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These are the ones that ACTUALLY work Seamless Panties
Real talk: no one really likes wearing a stick-on bra. But that doesn't change the fact that if you're partial to a backless dress or top, a stick-on bra becomes a wardrobe essential. The exposed thong trend may have had a fashion comeback (yep, we couldn't believe it either) but unsightly back and shoulder straps aren't – and likely never will be – the lewk.
So if you haven't come across an occasion where you need one yet, you're guaranteed to need one at some point in your life. And most likely this season thanks to the naked dress trend that has seen plenty of revealing and cut-out designs take over.
There's a reason we're not all wearing a stick-on bra every day, right? That's partly because we're all a little sceptical of just how, well, sticky they actually are and partly because nothing is as comfy as our favourite sports bra.
Seriously, though, do stick-on bras actually work? And, more importantly, are they gonna stay on all day? Especially during the summer months, when adhesive tape faces more of a challenge if you find yourself in a sweaty situation.
If you're in need of a stick-on bra for a special occasion like a wedding, you don't want to be let down come the big day. Imagine the horror of upstaging the bride with an accidental 'free the nip' moment as your so-called clever underwear ends up on the middle of the dance floor after slipping down inside your wedding guest dress. Or even worse, if you're the bride! We shudder just thinking about it.
Special occasion or not, everyone deserves to feel comfortably supported by their underwear without worry. So whether it's the low-back satin slip dress you've been coveting for your next big night out-out, or the semi-sheer top and suit combo that's just calling for an incognito underwear sitch – it's not just our bra you want to stay in place, it's our boobs too.
Thankfully, there are many different styles of stick-on bras out there, offering varying ranges of support and coverage. Welcome news, as our boobs are certainly not one size fits all and require different things.
The Cosmo fashion team decided to put the best stick-on bras to the test to help you figure out which would work best for you. From those that offer volume and cleavage to long-lasting stickiness, we tried and tested the best styles available to buy right now.
A heads up for big-busted gals out there, we discovered it becomes *much* harder to find stick-on bras above a D cup.
Scroll through to read our editor's reviews...
Tested by Sophie, Bookings Editor
Application & removal: After sticking on the side wings – fyi, the instructions are very insistent on having dry clean skin for this, no oils, moisturisers, soaps etc – I used the ‘swoop and scoop’ method to get my boobs into the cups. I then rejigged the wings so the bra felt nicely secure and comfy before the adhesive properly set in.
Once I’d peeled off (also quick and easy), I placed the protective plastic back onto the wings, ready for next time.
Volume & cleavage: There’s definitely a boosting effect which is impressive for a backless bra. The low plunge design and moulded cups help give a little lift. There’s also a halter-neck strap that’ll increase volume further if your dress allows for it.
Stickiness: Safe to say it’s mega sticky. I felt locked in from the start and even after some sweaty dancing was amazed to see it stayed in place.
Support: Fashion Forms is known for its stellar problem-solving underwear with this stick-on style specifically designed for plunge dresses, and it really didn’t budge. The sticky transparent wings felt like a second skin, undetectable under my dress and hella secure.
Tested by Natasha, former Fashion Editor
Application & removal: This style was super easy to apply and remove – a great option if you’re looking for your first stick-on bra.
Volume & cleavage: I would recommend this stick-on design to anyone looking to create extra cleavage. The central clip allows you to fasten each cup together, effectively pulling your boobs towards each other and creating the appearance of more cleavage. If it's not quite enough or too much, simply adjust the cup positioning to your liking, with moulded foam cups creating a very natural-looking result.
Stickiness: The stickiness on this was great, and not ‘too much’. I particularly like how the cup leaves a sticky-free zone for the nipple to make removal easier (AKA less 'ouch!').
Support: With both cups secured together, I didn’t experience much movement at all in this bra although it’s possible that someone with a bigger bust would want something more supportive.
Tested by Charlotte, Senior Beauty Writer
Application & removal: Upon first glance, these looked like old-school chicken fillet bra inserts that used to be everywhere in the '00s. However, NOOD use plastic-free matte silicone which is not only silky-soft but also makes it seamless to reposition if you mess it up the first time around (hello, me). It was the most pain-free removal experience I’d ever encountered – I’ve been literally scarred from using tit tape, so that’s no mean feat.
Volume & cleavage: As someone with a large bust, cleavage isn’t hard to come by, but I was really impressed with how well this stick-on managed to pull everything together to give me a bit of a boost. It wasn’t as lifting as my regular wired bra, however. Stickiness: This can be reused up to 50 times (seriously impressive), but when first applied I thought, ‘is that it?’. I wasn’t sure my boobs would stay put but it seemed to be just sticky enough to keep everything in place, without me having to take a calming breath before taking off. No matter how many times I rejigged, this bra didn’t falter. Support: I’m a 32F and this only goes up to a size D, so I was really pushing the limits here. As such, I have no doubt that this would have been more supportive if there was slightly more surface area to play with (I’ll admit there was some underboob going on). Factoring in all that, I was shocked when I ran to catch a train from one side of the station to the other and didn’t find the need to hold my chest at all (usually, I can’t even make it down the stairs without a bra on without needing some extra support), so I was seriously impressed.
Tested by Jaime, Digital Design Editor
Application & removal: The key for nailing the application process with this bra is aligning your nipples within the allocated sticky-free circles. Not as simple as it might sound and it took me a few tries, as well as a bit of rearranging to get right. Any misalignment meant it was especially uncomfortable to peel off at the end of the evening.
Volume & cleavage: I wore this bra under my low-back, halterneck bridesmaid dress so invisibility was the name of the game here – something this bra excelled at. The dress featured a high neckline with just a small keyhole cut-out above the bust, so cleavage wasn't really a concern.
Stickiness: It is exceptionally smooth and sticky, making the chances of it being seen or peeling off impossible.
Support: I felt comfortable all day and although I have smaller breasts, I do feel confident that this product would keep most cup-sizes positioned firmly and tautly.
Tested by Alexandria, Fashion Writer
Application & removal: Once I was happy with the cups and underwire placement, in theory it should have been relatively easy to smooth the sticky wings into position. In reality, I actually found it quite tricky to secure each side while keeping the bra in the right place with one hand and not distorting the placement of one side will securing the opposite side. Luckily, removing it was pain-free and straight forward.
Volume & cleavage: Perhaps due to the underwire in this bra, I found the cups sat more forward on my chest. This achieved increased volume, but wasn't the most comfortable fit and caused me to worry the bra was peeling off. It wasn't – something I realised after repeatedly pushing my hands against my breasts.
Stickiness: I was optimistic about the level of stickiness when I first applied the bra but come the end of an evening sat in a warm, crowded restaurant, all I had to do was bend forward for this bra to slip right off.
Support: Compared to my everyday bra (you know, the one with back and shoulder straps) the underwire in this was futile, though I appreciate it did its best to offer support. Unfortunately, I think the rigid cup structure compromised anything the underwire was attempting to add.
I've tried sticky-cup bras without wings and I much prefer this style of adhesive bra! It all comes down to personal preference, though.
Tested by Courtney, Fashion Assistant
Application & removal: This stick-on bra was pretty easy to apply. After peeling off the protective covering, I just had to align my nipple with the small non-adhesive area, cup my boob and stick. A quick repeat on the other side, and I was all set to clip 'em together. Unlike others I've tried, it didn't feel like my skin was being removed when it came time to take it off, either, which was a plus.
Volume & cleavage: If you’re after cleavage, this one’s for you. While the pre-set positioning of the non-stick nipple pads was a blessing for removal, it meant I had no choice but to embrace the significant lift. I probably wouldn’t wear mine with a low neckline, but I thought it worked perfectly under an asymmetric backless number I’d struggled to find a bra for.
Stickiness: Initially, I was satisfied with the level of stickiness, but…I’ve yet to meet a stick-on I don’t sweat off, and sadly, this was no exception. I will say that it lasted a good few hours before my boobs decided to go it alone, and up until then, I found it comfy enough to forget it was even there–a real achievement for someone who is sans bra more often than not.
Support: Before my cups jumped ship, I was really happy with the support. Having a B cup at best, though, I don’t tend to need much.
Tested by Sophie, Bookings Editor
Application & removal: Peel off the protective covering and bend forward to position your boobs fully into the cups. Secure the sticky side wings, which can be a little fiddly at first, and you can return to an upright standing position for any final adjustments. Once you’re in, you are good to go.
Volume & cleavage: There’s padding in the bottom of the cups to boost, and along with the clear side flaps it could almost get away with being a normal balcony bra. Saying that, without adjustable shoulder straps I found my chest was too small to fill out the cups and create any cleavage, so it was a bit too perky for me.
Stickiness: Very. The sticky patch in the cups is more subtle but peeling off the side straps was reminiscent of slowly ripping off two giant plasters. Safe to say, this bra didn’t move all day.
Support: Yes, plenty. Those side wings weren’t going anywhere.
Great for a larger bust looking for extra oomph and support.
Tested by Zuli, former Fashion Intern
Application & Removal: I’ll be honest with you, I did have to do a quick Google search of ‘how to put a sticky bra on’. After that, it was actually very easy.
Volume & Cleavage: For a girl with a DD chest, it wasn’t giving me much volume or cleavage compared to what I would normally like. ‘My girls’ felt a little crushed down. I would have loved more va va voom, if you know what I mean.
Stickiness: It’s very sticky, which is exactly what you would hope for. I will say though that it became a bit of a struggle to free my fingers from all the stickiness.
Support: I'd say I didn’t feel I was secure enough to go about my everyday hustle in them. And depending on what top you were wearing, it wasn't the most flattering as it showed underneath my clothes.
One point for the effort. And a second point for being inclusive when it comes to different hues. Alas, my battle for the ‘perfect’ backless bra continues.
Tested by Lauren Nicole, Contributing Curve Editor
Application & removal: The application was effortless. Once the protective covering has been peeled off, all you have to do is stick it on and you're good to go.
Volume & cleavage: It definitely didn't boost or support my bust but rather worked as a larger-than-normal nipple cover.
Stickiness: I don't really deal with boob sweat, so I had no concerns about whether the stickiness would last all day. In fact, I was more concerned with if this bra would ever leave my body. It didn't move at all, so pretty good staying power.
Support: As someone with little perk and a lot of bust, this bra offered zero support.
While this bra is light, soft and very affordable, it didn't work for my busty boobs. I think it's fair to say I require a fair amount of scaffolding, and this wasn't up to the job. But, despite it not working for me, I think it would offer lasting support to someone with a smaller bust.
Tested by Sophie, Bookings Editor
Application & removal: This was super simple, place each cup where it feels comfortable on your chest and then fasten the clasp in the middle. Volume & cleavage: If you place the cups right, then the handy little clasp that joins them together creates some cleavage, although I’m not sure I’d trust it to hold a larger bust in place all day. This bra is more for coverage than volume. Stickiness: The squidgy adhesive covers the entire cup so you’re really secure and actually it's not horrendous to peel off afterwards either. A welcome surprise.
Support: I have quite a small perky bust, and this was perfect for coverage beneath a not-so-subtle silky dress, acting more like a larger nipple cover really. But I wouldn’t say it does much in the way of support, and being only available in a size S/M or M/L there's a lack of diverse sizing.
Tested by Zuli, former Fashion Intern
Application & Removal: Easy enough to put on once you’ve put your clips in place and removed the protective covering. PSA: when removing, be careful not to take your boobs with you.
Volume & Cleavage: I'd say I got a bit of volume but not necessarily the kind of volume I was looking for as it was a little lopsided, which meant the cleavage didn’t really sit up right.
Stickiness: It had all the stickiness you’d need and then some, it really did keep them in place.
Support: My boobs felt really pushed down and not very well supported, which meant they looked awkward underneath my clothes. I feel like this would be great for someone with a smaller bust.
I need more structure to fully feel supported and like I can move around freely.
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