text:
The '£12.99 flat-pack boob job' making millions for crafty sisters
Paying thousands of pounds to look a little perkier for one night in a swanky frock is not exactly an option for people on a budget.
Vickie Scullard
Twins Samantha and Charlotte Ryder, 28, share the Perky Pear business (Image: MEN)
Who needs to pay £6,000 for a boob job when you can get a quick fix for less than 13 quid.
Big, small, saggy or somewhere in between, breasts come in all shapes and sizes - and if you want to boost or reshape your cleavage, it could cost you a pretty penny.
Now a pair twins from Stockport are offering women a quick fix - and the best part is, it'll set you back as little as £12.99.
Samantha and Charlotte Ryder, 28, are revolutionising the way women feel, whatever they wear - and it's all down to a nifty bit of tape.
Samantha Ryder, with her Perky Pear Lift & Shape tape (Image: Perky Pear)
New Glasgow super-hospital probe after another child dies from 'infection'
But forget the overly sticky, uncomfortable and fall-off-when-sweaty 'boob tape' of yesterday, Lift & Shape Tape from Perky Pear has been designed to be supportive, breathable, and best of all, works for cup sizes A-G.
And with celebs including This Morning host Holly Willoughby, Geordie Shore's Vicky Pattison and Towie star Gemma Collins giving it the thumbs up, the sisters are certainly doing something right.
Samantha told the Manchester Evening News : "I have always had naturally big boobs.
"Aged 13 I was already a C-cup.
"When you're that young and see older guys leering over you, it's not nice, and my boobs kept growing, making some clothes impossible to wear comfortably.
"But it wasn't until 2016 that I realised I needed a bit of help with lift.
"I was newly single and started going out more often and at that time low cut tops were in fashion.
"I hadn't worn anything like that for a long time and my boobs had changed in that time, so I felt like I couldn't wear them without some serious support."
Despite trying a range of 'boob tape' brands, Samantha was unable to find any suitable to house her ample E-cups - and just as she began to accept that she might not be able to pull off certain styles, she found inspiration to create her own version from an unlikely place.
Is this the perfect non-surgical solution for people with big boobs? (Image: Perky Pear)
'Thug cops battered and terrorised mum after plain-clothes police raid wrong house'
"Nothing that was on the market at the time worked.
"I tried everything," Samantha said.
"I had tried so many things before I made my own - I even used duct tape, which was really painful.
"Especially if you're putting tape over tape over tape.
"I didn't want a hack, I needed a solution.
"My grandma used to be a physio and she had some strong tape and my brother hurt his knee.
"I remember looking at it and thinking, that would work perfectly for my boobs."
After playing around with the tape to get the right support and shape, Samantha, whose background is in design, decided to make her own tape.
"Using my grandmother's tape I cut it into a shape that I thought would look good," she explained.
"I wanted something sweat proof, so made sure there are gaps in the adhesive so that sweat doesn't build up under the adhesive, and the tape stays on until you want to take it off.
"I came up with the perfect shape that cups and fully lifts and is rounded, with no pointy corners.
"Then, in 2017 I started looking for manufacturers."
Samantha's twin sister joined the company just three months after Lift & Shape Tape from Perky Pear was launched.
Samantha said: "I asked Charlotte to help and she ended up joining us full time.
"It was a real family effort - after then my mum joined after working as a manager for 20 years.
"At first, I was working in my mum's living room and was inundated with orders.
Vicky Pattison has shared her love for the product to social media (Image: MEN)
John Barrowman's Glasgow Christmas SECC show postponed after mystery neck injury
"Now we have four offices, a team of 11 and 40 staff in the factory.
"It's mad to think that I started out making this for myself and now we're set to break a million by the end of the year."
The brand is the world's first cotton-based breast lift and shape tape range, which offers the same results as a surgical breast lift – but without the sizeable cost, discomfort and potential risks of augmentation surgery.
And they have had high praise from some famous faces.
"When I see celebs ordering through the website it's really exciting," said Samantha.
"Geri Halliwell recently ordered, and Holly Willoughby is a customer. She messaged us saying how much she loved it.
"Vicky Pattison made an instagram video praising the tape, saying how much she loves it.
"Gemma Collins is also a natural customer and posted about how happy she was on social media."
For those wondering how a piece of tape can be so life changing, Samantha reveals they call it a 'flat pack boob job'.
"Some might only see it as a tape but it's so much more than that," she explained.
"I know the struggles myself - it can help change your whole wardrobe.
Channel 4 pulls Gogglebox over fears show prejudiced Alex Salmond sex offences case
"When you put it on your posture and silhouette changes, it gives the wearer confidence.
"We have a 47 per cent returning customer rate, and that proves that they love it.
"They're very loyal to us.
"We have a lot of customers saying that they feel different since using it.
We say it's like a flat pack boob job."
It looks as though the brand is only going to get bigger after receiving a cash injection from American investors.
"We are launching in the US in the new year, which is really exciting," said Samantha.
"We have already hit the million mark and next year we will have grown 500 per cent organically.
"Since the investment from the US directors the brand has grown massively.
"Looking ahead, we want to extend the range a bit.
"We currently have black and nude colours but quite a lot of customers are requesting a brown shade.
"We're not trying to make skin colours as such, but we appreciate that some people would prefer a more natural shade dependent on their skin colour."
Despite the product being Samantha's idea, she is keen to stress that Charlotte is just as integral to the business's growth.
Speaking of what it's like to work in such close quarters with her sister, Samantha revealed: "We do bicker from time to time but we're best friends.
"One of the great things about having a twin is, when people go into business and say they wish they could split themselves in two so they get more done, well I can do that.
"It's both our business, I don't think it could have grown in the way it has without the two of us."
To find out more visit perkypear.com for your pair of Perky Pears. Prices start from £12.99.
AyrPolice sniff out "significant amount" of cannabis near A77The occupants of the car admitted being concerned in the supply of class B drug Cannabis on the A77 near to Whitletts Roundabout, Ayr.
East KilbrideEK West councillor questions suitability of recycling centre as queues pile upDavid Watson has said that changes have to be made to ensure people continue to use the site.
West Dunbartonshire LifestyleWest Dunbartonshire residents urged to recognise Council workers who have excelledThe workers who have gone above and beyond will be recognised at a presentation in March.
GallowayStewartry beat Irvine 38-14 to stay second top in Tennent's West League OneThe Blacks recorded a good win as they now get ready for the visit of fourth-placed Garnock to Greenlaw