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The best nipple covers for every fabric

The best nipple covers for every fabric

A nipple cover has one job: make the fabric over it look like there is nothing under it. The best one is the one you forget you are wearing, which comes down to material, size, shade and where you put it. Here is how to choose for each fabric.

Silicone versus disposable

Disposable pasties are fabric with a coating of adhesive. They are cheap, they show an edge under thin fabric, and they go in the bin after one wear. Silicone covers are thin, tapered to nothing at the edge, matched to skin, and wash and reuse up to 50 times. For anything sheer, silicone is the only one that works. The Sculpt Round is round, unpadded silicone in two sizes and four shades.

By fabric

White shirt or white tee. The hardest case, because white shows both color and edge. Match the shade to your chest, not your face, and take the larger size so the edge is far from the nipple and fully feathered.

Sheer blouse. Shade matters more than size. Nude on paler skin reads as skin; Honey, Caramel and Cocoa for deeper tones.

Silk or satin slip dress. Smooth fabric shows any edge. Silicone, smallest size that covers, pressed from the center out so no air is trapped.

Knits and ribbed tops. The fabric is forgiving on edge but shows shape. A cover alone smooths; if you want lift under a knit, add The Sculpt Lite and skip the padding.

Swimwear. Silicone holds in water. Dry the skin, apply before the suit, rinse in fresh water afterward and air dry.

Bodysuit or leotard. Cover plus The Body Tape along the neckline if it gapes.

Size

8 cm covers an A to a C. 10 cm covers a D and up, or anyone who wants more distance between the edge and the nipple. When in doubt, take the larger; a cover that is too small shows a ring, a cover that is slightly large disappears.

Shade

Hold the cover against the chest in daylight, not against the hand. The chest is usually paler than the face and hands. Nude, Honey, Caramel and Cocoa cover the range; the shade that is one step lighter than you think is usually right under white.

How to apply

Clean dry skin, no lotion. Peel from the edge, center it, press from the middle outward so no air is trapped, hold ten seconds. The top goes on after. Take it off by peeling from one edge, never straight off.

How to reuse

Wash with warm water and a drop of mild soap, fingertips only, air dry adhesive side up, back on the film, in the case. Dust is what kills a cover, so the case matters. Up to 50 wears. How to clean a sticky bra and inserts has the routine.

When a cover is not enough

A cover smooths and hides; it does not lift. For a low neckline that needs shape, the cover goes on first and The Sculpt or a sticky bra goes over it. For a backless dress, see What to wear under a backless dress.