The Cat In The Mask

Hey everyone! I’ve got another fun item to review from the people over at Utimi. This time, they sent me this interesting PVC cat mask. Personally, I’ve never worn leather or PVC cat ears before, but it’s something I’ve always been interested in trying out. Why wouldn’t I want to? I love both leather and PVC, so trying either or seemed like a win! I will also say that this mask had excellent reviews on the site, so I did feel like it would probably be a really good item to try out.

When the mask arrived, it came in a simple bag. It was shipped in an envelope. The envelope was discreet, which I really appreciate- but in this case, I wish the mask had arrived in a box, even just a thin one, to help the mask retain its shape. Unfortunately, the mask arrived sort of warped and it took a while for it to start breaking in, but even still, it’s still a bit warped and I’m unsure how long the material will take (if ever) to conform nicely to the contours of my face. Here’s a picture of the mask exactly as it was upon arrival.

Straight out of the envelope it arrived in (which seems to be the typical Utimi envelope many of their toys arrive in) the PVC had a strange odor, and the PVC itself has a different texture and appearance than most PVC items that I own. It feels more foam-like, but it is still thick and durable, and it contains metal studs throughout so I have faith that it will hold up to the test of time.

The mask is adjustable, and will fit about 19-23″ in circumference around where it sits. Where that is exactly will vary a little bit on everyone, but if you have a blindfold at home that fits you well, I would have someone measure around your head where that sits, or tie a string around your head. Alternatively, it’s not the best option, but if your head fits most things typically I think this would be ok for you. If your head is typically in the “big” or “small” category, steer clear. But for the under $20 price tag, if you fit one size, or average size things most of the time, it may be worth the risk if the rest of the things in the review line up with your needs. And definitely read carefully onwards to see if your needs lineup, because the needs of the person who buys this will be pretty specific I think.

The first time I ever put the mask on, it definitely fit a little bit wonky. It even took probably a good hour before it started to conform to my head at all, but after that it started to soften up a bit and be more comfortable, although, yes, I still have to deal with a weird hump in the middle.

As you can see, the back of the mask is pink, whereas the ears are a redder color. One thing I really liked about the mask looking at the pictures is it is red. Being the “Red Vinyl Kitty” for my master, Master Pravus, I thought this would be really fun for playtime. The only other discrepancy is that the mask is not a shiny color like it appears on their website, it is more of a matte. You can sometimes shine PVC, but I haven’t attempted with this particular mask because the texture of the mask is concerning to me. I don’t think it would take to shining very well. It really depends on the material itself, but this stuff doesn’t seem like it would go over well, so I’m not planning on it. I could possibly patch test, but I’m really not comfortable with it in this case.

Putting the mask on for the first time, even though I left it to air out for a couple of days (which reduced the smell greatly), I then had the mask right up against my nose! The really cool mask detail in the front sort of sandwiches your nose in, and I found that for me the smell of the mask was a bit overwhelming and it made my nose a little runny. For the right person this could be okay. After all, I know I have a lot of sneeze fetishists who follow me and who like things like this. Keep in mind that I’m a very allergic type of person who takes allergy medicine every day though, so the fact my nose was runny could be due to that.

If you don’t have allergies, this may not affect you, although I could see people who are sensitive to smells potentially having trouble with migraines or headaches due to the scent. I do think, though, that the smell will continue to dissipate with time. Unfortunately as of writing this, there is a faint smell still, and whenever I wear it I do still get a little bit of a nose run and need to take breaks to wipe my nose. Whether or not that’s a bonus for you will be an individual thing for certain, but I think it will likely be a “con” for most people.

Now for some “pros.” I will say that as the mask began to warm up, it really did feel fun to wear! It was cute, and the ears themselves are nice and big measuring 4″ from ear tip to stud, so they really stand out on the top of your head. With the strap holding these in place, you don’t have to worry about knocking a barrette or a headband out of place while you’re doing your pet play. I really did feel cute and we did have a very fun time playing with them. With luck and time, hopefully the smell continues to go away, because aside from that these are a pretty low maintenance item to add a little more flavor to your pet play scenes.

I think this is a cute and fun mask, but it does have some drawbacks, so I’m going to give it three paws:

Thank you so much, Utimi, for allowing me the opportunity to try out this mask in exchange for an honest and fair review.