Step-by-step guide to cleansing the eye area as gently as possible.

   The skin around the eyes has no oil glands and is quite thin. While it is important to be thorough in cleaning off eye makeup, you need to be very gentle with this area. Eye makeup is not easy to remove, especially if you use waterproof products, so here are some tips to do it right !

The key is to let the water and the oil dissolve as much of the makeup as possible, before you start rubbing.

Be gentle !

1. First, wash and cleanse your face. This will allow the eye makeup to soak and loosen a little bit.

2. Saturate a cotton pad with oil. Press it against the eyes and hold it there for a few seconds. This will allow the makeup to loosen.

3. Dab the cotton pad on the eye, pressing gently. This should remove most of the makeup.

4. If there is still a lot of makeup on you eyes -- Using your ring finger, dab and gently massage a little bit of oil around your eyes. This will help the makeup to dissolve, besides conditioning the lashes and massaging the skin. Be gentle !

5. Gently wipe the eyelid with the cotton. The movement should be downwards, and across from the outside in (this way you are cleaning in the direction of the tear duct). Never tug !

6. Gently wipe across under the eye. again from the outside in.

7. TO REMOVE EYE LINER: Dip a q-tip in oil, and trace it along the eyeliner.

8. TO REMOVE MASCARA: Take a clean mascara brush, dip it in oil and comb it though your brushes. Demonstrated in this video.
   

      You do not need to use cleanser to wash off the oil, since the skin around the eyes is dry and not prone to breakouts. Leaving the oil in will condition the skin and lashes.

      I recommend using oil instead of makeup remover since it does the job just as well (if not better), and is much gentler.

    * Coming up: a post on which oils to use for removing eye makeup.*

FREYA

Quite pretty models, unfortunately no model with underwires. Band sizes starrt at 30(65), cups till H (British sizing).

Available nursing bras:

• Rosalie:
  

Big-cupped. Tight band. 

+ Pretty, triple closure, good support. Not a bad shape for a bra without underwires. Tight band.

- Thick shoulder straps, highly built-up underneath the armpits (not good for high-breasted and petites). Breasts are not separated due to lack of underwires.

• Emily

• Dotty

ROYCE

• Royce Emily

Small-cupped (recommended to go up a cup size). Tight band. Very long straps (can be shortened by sewing)

+ Good quality straps, not thick. Pretty. Fantastically withstands washing: does not fade or stretch. Very supportive, even though no underwires.

-  Very built-up, pinches underarms on the high-breasted and petites. Makes rocket breasts. Lacks underwires, and so does not separate breasts.

• Royce Jasmine Nursing Bra

-  Very built up, rocket breasts

+ Not too wide shoulder straps. Good support, even without underwires. Comfortable cotton lining on the inside.

• Royce cherish

EMILY B

Have two sizing systems: British and European, so watch out during shopping !

Bands from British 30, cups till J

Most of the models seem to have stretchy bands !

• Daisy
• Iris
• Abbi
• Sophia
• Bella

PANACHE

HOT MILK

MELISSA

ANITA

-  Band stretches out a lot over time. Gets ugly after washing. Bad support, bad shape

AND A COUPLE OF NOT RECOMMENDED BRANDS:

• Marks and Spencer (aka flat pancakes on chest)
• Alles: extremely stretchy band, although the bras are gorgeous. The flexible underwires offer 0 support.
• Triumph: miserable size range, no support.
• Naturana: terribly stretchy, miserable size range, 0 sex appeal...
  
• Mothercare: Pancakes on chest, miserable size range.
  

WHAT IS THE NURSING BRA MATRIX ?

   The Bra Matrix is the world of limited bra sizes, wrong bra-fitting advice and uncomfortable bras.

   It is the world where nursing bras come in a miserable range of band and cup sizes, where you squeeze your breasts into these sizes and imagine that you must be a mutant because you need a 60(28)G. Such a size does not exist.... or does it ?

  Yes ! Good bra companies produce bra bands from 28(60) till 130 , while cups range from AAA till K ! Good bra companies offer even 90 sizes in each bra model !

   The biggest mistake that 80% of women (and bra fitters) make is to wear a band that is too loose and cups that are too small. A loose band gives zero support, and may cause milk duct blockages by climbing up on the breast tissue from below. To compensate for a too loose band we tighten the shoulder straps, further distorts the breast support, and adds to the discomfort.  A cup that is too small cuts off the breast tissue instead of encircling it -- that makes the breast tissue migrate away into the underarm area. In short: bouncing bust, bad shape, and lots of discomfort !

   To correctly calculate your band and cup sizes, follow these directions.

   Read more on the Bra Matrix and Bra Myths.

GET YOUR PRE-PREGNANCY BAND SIZE:

    You will return to your pre-pregnancy underbust measurement from just a day to within a month after giving birth. Till that happens, use a bra-extension. The band must be snug, since it will be doing 90% of the supporting.

WHAT KIND OF NURSING BRA DO YOU NEED ?

   The requirements for a good nursing bra are the same as those for a pregnancy bra. Read here about what you need to look for to get the best support, comfort and shape.

    Unfortunately many breastfeeding bras come in stretchy cottony fabrics. Stretchy fabric is not what the breasts need, since it does not give support. A heavy lactating bust may by it's own weight cause blockages in milk ducts at the bottom, or a skin rash from chafing --- if the bra does not support and lift it. Breastfeeding bras should never be stretchy !

WHAT SHOULD A WELL FITTED NURSING BRA LOOK LIKE ?

Read my post on how to tell if a bra fits.

A nursing bra should follow all these points, and give you a good shape.

WHEN TO BUY A NURSING BRA ?

     In the last moment possible before giving birth. The bust can grow and change till the last days, so buying in advance is usually a mistake. So, go bra shopping around two weeks before your due date.

     It is also a mistake to put off shopping for a nursing bra till after the birth. It might be a long time till you have the strength and the will to go shopping, and to buy a bra you need to spend some time in the store !

HOW MANY NURSING BRAS WILL YOU NEED ?

DO NURSING BRAS HAVE TO BE SO UGLY ?

   Definitely not ! Brands such as Freya and Panache offer pretty nursing bras (and these brands are also known for their fantastic size range). Hot milk is a brand that offers some very sexy nursing bra models.

YOU CAN TRANSFORM REGULAR BRAS INTO NURSING BRAS:

   It is not easy not find nursing bras in the full size range. However, you can buy a regular bra (or use the bra you wore during pregnancy) and transform it into a nursing bra. This is quite easy and does not require special skills or much time. Here is an easy tutorial.

THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF NURSING:

    The first few days are called the period of “unstabilized lactation”, that means that the milk production has not yet regulated itself to the needs of the baby. The brasts may “go crazy” and on some days and may be full to the point of engorgement, and on some days may be empty. During that time many prefer not to wear a bra at all for the first few days.

    It is a good idea to have two bras with different cup sizes for this time, to wear on the “emptier” and “fuller” days.

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