Target has a nice selection of cute, cheap masks. All are 100% cotton, and some have moderately adjustable nose pieces. None has adjustable ear loops, and all have filter pockets. For $2 or $3 per mask, Target masks are a bargain. Most of them are made in China.
As it’s likely we’ll all be wearing face masks for a long time (years, possibly), it’s best to start building a wardrobe of masks, a la Nancy Pelosi. (She’s always photographed wearing a mask that matches her outfit.)
I’ve paid as much as $18 per fabric mask, but that’s not sustainable on my slim budget, given that face masks have to be washed daily and will likely wear out fairly quickly. In many cases, the Target masks are identical in quality to the much more expensive masks. Buyer be aware.
However, don’t kid yourself that Target’s $2 masks will last a lifetime, or even more than a few months. They may, they may not. The elastic ear loops seem pretty cheap, but they’ll last longer if you don’t put them in the dryer. I don’t have time or space to wash masks by hand, so they get washed on the delicate cycle in my washing machine. I hang them up on a clothes rack to dry.
It’s a no-no to pinch your mask in the center to pull it up when it slips off your nose, but I see a lot of people doing this. The whole point of a face mask is that it filters out the virus particles, which stick to the outside of the mask. Touching the mask to pull it up over your nose transfers those virus particles to your fingers. This erodes the value of the mask, especially if you touch something else, or, God forbid, your face.
I’m happy to say that most of these cheap Target masks, which are shaped to the face, do stay in place. If the elastic on the ear loops stretches out, the mask will slip down your nose, but in that case, either tie a knot in each ear loop or slip a small bead over the ends of the ear loops to make them adjustable. Or ditch the mask and buy a new one. It’s a $2 investment, so why not?
I tested a selection of Target’s face mask offerings, which sell for $2 or $3 apiece. Try a few and see which ones you like. They do run rather large, so S/M is the best size overall for people with small to average sized faces. The L/XL size masks are for those with very large faces.
All Target’s masks have small pockets for a filter, but I don’t use filters. I’m not comfortable with breathing through a piece of…what? I don’t know what’s inside most of the filters I’ve seen, which makes me wary. If you find a filter that you feel comfortable using, by all means do. Some people put coffee filters or folded tissues in their masks, but I don’t do that either. Two-three layers of tightly woven cotton is very effective at filtering viruses, according to studies.
I wear Target’s cotton masks, but I don’t work in an office all day. These masks are best used when you can stay at least six feet away from others at all times and don’t need to wear the mask indoors for hours. If you’re going to be indoors for a prolonged period (say, on an airplane), it might be a good idea to double up your mask. In this case, Target’s roomy L/XL masks might work well as a second layer.
I keep clean fabric face masks in a basket near the back door so they’re easy to grab on the way out of the house. Masks that have been worn go in a basket on top of the washing machine. Every few nights, I gather up the face masks, and toss them in the wash.
Despite the different brand names on these masks, it’s likely nearly all Target’s masks are made by the same factory in China. They all are stitched nicely, and many are reversible. (If you aren’t happy with the outside fabric, the lining is often a different color.) But most of Target’s masks have the same flimsy nose piece that won’t mold closely to my (any?) nose, which makes these masks only OK. I wear these masks when walking outdoors, to go grocery shopping or to pop into a store (like Target) for a few minutes.
Adults’ 2 Reusable Face Masks, S/M, Ambient Pink
$4 for two masks
100% cotton, two layers, filter pocket
No metal nose piece
Non-adjustable ear loops
I have a large-ish face, and this S/M mask fits me perfectly. Despite lacking a nose piece, it stays up on my nose and doesn’t fall down. The non-adjustable ear loops aren’t too tight, and the mask fits snugly on my face. I wore this mask on and off for most of a day, and it never fell down, which surprised me. It’s fairly easy to breathe through, but I think that’s partly because it lacks a nose piece, so there are gaps on either side of my nose. It’s fine for wearing outdoors and for exercising, but I’m not sure I’d trust it for all-day indoor use. I’d feel better with a snugger-fitting mask. It had a weird smell when I tried it on just out of the package. I washed it in hot water, and hung it up to dry. It shrunk slightly in the wash (above, on right), and as a result fit better, and, it lost the weird smell.
*****
Adults’ 2 Reusable Face Masks, L/XL, Black
$4 for two masks
100% cotton, two layers, filter pocket
No metal nose piece
Non-adjustable ear loops
This is a gigantic mask. Unless you have a huge face, stay away from this mask. Washing it in hot water shrunk it a bit (mask on right, above), but it’s still huge. If you do have a huge face, you’ve found the right, cheap mask. No one in my family has a huge face, so this pair of masks is going to Goodwill. The same mask in the S/M size (above) fits me very well. There is no nose piece, so there are gaps around your nose, and the ear loops don’t adjust. The two layers of cotton feel sturdy, and there is a pocket for a filter, should you want to use one. The mask is stitched and finished nicely, so it’s reversible too.
******
Universal Thread Goods Co. Adult Reusable Face Mask, S/M, Mint Green
$2 per mask
100% cotton, two layers, filter pocket
Adjustable nose piece (not sure if it’s metal)
Non-adjustable ear loops
Despite having an adjustable nose piece, this mask didn’t fit my face very well. Disappointing, because I liked the mint-green plaid cotton fabric. I coudn’t get the nose piece to mold to my face, so it sort of stuck up away from my nose. The ear loops were a little large, so it slid down my face slightly after wearing it for a while. I have a fairly large face, so the S/M size won’t fit a very petite face or a child. The fabric is light weight and easy to breathe through, although there were gaps on the sides of the mask. The ear loops aren’t adjustable, so I felt a little insecure in this mask, worried it would slip down my nose. For $2, this is a fine mask, but the fit is only so-so for me. Try it yourself and see if it fits. I think the nose piece must be either very thin wire inside plastic, or only plastic. I didn’t cut the mask open to find out.
******
Universal Thread Goods Co. Adult Reusable Face Mask, L/XL, Light Blue Gray
$2 per mask
100% cotton, two layers, filter pocket
Adjustable nose piece (not sure if it’s metal)
Non-adjustable ear loops
This is a huge mask. I recommend washing it in hot water and putting it into the dryer, but even then, you need to have a large face to wear this L/XL mask. I have a large-ish face, and I swam in this mask, even after washing and drying it. The nose piece is only so-so, likely made of plastic. I could not get it to mold to my face, so the mask gapped a bit around my nose. The ear loops are large too, and they are not adjustable, so it’s difficult to make this mask fit someone with a small face. Tie a knot or twist the ear loops to make them smaller. Because the mask is large, it does cover your whole face, so that’s good news, as it’s likely to be a bit more protective. But the small-faced must stay away. This mask is too big.
******
Universal Thread Goods Co. Women’s Reusable Face Mask, S/M, green with brown ear loops
$3 per mask
100% cotton, three layers, filter pocket
Adjustable nose piece (not sure if it’s metal)
Non-adjustable ear loops
This is a comfortable mask that fit my face fairly well, if a little on the small side. I have average-to-large female face, so this S/M mask should fit a smaller face better. I like that it’s made of three layers of soft cotton fabric, and the stretchy ear loops are comfortable. (I’m not crazy about the brown color of the ear loops, but that’s me.) This mask has the same problem a lot of the Target masks have in that the nose piece is not very bendable or moldable. It’s more like a stay than a metal piece that will bend around your nose, which is the whole point of a nose piece. But this is a good mask for $3. It smells funny right out of the package, but washing gets rid of the smell.
******
Universal Thread Goods Co. Women’s Reusable Face Mask, L/XL, Gray with orange ear loops
$3 per mask
100% cotton, three layers, filter pocket
Adjustable nose piece (not sure if it’s metal)
Non-adjustable ear loops
I don’t like putting masks in the dryer. High heat shrinks cotton masks and wrecks the elastic. But I recommend putting this L/XL mask into the dryer after washing it in hot water and before wearing it for the first time, if you have a medium-sized face. This is a very large mask, but it will shrink in the dryer. The mask is made of three layers of cotton, making it fairly thick. I don’t use filters (see above) in my masks, so this mask likely offers better protection than a two-layer mask. The cotton is soft and breatheable, and I like the orange elastic ear loops. The bendable nose piece is very hard to adjust, so it leaves a gap at the bridge of the nose. I couldn’t get this mask to fit around my nose very tightly, but it is comfortable to wear, and it didn’t fall down. The ear loops keep it secure. This mask may be intended for men due to its size, but it doesn’t say so on the label.
******
Universal Thread Goods Co. Adult Reusable Face Mask, S/M, Mint/Chambray
$4 for two masks
100% cotton, two layers, filter pocket
Adjustable nose piece (not sure if it’s metal)
Non-adjustable ear loops
This rectangular, pleated mask fits well, except for the flimsy nose piece that’s hard to fit around my nose. The nose piece kept stretching out (is it made of plastic?), and after a while, the mask slipped down my nose. I kept having to pinch the nose piece together to make the mask stay put. Talking a lot while wearing the mask makes it fall down faster. Other Target masks with more shape fit my face better and don’t fall down my nose. If you have a tiny nose, perhaps you won’t have a problem with this otherwise great mask. The pleats make the mask fit snugly, with no gaps on the sides, which is very nice. There’s a small pleat on the bottom that makes the mask fit closely under the chin. The ear loops are comfortable, and the lightweight, two-layer cotton fabric is breathable. I like the blue and green colors. If Target spent a few cents more on a thicker nose piece that stayed in place around my nose (and I’d pay an extra quarter for that!), this would be a terrific mask. As it is, it’s an incredible bargain at $2 per mask. It also comes in a L/XL size, but I didn’t try it.
******
Goodfellow & Co Men’s Reusable Face Masks, S/M, Navy
$4 for 2 masks
100% cotton, two layers, filter pocket
Adjustable nose piece (not sure if it’s metal)
Non-adjustable ear loops
This mask is designed for men. The S/M size is too large for me. Even after washing it in hot water, it was still too big, even though it shrunk a little. The color is called “Navy” even though the masks look like grey and gray/white stripes. The mask is reversible, nicely-made, sturdy and has comfortable ear loops. I have a large-ish face, but this mask is still far too big for me. It doesn’t fit my husband either, but his face is about the same size as mine. The moldable nose piece is fairly flimsy, but the style of the mask makes it stay put on my nose if I pinch the nose piece tightly. I found this mask lightweight, easy to breathe through and comfortable to wear, even though it was too big.
******
Wild Fable Adult Reusable Face Mask L/XL, Mint/Agate/Paisley
$3 per mask
100% cotton, two layers, filter pocket
Adjustable nose piece (not sure if it’s metal)
Adjustable strings (includes two pairs)
This large mask is shaped like a pleated surgical mask with ties, not ear loops. It’s the only face mask I found on the Target website that doesn’t have ear loops. For some reason, this mask comes with two sets of ties, should you want to swap them out. One pair matches the pale blue paisley fabric, and the other pair is an olive green. Unlike most Target masks, which are made in China, this mask is made in Guatemala.
You can either tie the strings together into ear loops, or tie them behind your head. This is a useful option should your ears get sore. My ears sometimes get sore after wearing a face mask with ear loops for many hours. Another nice thing about this mask is that it will hang around your neck if, for example, you’re walking around outside and only need to wear the mask occasionally when encountering others.
You can tie the strings in many ways. I tied the bottom pair together behind my neck, then put the mask on, and pulled the top pair tight, and tied the strings behind my head. Ear loop masks are easier to put on and take off, but if you need ties, this mask fits well, and is very adjustable. The pleats on the sides and bottom keep it close to your face. The only problem is the nose piece, which is only somewhat adjustable. I pinched it tightly to keep the mask in place over my nose, which did work, but a softer, more moldable metal nose piece would work a lot better. This mask will be too large for those with small faces.
It can get uncomfortable to wear this mask for a long time because the ties aren’t stretchy, and they need to be pulled tight for the mask to fit snugly. I think a better design would have adjustable elastic bands that go behind the head, snug, but stretchy. The mask also put pressure on my nose, which was uncomfortable after a while. It does stay in place, and is roomy, so those are plusses. And the fabric is pretty. The S/M version of this mask might fit better, but I didn’t try it.
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