The Olson mask works for me. I found a teen-size pattern that fits me a little better than the adult size.
I can only stand wearing the mask for a half hour or so. That’s long enough for me to get in and out of most stores. Fortunately I have my own office so I don’t have to wear it all day at work. I made myself a bunch so I can wash them after one use and still have plenty left.
I have been using the disposable masks and since I started using them I have been getting breakouts on my chin and cheeks. I really don’t like wearing them and am looking to get some made out of cotton fabric.
That happened to my daughter. She works at a bakery and needs to wear a mask for her whole shift. She had worn a homemade cotton mask for a long time but switched to disposable when she was able to get some b/c she found it easier to breathe in them. She got a rash so I told her to stop wearing and see if it went away. She’s going back to the cotton mask even tho they are harder for her to breathe in.
Will need to try the ear savers. Thanks for the link. Elastic behind my ears does not hurt, but even lightweight elastic pulls just enough to make it harder to hear. The same thing happens to me when I face downward (Gravity at work on my ear anatomy). I found the ties much more comfortable long term, except I’ve been using a bead to tighten instead of tying. I had to wear one with ties for about 7-8 hours for a flight plus airport time, and it worked well.
I have a hard time tolerating any mask for more than an hour; I have only been wearing cotton masks I made in varying styles. Fortunately, that’s about the maximum time I’ve needed to wear a mask to shop at Costco or run errands.
Thank you all for the helpful comments and links here.
I have worn a variety of fabric masks, and do not love any of them, but since I have only worn for less than an hour in the grocery store/Costco, it hasn’t been an issue. Eyeglass fogging is the greatest complaint.
I had not considered breakouts from the surgical type, and was going to order some in case my son returned to college. Will now buy a small box and ask him to start wearing to see if he experiences breakouts. It is impossible for anyone to understand me from behind the fabric masks, so I thought the surgical would be better for school.
For those who like the surgical masks but break out from them, a simple solution is to sew a piece of cotton along the edge(s).
Re: some masks looking like undies. Yes, you are correct. They ARE made by undies makers… from the same fabric.
Even the name is reused. 
Article about how to breathe safely wearing masks
Looking at Masks and Respiratory Health
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/well/live/breathing-masks-coronavirus.html?referringSource=articleShare
I saw on one of the morning shows yesterday that the masks with the vets for exhaling are less effective b/c the vents don’t typically have a filter. Anyone know anything about this?
I have had success keeping my glasses from fogging up by washing my glasses with a little liquid hand soap before I go out and then rolling up a tissue and putting it just along the inside border of the mask across my nose to help catch the moisture.
@jym626 i have read that valves protect breathing in, but not breathing out. People get the wrong idea and think masks are to protect us, but they are to protect others. If everyone wears a mask, then less (or hopefully no) virus is in the air. Sorry to repeat info that has been posted before.
Thanks. I scanned the posts before posting to see if this had been addressed. And yes, it would work if everyone wore a mask!!!
I’ve gone through a few masks now and found my best fit from a local mask maker who makes me masks meant for big kids with the ear elastic just a tad longer. The adult size masks don’t fit at all - the fabric goes all the way to my ears and up to my eyes. The elastic droops on my ears. I work at a library that just opened to staff last week with limited hours. My goal was to find masks that fit and weren’t too claustrophobic.
I have been using Naomi Nomi masks, very soft, pocket for filter, goes around the head. Very happy with them.
What kind of “homemade filter” do you use?
Vista print sells filters https://www.vistaprint.com/masks/accessories/adult-filters/ but I understand some use coffee filters. Vista print masks are very comfortable too.
Today, I had some errands that required me to wear my mask for some time. I used my oximeter and was pleased that my saturations stayed in the save 92+ range the whole time, including when I climbed up and down a flight of stairs at the shopping center. I did take off my mask when I was in the car and put it back on when I would be out and among people that don’t live in my household group. I had wondered how well I was able to breathe while wearing the mask–at least today, it was well enough for the periods of time in which I wore the mask.
@VaBluebird not with those masks but I’ve been using a folded up paper towel as a filter with a cotton mask I bought online. Comes to about 6 layers once I stuff it into the little pocket
I bought quite a few PM 2.5 filters, but before that (and sometimes still) also have used paper towels. I also use a surgical mask under a hard shell mask. It all depends on what I am doing.