DOES THE MASK DESIGN AFFECT THE FIT?

 

MASK DESIGN & FIT

There are an endless variety of masks out there and not all will fit you the same way.  A good mask fit is one where it fits snugly around the edges and allows you to be able to talk without it falling down your nose when you move your jaw to speak.

We have designed our masks and sewn them in a way that will minimize gaps and prevent the mask from moving when you talk.  Of course, choosing the proper size mask goes a long way to eliminating these problems, but there are also built in design features that help too. 

I realize that due to the nature of masks and the reason that we are wearing them do not allow you to try on or return your masks.  I sincerely wish people could try them on and I could tell you how to adjust it or if you should choose a different style.  In light of this situation, I am going to do my best to advise you online about our mask styles, how they differ and why you may prefer one over the other.  (You can also read our blog post on fitting adjustments for your mask here).

MASK STYLES

We offer three styles of masks: Pleated, Contoured and the Urbanite.  They are available in different fabrics, and some vary in wearing fit, such as La Parisienne and the Bamboo (stretch), which I will discuss separately, but these three masks comprise our basic line up.  So let’s go over them one by one.

 

THE PLEATED MASK:

The pleated mask is the most basic mask and has the widest range in fit.  Why?

Think of an accordion that can expand and squeeze back to a smaller size.  When our pleated mask is fully expanded it will fit a nose bridge/under chin measurement of 7 1/2”.  At it’s smallest point it is about 5 1/2".  Due to the wide variation between the two, this mask style will allow you to talk freely without moving down your nose because of its expansion capabilities.

Not everyone likes the “surgical look".  If you have a very small face or if you are not expanding it to the maximum, and you don’t distribute the excess properly, you can feel that it’s bunched up with excess fabric or that it shifts in your eyes, etc. and can kind of feel “heavy” because the fabric is pooling in the middle.  If this is happening to you, try to distribute the fabric evenly throught the expansion or pull more of the fabric under your chin.  We have 2 sizes available in this mask, and although I prefer the small size in the pleated, I prefer the medium in all other styles.

THE CONTOURED MASK:

I love our contoured mask!  This mask has a sleeker look than the pleated, but it also has the least range, meaning that if you choose the wrong size, it has the least adaptability for sizing, with the exception of the Bamboo, which is a stretch mask - more on that later.  But if you get the right fit on these masks, they are very comfortable to wear and allow for a breathing bubble (see our blog post on making your mask comfortable coming soon). 

So, you have to consider that when you are wearing a mask, unless all you intend to do is nod your head, you will need to speak while wearing the mask.  Have you ever noticed that as someone is speaking to you, their mask is falling down their nose and they are constantly pulling it up?  Once your mask is on, you do not want to be touching it!

The design of our contoured mask has a pleat instead of a seam so that you have some room for mobility when your lower jaw moves to speak, but because the pleat is sewn to the side seam, it tightens it up so that it will not gape at the sides.  It is also designed to fit high on the bridge of your nose and contour under your eyes to the side of your face.  This way, if you wear glasses, you can place them OVER your mask or place the nose wire high up to cup over your nose and around your eyes where some gaping is usually more prone to occur.  It has also been designed to have slight give under the chin so when your lower jaw moves to speak, the mask stays in place.  We have 2 sizes available in this mask.

THE URBANITE MASK: 

I really like the urbanite style mask in the cool touch fabric (see our blog post on the cool touch mask here).  The urbanite is kind of a combo of the pleated mask and the contoured mask.  It is, in effect, a pleated mask, but sewn in such a way that it looks and fits more like a contoured mask without the seam down the middle.  It’s a little less “surgical” looking and allows for that "breathing bubble" discussed in our other blog post, if worn and fitted properly.  It is a very comfortable mask, here is just one example of a client comment:

"I have been using the cool touch and it was life changing haha I love it so much. It makes wearing a mask tolerable and it’s keeping the acne away too. I can’t say enough good things about it!!!"

 

LA PARISIENNE MASK:

Love, love, love this mask.  What is there not to like?  Wrap it around your ponytail to add a little style and go!  La Parisienne is at its base, the contoured mask.  There are some fitting tips on this mask to make it fit properly though, or else you will find it gaping away from your face, which is not what you want to happen!

When you put it on and place it on your face where you want it, pull it back in place, wherever the snug fit lands behind your head is where the knot on your ponytail needs to be, not higher or lower, but right there!  If you're not wearing a ponytail and just want to tie it back, the same applies, pull it back so it fits snugly and tie the knot at that place.  Basically, on this mask, the sashes are your "ear loops".

THE BAMBOO MASK (STRETCH):

 

This is probably the softest, airy-est mask that you will wear!  It has s-t-r-e-t-c-h, which means it will fit a lot of faces and more or less, mold to the shape.  We cannot keep it in stock. Bamboo has natural anti-bacterial properties in addition to being so incredibly soft!  This mask is a contoured style mask at its core.  We have changed the ear loops on this mask to 1/4" elastic so that you can use toggles on your ear loops, the bamboo jersey ear loops, although soft, are too big to accommodate toggles.

I strongly suggest that you wear a filter, especially when wearing a stretch mask, because when you wear a stretch mask, the quality that makes it so comfortable to wear (stretch) also makes it less “protective” (not to you but to others as non-medial grade masks do not protect the wearer).  I recently read an article discussing the less "protective" abilities of stretch masks due to the fact that stretching the fabric will cause the holes in the knit fabric to become bigger as they are stretched out.  Research it and decide.  Most people will overlook this because of the comfort factor.  

I hope this helps you to determine the best mask to suit your needs. 

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to send us an email, we'd love to hear from you!  Having fitting issues?  Send us a picture and we'll try to help you out.  You can also contact us via any of our social media platforms.

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