Bound by diamonds ribbon eye mask - blindfold by Cal Exotics - review by Jul!a

This was my first venture into anything like this, and honestly, I'd probably have been better off with a bandana.

So I'll start with the box. Not discreet in the least bit, both the front and back feature a photograph of the model wearing the eye mask, along with pictures of the mask. One side is just a continuation of the ad on the front and the back, and the other side has the copyright date, manufacturer name (California Exotics), the company website, and the materials list. The mask was found inside folded in half inside a plastic bag with a resealable fold.

This is supposed to be "one size fits most." I really don't think you're going to have a problem with it fitting you.

The mask itself from end to end measures 47". Each strap measures approximately 20" long and is supposedly made out of satin. The mask itself measures about 7 1/2" across, just under 3" down at the nose bridge, and about 3 1/4" down at the deepest. The front of the mask is made out of black PVC and features two long strings and two short strings of crystals. The short ones end 1/2" in from the straps on each side and are 3/4" long. The long ones end 1 3/4" in from the straps on each side and are just over 2 1/2" long. Each column is 2 crystals wide and measures about 1/4" across.

The materials listed are as follows: 100% Polyester (ribbon and satin lining), 30% Polyester, 10% Polyurethane and 60% PVC (eye mask). I couldn't find any kind of care instructions anywhere. Not that you really need to wash an eye mask, but I mean if you're anything like me and don't take your makeup off before going at it you might end up with eyeshadow on the inside lining. If this happens I would first try to take a small microfiber cloth like the ones in eyeglass cleaning kits and gently wipe it off. Getting the lining wet could stain it, but honestly, that probably doesn't matter too much because it won't get seen.

While not the lowest quality thing I've ever seen, this eye mask is definitely not the highest either. Some of the PVC along the edges has bunched up and seems like some of the edges, could either be from the lining or the front, I can't tell that well, have started to almost come undone. I've had this happen to me when I've been sewing and it happens when the part that you folded over to make a seam wasn't long enough to meet the part that got sewn. The crystals don't seem to be held on that well either. The small columns on the sides are held on by a back and forth stitch in the middle of the column. The longer ones are held on by the same back and forth stitch, only it's sewn at each end. All the stitching is visible on the lining of the mask. However, the ribbon does tie fairly nicely.

As for the durability of this mask, I would highly suggest not tugging on the crystal strings, not that you'd have any real need to anyway. But try not to be too rough and you shouldn't have a problem. If you were to be wearing it I would be ok with tugging lightly on the front, but if you're into tugging, you can find other ways to get pulled around that are meant to take the abuse probably.

Something that is really cool I thought was the fact that you have the option of registering this mask with CalEx so that if you do need to take advantage of a warranty you can do so. The website www.vibetronics.com is located on the back of the box.

As for storage, I haven't decided whether or not to just keep it in the box it came in or toss it into my box of random goodies. I would recommend keeping it someplace dry for sure. Tossing it in a drawer with socks or undies would be probably be plenty fine.

I had high hopes for this eye mask, I really did. But I just can't seem to make it work for me as something more than a sleep mask really.

When I put it on so that it sits comfortably with the straps behind my ears, I can still see out the bottom. No matter what I did I could still see out the bottom. And when I lifted my head in a looking up motion it felt like it was going to fall off. I'm still convinced that the only real reason it didn't is because I tied it underneath the ponytail I had to put up to even get the straps to fall behind my ears. Even after all that it still sits more comfortably with the mask portion on my forehead than on my eyes, and that's where it seems to want to migrate. Only it stops somewhere halfway between being propped up on my forehead and resting on my eyes. Very frustrating.

I then tried it with the straps going over my ears, rather than behind them. Big fail. It just falls off only now it will go in both directions. I had it fall up once or twice and get caught on my ponytail, and a few times it fell down and I was wearing it as a necklace.

It actually took away from what we were trying to do, so I just gave up and took it off and kept my eyes closed, lol.

All in all this could be much worse. I did get some enjoyment out of it and it really is cute. I'm going to keep trying to find a way to make this work a little better for me and I'll keep you posted if anything changes.

Well, we went away for a romantic weekend, and this little wannabe called me from its box, begging to be given a second chance. So I brought it along. And it still won't stay on my head, so I stick with my initial decision of banning it to a drawer. It's really quite a shame, because I love the way it looks, but it doesn't serve any real functional purpose.