Looking for face mask tips to fix common problems?
Wearing a face mask plays a crucial role in protecting yourself and others from catching and spreading highly-contagious viruses, like COVID-19.
We admit, face masks aren’t always the most comfortable and can lead to annoying problems like glasses fogging up, sore ears and skin breakouts.
We round up the best face masks tips and tricks to fix annoying problems.
1. Face mask sewing pattern
If you want to make your face mask at home, there are plenty of easy sewing patterns out there.
Check out this simple DIY face mask tutorial from Pinterest.
2. Stop your glasses fogging up
One of the most common issues is around how to stop glasses fogging up when wearing a face mask.
Luckily, surgeons and medical professionals have solved this problem long ago – there was even a paper published about it back in 2011 in the Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England.
According to the researchers, the reason why glasses fog up when wearing a face mask is because the exhaled warm air condenses on the cooler lens surface, causing tiny droplets to form.
By washing glasses with soapy water, it leaves behind a thin layer of film that helps spread the droplets out more evenly and transparently.
According to the paper, here’s all you need to do to stop glasses fogging up when wearing a face mask:
- Before putting the mask, wash your glasses with soapy water and shake off the excess.
- Let the glasses air dry or gently dry them off with a soft tissue before putting them back on.
3. Tighten a loose mask
If you find your face mask is too loose, try this simple face mask tip from dentist Dr Olivia Cui.
This can also help prevent moisture escaping and glasses fogging up.
4. Stop your ears hurting
A common gripe you hear about wearing face masks is sore ears from the loops irritating the skin.
One of the best face mask tips for people who tie their hair in a ponytail is to pull the loops around the bun as to avoid looping them around the ears.
Another way is to wear a headband with buttons sewn onto it and loop the mask around the buttons.
You can also use a bobby pin to hold the loops in place behind your ears.
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5. Cleaning cloth face masks
If you’re using a cloth face mask, it’s important to clean it properly as to avoid any smells and germs.
The Centre for Disease Control recommends washing your face mask in the washing machine as your would your normal laundry.
If you want to hand wash it, prepare a solution of 4 tsp household bleach with 1 litre of room temperature water.
Check the label to make sure the bleach is intended for disinfection.
Soak the face make for 5 minutes then rinse thoroughly with cool water. Hang to dry.
6. Teach kids to put on face masks
As a parent, it can be difficult getting children to wear face masks, especially if they find them uncomfortable or irritating.
One way to teach kids to wear masks is to get them to put a mask on their favourite doll or stuffed animal. This is a simple way to encourage kids to keep their masks on.
7. Prevent skin breakouts and ‘maskne’
Many people may find themselves suffering from skin breakouts, or ‘maskne’ (mask acne). According to Healthline, this can be caused by many things, including acne, heat rash and rosacea.
To fix this, opt for a lighter moisturiser with ingredients like retinol that fight acne. The moisturiser will help create a skin barrier to prevent irritation.
When you take off your mask, remember to cleanse and exfoliate to help get rid of the build up of oil and dead skin.
Some experts suggest cleansers with salicylic acid, which can help combat inflammation caused by face mask irritation.
8. Alleviate bad odours
Make the experience of wearing a face mask a little better and prevent bad odours by adding a few drops of essential oils or face spritz.
Essential oils like peppermint, lemongrass and eucalyptus are all antibacterial, helping fight congestion and ward off bad bacteria.
Make sure the oil or spritz you choose is safe to use on your skin.
READ MORE: How to make hand sanitiser at home.