I recently had lunch with some dear friends. I hadn’t seen them in real life since the beginning of the pandemic last March.
Stephanie and Lori mentioned that they had purchased the first face masks I recommended in 2020.
Such good friends!
We were talking about the mask mandates going back into effect in Maryland and other places in the country. I’m sad to say that with the Delta variant (and others) circulating, masks may be a part of our foreseeable future. In that vein, I know so much more now than I did then, so I thought I would give everyone an update on my recommended face masks.
As you know if you follow this blog, I tried a bunch of designs. I made them, bought them, tested and modified patterns. I tested materials and construction and wearability. And there were some that I thought were decent. But none – NONE! – were as good as these.
Anatomy of a Great Face Mask
I barely know where to start to discuss the face masks by Halo Life! They are seriously our favorites, but let me tell you why.
- Metallic Nose Bridge. This is a soft and pliable insert that allows the mask to conform to your nose no matter the shape. They actually come with foam pads (more on that later) which help with comfort and fit. This means you get a nice “seal” around your nose which REALLY helps with stopping glasses from fogging up. They aren’t perfect on that count, but they are better than any others we’ve tried and we’ve tried A LOT!
- Soft Jersey Earloops. If you recall, ear comfort is really important to me. These loops never chafe or pull on either of us. The bonus is that this soft jersey is the lining against your face so there’s no scratchiness or irritation.
- Adjustable. We are not all built the same. The adjustable earloop is a huge part of comfort long term. And though I wash them in a lingerie bag, the slides do NOT come off in the laundry (I air dry them!)
- Rigid Spine. The rigid spine down the front keeps the fabric from sucking into your mouth as you breathe and talk. It’s not noticeable in the fit but it keeps space to breathe which adds to comfort and fit.
- Chin Cup. Last but not least, the chin cup helps the total fit of the mask. It not only “seals” the bottom but it allows you to talk and move your mouth without the mask sliding around. I’ve discovered for me that the chin cup is essential construction for a comfortable fitting mask for me.
You can buy these masks online at Amazon or the company’s website.
Features
Not only do these face masks have the features that I find really make up the anatomy of the best face masks, but there’s more.
- Foam Nose Guards. The masks come with a few foam nose pieces. These add to the comfort a lot. There’s a little bit of a design issue because they don’t stick to the jersey very well but when you can get them to hold in place, it makes the nose bridge even MORE comfortable.
- Filters. There are also removable, replaceable filters for the masks. You can read more about the filters here, but they filter out 99% of airborne pathogens and captures down to 0.1 microns. Most masks are closer to 0.2 or 0.3 microns.
- Variety. There are a variety of patterns, styles (these are the ones we bought and like but there are a bunch more online), and SIZE!!
These are very sleek and stylish masks that manage to somehow look elegant and professional. We bought these all with our own money and I imagine we will have them for a long time to come. If you can notice a size difference in the photo above, the top row are mine and the bottom row are George’s.
I have my masks in a medium and I have an average size face. George has an extra large. That’s really the final feature of the Halo Life masks. They come in sizes! Thank goodness someone has finally realized that we aren’t all the same size. Their Small will apparently fit children. I am 5’7″ and my head is narrow. The Medium is perfect on me. George is 6’6″ and the Extra Large is perfect for him. I imagine the Large would be good for the average sized man.
We have used our masks daily since we got them at the end of last year. They are in great shape and look practically new, despite frequent washings. I put them into a lingerie bag to wash them and then I just clip them to my drying rack with some good old fashioned clothespins.
If someone asked me today to recommend a good face mask, I would recommend Halo Life without hesitation. I swear I have no relationship with this organization – I just think the quality and construction of their product is top notch in a world filled with some pretty sketchy things.
Bonus: There is a current special going on through the website. The link will take you to their story, which is pretty fascinating in itself.
Buy 3 and get 1 Free (code: SUMMERSAVINGS). I’m not sure how long it lasts but check it out!
