Mask comfort is about fit, breathability and…ears. Let’s not forget the ears.
As I went searching for the most comfortable mask, it became obvious that how the mask stays on your face is a critical component.
I don’t know if I have overly sensitive ears (read: they are large) or if my head is weird shaped, but this has become a bit of an obsession for me – how do I get the dang mask to comfortably stay on my face?! I’m sharing my lessons in case anyone else out there is having the same issue.
Design
There are three basic designs I’ve seen. Earloop (adjustable or not), big loop that ties around-the-head and ties that tie behind-the-head.
The adjustable earloops are the most practical but very difficult to find. I was able to source the slides but they haven’t come in yet, so once I’m able to test them out, I’ll update this post to let you know if they work out. My biggest issue with earloops is that, coupled with the material they are made from, they can be uncomfortable for long periods of time. When they are made generically for any head size and any face shape, it’s hit or miss on comfort. At this point I stay away from retail masks that have earloops because I’ve ended up modifying nearly every one I’ve purchased for comfort. If I’m going to modify it, I might as well just make the mask too.
Behind the head is the way to go for me, and I’ve found that either style (loop or ties) works well. Again it comes down to material used whether or not it stays, stretches, binds, or slips. So, let’s move on to the next consideration…
Materials
Not all materials are created equal. Texture, elasticity, softness all helps determine how comfortable it is and how well it stays in place.
The round elastic cord (similar to a standard hair tie) and thinner elastic cord were both too stiff for comfort. They don’t sit very comfortable behind the ear.
The flat elastic [affiliate link] is good for around the head but I would avoid it for around the ears. The broadness of it and the elasticity of the particular type I found is very comfortable but it’s a bit too wide for behind the ears as earloops.
The mask elastic [affiliate link] I found is very similar to the stretchiness and softness of the earloops you find on the traditional blue tri-fold masks. However, they can be TOO stretchy for stiffer fabric of homemade masks so they work best with very lightweight materials or very fitted face masks. If you are making masks for other people, this can be a nice one to use as the stretchiness means masks will fit a large range of face shapes and sizes with a high degree of comfort.
Bias tape fabric ties can be made from store-bought or homemade bias tape. You can also swap in knit t-shirt material strips if you have more advanced sewing skills. These are comfortable for earloops or around the head. The t-shirt material makes for very comfortable earloops where the fabric ties work better around the head.
Shoelaces are the surprise standout of all the methods to secure a face mask. Obviously these don’t work well behind the ears, but they are amazing for a behind-the-head tie. A single 63″ shoelace will secure the entire mask comfortable. This was a find from my friend CC who is making face masks at her etsy shop!
Ear Saving Alternatives
I have to give a shoutout to the Button Brigade that has championed ways to save our ears. I’ve seen variations of this – depending on who you are and what you like.
Button bands were the first thing I saw. They are small pieces of fabric, elastic, or crocheted pieces with buttons on either end to secure the earloop behind your head. I never got around to buying or making one because most of the earloop masks I bought didn’t even have enough elastic for a comfortable fit behind my ears!
Button Head Bands were the next things I saw, from my favorite brand Sweaty Bands [affiliate link] (I sound like a total fan girl…these ARE my favorite headbands of all time!) but honestly I wasn’t interested. I thought it was a little weird and probably a great way to snag my long hair. I was ready to pass on it until I saw this brilliance…
The Button Hat. You know when you see something so simple but so common sense that you smack your head and wonder why you never thought of it?! That was my reaction with the button hat. Another brilliant solution from Sweaty Bands [affiliate link]. The thing I liked about this was, it solves the problem for EVERYONE not just headband wearers. I love wearing a good baseball cap. The minute I saw it, I was sold.
I bought the headband at the same time and – my instincts were right. The headband is not for me. But, the baseball cap is everything it promises to be. Enough so that when George, the inveterate cowboy hat wearer, saw it he immediately started planning out which baseball cap to alter. It’s simple and it works.
I hope, in all my testing and all my ramblings, you’ll find information here that helps you solve your own face mask ear problems.
Are there any issues you are experiencing that I haven’t tried to solve? Would you like me to give it a shot? Drop a line below and I’ll see what I can do.
Some of the links in this piece are affiliate links that earn me a little commission on your purchase to help sustain the blog. However, none of these cost you any extra money and you are always free to purchase from any other source you can find. You can use the code neveridlelife15 for 15% off your first purchase with Sweaty Band.
