lens will be dark enough and strong enough to cancel out the darkest part of your eye. Lenses that have black marbling that extends from the limbal ring will also provide more coverage, so look for purple lenses with a lot of black in them.

Advice for Blue Eyes

Blue eyed people win in this scenario. Purple and blue are fairly close together, especially if you select a cool toned purple. If your natural eye color shows through, it will be hardly noticeable through the circle lens. Your natural eye color will incorporate itself with the tones. If your natural eye color shows through the center of the lens, it will probably look great. Cool toned purple lenses fading into a natural blue around the center are absolutely stunning. Purple lenses are most likely to look natural on blue eyed people.

Advice for Brown Eyes

People with brown eyes should opt for warm toned purple lenses. Brown eyes get their color from a pigment that is slightly red, which is the main undertone in warm purple. Cool toned purple lenses will clash with brown eyes, sometimes appearing gray. It’s best to avoid these lenses in favor of their deeper, redder counterparts.

Purple lenses that aren’t very opaque will cause brown eyes to appear a deep, plum color. The end result is pretty, and you won’t have to worry about the way they blend. If you’re looking for a vibrant and intense purple, simply select a more opaque lens. If your brown eyes have naturally occurring amber tones in them, particularly around the iris, purple lenses with gold tones around the iris will blend the easiest. 

Finding the perfect purple lens for you certainly requires a lot of work, but in the end, it’s worth it. Don’t think it’s impossible – anything is possible with enough research. Make sure you view photos of people with your eye color using purple lenses, as this will help you narrow down your selection.