I tried using tape to create cleavage, but it's VERY hard to do right. I spent MONTHS waiting for the blisters to heal! So I switched to a new way to create cleavage.. .the Diva bra by Classic Curves. Classic Curves is owned by our very own member, Espy Lopez. The Diva works very well on me (I'm the model in the silver dress on the Classic Curves web-site). Basically, it's a front-hook bra with a special pad material that grips and moves your chest-tissue forward. I'm sometimes "read" because I'm so tall, but with the Diva, people just take an "informative" downward glance and then whistle.. ."Wow, you are the tallest girl I've ever met!" Works great at the beach! You can find Classic Curves at http://www.classicurv.com, or talk to Espy at the next meeting and ask for a brochure.

If you want to try tape (with LOTS of practice), it takes me 30 minutes:

1. Spray 3 coats of "Second Skin" protective spray (called "Nu- Skin" by another manufacturer) onto the underside/outside area around your nipples, drying each coat for a minute or 2 with a blow dryer set on COOL. This spray is available at drug stores that sell colostomy supplies. I would recommend the spray over the cheaper brush-on or premoistened-wipe versions. The spray is expensive.. about $10 for a small can but will protect your skin during step 6.

2. Buy a pack of flexible, adhesive-backed, stick-on bra cups. Victoria's Secret, and most lingerie shops, sells them for women who don't want a bra to show through lacy bodices. Frederick's of Hollywood Stores DON'T have the right kind. Theirs are much too thick! Get ones that are the thickness of paper in the smallest size ("A- cup").

3. Trim away the inner part with scissors, the part that would wrap around the inner contours of your breasts, if you had any. And trim away any part of the bra cup that would stick to a part of your chest that you don't want to move (e.g. the lower chest area). When applied, as trimmed, these adhesive pads will only go slightly past the centerline of your nipples. When fully trimmed, the bra cup should have a shape vaguely resembling a chicken-leg-with-thigh.

4. Get Dr. Scholl's back-support tape. It's like Moleskin, but thicker and the pieces are much bigger. It's a little hard to find, so you may have to ask your druggist to order some. Cut the tape in half, LENGTHWISE. You will now have a long, skinny piece of flesh-colored "tape".

5. Fold the tape in half, and make a 1/4 arc line from the center of the fold to about 2 inches out. Cut along the line and unfold the tape, revealing what should now be a shallow, half-arc cutout in the middle of the tape. This cutout keeps the tape from showing at the lowest point of your dress necklines.

6. Apply the tape, one end at a time, to the outside wall of each "breast " (where you put the adhesive bra-cup and protective spray). You'll have a hard time getting the other end attached on your second outer breast wall. I have to pull the tape quite hard, and simultaneously pull the second "breast" towards the front of my body. I put the tips of my nipples just inside the edges of the cutout arc. You may have to adjust the width of the cutout, based on how much loose skin you've got on your upper chest wall.

   This tape technique works, but try not to do it for more than about 4-6 hours at a time. After 4 hours, I start to get very irritated skin at the tape attachment points. After 6 hours, I still get blisters! And please note that you don't have to do steps 1-6 if you use a Diva.. .a huge time-and-comfort improvement!

7. Apply foundation (to cover the stubble where you shaved off your body hair), and then apply the darker of your two blushes (you DO use a reddish blush on the "apple" of your cheeks, and a darker, browner blush below it, don't you?) into the cleavage. Bring this dark blush up about an inch above the top of your cleavage, and fan it out to soften and blend it. We are creating the appearance of a shadow with this technique, which makes your breasts appear much bigger. Put some of the lighter, redder blush at the dividing point between the dark blush and your skin. BE SUBTLE! You can always add more later. And BLEND the blushes! Then powder the part NOT your cleavage (to avoid blouse/coat lapel stains from the blush).

That's it! Use the blush contouring with either the Diva or the tape technique. You will end up with a VERY womanly appearance! And it's temporary! The shading will work great for C.H.I.C.'s female members, as well. This contouring technique has been used on Hollywood actresses for decades!

-Sarah Claire