It’s been eight months since the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic, and I’m still trying to find the perfect face mask. There are now zillions of masks to choose from, but the “perfect” mask still eludes me. My favorite mask is the three-layer cotton Tie Bar mask I reviewed a few months ago, but my recent mask purchases have yielded new favorites.
Our family’s mask collection is growing, in part because one of my children wears at least two masks every day for exercising, and I dislike scrambling to wash masks constantly. Some masks I’ve loved for a few days, and then I realize they make my ears sore, or they start falling down my nose because the elastic straps have stretched out or broken, or the design just doesn’t fit my face properly.
Below are brief reviews of my latest face mask purchases. I bought these based on recommendations from friends and by reading reviews online. The reality is that face masks are getting better. You don’t have to pay more than $10 for a pretty good mask. Many are even cheaper.
The best masks are made from two layers of tightly woven fabric with an adjustable nose wire that keeps the mask snugly fitted against your nose. If you wear glasses, it’s important to have a mask that covers your nose completely and fits closely, so you can put your glasses on top of the mask to keep them from fogging up.
Some masks are embedded with copper, silver or carbon, but I avoid these. I don’t want to breathe in these materials, no matter what antimicrobial claims are made about them. Surgical masks and N95 masks are made from polypropylene fabric, so I trust them, but I don’t trust filter inserts made from who-knows-what material. I’ve read that you can make your own filters out of polypropylene fabric but I haven’t tried it yet.
If they are comfortable and snug, these face masks should offer decent protection from the Covid-19 virus. No touching your mask, though! Put in on and take it off by the ear loops or ties. I hope we won’t have to wear face masks for years, but they’re with us for now, so we may as well wear masks that are cute and comfy.
Bonbos Riviera Face Mask, One Size, Navy Floral Dots
$25 for three masks
100% cotton, two layers, filter pocket
Adjustable metal nose piece
Head loops
Bonbos masks have two elastic bands that fit over the back of your head, so you won’t get sore ears from wearing a mask with elastic ear loops all day. This mask is one of my favorites. It’s supposedly made for men, but it fits me well, likely because of the comfortable head loops, instead of ear loops. It is made of two layers of fairly thin cotton that’s easy to breathe through. You can put a filter in the large pocket, but I don’t use filters. My husband says this is his favorite mask because of the secure fit over his nose and the side pleats that make it fit closely under his chin. The head loops pull the mask snugly against your face, and there’s plenty of extra fabric in front, so you don’t feel suffocated by the mask. If you have a very small face, this mask may be too large for you. The adjustable nose piece molds well to your nose, making the fit feel extra secure. If you don’t mind the around-the-head elastics possibly messing up your hair, this is an excellent face mask.
*****
United by Blue Salvaged Hemp Blend Face Mask (3 pack) Large/Adult
$20 for three masks
Blend of hemp, cotton, polyester and TENCEL, two layers, filter pocket
No metal nose piece
Adjustable ear loops
These are cute, comfy masks that fit my face well. They don’t have an adjustable metal nose piece, but the masks are cut in such a way that they fit over my nose, and stay up. The lack of an adjustable nose piece means the mask leaves small gaps on either side of my nose, but that’s a small complaint. The inner lining is made of soft, stretchy fabric that feels cottony, and it has a filter pocket. The mask comes in a lot of nice solid and print patterns, some of which are often sold out. I’m not crazy about the “hemp” label on the outside, but that’s another small complaint. I keep these masks in my car because they’re comfortable, easy to put on and stay in place when I need to run a quick errand. This mask also comes in a smaller size for kids.
*****
United by Blue Ripcord Salvaged Hemp Blend Face Mask (2 pack) Large/Adult
$24 for two masks
Blend of hemp, cotton, polyester and TENCEL, two layers, filter pocket
No nose piece
Adjustable ear loops
This mask has an unusual design with elastic “ripcords” that loop over your ears, then secure with an adjustable toggle behind your neck. I find this mask more comfortable than many masks because the ties don’t put as much pressure on my ears as regular elastic ear loops do. However, this mask would be much improved with an adjustable metal nose piece, which would make it fit more tightly around my nose. The fit feels slightly loose, with large-ish gaps on either side of my nose. The mask is comfortable, although it squishes my nose a bit and barely covers my chin. I have a large-ish face (for a woman), so this mask might feel more secure on someone with a smaller face. The lining fabric is soft and stretchy, but the sturdy outer fabric is not, making the mask feel a bit “tight” on me. It’s fairly expensive at $12 per mask. If your ears are sore from wearing ear loop masks, this would be a good mask to try as long as you have a small-ish face. As it is, it’s OK, but not one of my favorites. I do like that it can hang around my neck and is very easy to put on and take off if I’m running errands or eating outdoors.
*****
Reebok Face Covers M/L 3-Pack, Black
$30 for three masks
Polyester/Elastane, two layers, filter pocket
No nose piece
Non-adjustable ear loops
These Reebok face masks are identical to Adidas face masks, which are nearly always sold out. I bought these for my children, but I was annoyed that Reebok-branded face masks cost $10 more than the Adidas masks, which are made by the same company. However, as we needed the masks, I paid the premium. My children love wearing these face masks for exercising indoors. They are stretchy and comfortable, but they do get soggy and wet while breathing heavily, so you need at least two, possibly three masks for an hour of heavy exercise. The masks are made of two layers of polyester fabric. The outer layer is fairly thick, and the inner layer is made of quick-dry thinner mesh-type fabric. There’s no nose piece, but the masks are fairly tight-fitting and don’t fall down your nose. I don’t wear these masks because I don’t exercise indoors, but I’ve tried them on and found them comfortable, if a bit thick to breathe through. Cotton masks will get very soggy very quickly during heavy exercise, so polyester is a good choice for sports masks. A report in Outside Magazine says masks made of two layers of synthetic performance materials filter the coronavirus as well as cotton masks.
*****
Vera Bradley Fitted Mask with Adjusters, One Size
$8 per mask
100% cotton, two layers, filter pocket
No nose piece
Adjustable ear loops
If you want a little style in your masks, these Vera Bradley fitted cotton face masks are a great deal at $8 each. They fit my face well, despite lacking an adjustable nose piece. The masks are made from two layers of lightweight, fairly thin 100% cotton fabric, with a filter pocket. The masks are on the large side, yet fit snugly to my face with small pleats on each side and adjustable ear loops. I bought two masks in different patterns, and each fit slightly differently. The masks come in a variety of Vera Bradley patterns, which have varied each time I visited the company’s web site. Vera Bradley also makes a rectangular, surgical-style pleated mask, with elastic that goes behind your head, which is sold on the company’s website and at Target, also for $8 per mask.
*****
NxTSTOP Bamboo Face Mask, Adult Size
$14 per mask
95% bamboo, 5% elastic, two layers, filter pocket
Adjustable metal nose piece
Adjustable ear loops
This mask is made out of two layers of very soft, stretchy bamboo fabric, which is lightweight and comfortable. The metal nose piece bends to fit closely around my nose. The adjustable ear loops are threaded through the sides of the mask, pulling it tight and close to my face with almost no gaps. Bamboo (the tree) is naturally resistant to bacteria, but I couldn’t find any studies showing highly processed bamboo fabric has similar bacterial resistance. (Wikipedia says bamboo fabric lacks antimicrobial properties.) Antimicrobial or not, this mask’s two layers of bamboo fabric ought to work as well as cotton or polyester dual-layer masks. I find this mask a nearly perfect combination of fit and comfort. Its only drawback is that it’s expensive at $14 per mask. It comes in five solid colors and is also available in a child size.
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