When Ashleigh DePopas discovered that women make DIY breast-implant sizers at home using rice and nylon pantyhose, it led to an “a-ha” moment and a corresponding business idea.
“Given the seriousness and cost of breast augmentation—this method seemed surprisingly outdated,” says DePopas. “While better implant sizers do exist, women are only able to wear them for a brief time during the consultation. So, I interviewed and surveyed hundreds of women over two years. Many of them shared the same concern of going too big or too small. I thought women preparing for a significant, life-changing decision deserved more time to wear the sizers and a better solution than rice.”
Enter Auggie, DePopas’s at-home answer to “fill the gap.” The company’s silicone-gel sizers are available to order online and allow women to explore how implant volumes look and feel in the comfort of their own homes—for as long as they need.
“We’re about helping women gain clarity and confidence throughout their breast augmentation journey,” says DePopas, who adds that her typical customer is a woman 25 to 45 years of age, but the company also supports mastectomy patients exploring breast reconstruction and transwomen exploring top surgery.
“Auggie works like a Rent the Runway for breast implant sizers,” she explains. “Women go to our online store and order a sizing kit, which includes three pairs of silicone gel implant sizers. They have the option to purchase their kit or rent it for seven or 14 days. They try on different volumes in the comfort of [their] home, testing how each looks and feels with their clothing and lifestyle. Many include a trusted friend or partner in the process. Some even venture out in public to gauge how they feel and the confidence shift firsthand. Once done, they simply ship the kit back using a prepaid label. Women usually order our sizer kit either before meeting with their surgeon to clarify their aesthetic goals or after their consultation to better evaluate the volume options discussed with their surgeon.”
Each Auggie kit includes three pairs of silicone breast implant sizers, ranging from 250cc to 500cc, along with detailed try-on instructions. With the tagline “Rent, reflect, return,” DePopas hopes to give women “tactile insights” that go beyond the traditional sizing methods, such as before-and-after photos, 3D imaging apps, the DIY rice method and in-office sizing. Unlike traditional sizing methods, Auggie offers a prolonged, real-world trial experience, allowing women to assess different sizes in various outfits and activities over several days, leading to more confident and informed decisions.
While DePopas is sure of her start-up, she says the user experience really speaks for itself. “We have two customers that have or are currently documenting their journey online. One is Jade Shenker, Netflix’s Owning Manhattan cast member, and the other is Kristen (aka @hauskris, a TikTok influencer with more than 500k followers). Kristen’s try-on was particularly special to me as a founder because her three-minute-long video captured so much of the Auggie experience that is hard to put into words.”
Kristin had already used sizers and 3D imaging during her surgeon consult and had narrowed down her range to 280–305cc. “She was leaning toward the smaller size and used the Auggie kit to test both our 250cc and 300cc sizes at home,” shares DePopas. “There was one moment during her try-on with a close friend present, where Kristin paused and said that she felt ‘feminine.’ That simple moment captured something deeply meaningful about her reasons for pursuing augmentation. This decision isn’t one women take lightly, and Auggie allows them extra time to thoughtfully experience and consider their choice. I was proud to see Auggie give her the space to genuinely enjoy the anticipation and exploration that comes before getting a breast augmentation. She ended up going with a smaller implant size, confirming her intuition on what was going to work best for her.”
