NorthFur FX Mask Care Guide
v1.0
Welcome to our mask care guide. This guide will provide you with the information you need to properly care for your Latex Animal Mask, and help you to ensure it has a long life.
This guide is broken down into 6 parts.
[1] Latex's Enemies
[2] Proper Removal
[3] Mask Storage
[4] Mask Repair
[5] Sanitary Concerns
[6] Finite Lifespan
[1] Latex's Enemies
Natural latex rubber is derived from the Latex Rubber tree. Being a natural product it has a few enemies that can hasten or even destroy your Latex Animal Mask. Care should be taken to avoid the following...
Direct Sunlight:
The U.V rays found in sunlight is one of the worst enemies of latex. Though your mask will likely be painted which helps to protect it, it must never be allowed to sit in direct sunlight for long periods of time. The latex will literally liquefy and rot into a brown mess or will become brittle and crumble. This is similar to leaving a rubber band in a window sill. Your mask may look great displayed on your desk, mantle or bookshelf, but it'll gradually be destroyed if those areas sit in direct sunlight several hours a day.
You should store your mask in a place free from constant UV exposure such as a closet, a drawer or a box.
Extreme Heat:
Leaving your Mask in a glove compartment on a scorching day is a great way to end up 'mask-less' in a hurry. Remember there are many hidden sources of extreme heat around your home. Your mask may look great up on the top of your TV, computer or other electronics, but the constant heat will surely leave you in a bind next time you want to use it.
Your mask should be stored in a relatively cool place when not in use. A standard room temperature is quite adequate.
Excessive Moisture:
Leaving your mask soaking in liquids like water can cause slush cast latex to turn white and over time become weak and prone to tearing. Hot foam latex will expand and over time mildew will appear. Hot foam latex will also absorb sweat from your skin as well.
After extended use, care should be taken to ensure your mask can dry out fully. You should store your mask in a relatively dry location. Talcum powder can help keep it dry.
Oil Based Products:
When oil based products such as certain make-up and moisturizing creams come into contact with your latex mask, over time they will cause the latex to break down, becoming brittle and breaking apart. The process may be slow, and you may not even notice at first, but oil will deteriorate latex eventually.
You should avoid the use of such products and instead opt for water based products.
[2] Proper Removal
To help ensure a long life for your mask, taking the time to remove your mask carefully is extremely important. For slush cast latex this is not so much an issue as these masks are durable and tough. But for hot foam latex, these masks require a remover to avoid creating rips and tears.
First, apply a remover onto a cotton swab and rub a small section of an outside edge of your mask and allow remover to soak into it for a few minutes. This weakens the adhesive's bond in this area to lift the mask off your skin. Then, you can continue to work your way around the edges from the underside of the mask using more remover and cotton swabs to repeat the soaking and lifting process. Be sure to allow soaking time and be gentle!
The remover will evaporate safely from your mask. Avoid splashing the remover as it will damage any pre-painting on your mask.
[3] Mask Storage
The proper storage of your Animal Mask while not in use is important to increase its lifespan.
Latex is generally very resilient when it comes to flexibility by force, however latex will NOT regain it's proper shape if folded or compressed for long periods of time. Cramming your mask in a drawer or crushing it under a pile of objects is a guaranteed way to damage your mask.
Consider purchasing a plastic face form to lay your mask on when not in use. Alternatively, you can wrap your mask with tissue paper to help it keep it's shape, or store it in a box to avoid crushing. Again, Heat, UV Radiation and Moisture are also to be avoided for long periods.
[4] Mask Repair
Through repeated use, your mask may develop small tears, especially around thin edges, that if not repaired can expand and further damage your mask. There are several ways to repair these tears early on. For smaller tears, liquid latex or pros-aid adhesive can seal them from expanding. For larger tears, rubber or contact cement may be necessary to bond the edges again.
To touch up your pre-painted mask, PaxPaint or water based make-up can be used with a small brush to blend in over the damaged or flawed areas. PaxPaint will adhere to a clean mask and will remain flexible.
Do not use acrylic paints, enamels or other non flexible paints as they will not adhere to your mask and will crack and flake off.
[5] Sanitary Concerns
Hot foam latex is like a dish sponge. It will absorb your sweat from your face. If left to stay wet, it will create a breeding ground for bacteria leading to unpleasant odors and possibly some mildew development. Do not shove your mask into a plastic bag or container immediately after use.
After each extended use of your mask, you should use a disinfectant spray or alcohol wipes on the inside of your mask to kill off any bacteria. Take care to not over apply and saturate the foam to avoid damaging your paint. Allow the mask to dry completely before storage. Your mask should also never be shared with others.
Again proper storage of your mask will minimize these problems.
[6] Finite Lifespan
When all is said and done. you must accept that even with the very best care your mask does have a limited lifespan. It may be months or years depending on various factors but it will eventually need replacing. (Unless it's a showpiece) Build-ups of makeup residue, adhesive residue, sweat and other contaminants will eventually render the mask "icky". Because masks can be somewhat expensive following this guide will help you achieve the most value from your purchase.
If you have any other questions that are not covered here then please Contact Us with your questions. We will gladly respond to you as promptly as we can.
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