Freezing temps and Latex masks

Maurice Spaulding

I have a large collection of masks we use for our larp and I've run into a problem where many of them will freeze and set in whatever shape they were in when packed away.  This happens mostly with masks I have made but also with some I have bought.  There are others I have bought which stay flexible no matter the temp.  I can fix the frozen masks by heating them with a hairdryer but was wondering what I might be able to do to prevent this problem entirely. 

Any help would be appreciated.

Chris Ellerby

Your best bet is to store your masks on head forms.  You can go as simple as something home made or a foam wig head or as complex as a mannequin or cast head. Composite Effects sells some good quality head forms for around $40-$60, but they are a little expensive for most folks.

You can do a google shopping search for "foam head" and find a lot of cheaper alternatives.  You just want to make sure the head is as large as possible.  Many foam wig heads are rather undersized.

If you end up with a head that is undersized you can wrap it in foam, bubble wrap, or other material to bulk it out.

If you really want to save some money you can just stuff your masks with wadded up newspaper or make your own cheap head forms with duct tape.

Just make sure that the form helps keep the mask in it's optimal shape.

That advice goes for any temperature, and even for silicone masks.

I would also suggest trying to store your masks somewhere that does not get too hot or too cold, but I know that can be challenging in many climates.

Best of luck!

/Chris

InterJack

I also have a collection of masks, but for this reason I prefer to use latex masks, like this https://www.themasker.com/shop-masks/