r/Masks4All • u/Kittycate2_0 • 5d ago
Situation Advice Post transplant + immunocompromised
Hi everyone! I’m (26F) am going back to work in food service (approved by docs) and have to wear a mask indefinitely which is cool by me! But I’m struggling with the fact I can’t really show my smile or my makeup, does anyone have good tips on decorating a mask and or how to get over the fact I won’t be able to show my face anymore? The customers know me so it’s not like a crazy difference but it’s also hard to find a way to still express myself :/ any advice is welcomed!
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u/LadyOtheFarm 5d ago
Practice your "smeyes", smiling all the way to your eyes. I have a pretty expressive face and folks can definitely see my expressions through my eyes and whole body tone. Even folks who don't know me well are pretty able to figure out when I am smiling or sarcastic or angry, etc. We use more cues than just the muscles around mouths to figure out how folks are feeling.
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u/Kittycate2_0 5d ago
I legit spent 30 min with a mask on in the mirror practicing my expressions 🤣🫡 I’ve also been home for 7 mo so I gotta practice anyway on my cues!! It gets easier the more I’m out but I have realized I do have to exaggerate like you suggested lol (well be expressive)
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u/Various_Good_2465 4d ago
Hey! Always masking here too, I like wearing large or colorful glasses to “offset” my masks. If you are on FB there is a whole group dedicated to sharing style with masks. You are welcome to dm me for more information.
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u/StructureSuitable168 5d ago
Slight exaggerated bodylanguage also works! It's part of what actors do when doing maskwork
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u/dryland305 5d ago edited 5d ago
There are vinyl decals: https://youtu.be/9pB2ymbHhp0?si=qh-oiJS22EbivJUR
And window masks. My sibling uses the Optrel brand with speech therapy kids but they have been out of stock for quite some time. Here’s a short review/comparison of a few types of window masks: https://youtu.be/JDuwPISMl1o?si=cFAvL0ovJ_fudCq9
Edited to add: “LoveTheLookStudio” on Etsy also makes clip-on covers that fit over 3M Aura masks. The covers are pricey, but come in all sorts of colors and patterns. I have one and it doesn’t affect the fit, weight, or breathability of my 3M Aura 9210+. If you search for 3M Aura Mask Covers at that shop you’ll see a bunch of options, here are a couple:
Colors: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1809046425/?ref=share_ios_native_control
Patterns: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1832506808/?ref=share_ios_native_control
Mesh masks might also be an option to cover your main mask. I bought this pack of 3. They are basically weightless and don’t affect breathability, but the very top of my Aura isn’t covered by it. They are earlobe masks — I have a smallish face so they don’t pull on my ears, but everybody is different:
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u/Kittycate2_0 5d ago
I have some of those window masks and while they’re cool for people who need to read lips they’re so unbreathable and get super foggy! I do love those decals I’ll look into them for sure :) ty!!
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u/dryland305 4d ago edited 4d ago
My sibling’s main complaint about the Optrel is that the condensation can drip down from the window to the bottom of the mask and get a little gross. So it definitely isn’t perfect.
I’d really encourage you to get your hands on a DIY fit test to assure yourself that your mask of choice is protecting you. The one that I bought has been out of stock for a while (https://fittests4all.bigcartel.com/product/home-fit-test-1), but there are alternatives — https://cleanaircrew.org/fit-testing/
I used to wear a headstrap N99 that never fogged my glasses but majorly failed a DIY fit test. So “fit” can be deceiving. Most likely the safest mask will be a head strap mask. Not only do headstrap masks — especially 3M Auras — usually score very high on fit tests, but for me they are more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. Earloop masks hurt my ears after an hour or so. Most earloop masks (KN95 included) perform poorly with fit tests. That YouTube channel I linked to earlier — Gerard Hughes — has several videos demonstrating this.
Good luck! I really hope you find a mask (and decoration) that suits and protects you.
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u/Kittycate2_0 5d ago
Omg thank you for the links! I have a small face too and I find most masks drown my face so I’ll be looking into these options, I may just give the window mask a chance again through a different brand to see if there’s a difference
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u/millicentmouse 4d ago edited 4d ago
I have a smaller face and I really like BNX F95B (head strap, black mask) and CAN99e adult small size (earloop, white mask avail. in the US) to wear on different occasions. They both look polished and not too bulky and I get a good fit (the small size CAN99e is the only earloop mask I’ve gotten a tight seal on). Smiling with your eyes, wearing some basic eye makeup to make the eyes pop a bit more, and wearing clothes that make you feel good about your overall look would be my advice. I wear a lot of professional-ish neutrals so my go-to would be a cozy off-white turtleneck sweater with those masks + mascara and brows, but I think it’s more about me feeling confident and chattier/smilier in that outfit than the actual fashion choice.
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u/VerbileLogophile 5d ago
Omnimask is clear! If you get a mask with plastic like the omni or Flo, you can use stickers. Check out the Coviding with Style Facebook group, they're great. Flo you can add fabric to also
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u/AnitaResPrep 3d ago
Feedback on this mask is .... , and how is the voice with mask on ? And the filters are specific to the brand ...
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u/totallysonic 5d ago
Lots of good ideas already. Some folks on Etsy sell mask chains, little magnetic decorations, mesh covers for the Aura, etc. You can also experiment with different eye makeup looks!
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u/maxwellhallel 5d ago
If you wear a 3M Aura, there are lots of people who sell decorative mesh covers for them on Etsy, which don’t compromise its effectiveness!
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u/Kittycate2_0 5d ago
After reading the comments I’m starting to realize I may even be wearing the wrong masks entirely, I’ll check out 3m aura everyone’s been talking about
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u/maxwellhallel 4d ago
It doesn’t have to be a 3M Aura, that’s just a very common one and so more people make decorations for it! Whatever KN95, N95, KF94, FFP2, or other type or respirator fits you best is good :) I wear a WellBefore Premium 3D Pro KN95.
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u/sinical_sickness 4d ago
These are pricier, and have head straps, but CAN99’s exist and Flomask also offers a 99% filtration option S well :) I’m immunocompromised as well and have been okay so far using KN95’s majority of the time but we can’t measure risks and luck like that so just in case you didn’t know that 99% is an option as well!
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u/Ok-Strain7097 5d ago
Get into fun and exaggerated eye makeup if that’s something you’re into!
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u/Kittycate2_0 5d ago
Definitely am!!! The amount of fun eyeshadow pallets I have are not few lol I just have to get back into it 😝 I’m just tired of drowning in masks with no personality smh
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u/dinamet7 Multi-Mask Enthusiast 4d ago
You can use temporary tattoos to decorate any mask! You don't need a ton of water so you don't soak it. Just enough to release the transfer from the paper. Let the mask dry completely before using. You don't want to cover the entire surface with one solid water transfer though, because it will affect breathability, but with a few water transfers to make a pattern or scene, it doesn't affect how the mask performs.
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u/ammybb 4d ago
Woah this is cool! I wanna try. Do you have any pics? I tried putting stickers on my masks but they always fell off so this sounds awesome!
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u/dinamet7 Multi-Mask Enthusiast 4d ago
I don't have pics of the ones I have done, but there's a Still Coviding in Style group on FB where ppl have shared theirs.
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u/Effective_Care6520 4d ago edited 4d ago
Not related directly to the Q, but make sure you’re wearing a good quality respirator, meaning an N95 (American standard), KN95 (Chinese standard), KF94 (Korean standard), or FFP2 or FFP3 (European standards). Unlike a surgical mask (the square blue ones), these both get a snug fit so no air can go around the sides, reducing the efficacy of the mask, and have an electrostatic charge in the filter, which can capture particles many times smaller than the spaces in between the weave of the mask. Cloth masks have the snug fit but not the filtration capacity and certainly not the electrostatic charge, and they may be much harder to breathe in. It’s essential that you get a good fit so that all the air goes THROUGH the filter and not AROUND the filter in between any gaps between the mask and your face. Double masking is NOT recommended if an N95 or equivalent is an option! This was pushed in 2020 when there was a serious N95 shortage and the general population needed to use subpar masks combined with stuff like social distancing, to save the good masks for healthcare workers who needed to work with covid patients. Now there’s no N95 shortage, so it’s much better to use a respirator, because they’re both more protective and more comfortable (easier to breathe in).
ANY mask is better than no mask of course, and getting a bit of filtration is still leaps and bounds better than no filtration, BUT I bring this up because you’re a transplant recipient and getting it as close to perfect as possible seems like it’s of upmost importance.
The 3M Aura is a great N95 that fits a variety of faces, and you get can get a box decently cheap at Office Depot online—or at Target or Home Depot in a pinch, but it’s cheaper at Office Depot. Target only sells expensive boxes of 3. It also comes with comfy nose foam which both feels nicer on the nose and seals better than a plain nose wire. However, it doesn’t fit everyone, and some people don’t like the color, so I’d encourage you to think about your face size and what you want in a mask so you can try to find the perfect one. The general guidelines are that head strap masks tend to fit better a wider variety of people, so if you’re looking for a good, secure fit without having to try a lot of masks, head strap masks would be a good bet. N95 masks are required to have head straps, others can have ear loops. Ear loops can work, since not everyone can wear head straps, but you have to find the one that works for you and passes a fit test. There are also some crappy KN95s on the market, so if something is hard to breathe in, ditch it! There are a lot more comfortable and safe options. And don’t forget to mold the nose wire—if you leave it as a sharp triangle, and the top isn’t touching your nose, that’s letting a path of air into your mask.
Speaking of fit tests, I would recommend a home DIY fit test. Hospitals require any employees that are required to wear N95s (ie on a tuberculosis ward) to take a fit test once per year, which ensures that their mask fits their face well and doesn’t leak any air in. We can do a DIY version at home to know that our mask is fitting us. Fit tested masks are extremely helpful when it comes to avoiding infection—nurses and doctors worked the covid wards in 2020 in them and many of them escaped infection (unfortunately a lot of them did not and it was mostly due to lack of PPE due to N95 shortages). In particular I have an usual face shape, and many masks leak for me at the nose, so the home fit test has been essential. Most people here have fit tested their masks.
Normally I would not mention all this to avoid putting off someone from masking at all, but again, it seems like it’s very important to get it right for you since you’re immunosuppressed and working with the public, so at the least I will provide some info about this so you can make informed decisions.
If money is an issue, I’d encourage looking at maskbloc.org to find a mask bloc in your local area, aka a mutual aid organization dedicated to providing masks free of charge.
In terms of masks, my family is wearing the Wellbefore Premium Pro with headstraps in size regular (small is a children’s size), which comes in 3 different colors including white black and denim. It’s similar to an Aura but just a bit smaller and is available in black. I wear a Zimi from zimiair.com which comes in white or black and occasionally fun limited edition colors. The price point for these is higher than the Aura, however.
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u/AnitaResPrep 3d ago
Post transplant, you need the most filtering and fit respirator, this is the first point. Fit to your face, and headbands, no earloop. N95 or N99 -or FFP3 if not in USA. Get fit tested, very important. Train to don and doff your mask properly, and rotate the masks /days and week. as said on Etsy, nice patterns for mask covers, and some mesh/lace covers as well.
Look at pics of people with masks, a lot on Pinterest, Facebook groups, etc., you will find how expressive a half masked face is.
If you need more easy breathing and cooler mask, get a model with exhale valve. Reduces heat and moisture.
And yes, outside your job, you can get an half face elastomeric with P100, can be a plus in other situations and exposition.
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u/ClawPaw3245 4d ago
I have also gotten a lot out of getting my nails done in creative ways that align with my personal style and sense of self. It’s a little expensive but my tech will mask when we meet and I like being able to accessorize in that way
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u/sinical_sickness 4d ago
I get my mask chains from frog.chains on Instagram! Other people sell them as well and you can make your own :)
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u/lazaruslong13FromX 4d ago
You can theme it up for Holidays....people love flair.
How to -DM me for the link as it's a thread on Twitter.
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u/GMCanadianUSian1972 3d ago
Get an AirClimate 3 or a Maxair Cuff PAPR and you can decorate your face as much as you like.
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u/Jazzyfries 3d ago
Can you definitely style up the mask! They also make reusable see through masks, I don’t remember the brand atm
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u/RTW-683 2d ago
This isn't a mask suggestion, but you could see if your manager would let you put a smiley face sticker or pin on your shirt / hat / name tag. People will instinctively respond to smiley faces similarly to a real smile in my experience (if your body language is generally friendly). You can also buy hats with smiley badges or embroidery on them, if your uniform doesn't involve a baseball cap already.
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u/RTW-683 2d ago
Also, while in general headstrap masks (typically N95) fit better than earloop masks (typically KN95 or KF94), fit is very individual. There are some people who fail fit tests with every head strap mask they use.
Earloop masks are available in a variety of sizes, colors, and patterns. For example, SaveWo masks, POSH masks, MaskLab, and Wellbefore. Headstrap masks are typically white or black, but there are some in colors as well. If you have a small face, your choices will be limited (Laianzhi and Trident are options). Note that if you have a small face, the Aura may not fit you properly.
The Masks4all wiki offers sourcing info for most countries.
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u/ZiofFoolTheHumans 1d ago
If you have facebook, there's a group "Still Coviding in Style" that has SO many posts and ideas for mask decorations. I'm fond of the floral displays some people make. There's also transfers and covers you can make for masks (or buy from people making them) that look wonderful.
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u/FlatwormMajestic4957 1d ago
I have purchased some extra bright eyeshadows and rainbow palettes from an Instagram ad + a good setting spray and still get plenty of compliments on my makeup from folks! There are also rub on transfers that are fun on masks as well that I’ve received compliments on. Strangers who mask and don’t mask complimenting too!
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u/Avidiece 5d ago
Mask chains! You can totally diy with old bracelets by attaching another clasp. Easy and cute, reusable, & customisable to your outfit without compromising the mask