Take a Break from Your Mask: Masking Habits for Self-Care

The solitude of the past year has dusted up survival techniques I thought I’d forgotten from my college years—how to cook for only one (I use the word “cook” generously), how to sleep in three-hour shifts (and survive on three hours of sleep 😴 for days), and how to avoid doing laundry 👖 for weeks without shame (#leggings for days).

I’ve also been remembering trivia I learned in college that I never thought would be relevant in my life after graduation 👩‍🎓 . A few months back, for example, while running with my carry-on luggage through the Denver International Airport trying to outsmart a 15-minute layover window, I began to wax philosophical about masks. I think partially to distract from the discomfort of my hot, ragged breath blowing back in my face as I ran, and partially because I realized I’m getting used to seeing only the eyeballs of strangers.

Anyway, I suddenly remembered a professor of mine who once said that a body part is desexualized after it is uncovered in public for 20 years (or was it 30?). Either way, you get the idea: a Victorian woman’s ankle in the 1800s, for instance. And it got me thinking, if we cover our noses long enough, will they become erotic? It’s hard for me to imagine that ever being the case. Or maybe it’s just hard for me to think of my nose as ever being “sexy.” 💋

But it is getting easier for me to imagine a future where wearing a mask in public becomes as normal 😷 as wearing a seatbelt in a car. To be honest, the idea doesn’t entirely thrill me. But neither do seatbelts, despite the fact that a young, seatbelt-less Jessica was once thrown into a windshield during a fender bender in Houston circa 1980.

Norms change.

But that doesn’t change the fact that even the most fastidious mask wearer needs a Break at the end of a day.

Especially a hot, humid August day in Texas. And so, I’ve been thinking about how to best adjust if these months of mask-wearing turn into years.

Please don’t misunderstand. There are some things about wearing a mask I enjoy, like the anonymity it provides when combined with sunglasses, the opportunity to be a comedienne by wearing something uniquely funny, or being able to sing in the car without anyone around you knowing.

To date, my favorite use has been after getting both sides of my mouth numbed at the dentist and then having to go to the grocery store for soup. No one had any idea I couldn’t feel my face until I had to make chit chat with the grocery checker. Cue saliva.

But if I’m going to have to wear a mask any time I head out my apartment door, I definitely want a ritual for when I get home and the mask comes off—like a jacket, a pair of shoes, or maybe a bra.

I even have a tiny branched rack hanging above my key bowl to hang my cloth masks, which is both practical (I always know where to find a clean mask) and adds to the ceremony of removing my mask and draping it over whichever free branch I please.

Another practical habit is washing your cloth mask in the sink in your favorite hand soap or laundry soap (preferably free of perfumes and any chemicals that may irritate your face).

Lately, I’ve been using Mighty Nest to slowly transition to safer household cleaning products. Besides the obvious reasons to wear a clean, germ-free mask, regular washing will prevent oils, makeup, and other residue from building up and causing skin reactions. Like the dreaded maskne.

Also, if you are “in” for the night, consider removing your makeup right then instead of waiting until bedtime to give your skin an extra Break. (Yet another arrow in my anti-maskne quiver.) 😉

I also add a charcoal mask before bed twice a week to treat the most acne prone areas of my face (my favorite is Beautycounter’s Balancing + Charcoal Facial Mask).

You don’t have to wait until the end of the day to take a mask Break, especially if you know you will be wearing it for several hours. Plan to take a short socially distanced Break from your mask for a few minutes when possible every few hours. You can also carry a face cleanser or oil-absorbing wipes in your purse (along with some breath mints for your own personal benefit) to use during your Break. 💫✨

Wearing a well-fitting mask in a breathable fabric, like this hand-embroidered linen one I’m wearing from Lewindy, will make a long day of use more comfortable while still being stylish. (I get compliments on this one every time I wear it, which definitely makes it easier to don in public.) They sell out fast.

Editor’s note: Lewindy masks sell out quickly. We also love these masks from SomeBunSews. Super sturdy and pleated. You can refill the filter easily! Save 15% on your purchase of three or more items with Promo Code 15OFF3

Any way that you can make the habit of wearing a mask less of an obligation and more about a ritual of self-care, the easier it will be to incorporate it into your daily routines. Time will tell if masking becomes the seatbelt of the face in 20 years, but hopefully, our noses will be sexier.