Not all face masks are created equal. But, the good news, with the burgeoning variety of DIY and designer versions, there’s something for everyone.
Face masks as a fashion accessory – who woulda thunk?
I know face masks have their own controversy so let me provide my own context for a moment.
I grew up in an “Asian adjacent” family. My dad is Japanese and my mom is Finnish/Canadian. My dad immigrated to the US in his early twenties and became a naturalized citizen the year of our bicentennial. He embraces America culture (such as it is) and isn’t very beholden to cultural norms in Japan. My mom, on the other hand, embraced Japanese culture with gusto and made sure it was part of our early language and cultural foundations.
We have a lot of family in Japan so every few years, we’d go spend a month with them, getting to understand half of our cultural heritage – with my mom. It was in Japan that I first observed people wearing face masks in public. The FIRST time, it was jarring and I wasn’t that old – perhaps six or eight. But then, it became normal. I saw face masks as considerate, compassionate, thoughtful, neighborly, caring, selfless.
I bring that perspective into the world of face masks we see today. Wearing them, regardless of the hubbub and the “sides” and the calls for “freedom”, was never an issue. Not a blink of an eye. My first thought was – how do I find the most COMFORTABLE one? My second thought was – how do we make this pretty?
I have a penchant for pretty things…but really, who doesn’t?
In my typical way (you’ll understand the more you get to know me better) I had to go to extremes in my search for these two criteria.
Let me insert the disclaimer that none of the face mask I’m actually reviewing are medical grade masks and therefore will not inherently protect you against viruses. We all know that but it’s probably worth being said here before we dive in.
The Line Up
My detailed thoughts are below but there is a summary table at the end.
Commercially Made Masks
These are masks that were traditionally made before the pandemic became…the pandemic.
N95 Masks – The holy grail of masks were practically a black market commodity and are obviously the gold standard when it comes to masks for true virus filtration. We had one prior to the pandemic and have actually not used it. It’s simply in here as the baseline form.
Generic Blue Dust Masks – We had a small supply of standard blue dust masks, leftover from a bad flu season and a lot of air travel. I have one packed in my travel kit – just in case. These were the first masks we grabbed to use when the pandemic started but we realized in very short order we would run through our supply.
Homemade Masks
I have a dusty sewing machine, a lot of fabric scraps from a quilting project a lifetime ago, and nowhere to go. When we started to worry that we couldn’t buy masks, regardless of their protection, I committed to making masks that actually fit us well and were comfortable to wear. That got us here…
Curved Mask – This was the first DIY pattern that I tried – and it’s quite nice. It’s easy to make, has options for both a nose piece and filter. My only challenge with it was identifying what material to use for the earloops. That is a different saga you can read about here. It fits well, looks nice.
Pleated Mask – These are the DIY version of the generic blue dust masks. Easy to make, with or without filters, with or without nose piece. I tried them originally with earloops but then tried ties. The ties are easier and more comfortable. This style fits the broadest range of faces (probably why it’s THE design) but there is still has room for customization. You can get a better fit by pinning the pleats (carefully!) ON the face it’s intended for. Obviously if you’re making masks without knowing the face it will fit, you are stuck with straight sides. But the fitted version results in a slightly curved side that removes gaps and improves fit. I found, with a narrower face, I prefer making a narrower overall mask where George had a better fit when the mask was wider. His mask is probably almost twice the width of mine!
Fitted Darted Mask – This is hands down the most elegant and beautiful mask design I’ve found. Dhurata Davies is a dressmaking pattern designer and a private sewing tutor so her design is elegant and her instructions make sense. It may sound weird, but if you had an event you needed a face mask for, this is the design you want. The only drawback is, it fits so well that it’s a little harder to breathe in than some. I tested this in the original three layer form and have since tried it with two layers – which is more comfortable and breathable. I haven’t tried it with a nose crimp, but it can easily be accommodated using the nose crimps I recommend in this post.
Purchased Retail Masks
I am a consumer and I spend too much time on social media (or just enough if you’re trying to sell me face masks!). My criteria for purchase was: it had some feature I hadn’t found in DIY design options and it had to be tested on two faces (mine and George’s) to determine range of comfort for users of different sizes.
Knit Mask with Dart – This is a mask design that George picked up while traveling in Korea a couple of years ago. Unlike most of the patterns I’ve found, this has a bias (knit) bound edge with earloops. The knit material makes the loops very comfortable on the ears, but it doesn’t have nose piece. I tried to make one using the original mask as a pattern and it’s surprisingly difficult to get the length of earloop to accommodate a broad range of faces. It’s extremely soft and comfortable to wear for short periods of time but the knit collects moisture from your breath – so any prolonged period of time in it can start to get a little uncomfortable.
Anti-Pollution Dust Mask – I stumbled on these late night and realized how I was going about my search for masks totally backwards. This company (and there are clearly others) make groovy masks for people who go to outdoor festivals like Electric Daisy Festival, SXSW, and Burning Man. They are mean to be anti-germ (though not approved at an N95 level) and anti-pollution. They are made of a double layer of stretchy material (very form fitting), their ear loops have slides (high on adjustability), they have a replaceable nose crimps (which led to my a-ha moment on nose crimps) and they have a filter pocket (and come with filters). These are high on my list for fit, comfort and customization. The only thing I’m not totally crazy about is the price.
Etsy’s Threadtheneedle2020 Mask – I perused a lot of masks on Etsy but ended up buying this one because the creator modified the style to meet specific needs I found lacking in others. In full disclosure, I know and adore CC who I met at my hair salon. She is focused on designing a face mask that can be worn for an entire day by someone in a non-healthcare setting. Like me, she was testing out a bunch of different designs, only to be frustrated by their short comings.
Here’s what I love about her modifications: Fit (nice and tight but not binding), there’s more breathing room in front of the mouth which means that general daily activity is WAY easier in these masks, and her innovation using a shoelace as the tie is brilliant! These are honestly more comfortable than any of the other methods of securing masks than I tried.
Sweaty Bands Face Masks [affiliate link] – I posted about these in an earlier blog but needed to mention them again. They are a stretchy swimsuit material that makes them quite comfortable. I have added a small dart on the side of mine to make them fit better but – they come without a nose piece and I found after a week of wearing them out on walks and to the grocery store, the sensitive skin behind my ears started to get VERY irritated. However, they have to be mentioned because they were the first to propose GOOD solutions to the ear problem so they have stayed in my mask rotation (Spoiler: look at the hat, or read this blog article.)
Noli Yoga Face Shield – When I saw this, I knew I would have to try it. The price point is prohibitive but it screams instagram photoshoot. (I’m honest about my motivations!) Large visors and face shields are not entirely unheard of in Asian countries – and they are much more meticulous than we are as a society at trying to reign in the spread of germs. So I figured it’s a legitimate test. The headband squeezes my head a bit and I found the adjustment to be a bit challenging. However, it really shields you from other people – because you can only control what you can control. The introvert in me likes the shielding and anonymity of it all. You will get a lot of stares – be that what it may.
SA Face Shields [Affiliate Link]- These are lower on my list because they are only single ply protection. However, if you happen to be a water sport enthusiast, you might have some of these types of neck/face gaiters on hand. They may be better than nothing, or no worse than a bandana, but they are probably not as good as a two- or three- ply mask. They certainly do have fun designs though!
Here’s the summary table. I hope it helps!
| Face Mask | Overall Comfort | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homemade: Curved Mask | Good | Fits a broad range of faces Easy to make Sleek design is nice Option to use earloops or fasten around the head Can accommodate nose crimp and filter pocket. | Challenging to get earloops comfortable for all users |
| Homemade: Pleated Mask | Excellent | Fits a broad range of faces Easiest to make Works with earloops and head ties Can accommodate nose crimp and filter pocket | Gaps slightly at the sides |
| Homemade: Fitted Darted Mask | Poor | Elegant and sleek Fit is impeccable Works best with around the head fastening Can accommodate nose crimp | Hard to breathe in if it’s too well fitted Doesn’t accommodate filter. Three ply design is hot |
| Knit Mask with Dart | Poor-Good | Comfortable for short periods of wear Overall stretchiness fits faces well | Unable to find a retail source Hard to DIY Knit material holds moisture and becomes damp from breath Stretchiness means it shifts over time |
| IEDM Anti Pollution Mask | Excellent | Most comfortable material Breathable Nose crimp is replaceable Comes with filters Adjustable earloop for comfort Fun designs | Expensive |
| Threadtheneedle2020 Mask (etsy) | Good-Excellent | Most breathable design Most comfortable for length of wear Fits a wide range of face sizes/shapes | Style isn’t as sleek as others Doesn’t have nose crimp |
| Sweaty Bands Face Mask | Good | Comfortable fit for short periods Available in two sizes | Earloop can chafe after a while Leaves some gaps No filter pocket No nose crimp Not good for exercise Hard to breath through |
| Noli Yoga Face Shield | Poor-Good | Great social media fodder Visually arresting | Expensive!! Hard to adjust the headband Sizing can cause headache if not perfect |
| SA Face Shields | Good | Comfortable No pressure on ear or head Accommodates all face sizes and shapes Fun patterns and designs | Single ply protection No filter No nose crimp |
Face masks should be functional, comfortable, but don’t forget fashionable!
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.
