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Wearing a mask when you’re around people outside your household is an important way to stop the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, this important tool doesn’t do your skin or your makeup any favors. But, since we’re talking about saving lives here, it’s clearly a non-starter.
That said, you’re not doomed to live with half a face of smudged makeup and maskne. There’s a simple tool plenty of people have turned to that can allow you to preserve your makeup, do your skin a solid and maybe even breathe a little easier—all while wearing a mask. It’s called mask bracket, and it’s a surprisingly simple hack you can use when you mask up.
Here’s how it works: The mask bracket—which is made of soft, flexible, food-grade, BPA-free silicone—fits against your face, while your mask is layered over top. You can simply layer the two each time, or use things like double-sided tape or stitches to get a secure fit with your mask.
Each bracket has a pear shape, with a narrow top and wide bottom to fit over your nose and chin. In the middle is a T-shape to help hold your mask in place (albeit away from your skin) and give you a little space between your bracket and your face to let you breathe easily. When you’re doing using the bracket, you can just wash it with soap and water or even pop it in your dishwasher.
One very important thing to keep in mind when using a mask bracket: You need to make sure your mask still fits snugly against your face, Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life. “If there are gaps between your mask and your face when you use a bracket, it will make your mask less effective,” he says.
If you’re interested in trying this hack out, the best-selling Anesidora mask bracket three-pack is on sale at Amazon for just $8 (was $20).
These mask brackets have a ton of fans, with one five-star reviewer calling them a “game changer.”
“This product makes wearing a mask SO much more comfortable,” they wrote. “My face doesn't feel like a sauna.” One trick they offered up to keep the bracket in place: Consider sewing a snap into the inner layer of your masks and tying the other half to the mask bracket frame with thread. “Now if I take the mask off for a minute in the car the frame stays attached!” they said.
Another fan called the brackets a “must-have item,” adding, “the frame is soft yet rigid enough not to collapse on itself when the masks put pressure on it.”
A fellow bracketer also had this to say: “I have struggled breathing when I’m wearing a fabric masks. The fabric will go into my mouth when I’m talking and breathing and it’s very uncomfortable. These silicone mask inserts are lifesaver, holding the fabric away from my mouth so I can talk and breathe easier.”
Basically, if you’re looking for a little something to help your skin breathe and preserve your makeup, these brackets are worth a try. At $8 for three brackets, there’s really no reason not to check them out.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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