The nose knows.
I am fortunate that generally I do not need a nose piece on face masks. However, if you wear glasses you know all too well the world of fog that happens if there isn’t a nose crimp on your face mask.
When I did my deep dive into finding the perfect face mask (let’s not even pretend I’m close to over!), I was mostly focused on DIY masks because there was such a shortage of commercial masks. Even now that retail businesses have jumped on the bandwagon, there are still many that do not have that critical nose crimp.
Comfort is key for something sensitive like the bridge of your nose and…you can’t just “get by” when you can’t see through your glasses when you wear them. Comfort, durability, laundering, replacement – these are all considerations if we assume we are in this masked world for the long haul.
So here’s a quick dive into the world of nose crimps.
Spoiler alert – I do actually have a recommendation for you!
Materials
- Aluminum offcuts – George resourcefully discovered a business that sold their aluminum off cuts to be used for nose pieces. Awesome recycle option but they are a little too stiff and need to be filed down so their edges don’t poke into you. The combination of those two factors make this a PASS.
- Pipe cleaners – If you find they poke into you, you can loop the ends and push them in. They are fair on comfort but don’t hold their shape as firmly as other materials. Okay in a pinch but generally a PASS.
- Bread bag twist ties – This will work in a pinch but has the durability and replacement issue. These will rust when you wash your mask so they either need to be removable or you need to make sure the rust won’t transfer to your material. For me, those facts make it a PASS.
- Aluminum Flat Nose Strips [affiliate link]- These are brilliant and I discovered them when I ordered masks from IEDM. These brilliant little strips are rounded on the ends and simply stick to the outside of the mask. They are available in a variety of lengths and quantities. I’ve tried sewing them into masks, sliding them into a nose strip holder on the mask, and simply sticking the to masks. Each option works.
I’ve washed my IEDM mask a couple of times and so far the metal band has not tarnished or come loose so I think you can get several wash/wears out of the before the adhesive gives way.
These are hands down my WIN. They are comfortable, secure, pliable and can be added after the fact. And they are affordable. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Some of these links are affiliate links. If you click a link and buy something, I may receive a commission for the sale. It does not cost you anything extra and you are free to use the link or not. Product purchases for review are made with my own money and my opinions are my own. If product is ever provided or the article is sponsored, it will be clearly noted at the top of the page.
