After decades of wearing sunglasses and spectacles that have been (apparently) made for caucasian features, having to constantly push them up my nose bridge has become second nature, sort of like a tic that you no longer even notice you have.

So when Lenicc invited me to customise my own pair of sunglasses, created specifically for flatter Asian features, I was excited and intrigued. Would I finally not have to push my glasses up my nose? And what would I even do with my hand if I didn’t need to use it to push up my specs every few minutes?

I was also skeptical, do our flatter asian features, specifically the lower nose bridge, really affect the fit of our sunglasses, and why are all the sunglass brands in the market catering to caucasian faces in the first place? Don’t Asians wear sunglasses? Basically my head was abuzz with questions that needed to be answered by someone in the know, and add to that, I also had a pair of new customised sunglasses that I needed to road test.

But let’s also be real, when it comes to sunglasses, it’s all about the frame and brand, with nary a consideration about the actual UV protection it might provide, after all, we presume that the lenses that the frames come with should offer adequate protection, cos the sticker across the lens says it does right?

Well apparently not, according to Grace Ng, the founder of Lenicc Eyewear. Which is why I bombarded the poor lady with a multitude of questions that I had floating around, and taking up space in my head:

LC: Does the lower Asian nose bridge really affect the fit and effectiveness of the sunglasses we wear?

GN: Yes, it does to a certain point due to the curvature of the face and height of our nose bridges which varies among Asians.

LC: Do those cheap convenience store/market stall sunglasses offer any UV protection at all?

GN: We advise that you get your sunglasses from a licensed optical shop or from eyewear brands like ours, where our lenses are worldwide certified for UV protection

LC: On Chinese websites like AliExpress, you can find very trendy and cheap sunglasses that come with uv stickers and supposed UV protection. Do they really offer any protection?

GN: When it is UV protected, you do not need an indication but if your lenses are polarised, there will be a sticker of ‘P’ or for ours we engrave ‘polarised’ at the tip of the ear piece.

LC: If a reader was to buy a pair of sunglasses from a reputed optical shop, do the lenses it comes with actually provide sufficient UV protection?

GN: Get your sunglasses that are with brand names as most of the brands within are certified. Most have sufficient UV protection but you need to pay more attention to the no-brand ones that cost between $2 to $50. Good lenses and eye protection coverage (UV protection, polarised and anti-glare coatings) do not come cheap.

My Final Thoughts

I’ve road tested my pair of Lenicc sunglasses for a week, and I have found that not once have I had to push it up my face. Sometimes I find my hand reaching towards my face, probably a result of muscle memory, and then falling back down again, since my frames have sat perfectly on my low nose bridge without budging.

I got a pair of clear cat eye frames (Atalia) with pink lenses, and while they are not powered (Lenicc does not offer this service, yet) they are so comfortable to wear, they feel great, and go with literally every outfit. I also realised that my eyes don’t feel tired or irritated, no matter how hot it is out.

Would I recommend these sunglasses? the short answer is yes, I would. Not only are they customisable, they are actually made for our asian features, they fit great, and the lenses really do offer good protection against the harsh rays of the sun, and the best part is that they are so affordable, at only $135!

If you would like to order a pair, or play around customising one for yourself, go here.

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