[guilloche]

Hope this is OK for this forum.

The grocery store that I go to is going to start requiring masks next week to enter.

Any suggestions on how to get/make a comfortable mask? I've tried two different ones from Etsy so far. The first had elastic that goes behind your head, and it didn't work at all. It seemed like one big loop that was supposed to go around your head in two places, which made it too tight to be comfortable. I bought two, so I've disassembled one to try to make it work - but nothing I've tried has worked. Currently, I sewed on one set of straps, but it doesn't stay on my head.

I don't want a mask that's falling off, that's going to be annoying and force me to touch it, thus possibly contaminating my face.

The second one has elastic that goes over your ears. It's uncomfortable on my ears and makes them bend, though maybe I'm putting it on wrong? And the fabric is way too thick, I can't breathe with it on and it makes my glasses fog up. Argh.

I am seriously considering taking an old pillow case and cutting out holes for my eyes at this point, and wearing it like a ghost-costume! I think it would look ridiculous, but since no one can actually see my face through it, maybe who cares?

I don't know? Would love to hear if anyone else has found anything that works? I feel like I'm wasting a lot of money buying these things that aren't working at all for me.

The store is supposed to be giving out disposable masks if you don't have one, and that sounds OK... except... how do I know that the person handing me a mask isn't infected, or hasn't touched something, and that I'm not getting a virus-laden mask to put on my face? Maybe if they had them in individually sealed bags from the manufacturer, but I don't know if it works like that!

Thanks!

[downandlonely]

I've been using dust masks that I bought a while back on Amazon. I'm not sure if they're still available now. But I heard they are supposed to be tight and fog up your glasses.

[~Christina]

I don’t know if you are on Facebook but practically every marketplace page has someone making masks that have a place to insert a filter. Some are with elastic some you tie on.

A tip for breathing and not fogging up glasses, I breath in my nose and exhale with my mouth, so my glasses rarely fog.

My useless Governor is trying to get masks for every person in Tennessee, 5 million ! Doesn’t know where to get them and my state actually has just a tad under 7 million people ..... so yeah he’s a disgrace !

Hope you find some

[MuseumGhost]

Hi. There is a number of helpful D-I-Y face mask videos on youtube. I typed "making your own comfortable face masks that fit well" ,and at least 12 or so videos popped up. I'm certain there are many more than that, as well!It may take an investment of time deciding which one will suit your needs the best, but it's worth it if it protects you and others.

Have fun with it!

[lizardlady]

An easy solution is to tie a bandana around your face like the bad guys in old westerns. You can also take a scarf and wrap it around your head several times.

I found directions for making your own masks. I am no seamstress and found them easy to make. I'll find the url and post it.

[Wild Coyote]

There is a variety of masks , in different price ranges, on Amazon now.
Stay Safe! Be well!

[guilloche]

Thank you all for the suggestions, I truly appreciate it.

Downandlonely - Thanks - I will check online again to see if any place is carrying dust masks. I suspect they may all be sold out, but I'd totally give those a go, if I could get my hands on them!

~Christina - Thanks! Not on facebook, but have been picking up masks from Etsy and trying to think of other, less likely to be known places to source them. Thanks for the tip... I can try breathing out through the mask. The one that I had on, I'm not sure if it would help, the cotton was SO tightly woven I think the air HAS to go up when you breathe out, that's what it feels like! But I'll give it a try.

I also saw a tip that you can place a folded tissue along the top edge of the mask, which should absorb some of the humidity... I haven't really had luck with that yet, but still trying.

And, sorry to hear about your governor. I'm in Georgia, so feeling like ours is pretty useless too. Or at least, not very smart.

MuseumGhost - Thanks! I'll check again... I've been looking, but am not very handy! I tried one that didn't require sewing, just cutting up an old t-shirt, and that just... I couldn't seem to get it to stay on my face. It feels crazy. There's gotta be something that will work for me.

My biggest concern is that... I think masks are a really bad idea, unless they fit well and are comfortable, because if they start to fall off or get uncomfortable, you're going to HAVE to touch your face to adjust them, which means you're increasing your risk of passing germs from your hands to your face. I'm washing my hands a lot, but didn't manage to get sanitizer before it all got bought up, so I really need to NOT touch my face in public (where I'm not likely to be able to wash my hands). I've been super careful about staying away from people (work from home, only leaving for groceries and an occasional walk outside before everyone wakes up) and keeping distance from people... it's just... ugh... hard.

LizardLady Thanks - yeah, if you still have the directions you used, I'd love to see them, thanks! With the bandanna, does it stay on OK? It doesn't slide down? (I've tried tying other things on, but the ribbons that I used tend to slide down my head?)

I have an old sheet that I could cut into bandanna-sized clothes, I'm sure. But just not sure if it would stay on.

I'd use a scarf, but the scarves I have are all kind of nice ones (gifts!) that can't be easily washed! I think that whatever I use, I should thrown in the wash when I get back home, to de-germify!

Wild Coyote - Thanks, I'll go look. Saw some disposable ones on Walmart too, may just pick up a pack to test out... it just looked like they might take awhile to actually get here.

Thanks everyone... I appreciate it!

[*Beth*]

Yes, masks are tricky.

I have used the bandana trick, then ordered 2 masks on Etsy - one cotton with a velcro strap that attaches (with the velcro) behind my head. The other is a hemp mask with very comfortable hemp straps that go around my ears...I barely feel them. There are sooo many masks available on Etsy right now. And yes - Amazon.

I also wear glasses and find that there is just no way to keep them from fogging up. Lucky us, .

I have read that there's some kind of solution or spray (on Amazon) that can be purchased and the stuff (supposedly) keeps glasses fog-free.

Good luck - you'll find 1 or 2, I'm sure. And...thank you for being safe.

[guilloche]

Thanks BethRags! Did the bandanna stay in place OK? It didn't slip down/off your face? Like I said, one thing I'm considering is cutting an old sheet into bandanna-sized pieces and trying it with that... I'm just not feeling super confident that it will stay on my face.

[*Beth*]

Oh - and I saw a guy wearing a bandana style, but he'd sewn velcro on the back to keep it in place.

Etsy:
The hemp mask is from MarganicHandmade. A bit pricey, but really comfortable - at least, as comfortable as a mask can be.

The velcro mask is from BurstCreationsStudio. It's a light-weight cotton.

Also, you can order velcro really cheaply from Etsy.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by guilloche

Thanks BethRags! Did the bandanna stay in place OK? It didn't slip down/off your face? Like I said, one thing I'm considering is cutting an old sheet into bandanna-sized pieces and trying it with that... I'm just not feeling super confident that it will stay on my face.

No. I had to keep re-tying the bandana, plus it was long in front of my face, so breathing was difficult, at best.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

...

A tip for breathing and not fogging up glasses, I breath in my nose and exhale with my mouth, so my glasses rarely fog.

...

I've figured that out recently - it really helps.

[guilloche]

Thanks, BethRags - I'll take a look at the Etsy sellers you mentioned. With the bandanna, that's one of my concerns - having to constantly touch, adjust, and retie it.

I have some stick-on velcro, I think... but I'm afraid it would come off in the wash!

[mugwort2]

My sister gave me a cloth mask. Maybe using a cotton scarf wrapped around your nose and mouth could do the trick.

[guilloche]

Thanks, Mugwort2 -

I like the idea of a scarf, but the scarves I have are all kind of nice and not really machine washable (I think). I think that whatever I use, I need to be able to toss it right into the washer!

I've ordered a couple more to try out. Some disposable ones from Walmart that should be here on Friday, I hope, and some linen ones! I have linen sheets, and the material is ridiculously easy to breath through - so I'm hoping that helps. They were reasonable too, about the same price as the non-linen ones from Etsy.

So, we'll see. I'm so tired from all this... I think I'm going to have to just suck it up and use what I've got, b/c I'm running low on groceries again!

Thanks!

[guilloche]

For anyone following along, I found two more useful resources this morning:

1. Dhavani (a company that makes eco-conscious clothes, I think?) is giving away one free, reusable mask to every American. You have to opt in to their emails (but I'm assuming you can later unsubscribe or block them). Not sure how long it will take to receive. They are also accepting donations.

Note -they ask if you're a medical professional or essential worker, but this has NO impact on your eligibility to get a mask - I answered "no" to both, and still will be getting a mask.

You can "claim your mask" or follow a link to make a donation from here: A Mask For Every American - DHVANI

2. There's another company sending out packs of 10 disposable masks. It's ~$10 for shipping, but no additional costs.

Free Face Masks丨FlexiSpot

I put in requests with both... and forgot, I ALSO have 2 other reusable masks coming sometime this week, hopefully, that took about 2 weeks to ship.

So, I should hopefully find something to work between all those.

[downandlonely]

I just put in a request for a Dhvani mask. Thanks for the link!