The Best Coloured Contact Lenses for Summer Holidays

If you live in the UAE, August can feel like a month spent checking departure boards. By this point in the summer, the temperatures are regularly nudging past 40°C. Even going out for a coffee in the middle of the day can feel like hard work, so it's no surprise that airports become busy with families escaping to Europe, the Maldives, Bali and anywhere with a sea breeze that's doing a bit more than blowing warm air around.

Holiday packing usually starts the same way. Clothes all over the bed. Someone insisting they definitely don't need another pair of shoes. A makeup bag that somehow ends up taking longer to organise than the suitcase itself. Coloured contact lenses deserve a place in that conversation too.

The pair you wear every day might not be the ones you reach for on holiday. Bright Mediterranean sunshine has a habit of changing everything. Lens colours look different outdoors. Skin picks up warmth after a few days in the sun. Even your makeup routine quietly changes. Suddenly you're wearing less foundation, reaching for cream blush instead of powder and wondering why your favourite eye look feels slightly different.

According to MesmerEyez customers, people rarely regret taking coloured contact lenses on vacation. They regret only packing one pair.

A soft honey lens might be perfect for lazy afternoons by the pool, while a smoky grey works beautifully for dinner when you've finally escaped the flip-flops and put something a little smarter on. Different destinations have different moods, and your contact lenses can be part of that just as much as your wardrobe.

This guide looks at the lens colours that work particularly well on holiday, how different lighting changes the way they look, a few simple makeup tweaks worth trying and how to keep your lenses comfortable from take-off to the journey home.

Don't Judge Your Contact Lenses in the Bathroom Mirror

A quick confession. The bathroom mirror is probably the worst place to decide whether you like a new pair of coloured contact lenses. Artificial lighting doesn't do them many favours. A honey lens can look flat indoors, while a smoky grey might seem much bolder than it actually is.

Then you step outside. Natural light changes everything. Suddenly those warmer tones come to life, greys soften and your eye colour starts to shift as the light changes throughout the day. It's one of those things you don't really appreciate until you're sitting outside with a coffee somewhere on holiday wondering, "Hang on... were my eyes always this colour?"

It's one of the reasons coloured contact lenses seem to look their best on holiday. They finally get the lighting they deserve.

Holiday at the Beach? Start With Warmer Shades

If your suitcase is destined for somewhere with white sand, turquoise water and more SPF than makeup, warm-toned lenses are usually a safe bet. Honey, golden hazel and olive shades seem to come into their own in bright sunshine. They catch natural light beautifully and pair effortlessly with the colours people naturally wear on holiday. White linen, floaty dresses, bronzed skin, gold jewellery... it all just works.

People often assume beach holidays call for bright blue lenses because, well, there's a lot of blue around. In reality, it's usually the warmer shades that look the most convincing. They add depth to brown eyes without competing with the rest of your look.

That doesn't mean blue is off the table. If it's your favourite colour, wear it. Holidays are exactly the time to have a little fun with your look. Just consider softer blue-grey tones rather than anything overly vibrant. They tend to photograph better, especially in strong sunlight.

Whether you're heading to the Maldives, Bali or the Seychelles, the best holiday eye colour is usually the one that looks like it belongs there, not the one shouting for attention.

City Breaks Call for Something Different

A beach holiday gives you permission to lean into warmth but city breaks are a different story. Whether you're wandering around Rome, people-watching from a café in Paris or squeezing every last step out of a weekend in London, your style often becomes a little more pared back. Linen gives way to denim. Sandals become trainers. Even your makeup bag usually gets a little less ambitious.

Grey, green-grey and cooler hazel shades tend to feel right at home in a city setting. They're subtle enough to wear all day but still add that little bit of definition when the light catches them. You don't notice them straight away, and that's exactly the point.

One thing we've spotted is that people often pack differently for city breaks without even thinking about it. They swap oversized sunglasses for a blazer, throw in their favourite trainers instead of flip-flops... then pack exactly the same contact lenses they wear every day.

This might be the trip to try something different. Not dramatically different. Just different enough to freshen things up. A soft grey instead of hazel. An olive tone instead of brown. Small changes are often the ones people notice most.

The Best Holiday Photos Rarely Feature the Brightest Eye Colour

The most photogenic coloured contact lenses usually aren't the brightest ones. Social media can make it feel like icy blue lenses are the answer to every holiday photo, but in real life they're often the first thing people notice. And that's not always a compliment. They can photograph beautifully in a controlled shoot, but in everyday holiday lighting, they have a tendency to look a bit flat or artificial. 

The colours that photograph best tend to be a little more subtle. Honey catches the light beautifully around sunset. Olive green seems to change depending on where you're standing. Smoky grey has a habit of looking different in every photo, which is part of the charm.

It's a bit like holiday makeup. Most people pack three lipsticks and end up wearing the same tinted balm all week.

Lighting has plenty to say as well. Midday sunshine can flatten almost everything, while that hour before sunset, the one every photographer bangs on about, brings out the tiny details in coloured contact lenses that you'd never spot indoors. If you've ever looked back at your holiday photos and wondered why your eyes seemed to sparkle more on one evening than the rest of the trip, chances are the light was doing most of the work.

Our advice is don't choose a lens just because it'll get noticed across the beach. Choose one that still looks good when you stumble across those photos five years from now.

Your Holiday Contact Lens Checklist

There's always one thing people forget. Usually it's the charger. Sometimes it's the toothbrush. Every now and then, it's the contact lens solution. It happens.

Before you zip up your suitcase, it's worth giving this little list a once-over.

• Contact lens solution (enough for the whole trip)
• A clean lens case
• Lubricating eye drops suitable for contact lens wearers
• Sunglasses with UV protection
• A spare pair of lenses, just in case

And one extra thought to consider that doesn't fit neatly on a checklist...

If your eyes are telling you it's time to take your lenses out, listen to them. Holidays have a habit of turning eight hours into twelve without anyone noticing. Long flights, sea air, hotel air conditioning and full days out all take their toll. Give your eyes a break when they need one. They'll be much happier for it tomorrow.

And one final reminder. Swimming with your contact lenses in, whether it's the sea, the hotel pool or the waterpark, is one of those risks that's very easy to avoid. Take them out first. Future you will be glad you did.

Why It's Worth Packing More Than One Pair

There's a reason most people don't take just one lipstick on holiday. Different outfits. Different plans. Different evenings. Coloured contact lenses can be exactly the same.

A warm honey or hazel lens might feel perfect for a relaxed afternoon by the pool, while a smoky grey suits dinner a little better. Neither is right or wrong. They just create a different look, much like changing your jewellery or lipstick.

If you're travelling with monthly, 3-month or 12-month lenses, it's worth slipping a second pair into your case if you have the space. You may never wear them, but it's nice to have the option.

We've noticed at MesmerEyez that people often see their lenses differently once they're away. A shade they barely wore at home suddenly becomes their favourite, simply because the light, the setting and even their wardrobe have changed. It's a small thing, but holidays have a way of encouraging us to experiment.

Four Things We've Learned From Years of Helping People Choose Coloured Contact Lenses

After thousands of conversations with customers, a few patterns crop up again and again. Some are predictable. Others still surprise us.

1. The favourite pair isn't always the one people expected to love.

It's surprisingly common for someone to buy a second-choice colour, wear it on holiday, then wonder why they didn't try it sooner. Sometimes all it takes is different lighting, a tan and a week away from your usual routine to see a colour differently.

2. Holiday lighting is much kinder than your bathroom mirror.

We've said it before, but it's worth repeating because it's true. Natural daylight brings out the detail in coloured contact lenses in a way indoor lighting simply can't. If you're judging a new pair under LED lights at home, you're only seeing half the picture.

3. Most people pack more makeup than they actually wear.

By day three, the full-coverage foundation has usually been replaced by tinted moisturiser, cream blush and whatever lipstick happened to be closest to hand. That's one of the reasons coloured contact lenses often become more noticeable on holiday. Everything else becomes a little more effortless.

4. Nobody has ever wished they'd packed less contact lens solution.

It isn't the most glamorous thing in your suitcase, but it's probably one of the most useful. The same goes for a clean lens case and a bottle of contact lens-friendly eye drops. They're easy to forget at home and surprisingly annoying to replace when you're somewhere unfamiliar.

Conclusion

By the time August rolls around, plenty of people in the UAE are ready for a change of scenery. Sometimes that means a week on the beach. Sometimes it's wandering around a European city with a coffee in one hand and absolutely no plans for the day.

Either way, holidays are one of the few times we give ourselves permission to try something different. A new lipstick. A new outfit. A different eye colour. 

Found your perfect holiday look? Explore the full MesmerEyez collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which coloured contact lenses are best for a beach holiday?

Warm shades like honey, golden hazel and olive green are always favourites for beach holidays. They catch natural sunlight beautifully and pair effortlessly with bronzed skin and lighter summer makeup. If you prefer cooler tones, a soft grey or blue-grey can work just as well without feeling too bold.

Can I wear coloured contact lenses on holiday every day?

Yes, as long as you follow the recommended wear schedule for your lenses and give your eyes a break when they need one. Long flights, hot weather and air conditioning can all make your eyes feel drier than usual, so it's worth buying lubricating eye drops designed for contact lens wearers.

Should I pack more than one pair of coloured contact lenses?

If you have the room, we'd say yes. Holidays rarely have just one dress code. The lenses you wear by the pool might not be the ones you reach for on your last evening, and having a second option gives you a little more freedom without taking up much suitcase space.

Can I swim in the sea or pool wearing coloured contact lenses?

It's best not to. Sea water, swimming pools and hot tubs can all expose your lenses to bacteria and other microorganisms that increase the risk of eye infections. Remove your lenses before swimming and put them back in once your eyes are clean and dry.