Alter Ego Break - The Perfect Fit ...

Since everyone's head is a different size and a slightly different shape, a Greyland mask may or may not fit you perfectly. The difference between a good fit and a perfect fit is the response you get in wearing it:

Good fit: "Hey, nice mask!"
PERFECT FIT: "Bugger! I didn't recognize you!"

In the interests of getting a perfect fit, I thought I'd share some tips I've developed.

Head Fillers

I've found with some of my masks that the top back of the head is slightly loose. This kind of ruins the illusion if you have a dent in the back of your head, or someone touches your noggin and it dimples, or even if putting on or removing a cap deforms your head. The answer to this dilemma is quite simple - it's also easy, cheap and reusable.

Upholstery foam rubber.

You need to get 1/4" and 1/2" open cell foam rubber. Get 6" or 8-9" dessert or dinner plates and use these as templates. You'll need to "stack" the templates to fit your head to the extra space in the mask.

The trick to a superb fit is notching - cut a straight line into the template about halfway to the center at the 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions. This will allow the foam to "cup" to the shape of your head vs just wrinkle up and leave "lumps".

For those of you that have SPFX masks (I have the Thug), I'd like to recommend the use of an Underarmour Skullcap. If you don't have a shaved head, this makes things a great deal easier getting it on and off. The skullcap has an elastic band and the Underarmour material on top. You can get regular or mesh material.

Another great use for this skullcap is fitting the foam head spacers I spoke about above. I gave this a try and it works extremely well for larger masks where you need more than one spacer. Stuff the skullcap and then you can maneuver it on your head to make the empty spot(s) fill up. I wouldn't recommend it for masks that fit more closely on your face - the elastic band tends to leave a line around your face which doesn't look very realistic and again destroys the illusion.

For me (and it may be different for you) - my "Derl" masks usually need a single 1/4" spacer for a perfect fit. My "Brend" masks need a 1/4" spacer and a 1/2" additional piece (about 4" across) to fill in the top back of the head. Using the skullcap made placing the spacers MUCH easier and made the mask look much better.

A good fit is very important if you're planning on wearing a wig, a military beret or a cap. This allows you to better fit the item without pulling the mask down over your eyes. It is very important that if you are wearing something over mask - be it wig, cap or beret - that the head is firm after you insert the fillers. Having enough padding will also allow your eyes to fit better and not look "sunken in." This will also heighten the reality of the mask.

And speaking of berets and caps, I've also found that my hat size has gone up two sizes when wearing my "Derls" - I normally take a 7 1/8, but with the mask on, my head size is 7 1/2. Put on your mask and with a cloth tape measure, gently measure around your head just above your eyebrows. Divide that number by 3.14. That will be the best size for your cap. Find the closest hat size and if you're between sizes, go for the next larger size.

Foam Chin Implants

Some masks are larger than others and sometimes even using the head spacers still leaves some areas loose. Particularly the chin. This also affects how well your mouth moves. Use 1/2" foam cut into an oval shape to correct this. Make sure that you trim down one side so the edges on that side are beveled. This beveled side will be your "real face" side and the non-beveled side will be the "mask" side. This allows the chin piece to mold to your chin and "fill out" the mask.

Tools of the Trade

You've made an investment in a Greyland (or better) mask - why damage it with poor implements? A few items I've found are essential are:

• Pair of sharp manicure scissors
• Needlepoint or upholstery needle
• Krazy Glue or any cyanoacrylate adhesive

The manicure scissors are needed if you purchase a mask with attached eyes, feel uncomfortable and want to remove them (as I did with the Felix mask) or if the eyes in the mask don't quite match up with your own eyes in the corners.

The needle is needed if you plan on doing any piercings in your mask. I've done ear piercings, eyebrow piercings and bridge piercings.

Krazy Glue is essential for those accidents where you've put a small tear into the mask. Or the neck starts to open up. This will bond the edges permanently.