Hi!

I'm not an athlete, but I quickly get as sweaty and out-of-breath as one if I wear most masks. A 3M 6503QL, size large fits me well; I just can't breathe in it. The only soft mask that doesn't make me feel like I'm going to melt, faint, or suffocate is the AirPop Active mask. I have a low nose bridge and somewhat wide face.

I need something breathable yet safe like this, but...hard? I don't know what the technical term is. At my hair appointments, my ears, head, and nape have to be uncovered. This means I use a hard plastic mask; I hold it against my face firmly, with just one or two fingers to prevent fatigue - for a few hours every 6 weeks.

My current mask is extremely gimmicky with filters and a relatively big fan that I bought directly from China before that "COVID-unsafe mask import lockdown" thing happened a few years ago. It has too many major drawbacks for me to use regularly.

Likes:

• Silicone seal
• Fan/cooling
• Good filters that are easy to change
• Rechargeable, no tube/separate battery/filter pack
• Easy to disinfect

Dislikes:

• Too small, barely covering nose and mouth
• Irritates my mouth (braces)
• Seal connection to the mask is fiddly so I have to be careful with it or risk unfiltered air
• It's so well-contained that no one can hear what I'm saying when I wear it
• Fan has become more loud and rattly over time

Anyway, the point of my rambling is that I can't find a well-made, filtered, sealed, hard mask (ideally with a good fan!) to use that is easy to breathe in. Do you have any recommendations?

I have tried the Envo Mask, but the sides pinch into my cheeks painfully and I couldn't stop yawning/gasping even while sitting.

UPDATE: Sorry, I should have been clearer. I have to wear it through the entire process, which includes applying lye-based relaxer to my shoulder-length hair for 10 minutes, washing/conditioning in the bowl, drying under a hood, and styling (nothing fancy, we just leave it flat). It may get lightly sprinkled with water and exposed to heat.

Update, 7/8/23: The FloMask solved my problem. I can breathe easily in it, and it's not sweaty or clingy. The only downsides are that it doesn't have a splash cover, and when I walk into a cool building, the aerodynamic design allows my breath to steam up my glasses over the top of the mask.