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Claire Harmeyer is a former senior shopping writer and current contributing writer for PEOPLE. Claire has tested hundreds of fashion and beauty products during her six years in digital media.
For women with large breasts, finding a supportive, comfortable, and durable bra is a challenge on its own. But finding a bra that checks all those boxes and doesn’t make their chests appear bigger is a whole other beast. This is why minimizer bras exist.
Minimizer bras do exactly what their name implies, bra expert Jené Luciani Sena shares with PEOPLE. They are “intended to minimize the overall projection of the breasts by 1 to 2 inches,” Sena says. “The design is slightly different from other bras in that the cups are more shallow (i.e. tall and wide) to distribute breast tissue evenly. Usually, they’re constructed with a bit of a firmer fabric to help keep breasts from flopping to the sides.”
To find the best minimizer bras out there, our team of PEOPLE testers spent four weeks trying 20 options from brands like Playtex, Bare Necessities, Victoria’s Secret, Chantelle, Honeylove, Wacoal, and more. Testers measured their bust sizes in regular bras and then in minimizer bras, photographing each try-on to evaluate the differences side-by-side.
Other considerations were fit, comfort, support, and versatility. The latter was particularly surprising: Multiple testers deemed these minimizer bras their new “everyday” and “go-to” picks. Find out exactly why, below.
Our Stars
NEED TO KNOW
Jené Luciani Sena is an internationally renowned bra expert, author of The Bra Book, and host of the podcast Visible Panty Lines. Sena has appeared in media such as Today, Wendy, E! News, Bravo, QVC, and Dr. Oz. Below, she explains how minimizer bras work and what to know before buying one.
- Minimize vs. compress: “A sports bra is designed to compress the breasts to the chest so that they stay in place and don’t move during workouts and activities,” Sena tells PEOPLE. “In a minimizer, the idea is to minimize projection while still keeping breasts from looking flat or compressed, or splaying to the sides.”
- Design makes all the difference: “Construction in a minimizer bra will set the ones apart that actually look flattering on the body, [versus] those that flatten you and make you look wider,” Sena explains. The best minimizer bras offer support, stretch, and shaping exactly where needed, thanks to smart design.
- Fabric is key: “A microfiber blend with a high spandex content is a good choice because it’ll mold to your body and maintain its shape,” Sena shares. Look for “full coverage cups, a wider band and straps, and even features like padded straps.”
Reviews
Best Overall: Playtex Women’s 18 Hour® Smoothing Minimizer Bra
Macy’s
Our tester for this Playtex Minimizer Bra wears a size 38DDD, and she found it extremely effective at “contouring” her bust and providing “natural shape,” which was especially noticeable in photos. She appreciated how the durable fabric felt delicate and soft against her skin — in fact, she shared it “still feels brand new” after multiple washes.
“This [bra] has definitely changed my experience when wearing certain clothes that I wouldn’t have been comfortable wearing in the past,” she claimed. Because the minimizer bra “checks every box,” our tester already purchased it in another color and has recommended it to her sisters and friends. She deemed it her “ideal everyday bra.”
Band Sizes: 36–44 | Cup Sizes: C–DDD | Material: Nylon, elastane
Most Comfortable: Bare Necessities The Absolute Minimizer
Bare Necessities
The Absolute Minimizer from Bare Necessities received high praise from our tester who claimed the bra provided “the perfect amount of coverage” for her size 38D bust “without causing any spillover or bulges” during all-day wear. She was pleasantly surprised by how the band “didn’t rub into [her] skin or leave [her] feeling restricted,” which she’s experienced with other bras.
On the contrary, our tester found this minimizer bra to be “very breathable,” “soft and light,” and so comfortable, she almost forgot she was wearing it. The only downside, according to our tester, is the price point — even though it is “the most comfortable bra [she has] ever used.”
Band Sizes: 30–42 | Cup Sizes: B–I | Material: Polyamide, elastane
Best Shape: Victoria’s Secret Invisible Lift Full-Coverage Minimizer Bra
Victoria’s Secret
This Victoria’s Secret minimizer bra is our tester’s “new go-to,” thanks to how comfortable, lightweight, and effective it was, reducing her size 36DDD bust by one and a half inches, which she called a “very noticeable” difference. She claimed that despite its minimizing effect, the bra still maintained the natural shape of her breasts and “contoured” her chest, all while offering a lift and adequate support. She described the lacy bra as “a stylish bra choice that also does what it claims!” What more could you ask for in a minimizer bra?
The only tweak our tester would make to this minimizer bra is thicker straps to offer a touch more support during long hours of wear.
Band Sizes: 32–44 | Cup Sizes: C–G | Material: Polyamide, elastane
Best Support: Chantelle C Magnifique Seamless Smooth Minimizer Bra
Chantelle
As a size 34DDD, our tester really appreciated how this Chantelle bra has three hooks and a wide band (which “doesn’t ride up at all”) to provide extra support and help with “managing back fat.” The cups are full enough to avoid any potential spillage, and our tester was able to wear this minimizer bra for up to 12 hours before she noticed any discomfort at all.
Even though this Chatelle bra is more expensive than some others on our list, our tester thinks it’s “definitely worth it.” She plans to repurchase it time and time again, because it “far surpasses” all other minimizer bras she has tried.
Band Sizes: 32–44 | Cup Sizes: C–J | Material: Polyamide, elastane
Best Seamless: HoneyLove CrossOver Bra
Honeylove
The HoneyLove CrossOver Bra earned serious points for the natural look it provided. “I usually see the bra outline with most bras I wear, but there wasn’t any with this one,” our tester explained. Not only did the “seamless” bra disappear beneath her clothes, but our tester also felt like she wasn’t wearing it at all, even when she put the minimizer bra on in the morning and didn’t remove it until the evening.
She also appreciated that despite the material feeling “extremely strong,” it didn’t rub against her skin or cause any discomfort around her ribcage. Even after multiple wears and washes, our tester determined that this minimizer bra held up really well.
Band Sizes: 30–44 | Cup Sizes: A–G | Material: Nylon, elastane
Best Strapless: Wacoal Visual Effects Strapless Minimizer Bra
Wacoal
Our tester for this Wacoal bra wears a size 38DD, and she found it to be “very supportive,” “breathable,” and “durable.” She described the fit of the band around her ribcage as “excellent” and “thick enough to provide a good amount of support” while staying in place, thanks to four hooks in the back.
Her one qualm with this strapless minimizer bra is that it might not lay smoothly under certain fabrics like silk or satin. However, she still recommends it: “Effective strapless bras that stay up on their own are hard to find.” To find an effective minimizer bra that’s comfortable and also a reliable strapless style is a double win.
Band Sizes: 32–40 | Cup Sizes: C–G | Material: Nylon, elastane
Other Minimizer Bras We Liked
While we determined the six picks above to be the absolute best minimizer bras, our testers also found lots to love about the seven options below from reputable brands like ThirdLove and Soma. One tester described the ThirdLove Unlined Minimizer Bra as “buttery soft” and appreciated its full coverage sans spillage. The Soma Unbelievable Minimizer Bra earned positive reviews for how well it maintained testers’ natural breast shape. Add to your minimizer bra collection with our honorable mentions below.
People
How We Tested
Our PEOPLE Tested team spent four weeks wearing multiple options to find the best minimizer bras available. To nail down our leaders of the pack, testers paid close attention to the minimizer bras’ fit, comfort, support, and of course, effectiveness in minimizing the appearance of their chests.
They measured their bust sizes, first in a regular bra, and then again while wearing the minimizer bra. Testers also considered whether or not the bras provided adequate coverage without causing spillage or bulges around the bras.
To assess fit, testers determined whether the minimizer bra stayed in place during daily activities and how easily adjustable the straps were. Comfort-wise, testers examined how the fabric felt against their skin, how the band felt on their ribcage, and how this changed during multiple hours of wear.
All participants photographed themselves wearing the bra under fitted clothing from the front and side to evaluate its minimizing effect, how smoothly it laid under different garments, and how it shaped and supported their busts.
People
Complete Your Wardrobe
While you’re revamping your bra collection, scoop up more PEOPLE Tested-approved undergarments that will make all the difference in how you feel when you get dressed. All of these shapewear shorts, briefs, camisoles, and bodysuits have passed our rigorous testing, impressing us with their superior fit, comfort, support, and contouring and smoothing capabilities. Below, shop the foundation pieces that stood out during our testing.