Choosing Sunglasses
Frames, Lens & Face Shapes Guide
Why do I need sunglasses?
We know that the sun's rays can cause damage to the skin so we take precautions in the form of sun cream and sun Clothing. The sun's rays can also damage our eyes so you should always wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from premature ageing and illness. Foster Grants sunglasses are fitted with UV400 lenses to block out harmful rays and provide adequate levels of protection, as well as making you look good at the same time!
Which sunglasses provide the best protection for my eyes?
Always look for the British Standard EN 1836: 2005 and the CE mark. All Foster Grant® sunglasses are manufactured to meet these guidelines as a minimum standard to give you 100% protection from UVA rays that tan the skin and speed up premature ageing and UVB rays, responsible for sunburn and damaging our eyes. All Foster Grant sunglasses are fitted with UV400 lenses and offer the highest level of protection from the sun.
Are the more expensive sunglasses better quality?
Not necessarily, just make sure they meet the required standards as above. You can be confident when purchasing a pair of Foster Grant sunglasses as all styles have UV400 lenses, provide maximum UV protection and meet the EN 1836: 2005 standards.
Which style best suits my face?
Always try on a number of styles to see which look the best and feel the most comfortable. Want some help? follow our tips for the best results.
YES - The best styles for people with a broad forehead, wide cheek bones and small chin are without doubt delicate ovals, that are rounded or squared off at the outer edges and narrow frames that are no wider than the temples. Bottom-heavy frames will add width to the chin and lower part of the face.
NO - Avoid heart shaped styles as they echo the shape of the face along with decorative temples that draw attention to the upper face.
YES - You should always look for wide, large frames that extend slightly beyond the temples or have decorative temples to give the impression of a shorter face. Soft rectangles and squares are also good for long faces but not small square styles.
NO - Stay away from short frames as they emphasise a long face and also small frames that have no proportion.
YES - For those of you with a full rounded face where proportions are the same, choose slightly angular styles like soft squares, swept up cat eye shapes, slightly elongated ovals and rectangles, all of which will make the face appear longer and thinner and sharpen facial features. Straight temples at the top will add length to the face.
NO - Steer clear of small round glasses that make your face appear rounder or very large styles that shorten your face
YES – If you have a broad forehead or angular face, we recommend finer frames and oval styles that soften the jaw line, rounded shapes with a straight top and styles with centered temples.
NO - Keep away from square, geometric styles and those that are wider than the face. Also avoid colour at the bottom of frames and temples that are low-set.
YES – People with an oval face are lucky as the balanced shape allows wear of most frame styles, either round or rectangular. Ideally choose glasses that are at least as wide as the widest part of the face in order to retain balance.
NO -Avoid frames that are smaller than the widest part of the face, or very narrow in depth as they will detract from the natural balance of the face.
Which lens colours are best?
The colour of the lens depends largely on personal choice, ie style, fashion and purpose. Again, we recommend that the glasses you choose comply with the standards and offer the level of UV protection required.
Some of our fashion lenses may be very light or almost clear and therefore not really comfortable on a bright sunny day but they are absolutely fine if you just want to look cool and still have 100% UV400 protection.
The most popular colours are varying shades of grey and brown as they provide an adequate level of shade to the eyes without distorting natural colour too much. Our sunglasses come with a variety of lens colours and below are some tips on choosing the right colour for you.
- Grey lenses are considered neutral because they do not enhance contrast or distort colors.
- Brown and Green lenses cause some minimal color distortion but have contrast-enhancing properties.
- Orange, Amber and Yellow lenses have the best contrast enhancement at depth perception but cause some color distortion.
- Yellow lenses are commonly used for driving and sports for contrast enhancement and depth perception properties.
- Blue and purple lenses offer no real benefits and are mainly cosmetic.
- Clear lenses are used typically to protect the eyes from impact, debris, dust, or chemicals.
Some sunglasses with interchangeable lens have optional clear lenses to protect the eyes during low light or night time activities.
What are the most popular lens types?
Acrylic is the most commonly used sunglass lens material. It is much lighter and more scratch resistant than glass so therefore more comfortable to wear. All Foster Grant acrylic lenses have a scratch resistant coating.
Polycarbonate is light weight yet incredibly strong so ideal for sports and leisure activities.
Polarised eliminates glare caused by light reflecting off flat or shiny surfaces such as water, the car dash etc and are ideal for driving as well as outdoor activities such as fishing and sailing. See our superb Polarised high performance active wear collection of sunglasses.
What different lens types are available?
Solid offers an even colour over the whole of the lens
Graduated are darker nearer the top than the bottom or graduate from one darker colour to another lighter one e.g. grey to pink. They're great in cloudier conditions or if you are looking for a funky dual-tone look.
Fashion tints come in a huge variety of single or dual tone lens colours and are ideal for when you want to make a statement. We recommend however that you take care that the sunglasses you choose comply with the EN standards so that they provide maximum UV protection and are distortion free.
Driving lenses generally feature specialist amber to brown shades to enhance contrast and definition. We have a great selection of stylish Drivers sunglasses with anti-reflective coatings that are ideal for driving in all-weather.
Mirror coatings come in various forms and colours and are applied to the back or front of the lens. A full mirror coating covers the entire lens and a graduated mirror coating covers only part (usually the top half). Flash mirror coatings are light in coverage and used to enhance the look of many fashion lenses.
Mirror Finishes allow added glare reflection and are ideal for lighter coloured lenses and sports styles. They also look great, add colour and interest to the sunglasses and are good for hiding behind too.
What are filter categories?
Filter categories are the level of visible light that is allowed to travel through the lens without affecting the UV protection.
A very light coloured lens is likely filter category 0 or 1, medium tint 2 and dark tint 3. There is also a filter category 4 but it is very dark and not recommended for driving (we do not supply sunglasses with filter category 4 lenses).
The filter category of the lens should be shown on the sunglass label. Always check as the European standard dictates that it should appear.
Which Frame is best?
Frames are generally made from plastic, nylon, polycarbonate, a metal or metal alloy. Nylon, plastic or polycarbonate frames are usually used in sports because they are lightweight and durable. Metal frames are usually more rigid than nylon frames but can be more easily damaged when used in sporting activities. Because metal frames are more rigid, some models have spring hinges to help them grip the face better.
What is a NoseBridge?
A nose bridge allows support between the lens and the face. Nose bridges also prevent pressure marks caused by the weight of the lens or frame on the cheeks. If you consider that you have a larger nose then pick a style with a low nose bridge. People with medium noses may need a low or medium nose bridge and those of you with a small nose should pick out sunglasses with high nose bridges to allow clearance.
What's hot?
Fashion comes and goes but here’s what to look out for in our latest collection.
The retro look continues to be hot with the latest versions of styles popular in the 60's, 70's and 80's re-emerging in the latest Foster Grant® Legends & Fashion collections.
L-R– Dude, Michaela Tort & Glisten Gold
Large to medium fashion shapes remain popular throughout and plastic frames still dominate.
L-R––Indeed Pink, Subtle & Ambitious
The collection also features the latest animal prints, pink tortoiseshells and new golds.
L-R–– Excellent, Morning Glory & Desdemona
Any Questions?
We hope that you found this information useful. If you would like further help then please send us an d we'll respond promptly to your query.
Happy Shopping!