How to Choose a Bra Pad for a Swimsuit
Are you considering investing in a swim bra or additional bra pads for your swimwear this summer? Wearing a swim bra or bra pad separates under your swimwear offers a plethora of benefits to the wearer. Besides offering bust enhancement and an increased cup size for those with smaller breasts, they can provide smoothing, shaping, and even offer added protection.
With so many women’s swimming suit options, swim bra pads, and special swim bra options with so many enhancing and reducing features to choose from, you may not be certain about what you need or where you should even start looking. Luckily, we have compiled all of the best info about swim bra pads for you, so look no further: here is how to choose the best bra pad for you.
Bust-Enhancing Bra Pads
One of the most common uses of bra pads, for swimwear or otherwise, is to enhance the look of the bust. This could mean adding a half to a full cup size with padding for small breasts, adding padding to just one breast to balance out uneven cup sizes, or creating the look of full and natural-looking breasts on someone who has undergone a mastectomy. These types of swimwear options are also excellent for those who wish to wear women’s swimwear but may not have breasts.
For those without breasts, we recommend that you start with a mastectomy swimsuit. These swimsuits include flattering shape-enhancing features and easy-to-use bra pad pockets so you can choose and easily insert whatever size, shape, or material bra pad is best for you.
In addition to swim bras and extra bra pads, you might want to consider a swimsuit specifically designed for bust enhancement. Bust-enhancing swimsuits can create a subtle but significant, natural-looking shape while enhancing your overall figure. These styles usually include twist-tops and/or underwires for extra lift and ruching or embellishments to create a fuller look on top. Bust-enhancing bra pads can even be added to these styles for extra fullness, regardless of if you are creating this look of fullness, or simply enhancing your natural breasts.
Shaping Up in Swimwear
Another common reason for using additional padding or swim bras under your swimwear can be for bust-minimizing effects, or for adding support. For those with large breasts, many swimsuits and swim-tops are simply not supportive enough. Especially if you are an active swimsuit wearer, even smaller breasts require some extra support during physical activity.
Choosing a swimsuit with slimming or bust-minimizing features can add a flattering shaping and slimming appearance to your look while providing much-needed support to prevent injury or neck and back pain. In addition to wearing a bust-minimizing swimsuit, you also have the option of wearing a super-supportive swim bra or sports bra underneath. This will provide added safety and support whether you are swimming laps, surfing, or just hanging out by the lake this summer.
Bra Pad Materials
Bra pads can be made out of a variety of materials. Foam pads are the most common, as these tend to be extra soft, easily accessible, and made from cheaper materials. Foam is an excellent option for breast enhancement, as some foam pads can be shaped to mimic the shaping ability of an underwire. They can simultaneously add volume and lift, for a full and natural-looking bust while also being super-lightweight for a barely-there feel. These are also the easiest to insert into most swimsuits.
Silicone is another great material option for bra pads. Silicone is naturally adhesive, so these work best when applied directly to the breast, under your swimwear. Many swim bras are made of silicone as this material is one hundred percent waterproof and will not absorb any bacteria and odor-causing sweat or moisture. Because of their slightly sticky nature, silicone pads are also great for adding shape and lift.
How to Insert and Wear Your Bra Pads
Now that you’ve chosen which types of bra pads are best for your swimwear, you’ll be to make sure they fit correctly, right? Foam pads are the easiest to insert and most swimsuits and bikini bathing suit tops feature a pocket layer in which you can insert them. You can usually find the opening to this pocket on the inside of your swim top at the outer edge or bottom. Foam pads are easy to fold over inward and slip inside. From there, just adjust and smooth it out from the outside.
If you choose silicone pads, these will usually be worn directly on the skin, under your swimwear. For a breast-enhancing effect, you can choose a backless option and use the pads to keep your breasts closer together.
Carefully handwash and fully air dry your new bra pads after each use for long-lasting swim bra pad benefits!