Weekend Reads 29-06-2013

      Hi everyone, how did your week go? I have not done a weekend reads post in the last weeks because the weekends were so full of fantastic stuff that I just couldn't fit writing in. Summer is full of concerts, festivals, lectures and other great events, and I mean to enjoy it all before the city turns dead boring in August. I've also been pretty busy with theater rehearsals, our performance is getting close and it's so exciting!

   Unfortunately I haven't been doing weekly challenges, but I mean to catch up. This week's challenge will be to catch up on my physical check-ups: I need to call my dentist, gyn and dermatologist and make appointments. I seriously dislike telephoning, then the waiting times and I always manage to forget my insurance cards, so I keep on postponing ding this. But I guess I should be grateful that the Germany health care system makes this all for free, and I just have to show up and not worry whether I can afford it or not.

  Important! Google reader is shutting down on Monday, so you'll need to follow this blog via Bloglovin or your new favourite reader!

  Anyway, onto the links!

* Style: A 16th Century style-obsessed accountant documented his outfits every day for 40 years. The first fashion blogger?

* Funny: Great Tweets Of Science

* Beauty: Ever wondered about beauty routines of women in uniform?

* Fun: Good movies for free? Try Snagfilms.

* Makeup: Mulan and the art of makeup. Amazing!

* Body: Apparently spray-tanning can give you abs, cleavage and a toned look.

* Food: This is why I cook

* Body: Why My Body Isn’t Bikini Season Ready & I Don’t Care

* Advice: I loved how not to say the wrong thing

Amazing stop-motion overview of Neolithic, Egyptian and European hairstyles:

DIY Customisable Serum Tutorial

   Hey everyone, I wanted to teach you quickly how to make a customisable serum. A serum is a product that moisturises the skin lightly (not as much as a moisturiser) but also contains active ingredients that are anti-aging, or deal with specific problems of the skin. Commercial serums are often very expensive, have to few active ingredients and too many  preservatives / unnecessary ingredients; but its not that hard to make your own if you have access to a DIY cosmetics store. In this post I have given an example of a very moisturisng serum, a lighter alternative to a typical moisturiser. This time we will concentrate on adding a lot of active ingredients to our serum -- it's up to you whether you want it to be anti-aging, or even out the skin tone, increase the skin's elasticity, fight acne, or whatever. Also, this serum will alco 

What you need:

The base: 

* A hydrolate (flower water) as the base of the water phase.
* An oil for the oil phase.
* An emulsifier that will helps the water phase and the oil phase to mix.
* A preservative.

The fancy stuff: 

* A couple of moisturisers (plant-based glycerin, urea, hyaluronan, panthenol etc)
* Active ingredients: plant extracts, vitamins, anti-oxidants, etc. -- I just read ingredients descriptions on the sites that I buy my ingredients from, and pick stuff that targets my particular skin issues. 

  Here is a list of places that sell DIY cosmetic ingredients. The better ones usually have the products arranged according to what they do, making it easy for you to find what you want. 

How to make it:

   We will be making a 100ml serum, so that the proportions are easy to calculate. 1gm = 1% -- easy!
   80% of the serum is water based and 20% is oil based. This means that first we mix all the things that dissolve in water into, well, the water (or hydrolate). Separately we will mix all the stuff that dissolves in oil, then we will use an emulsifier to combine the two phases.

   Research at which concentration the active ingredients can be added (this is usually written on the shop page). For example green tea can be used up to 5% -- this means you can add up to 5gm of grean tea to our 100gm serum. Also check out whether these are water soluble or oil soluble, and add them either to the oil phase or the water phase. Some ingredients may need to be added to a warm solutions while others cannot be warmed, so watch out!

Water phase: 

Here we mix the water and everything that is water soluble.
65gms hydrolate (flower-water, for example rose water), or distilled water.
15gms active ingredients of your choice. For example:

2g aloe vera
2g hyaluronan
3g panthenol
2gm pomengranate extract
2 gm vitamin B3
2g green tea extract
2g collagen

   The quantity of the above ingredients is not more (and sometimes less) than the recommended maximum concentration. Some ingredients, like hyaluronan, have no maximum recommended concentration (means you could slather a 100% on your face), but I chose only 2g here because I'm adding several other moisturising ingredients (collagen, panthenol, aloe vera).

Oil phase:

Now we mix oils and anything that is oil soluble.
Choose your favourite oils, and any active ingredients that are oil-soluble (for example vit E). For example:

10gm jojoba oil
5gm blackcurrant oil
5gm rose oil

   Add emulsifier (depending on which one you are using, you might have to add it either to the water phase or the oil phase and maybe even heat them up). Then combine oil phase and water phase and mix well. If you choose to skip the emulsifier, the oil phase and water phase will not mix, and you will have to shake the serum before each use.

   Now, add the  preservative, unless you plan to use the mixture up within a few days. There are many types of   preservatives out there, and it should say on there how much you are supposed to use.

    Have fun making your own serum. I'd love to answer any questions that you might have. If you do end up making something, let me know how it went!

Source Wielki Powrot do natury

The Basics Of Making DIY Cosmetics

   Since I have been posting several DIY recipes,  I wanted to go through a couple of basics guidelines which will help you successfully mix stuff, create your own recipes or modify existing ones.

* Some ingredients can be applied on the face in full concentration without harm (water, hyaluronan) while others need to be diluted. On the product description it should say in which concentration it can be used (if not, research this online). For example mandelic acid is moisturising in concentrations up to 10%, in higher concentrations till 35% it acts like a chemical peel. Higher concentrations than that can damage the skin.

* It is a good idea to buy from websites that have good product descriptions. I buy from and recommend Zrob Sobie Krem, although the English version of the site is not quite ready yet.

* The percentages here refer to grams, not ml!  So if you are making 50gms of cream, 10% will be 5gms. When planning what you want to add into your product, write everything down, making sure that you are accounting for 100% of the product. For serums, I like to first decide how many gms of the product I will be making, then list the exact amounts of extracts, humectants, etc I want to use and calculate how much water I need to add in the end. For example if I want to make 100 gms of a very basic mandelic acid toner, I can use 5gms mandelic acid (I'm just starting out with acids so I want to start gently), 5gms hyaluronan  and 90gms water.

* If you are using a ready recipe and want to skip an ingredient, you need to replace it with another ingredients or with water otherwise the concentrations of the active ingredients will be off. In the toner above I can skip the hyaluronan but I have to replace it with water (or another ingredient) otherwise I won't have a 5% concentration of mandelic acid.

* Use sensitive scales to calculate all of this. Jeweler's scales are best.

* Some ingredients have to be heated up to dissolve. Some can be damaged by heat. Always check this in the product descriptions. If necessary, mix up the heat-friendly ingredients together and then let cool before adding heat-sensitive ones.

* Some ingredients dissolve only in water, some only in oils. When making cosmetics we talk of the "water phase" -- this means using water (or a hydrolate) and adding to it all the ingredients that dissolve in water. In the "oil phase" we mix into the oil all ingredients that dissolve in the oil. In the end the water phase and the oil phase are mixed together with the help of an emulsifiers (a substance that helps water and oil combine).
     When buying ingredients, always check whether they dissolve into water or oil. If you want to make a serum without oils, you obviously cannot add any ingredients that dissolve only in oil.

* There are several different emulsifiers out there. Check the product descriptions to see whether they have to be added to the eater phase or the oil phase, heated or cold, and at which pH levels it works.

* The pH level of the product is very important. The recommended pH level is between 5,5 -6 (except for acid peels and vit C serums). The wrong pH level stresses out the skin and may even "burn" it. You need pH strips to test your mixture. To make it more alkaline you can add baking soda, to make it more acidic add lactic acid.

* Use distilled water whenever possible. Tap water can contain chemicals and minerals, mineral water also contains minerals which may not necessarily be good for your skin.

* There needs to be a balance between active ingredients and humectants (moisturising ingredients). A cosmetic with only vitamins and extracts but no moisturising ingredients won't work well on the skin.

* You can replace most oils with other oils. Always read up about the properties of the oils that you intend to use.

* Use non-metal containers and tools. Some ingredients may react to metals, so stay on the safe side. Glass, porcelain and plastic is best.

* Keep all of your tools clean. Clean them thoroughly, and disinfect with alcohol or boiling water.

* I have a running list of DIY cosmetic ingredient suppliers here.

* You can find my DIY cosmetic tutorials here.


    Let me know if you have any questions :)

Source: Italiana

Readers Bra Metamorphosis: 36A to 32E

     The Bra Metamorphosis is a series of posts that show photos of women before and after finding out their correct bra size. If you'd like to share your before and afters and inspire women to re-measure themselves, do contact me!

 
  R. sent me her before and after photos a while back, mentioning that she has seen an improvement in her back fat situation since she has started wearing a snugger band and bigger cups. I wanted to mention this post, which shows that contrary to expectations, snugger bands result in less back rolls than looser ones.
R writes:

"My photos show a big difference in the amount of ‘back-fat’ exhibited by ill-fitting and well-fitting bras, and I would be very happy if I could contribute in some way to your extremely helpful and informative blog.

  I’ve enclosed some pictures, and though the bra fit isn’t 100% great (I live in a tiny town and was lucky to get a bra near the right size) it does show the difference. I’ve also only been wearing the new bra for a week, but thought it would be a good idea to show that a difference is noticeable almost instantly. It should be noted that I am a bit overweight though!

Loose underbust-32.5”
Tight underbust-29.5”
Bending over bust- 38”
Standing Bust- 37”
Lying down bust- 26.6”

These measurements should put me at a 30F/32E (UK)"

Presence plunge 36A (UK) bra:

 32DD Reget by Janet Reger bra:

Debenhams Gorgeous polka dot spot bra in 32E: 

The reason for me wearing a wrong size is that my shopping center is very small and ill-stocked, and so I had to go with the next best thing!

   Even though the fit of the 32E is not perfect, the difference is already quite big! As far as I can guess from the photos, I think R's breasts are a bit shallow, and the bra cups are too deep. I'd seriously suggest that R tries soft (unpadded) cups, as the stiffer cups often mask fitting issues. Do you have any tips for R ?

   In a follow-up, R mentioned that "in the past month of wearing the 32DD I’ve had to alter it to make it fit because of the tissue migrating back to where it should be. I’ve had to adjust the band and wires, and it kind of shows how quickly the ‘back fat’ re-migrates."
  

   I'd like to thank R for sharing her metamorphosis with us. If you'd like to share yours, I'd love to have you! The "contact" button is on the top of the page, can't wait to hear from you!

The Flaws In The Cost-Per-Wear and Investment-Pieces Theories

  Cost-per-wear is really nice in theory: it is cheaper to buy a more expensive item that you wear many times than a cheap item that you wear only once. You can take the price of the item, divide it by the number of wears you get out of it, to find its cost-per-wear price. Ideally, you buy "investment pieces" that cost more but are the workhorses in your wardrobe.

However this theory assumes two things:
1. That the more expensive item will be more durable than the cheap item.
2. That you will wear the expensive item more often.

   In practice that doesn't work out quite like that. In my experience I have found out that:

* Some of the items that I have gotten most wear out of were for free or for pennies: either second-hand or at a swap party.
* It is not always easy to guess beforehand how much wear we will get out of the item. I am a careful shopper, but sometimes an item that seems perfect at first ends up not working. An item might look or fit different after a wash. My figure might change. I might put on weight, or lose weight, or start working out and build muscles. And I cannot predict in which direction my style will go in the near future. In short, you can't know the cost-per-wear of an item till you have actually worn it. So I'd be terrified to drop a bigger amount on a clothing item, because chances are I won't want to wear it that much after all.
* Nothing in white stays looking pristine for long enough to justify paying a lot for it.
* Quality doesn't follow the price curve. In fact, the 15€ and the 50€ T-shirts might be made in the same factory and not differ in quality. Michelle Phan did a post (which I can't find any more) on that years back, comparing basic polo shirts from different brands and found out that the best quality was reached already at the 30$ mark and anything more expensive was not better. If you want long-lasting clothes, forget the price and do some research online to find which brands are known for durable products. For example Land's End stuff is indestructible. Panache bras are much more wash-resistant than many other brands. Falke hosiery is seriously durable.
* As this blogger points out, cost-per-wear can be used to justify unnecessary purchases.
* Classic pieces don't stay unchanged. Even things like a LBD or a classic blazer do change over the years, so one from a couple of decades back will usually look dated.
* Cost-per-wear is not related to love-per-wear. I own a couple of things that I wear very rarely, yet they make me very happy and I always get complimented in them.

   So my wardrobe-expanding tactics are: 

   I pay attention to fabric and stitching: I never buy flimsy fabrics or synthetic sweaters.  I buy second-hand as often as possible. The cost-per-wear of my clothes is actually quite efficient, because even if I wore that dress only twice it still costs nothing if I got it at a clothes swap party. I have narrowed down my colour palette to tones that flatter my face. And I try to learn as much as I can about what works for my body type. I always have my shopping list with me. If I need something that should last long and work (winter jacket, boots), I do my research beforehand and choose a sturdy brand and model.  I look for and stick to brands that I know are reliable.

   What are your shopping tactics? Do you think that the cost-per-wear theory makes sense?
   

Tip: Whiten Your Teeth With A Banana Skin

   I just had to share this lovely tip: to whiten your teeth at home, rub the inside part of a banana peel on them for around two minutes. The whitening effect is subtle, but noticeable -- even more so when you do this every day for a week or two. Yellow bananas are best for this! Brush your teeth before so that you are rubbing the skin on your clean teeth and not on food remains. If you want to brush your teeth afterwards too, let the banana peel stuff sit on your teeth for a minute or two first.
    Also, the banana peel is actually good for your teeth because it contains minerals and is not acidic. (Brushing your teeth with strawberry pulp damages the enamel because strawberries are too acidic). Also, there is absolutely no pain or sensitivity involved with a banana.
   Other at-home whitening remedies which can work is swishing hydrogen peroxide.  Hydrogen peroxide is the active ingredient in most teeth whitening products. Be sure to buying the 3% strength, as higher concentrations can burn the skin. You can even dilute the 3% with water (50:50) if you want to. Hydrogen peroxide is also helpful against caries. Avoid swallowing, especially if the hydrogen peroxide you are using is not food grade. Also, don't use for too long non-stop, as the H2O2 wipes out the good bacteria along with the good, and this might lead to a case of black hairy tongue or thrush. So definitely take a pause after using peroxide for a week or two, and definitely don't use more often than once a day. Another way to whiten teeth at home that I know of is baking soda -- I have heard it might be too abrasive, but on the other hand many toothpaste products from organic brands contain baking soda. Does anyone know whether it is ok?
   If you prefer a store-bought whitener, the general consensus is that Crest strips are the best thing out there. They can be painful for sensitive teeth though, and using them too often might damage the teeth. I also recall that they have a different name in some countries but I don't remember what it is -- can anyone help me out here?
   Lets talk about prevention for a moment -- coffee is the greatest culprit when it comes to teeth stains, so if your teeth colour is important to you you might want to cut down on your coffee intake, as well as that of red wine.
    The colour of your lipstick can make your teeth look yellower or whiter. If your teeth are yellow you might want to avoid orange-ish tones, and some bright colours might also make your teeth look even more yellow. This is relative to your skin tone though, so you might have to test things out for yourself.
   I heard that Americans are obsessed with perfectly white and straight teeth. Is this true? I personally don't have either perfectly white or even very straight teeth, but I used to have very very crooked ones and it took a long time to get them straight-ish and the process was not entirely painless (my palate was stretched), so I appreciate and like the teeth I have now even they are not perfect.

   Is the appearance of your teeth important to you? What do you use to keep them white? Oh, and you might also like my post on tips on keeping your teeth healthy.

Parfait Affinitas Is Going Till K Cup This Fall

      Parfait Affinitas is one of my two favourite bra brands. The bras fit me perfectly and I love the luxurious fabrics and lovely details. However so many of you mentioned that you fall outside their sizing. Even though I am within their size range, I always wished it were available in bigger cups as well. After all, this is one of the things this blog is about -- to increase awareness for women as well as brands about the need for good, pretty bras in all kinds of sizes.
      Parfait Affinitas is thankfully one of the brands that listens to its customers and has increased their size range and will be offering cups up to K! This increase is right now limited to several models: Charlotte Padded Bra, Sophia Wire Bra and the Alexis Babydoll. However Affinitas promises to offer more styles in the expanded sizes in the future seasons.
     The bra on the photo above is the Charlotte (a huge favourite of mine which I reviewed here), which is now available in new colours: dusty rose and wild pink. I think the dusty rose one is mouthwatering gorgeous.

Charlotte in wild pink, the Sophia in nude and the Allison babydoll in black

     I am really looking forward to seeing how Affinitas bras look and fit in the bigger cups. I see the size expansion of Affinitas as a very positive sign, and hope that in the near future K cups will be the norm rather than the exception in stores.

     So, what do you think? Will you be buying one of the three bras that will be available in bigger cups? Which other Affinitas bra would you like to see in an expanded size?

Quick Announcement -- Two More Parfait Affinitas Giveway Winners!

         Two out of the ten winners never contacted me back, so I had to picked another two. The lucky ladies are:

1. Justine Marie Sherry
2. Al

   I've sent you mails, do check your spam box if you can't see them.
                         cheers,

Protect Your Face This Summer + John Masters Organic Sunscreen Review

   "If I could offer you only one piece of advice for the future, sunscreen would be it." wrote Mary Schmich, and her speech was made into the song everybody is free to wear sunscreen. If you'd ask be for the most important beauty tips, I'd tell you to drink lots of water, eat healthy and wear sunscreen. Lets talk about sunscreen today.

    The problem is that it's actually not that simple. It's not enough to "just wear" sunscreen. The application is crucial: rubbing on a very thin layer of sunscreen will give you just a  fraction of the SPF promised on the bottle. Most people don't apply enough, you need one teaspoon for the entire face, which is more than you think it is. Here is how to apply sunscreen right.

     Also, you shouldn't be applying just any makeup. Chemical sunscreen is often not photostable, mimics hormones and may promote skin cancer. Some get destabilized by certain makeup ingredients, and many have insufficient UVA protection. All have to be reapplied during the course of the day (how in the world are you supposed to do this if you wear makeup?).

   Mineral sunscreen do not have these issues and do not have to be reapplied if you don't touch your face. Besides, zinc oxide is probably the most effective at blocking all the rays of the UV spectrum. However, mineral sunscreen often is very heavy and leaves a white cast on the face. If it doesn't it is likely to contain nano particles -- these have not been sufficiently researched yet but it is know that they easily penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream, and also that nano-sized particles do not behave like regular sized ones. For these reasons I stick to nano-free mineral sunscreen.
   However there is hope in sight: nano-free mineral sunscreens that doesn't leave a white cast are appearing on the market. Usually the titanium dioxide and zinc oxide particles are smaller, but not nano. One such sunscreen is from John Masters Organics, about which I'll talk in the second part of this post.

   At this point you might be thinking: so much bother! Why is being a woman so complicated? First it took me ages to find a bra that fits, and now I'm to spend a decade reading sunscreen ingredients lists? 

  Well, it really is worth the bother. If you want to slow the ageing of your skin, sunscreen is the most powerful tool you can use. Prevention is always much more effective that the cure. And cheaper too.

   This guy was a truck driver for 25 years, and one side of his face was continually by the window. Full article here.

   On that note, I'd like to talk about the sunscreen I am using at the moment. I took me literally years to find a product that I liked enough to actually use it every day. I already mentioned the John Masters Organics sunscreen among my May favourites, but it totally deserves its own review.

Review: John Masters Organics Sunscreen

   I mentioned this sunscreen in my May cosmetic favourites post. Now, let's go over with why this product is awesome.

    John Masters Organics Sunscreen has a light, creamy consistency. It applies very evenly, and soon sinks in almost completely. I apply an extra layer around my eyes (area prone to wrinkles) and above my upper lip (where I always get discolourations). The sunscreen leaves a very slight hint of whiteness on my face, so I usually dust hide-a-pore on it to even out the colour and matte it completely. Here it how it looks like:

John Masters Organics Sunscreen, on its own

Dusted with Hide-A-Pore from Sweetscents Minerals

    John Masters Organics Sunscreen is moisturising, and you will not to wear a moisturiser underneath unless your face is really dry. I have not had my pores clog up. It does not accentuate lines, pores or skin flakes, it does not migrate or shift into lines. Can be used around the eyes because it doesn't contain drying alcohol or irritating fragrance. I have never had it irritate my eyes (I'm a contact lenses wearer).
   The product comes in a handy bottle with a pump. I usually use three pumps on the face and to on the neck and decollete. The decollete is very important, I'm sure you have seen elder women with smooth, beautiful skin on the face and wrinkles and discolourations on their upper chest.
   The sunscreen smell is very very slight -- I have a very sensitive smell and it bothered me a lot in most other mineral sunscreens, but with this one I can barely smelly anything (most people will probably not smell anything at all).

INCI: Titanium Dioxide 7.5%, Zinc Oxide 5.0%, Aqua (water), aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice,* capric caprylic triglycerides, ethyl hexyl palmitate, glyceryl stearate, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, jojoba oil,* shea butter,* panthenol, tocopherol acetate, allantoin, sodium pca, green tea extract,* magnesium aluminum silicate, hyaluronic acid, calendula extract,* ethyl hexyl glycerin, benzyl alcohol

     Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are the sunscreen. Especially zinc oxide is important because it protects against UVA. There are a couple of moisturisers: aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice,  panthenol and hyaluronic acid. The aloe vera gives it a nice slip, similar to silicones. The oils are capric caprylic triglycerides (coconut oil and glycerin), jojoba oil and shea butter. It doesn't contain alcohol or fragrance, both of which don't do my fragile capillaries any favours. Does contain palm oil, which is an ecological issue.
    Its EWG rating is 2. The box recycled paper and soy ink. The John Masters Organics Sunscreen is cruelty-free and vegan.  It is USDA certified.

   I always apply the sunscreen before I go out, and I'm teaching myself to do it on overcast days too, since clouds don't block UV rays. I use my ex-favourite sunscreen oil from Eco Cosmetics for my shoulders when they are bare.

    Which sunscreen are you wearing this summer? Which one would you recommend to other women?

Pictures Of Breasts With Narrow Roots, In Too Wide and Correct Underwires (NSFW)

   When you have found your correct bra size, you may still struggle with underwire width. The root or base of the breasts (the part that is attached to the chest) can range from very wide to very narrow. I have explained this here, and here. For G+ cups, this is also relevant. Also, remember that brands like Triumph have flimsy underwires that stretch out too much.
    Sometimes you know that your breasts have a narrow or wide root, sometimes you need to try out brands with underwires that are wide (Panache) or narrow (Freya, Comexim) to know. The underwire under the armpit should like more or less flush with the inframammery fold (the fold or crease where your boobs end under the armpit). If goes much beyond that and seems to be on your back, it is too wide. If it cuts of a part of your boob, it is too narrow.
    But how does that look like in real life? Today three lovely women with breasts that have a narrow root share photos of bras with underwires that did and didn't fit them.


Naked boobies below the fold. Even though it's against my personal convictions, I have censored the nipples so that the blog doesn't get an adult rating. Sigh. Click to read more!

Reader Bra Metamorphosis 34B to 28F

     The Bra Metamorphosis is a series of posts that show photos of women before and after finding out their correct bra size. If you'd like to share your before and afters and inspire women to re-measure themselves, do contact me!
      Today's metamorphosis is from a small-busted woman, and demonstrates how it's not just the fuller busted ladies that benefit from getting a bra that fits perfectly. Here is TC's bra story in her own words:

        I measure 28" underbust when comfortably snug, 27" when pulling tight. My bust is 35" when standing, and 37" when leaning. I have a 26" waist.

     I do not consider myself busty. I don't feel top heavy, nor were my breasts ever something I worried or fussed over. I didn't develop until well into my late teen years, and was (and still am) a proud carrier of small breasts. When I was around 19 I suddenly grew breasts which were still small, but definitely present. I decided it was in my best interest to get some bras that actually had some padding instead of the non-wired, non-padded sports bras I had been wearing before. I was first put into a 34B, which seemed decent to me. Looking back, I can see the bands were riding up, the cups were cutting in and the gore was nowhere near my sternum.

    I stayed in these bras, and occasionally 34A's, sometimes 32C's (which were no better), until I studied abroad in Scotland for a semester a year ago. It was there that I happened upon a tiny bra boutique and went in out of curiosity. The women inside were wonderful. They asked if I had ever been fitted before, and I told them I was wearing 34B's. She said bluntly, "Sweetie, there is no way you are a 34 band. I wear 32's and I'm much wider than you." She pulled me into the back and after taking one look at my ill-fitting bra brought me a 28F Freya Jolie. I was shocked. I tried to give it back to her, saying "This looks way too small. Trust me, it won't even close." She laughed and told me to try it on. She helped me into the bra and, well, she was right. It fit a million times better than my old bra. I left that store with the Jolie and a newfound knowledge of how a bra should fit. My new bras improved my posture, made my clothes fit better, made my breasts look and feel better and truly increased my confidence. I actually had breasts, and they looked great!

     Since then, I have learned more about which bras fit me and which don't. I have even fullness, so tight upper sections sometimes cut in, but loose or stretchy upper sections sometimes gape, which can be very tricky. I need narrow wires, so I tend to stick to Freya as they have narrow wires and enough depth for my breasts, which aren't very shallow even though they are rather small. Nearly my entire bra wardrobe consists of unpadded and unlined bras as I have come to embrace my natural shape and the way these bras make me look. I am so glad I was properly sized and given the chance to change my view of bras and breasts. And even thought I am not a busty girl, I also benefited from properly fitting bras. Just because you aren't busty doesn't mean you should neglect your breasts! A well fitting bra will make your bust look larger (just look at my before and after!), firmer, well placed and naturally lovely. 


     Let's take a look at the side-by-side comparisons:

      You can see how the 28F underwire encases all of the breast whereas that of the 34B doesn't. Also, the 28 band lies much smoother even though it is snugger than the 34, and of course it stays horizontal. The shape of the breast is much more lifted and projected, making the breasts look bigger and shapelier.

   I'd like to thank TC for sharing her story with us. If you'd like to share yours, I'd love to have you! The "contact" button is on the top of the page, can't wait to hear from you!

   And if you haven't found your correct bra size yet, you can get started here.

Weekend Reads + Parfait Affinitas Giveway Winners!

    Hello everyone, I know I was supposed to announce the winners yesterday but I was at a festival the last two days dancing my feet off, and didn't manage to write this post in time. So, first, what everyone has been waiting for:

The winners!

1. Dani Taylor

1. Lisa Briner Kilmer

1. Jennifer L. Cooke

1. Rachel Cooper

1.  Cate Yochum (Happy Birthday!)

1. Katie Clayton

1.  Jessica DiLullo

1. Caroline Borino

1. Noelle

1. K

   Each of you will be getting an email shortly. Please respond within three days, and make sure you mention which bra you want! (If you don't respond within three days, I will pick another winner). For the rest of you -- thanks for playing, and I wish you luck for the next giveway!

     Now it's has been raining here ever since I can remember, but I still had an amazing week. I danced my feet off (seriously, can hardly walk), and saw some amazing bands. I love festivals so much: dancing right below the stage, chilling out on the floor with a drink, the art and the workshops, the drunk / tired people sleeping in the corners.

     I totally forgot about last week's challenge (to wear a scarf tied in a different way each day). I did do something else though -- I was reading a lot about staying hydrated (it gives you energy! it minimises fine lines!) and I tried to drink a lot of water each day. 

   My challenge for this week is to learn my theater lines to perfection. I play hobby theater groups since I was sixteen, and it has helped me to grow and develop myself. The group I am part of now will be performing in July, and I need to have my lines perfect as soon as possible. This is not easy as my German isn't that good, and I mix up words or gender endings if I don't watch out.

  And here are the lovely links for your reading pleasure:

* Funny: Beyonce Art History

* Style: My year of fabulous is a hilariously written blog by a woman who wants to go from frumpy to stylish by trying out a different style each month. What I also find interesting is how she feels different and how people treat her differently when she is wearing rock vs mom clothes vs euro chic.

* Pretty: what a delightful photography blog!

* Life: Timers Rock!

* Tips: A great collection of fun and useful tips!

* How To Install a Power-Up Button On Your Body

* DIY: mosquito and tick spray

* Movie of the month: Blueberry. It's a psychedelic Western. Need I say more?

Love this song:

When Saints Go Machine - PARIX from Daniel de Vue on Vimeo.