FAQ
Welcome! We LOVE questions and want to help you any way we can. If you cannot find your answers about pasties here, contact us. Do you have anything to contribute? Please contact us for that too – we love sharing feedback, tips & tricks.
Pasties: a brief history.
Pasties emerged in burlesque and striptease in the 1920s as a way to avoid breaking the law by performing topless or nude. Pasties came to be regarded by some as more aesthetic and erotic than originally intended. They were worn in cabarets such as the Folies Bergère and Le Lido. Burlesque performer Carrie Finnell is credited with adding tassels which hang from the center and incorporating tassel twirling as part of a performance: brilliant addition we think!
Today, pasties are considered both fashionable and functional and have been becoming more popular for women who do not want to wear a bra, would like to provide a hint of glamour underneath a favourite outfit or have a stunning accessory to every lingerie outfit. These gorgeous gems also provide a solution for wearing strapless dresses and dresses that have a deep plunge neckline preventing all types of nip slips. usually worn with lingerie, and very popular with burlesque dancers.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Disposable Nipple Pasties – designed to be used 1 time. On average, disposable nipple pasties last for a minimum of 8-12 hours.
2. Reusable Nipple Pasties – made to be seen and are decorative. Can be used multiple times and is usually made of silicone.
Check the description in every pair you like to make sure you understand which type they are. In both cases, these pasties are self-adhering with the highest quality hypoallergenic, and latex-free adhesive. Easy and painless to remove.
Fashionable & functional.
• Under sheer tops/dresses
• Under a deep plunging blouse or blazer
• Add a little confidence (we call it body armour) when you have an important meeting, presentation, date, or anything else that is shaking your confidence just a bit. A little glitter goes a long way to help!
• Tanning, at the beach, at the pool (just don’t get in the water with them or be prepared for a Janet Jackson moment!
• Bra fittings! (Gives you an extra layer of comfort when changing around your bra fitter)
• Dress Fittings (especially if you’re a blushing bride to be!)
• Quick costume changes - especially in group situations (e.g. if you’re an actor, model or dancer)
• Getting waxed/tattooed/laser hair removal
• Getting a massage (and you don’t want to have to do that awkward fish flop turn over where they hold up the sheet for your “modesty”)
• Under an unlined bra if you don’t want your “headlights” showing through on cold days
• Preventing “nip slips” while wearing backless shirts/dresses with low sides
• At Carnivals, Festivals and to accessorize your fun swimwear and lingerie
• Smashing the Patriarchy!
• Do not use lotion or baby powder on your nipples/areolas prior to applying
• Apply to clean, dry, lotion and powder free skin
Yes, it will. Do not use any form of moisturizers, lotions, or powders on the area, or the adhesive will not stick.
Burlesquers often swab the area where pasties are applied with rubbing alcohol before applying (warning: this trick works if you’re looking for serious stickiness).
For extra adhesive, Burlesquers often use spirit gum, wig tape, double-sided carpet tape, or fiberglass tape. Warning - double-sided carpet tape isn’t for the faint of heart! It can really stick and getting it off can be sore, but your pasties will stay on through a sweaty dance routine for sure!
Here’s a simple test to check your skin's reaction to the adhesive:
- Wash off any lotion, moisturizers, powders, or body oils with clean water.
- Stick one adhesive nipple cover on the underside of your arm near your elbow. Check for any negative reactions.
- Do not use on any area of the skin that has a rash, is broken, sunburned, or damaged in any way.
No one has ever reported anything like that to us. To be safe, if you are using adhesive and reusable nipple covers, clean them first before using them.
Taking a hot shower is the best way. The soap will clean all the residue in no time. If you don’t have time for a shower, soak a cotton ball in oil or alcohol and gently rub the affected area.
Cleaning reusable nipple covers is easy, just follow these steps:
- Wipe with warm water and mild soap.
- Gently rub the adhesive portion to remove any build-up or residue.
- Remove from water and allow them to dry.
- Adhere the backing and store them.
Just wash them with warm water and soap. Lightly scrub off any residue, let them dry, and they should be in their top adhesive form in no time. If you want more adhesive, refer to the tips on stickiness above.
It’s best to stick your pasties back to the plastic backing board after use or another nonstick surface like parchment paper, a Ziploc bag, or a Tupperware lid. Never stick your pasties together (they can damage each other or the adhesive).
It depends on how well they’ve stuck! If they’re stuck on tight, peel a corner and pull the skin taut as you peel the pastie back on itself. Do not rip it off like a band-aid – slow and steady wins the race. Afterward, rub your nipples with cream or body oil for relief.
Peel an edge and gently work it backward over itself. With your other hand, hold the surrounding skin taut to create resistance and allow the pastie to peel away from your skin.
This depends on the type of surgery you had and the extent of reconstruction or enhancement. Flat pasties (e.g., Vivienne pasties) work well for breast cancer survivors who have undergone reconstruction. Cone shapes can be difficult to adhere without nipples but can still work with extra adhesive.
Generally, pasties do not affect or irritate scar tissue. The adhesive is hypoallergenic and latex-free, but wait for your doctor’s recommendation before applying any adhesive.
Absolutely! This is body art. Performers wear “assels,” and festival-goers place them anywhere! If you have hair in the area, we recommend shaving first to allow better adherence.
It’s best to apply pasties while looking in a mirror.
Need a lift? Applying pasties a little higher on your breast gives the appearance of higher-set breast tissue.
Not a problem – all boobs are beautiful! If you want a lift, try gently pinching your nipples first, then apply the bottom of your pastie, and use the pastie to lift your breast as you affix it to your breast tissue.
If you choose not to reapply adhesive, get creative! You can use pasties as hair appliques, costume adornments, holiday ornaments, or even resin coasters! Keep the love alive!
Post-Op Pastie Q&A w/ Rubie
I can only speak to my personal experience, but there was definitely a change in my skin’s reaction after my post-mastectomy reconstructive surgery. Due to the reduced elasticity of my skin in that area, the pasties now leave a pronounced, reddish imprint on my skin after removal. While this was surprising, slightly alarming, and I’ll admit, also a bit humorous, there was no cause for concern! Despite the area looking irritated, there was no discomfort, and the imprint vanished within an hour (and this has continued to be the case). I should also note this effect only occurs after I wear them for more than an hour or two.
As was mentioned in response to a similar question, yes - and I’ll second the fact that the more conical pasties are trickier to wear if your surgery wasn’t the nipple-saving kind. It’s still possible though! I can attest to the adhesive on the Beapeeling pasties being strong enough to hold the pasties in place for tassel twirling (and you can always add some pastie tape for extra insurance once you’ve worn the pasties a few times and the adhesive isn’t as strong). And a fun perk to the no-nip life has been trying out the vast array of beautiful sticker-type pasties that Appeeling has - before my surgery, my (not-petite) nipples made it tricky to position them and keep them smooth/flat. Now the possibilities are truly endless!
Like any activity involving my upper body, tassel twirling took some getting used to as I adjusted to my post-op physicality (which is a two-part process with expanders first and then implant surgery months later). Range of motion is a little more limited with the tissue expanders, as they are more rigid and only meant to be temporary. So while I could dance, tassel twirling felt challenging and awkward. With implants it has been a little easier, but it’s still a whole new ball game tassel twirling with the unmoving objects that are post-mastectomy breasts, vs. the bounce and momentum you get with natural ones. The effort is more rigorous and relies a lot on the shoulders - and I’ll be honest, two years post-op and I’m still getting the hang of it! But I’d been twirling with natural breasts for fourteen years prior to my operation, so I think it’s fair that I still don’t nail it 100% of the time, haha. But it’s definitely possible, and in terms of any physical pain or discomfort associated with it, from my own experience there’s been none at all. Again, it just feels - understandably - very different!
I was so excited to get back onstage, and was fortunate enough to be able to do so just eleven weeks after surgery pt. 1 - and that first performance back was easily the most empowering experience of my life so far. It was a Halloween show and I decided to do a Bride of Frankenstein costume so I could incorporate my scars into the look. Rather than wearing pasties, I used black eyeliner to draw exaggerated Frankenstein-style scar & stitch marks over my own scars. I was a little nervous to be this ostentatious and almost chickened out at the last minute, but it was absolutely worth it.
While this initial experience back on stage was amazing, it was definitely a process from there to build up my confidence in flaunting a new body part. I’d been told by surgeons that I shouldn’t expect my post-op breasts to look like “regular” augmented breasts, where the person has implants underneath breast tissue. Despite being advised to lower my expectations, I wasn’t given any point of reference as to what I should expect, so yes, the aesthetic reality of implants with no surrounding breast tissue is one that I took some time to come to terms with. In the early days I had to fight the urge to tell anyone who would listen that I was a breast cancer patient who had a double mastectomy and that’s why my implants looked this way. Doing bartop burlesque in a busy bar helped me overcome this impulse as it would be impossible to share this information with everyone, and of course, totally unnecessary to do so. It was an important reminder that one of the beautiful, most important things about burlesque is that there is no need for anyone, ever, to justify any aspect of their body/appearance.
I’ve had a couple of years now to adjust physically, mentally, and emotionally to my new breasts, and I’m happy to report that most of the time, they feel like they’ve always been there. Fascinating how humans can be so adaptable that way! Burlesque has definitely helped me deepen that connection and comfort to my post-op body, and I’m so happy to have an arsenal of stunning breast accessories by Appeeling to give me that extra boost of confidence and glamour when I need it.
Tassel Tips
Welcome to Tassel Tips! Have you wanted to learn how to twirl but not sure how? Well we have the tips for you. It is not as hard as you think. As @pureivorydotca will show you, all you need are pasties, passion and beautiful you. Get ready, practice and have a whole lot of fun.
Tassel Tips 101: Introduction
LETS TWIRL!!
Ok - you’ve got your pasties, they have tassels (oriented in the centre of the pastie and not at the bottom of it) and you’re ready to twirl...but how??
TWIRLING TIPS!
Stand up straight - shoulders back - think about getting your skeleton out of the way and just isolating the meat of the body part you’re trying to shake/rotate. When you feel the momentum building up, go with it and let that meat fly (as Toronto Burlesque Artist Dolly Berlin says)
THE TOP TEN REASONS YOUR TASSELS MAY NOT BE TWIRLING PROPERLY
From Jo Weldon, Headmistress of the New York School of Burlesque, and Author of the Burlesque Handbook:
- Your tassels are too light or too heavy.
- Your tassels are too short or too long.
- Your tassels are sewn or otherwise attached too tightly to the pastie to be able to swing.
- Your tassels are caught on your sequins, under your pasties, or to your sweat or body lotion.
- Your pasties are too flat (usually more likely to be an issue for breast tassels than for assels).
- Your pasties are detaching from your skin. Exciting, but not conducive to twirling.
- You aren’t bouncing/shaking/flexing hard enough/fast enough/gently enough/deeply enough/enough times to gain momentum.
- You are wearing different shoes than those in which you learned to twirl.
- You are forcing musicality which unfortunately defies the rhythm required for the physics of twirling.
- You are doing a move that you saw work on someone else but haven’t yet accepted does not actually work on you.
Carrie Finnell
Described as “one of the most novel and most startling acts in show business,” Carrie Finnell began her burlesque career in 1917 as a Ziegfeld girl. While burlesque has become synonymous with more household names like Gypsy Rose Lee, Finnell is credited with being the first to get Lee to strip on stage. This bad girl of burlesque holds the record for the longest striptease when she performed in Cleveland during the ’20s. Finnell would remove an article of clothing each week over the length of her contract. Ticket prices and audiences inflated as she wore less and less. Over her 45-year career Finnell was a Broadway performer and comedienne, beat Mae West in a strip-off and also was credited with being the first to add tassels to pasties! Into her 70s you could see Finnell able to match the beat of music with her tassel-twirling. Finnell not only was a very well-endowed lady, she also had “educated breasts,” chest muscles that she had honed and toned as a physical education teacher in Kentucky. Finnell could isolate one tassel at a time, having one spinning while one was perfectly still, drawing comparisons to airplane propellers.
Key contributor(s): In addition to the team at appeeling, we have the great pleasure of having the brilliance of the burlesque queen @pureivorydotca share tips from a performers perspective. Achieving pastie perfection together!
Ivory is a Toronto based multidisciplinary artist. A graduate of Randolph College for the Performing Arts she leads a storied career as a singer, actor, dancer, model and body positive advocate. An archer, axe thrower and firebreather, Ivory boasts a bag of tricks which is sure to wow any crowd! Since being crowned Miss Canada Plus 2007, Ivory has continued her activism as a Plus Sized Entertainer and advocate for over 10 years, pushing for change with her intersectional feminism, body positivity, queer advocacy and outspoken message of love at all costs. A founding member of the Succulent Six, Canada's team of Curvy Super SHEroes and a proud member of Les Femmes Fatales, Canada's premiere burlesque troupe for Women of Colour, you can follow her antics on Instagram and Twitter @pureivorydotca and online at www.pureivory.ca