My favorite cloth face masks
Over the past five months, I, like a lot of people, have tried a bunch of different cloth face masks. Some have turned out to be better than others, so I thought I’d share the ones that I like the best and that are holding up well!
A couple top-level notes, for context:
When I’m venturing out, I’m doing fairly low-risk activities: taking my dog out, going for walks in the park, taking trash to the trash room, and picking up packages from the front desk (which is generally possible to do at a distance). If you’re spending more time in close proximity to and/or indoors with people who aren’t in your household, these might not be the best options.
Not all of my favorites are three-ply or have a hydrophilic outer layer (which I learned about when working on this article), but those are features I’m looking for as I buy new ones.
I generally pair my masks with a filter (more on those later), so that adds another layer/improves the effectiveness.
Since we started buying masks, my girlfriend and I have discovered that I have a BIG FACE (I mean, I sort of already knew that) and she has a ˢᵐᵃˡˡ ᶠᵃᶜᵉ so our mask preferences are fairly different. She prefers masks that have ear loops with adjusters and is not a fan of behind the head elastic, whereas pretty much all masks fit me well. Some of the ones below work for both of us, which is a nice bonus, but others really only work for me.
So! With all that said, here are the cloth face masks that I like a lot:
Stark’s face masks
These are a fairly recent addition that I thiiiink I found via Instagram ad, and they are great! We now have four in rotation and I really like them. These masks have the adjustable ear loops, three layers, and the lilac is so nice. (It also comes in several other colors, and they are now making a slightly smaller option for smaller faces.) Get one from Stark’s for $12.95.
BaubleBar face masks
These are another recentish addition that I immediately ordered more of after a couple wears. They are soft/comfortable, they have the adjustable ear loops, and I like the pattern options. Get a two-pack from BaubleBar for $12.
Amalfii face masks
This was actually the very first mask I bought, and they’ve been great! They are full-coverage with a fairly tight seal, and they’ve held up very well in the wash. Get a three-pack from Amalfii for $30 (multiple colors available).
Gir.co filters
I came across these filters when I bought the masks that require them this spring. While I like the masks quite a bit (they are lightweight and can be sterilized in the stove, microwave, or dishwasher), I like the filters even more. I usually order three packs at a time and they always ship/arrive quickly. Get a ten-pack for $10 from Gir.co.
Wear a mask! Over your nose!! Please!!! 😷