Aphrodite Breast Forms:
Repairing, Attaching and Contouring.

Repairing Aphrodite Breast Forms

Aphrodite breast forms are much less susceptible to damage than the cheap "silicone balloon" forms, but as I recently discovered, you can damage them. I don't know how it happened, but one of my breast forms has a small along one of the edges. A fingernail might have caused it, but it could also have happened from my habit of sleeping in them. A tear like this could easily get worse, so I was worried.

I contacted Divine, and they gave me the same great customer support they always do. I like this company a lot! They said they could repair it but weren't sure it would look great. They recommended using the Hollister or Factor II B-400 adhesives they suggested for attaching the forms. Obviously, (as they pointed out) if you use remover to get the glue off after wearing, it will also reopen the tear. I asked them about using Sil-poxy, which I have used to repair silicone molds. They have used that also and told me it was fine for the breast forms, as long as I was comfortable with it.

Long story short, I successfully repaired the tear with some Sil-poxy, which has held up very well. I couldn't make the repair invisible, but I doubt I would have done any better with the Hollister or B-400. I'm happy with the appearance. If this happens to you, here's what you can do:

1. You'll need Sil-poxy, an artist's spatula (small), and something to put the Sil-poxy on. I used the bottom of a paper cup. You'll also need something to put the form on; I recommend cooking parchment.
2. Clean the surfaces of the breast form with 99% Isopropyl alcohol. It is crucial to get them clean, or the Sil-poxy will not adhere.
3. Squeeze a tiny amount of Sil-poxy onto the paper cup.
4. Use the spatula to place some Sil-poxy along each edge of the tear, and place the edges together. Then put a thin layer of Sil-poxy on top of the tear on both sides of the breast form.
5. You have about 5-minutes to make adjustments, and Sil-poxy is a pain to get off, so use your time wisely and make any adjustments quickly.
6. Wait 24 hours before wearing the forms again.

When I use Sil-poxy for repairing silicone molds, I also use a piece of stretchable webbing to reinforce the repair. I didn't do it in this case because the breast forms are not subject to the strains that molds have to endure. So far, it has been great.

Attaching Aphrodite Breast Forms

I wrote about how to attach Aphrodite Breast Forms in my previous article, but I have a new (and much better) method. I now use a different adhesive that works so well that it does not require a "burner bra" to hold the forms against your chest.

As you may recall, I am not thrilled with the Hollister adhesive. After using it repeatedly, I now loathe it. It isn't easy to use, and with Hollister, breast forms can move. You can see the movement clearly if you use makeup to disguise the edges of the form. After a few hours, you will see how the breasts have slipped, showing some un-made-up skin. A company called "Premiere Products Inc." makes silicone adhesives that go by the brand name Telesis. These are standard in the special effects industry for attaching anything silicone to an actor. PPI claims they will not harm any silicone, and I think we would have heard about it by now if this wasn't true. Since I have some on hand, I decided to try it. Divine has not tested their breast forms with Telesis. Hopefully, they will do it soon. Unfortunately, Telesis products are quite expensive, but since you use so little of it, and since you can easily control the amount of application, I believe it is much cheaper than the Hollister adhesive.

There are several Telesis products, as you can see on the PPI Website. These all have numbers reflecting their introduction order. They differ in solid content, but Telesis does not advise which adhesive might be better for a specific purpose. I've used mostly Telesis 8 and Telesis 5. Generally speaking, I prefer Telesis 5; it dries quickly and provides a stronger bond. That's what I now use for the breast forms.

Using Telesis adhesives is very counter-intuitive. Unlike most glues, they need to be dry before attaching the surfaces. The biggest mistake you can make with one of these is to attach the glued surfaces when they are still wet. It will never work. But you could wait a week before attaching surfaces, and it will work. I had a spot of spilled Telesis 5 in a box that I left without cleaning up because I wanted to see how long it would take before it stopped sticking to things. A month later, I was still prying things off of it. So there is no reason to be in a rush here.

You will also need to get some Telesis Thinner, as the glue will thicken over time. I also recommend getting another product from PPI called "Top Guard." Top Guard is similar to the Skin Tac wipes that come with the breast forms, but I find it vastly superior. It forms a protective layer between the skin and the adhesive and helps to prevent sweat from affecting the joint.

Details of the New Method

1. You'll need: Isopropyl Alcohol (99% is ideal), Telesis Top Guard, Telesis 5 Adhesive, some neutral makeup powder or baby powder, cotton balls, or other applicators.
2. Position the breasts where you want them. Previously I said that I think people place breasts too high. Some of you have sent photos, and at least some are over-correcting. The nipples should be the same distance from the ground, and a line drawn between them should intersect the upper arms in the middle, not too close to the elbow or the shoulder. Aim for a martini glass shape between the breasts to get the distance between the breasts right.
3. Take a powder puff or sponge, and powder the top of the breasts and the skin. Remove the breasts, and you will see the outline of their shape; you can use this when you attach them with the adhesive. Using powder is more accurate than using an eye pencil.
4. Clean the back of your breast form and chest with alcohol. Wait for it to dry.
5. Apply a coat of Top Guard to your chest.
6. There are many ways to apply the Telesis adhesive and thinner. I find it works for me to wet the cotton ball with thinner, then apply the adhesive to it. One dip into the thinner is all you need for several adhesive applications. Applying the adhesive to both skin and form creates the strongest bond. It may or may not be necessary.
7. Wait for the glue to become tacky. It should be fairly quick. Just touch it lightly. When it is tacky, you can now attach the breast forms.
8. Telesis adhesive is pressure activated, so push the forms onto your breast on the line left by the powder. Then lie down for 5 minutes (you won't need more than that). While on your back, rub the breasts repeatedly, especially along the edges, to ensure they are attached.

That's it. In my experience, I haven't needed anything to support the breasts after this initial 5-minute period. The most likely reasons you could have trouble putting the breast forms on too soon before the adhesive has had a chance to get tacky or not properly cleaning the surface of the breast forms or your chest.

For Experts

Once you get comfortable with this, you might want to modify the above procedure. You can get a better result by leaving the glue off of the top and side edges of the breast forms and the corresponding places on your chest. When you attach the breast forms, take a brush or cotton ball, lift up the edge gently, and apply the glue to both the edge of the form and the skin. Then fasten it down after it has had a chance to get tacky. Doing that gives the nicest edge and is used to attach prosthetics to movie actors.

To Remove

In my experience, you can't just pull this off without potentially damaging your skin or the form. Telesis makes "SuperSolv," which is a remover. They also have "SuperSolv+," which is for sensitive skin. It works well, and you need only a little to remove the breast forms and glue. SuperSolv will not work if you've been drinking, incidentally, unless you have also used Top Guard.

Highlighting Breast Forms

Many of you have asked how to highlight/contour the breast forms. It's easy, and if you don't have breast forms, doing this can create the illusion of having breasts when you have none! Of course, the illusion will disappear if viewed from your side, but it's impressive to see it from the front!

I use two or three shades of contour color. Because the Aphrodite forms are a bit darker than I am, I usually apply some foundation to them first and to the exposed skin above them, blending that in with a Beauty Blender as usual. Then starting with the lightest shade (which could also be a blush if you wish) and a broad brush, brush some along the edge of the forms, starting at the center and stopping where you wish. Many people will think you are a slut if you highlight it all along the top, but what's the problem with that, exactly? Besides, you have to do it to hide the edge of the form.

Using a smaller brush, move to a slightly darker shade and place that along the outside of the contour. Use your darkest shade with a small pencil or angled brush to draw a line along the outermost line of the contour, right on your skin. Then blend this all together as usual with a clean, fluffy brush.

Then take some light powder and apply it to the top of the breast, above and between the breasts, and outside of the contour. This will also make your breasts look even larger. Then blend. If you are in a mood, you can add some highlighter (on the breasts only) to make them stand out. And blend.

And that's all there is to it! I hope this series has been helpful. I'm always happy to get good suggestions and nice comments. Feel free to write!