Just like underwear comes in a variety of fabrics, colors, prints and styles (classic briefs, boxers, thongs, hipsters, boy shorts, g-strings, etc.), so do reusable face masks.
Since you’ve been wearing underwear for as long as you can remember, you almost certainly have already determined what you like when it comes to your undies. But how do you know which fabric for your mask -- something we suddenly were required to wear -- is right for you? The country’s new motto goes something like this: “No shoes, no shirt, no mask, no service”.
Put on your underwear..errr...mask
Sure, you probably had to wear disposable masks (possibly even surgical masks) when you were in school, and you’ve probably even been wearing them since then, but there’s one major difference. Before, you only had to wear them when you were actually treating and caring for your patients. Now, new rules require you to wear a mask with your scrubs everywhere, all the time. That means a mask needs to be worn when doing things like consulting with patients, meeting with colleagues and staff, or simply taking a bathroom break. And, to top it off, you now have to wear a mask outside of work. What?
It’s important to find the right kind of mask since you essentially have to wear one around the clock. Following are some factors to consider when trying to find a reusable mask that, like underwear, you’ll feel comfortable wearing all day:
1) How do I look?
2) Can I talk normally?
3) Can I breathe?
4) Does it feel good?
5) Can I put it on and take it off easily and quickly?
6) How can I clean it?
7) Does it fit over an N-95 mask should I need to wear one of those too?
So then the questions are: One layer or two layers? Filter or no filter. What color? What style? What size? What kind of fabric? How does it stay on? AGHHHHH! So many decisions!
Don't Feel Overwhelmed, We've Got You
If you’re starting to feel even more overwhelmed, don’t. There’s a reason we’re writing this, and that is to tell you that we tried and tested them all, so that you wouldn’t have to! And when all was said and done, we developed the perfect mask.
We started by choosing a mask style that checked the box for three important categories: appearance, comfort, and function. We considered the clamshell, the accordion, the bandit, the hammock, and the Stretch Armstrong, just to name a few, but we ultimately decided to go with the clamshell design because it fits nicely over your chin and nose (no matter how large or small they are) and it doesn’t leave big gaps between the mask and your skin. The clamshell also is the best mask style for elastic ear loops, which we determined were a must-have for our mask, since tying ties around your head is a major pain in the rear.
We made sure our elastic ear loops were stretchy and adjustable, so they’d be comfortable for long periods of time. And, we opted to make our masks with two layers of fabric so you’d benefit from the synergy of the two fabrics working together. We considered making a 100% cotton face mask, but we ultimately decided to use a combination of both natural and manmade materials for the best functionality. We chose a t-shirt-like cotton/poly blend for the inner layer so it would be soft against your skin, and a moisture-wicking performance polyester for the outer layer. We chose an inner lining with cotton because cotton absorbs moisture from your mouth, which helps prevent mascne (mask + acne).
We chose a dark color for the inner layer so that staining the inside of your mask (with sweat, make-up, food, etc.) wouldn’t be a problem, and we made the outer layer our signature Titanium Gray color because it looks great with all skin tones and matches all scrub colors. We also used an invisible stitch so that there wouldn’t be any seams or stitching irritating your face.
We also made sure it was easy to care for, so you can just throw it in the washer and dryer with no worries. It even comes with a backup mask, so you have another mask to wear when your other mask is in the wash.
So, whatever you want to call it -- mask, face covering, mood-killer -- ours is simply the best (just like your go-to pair of undies). This should come as no surprise since our scrubs are the best too. Shop for your face mask!
