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Half mask or full-face respirator

Updated: 21 October 2026

You are looking at two amazon.co.uk photos, one a silicone cup over the nose and mouth, the other a visor over the whole face, and the full-face price is only a few pounds more. By the end you should know when a half mask is enough, when your eyes actually need cover, and why a heavier visor is not an automatic step up. The [respirator mask comparison](/hub/occupational-safety/respirator-mask) lists six half masks, four full-face masks and one powered visor. Peter F. used the amazon.co.uk weights and classes in this folder on 20 October 2026. We did not weigh the facepieces ourselves. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are looking at two amazon.co.uk photos, one a silicone cup over the nose and mouth, the other a visor over the whole face, and the full-face price is only a few pounds more.

Our top picks

Faburo Faburo half mask

Best overall

Faburo Faburo half mask
5.0/10about £16.99
View offer
TYAKRI TYAKRI full-face, 40 mm canister

Alternative

TYAKRI TYAKRI full-face, 40 mm canister
3.0/10about £24.99
View offer
Trend Trend AIR/PRO/D2 air visor

Rank 3

Trend Trend AIR/PRO/D2 air visor
5.6/10about £474.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What each shape actually covers
  2. 2.Glasses, goggles, and beards
  3. 3.Weight and how long you will keep it on
  4. 4.Which shape to choose

What each shape actually covers

A half mask covers the nose and mouth and leaves the eyes open. In this set that is the two LAMANICE kits, the Faburo, the Facemoon HU-XI-22, the LJJYIJUN and the vvuvnem. A full-face mask adds a visor and a wider seal: the FACEMOON at £14.99, the TYAKRI at £24.99, and the two Bryze listings at £23.99 and £33.99. The Trend AIR/PRO/D2 is neither. It is a powered visor with THP2 in the table. The protection factor does not rise because the photo shows more plastic. Sheet R4’s APF 40 example is an EN 136 full-face mask with P3, and none of these four full-face tables print EN 136. Only the Trend prints a class, THP2. A visor adds the eyes. It does not turn an unmarked cotton into P3.

Glasses, goggles, and beards

Everyday spectacles are where a full-face mask stops being a simple upgrade. The seal runs where the arms need to pass, and HSE treats spectacles as a reason a tight full-face piece may not fit. None of these four tables print a glasses result. Goggles in a LAMANICE box are a second item, not a full-face seal, and they are not an EN 166 claim. Faburo goggles show up in reviews, including a small nose that let dust under them. A beard leaks under a tight half mask and under a tight full-face seal. The Trend is the listing people with glasses or a beard look at, because the visor is not a tight nose cup. The filter is still THP2 dust, at 2.26 kg, and that is not a solvent mask.
Faburo Faburo half mask

Testsieger

Faburo Faburo half mask
5.0/10about £16.99
View offer

Weight and how long you will keep it on

Weight changes whether you leave the mask on. The LAMANICE 2097 is listed at 300 g, the LAMANICE 5N11 at 550 g, and the Facemoon HU-XI-22 at 548.85 g. The TYAKRI full-face mask is 1.18 kg. The Trend is 2.26 kg, and reviewers report neck fatigue. HSG53 recommends tight unpowered RPE for less than an hour before a break. A full-face mask at £24.99 does not become a powered visor because it covers the eyes. The TYAKRI clip that snapped on day two is a reason a heavier mask can fail earlier than a 300 g half mask.

Which shape to choose

Choose the half mask when the eyes are safe or already in goggles that seal, and the job is under an hour. Choose a full-face mask when the eyes need a visor and you do not rely on spectacles, and accept that these four do not print EN 136. Choose the Trend when the day is long, the hazard is wood dust, and you can carry 2.26 kg. For solvent spray, the shape is secondary to a gas filter class none of the cheap rows print. That stays on respirator for spray painting. If the box is still unopened, run the seal check on how to fit a reusable respirator before you decide the shape was right.

Common questions

When is a half mask enough?
A half mask is enough when the hazard is dust or vapour at the nose and mouth, your eyes are not in the way of that hazard, and you can seal the cup on clean-shaven skin for less than about an hour at a time. The six half masks in this set leave the eyes open. Pair one with goggles if you need eye cover and you do not want a visor. The goggles still need to meet your face.
When do I need the eyes covered?
Cover the eyes when spray, fine dust or a splash can reach them. A full-face visor does that in one seal. Separate goggles do it on a half mask if they actually close. Sanding with no debris flying at the eyes can stay a half mask. Spraying towards your face is the case for a visor or sealed goggles, and the filter still has to match the solvent.
Can I keep my glasses on under a full-face mask?
Do not plan on it. The seal crosses the path of the arms, and HSE treats spectacles as a reason a tight full-face piece may fail. None of these four full-face tables print a glasses test. If you must wear spectacles, a half mask plus goggles over the glasses, or a powered visor that does not seal on the nose, is the practical split. Try the seal before you rely on it.
Is a full-face mask in this set actually APF 40?
APF 40 on sheet R4 is the example for an EN 136 full-face mask with P3. These full-face tables do not print EN 136 or P3. The FACEMOON, TYAKRI and both Bryze listings therefore do not carry that factor on the page you can read. A visor in the photo is the shape. The factor stays on the HSE sheet until the standard is on the mask.
What if I have a beard?
A beard or stubble leaks under a tight half mask and under a tight full-face seal. Buying the heavier visor does not fix the hair at the edge. The powered Trend visor avoids a nose-and-mouth seal, which is why glasses and beards are easier in that style of shield. The filter is still THP2 dust on this listing, at 2.26 kg, and facial hair is not a reason to use it for solvent.

Related pages

Respirator mask buying guide

Respirator mask

Best reusable respirator mask in this eleven-mask set

Respirator for spray painting: filter, then the tin

How to fit a reusable respirator and check the seal

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 20 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file. The price bands are this set, not a market average.

  1. HSE: how to choose the right RPE (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. HSE: RPE advice for employers (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. HSE COSHH essentials R3: APF 20 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. HSE COSHH essentials R4: APF 40 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. HSE INDG479: fit testing of RPE (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. HSE COSHH essentials em6 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK: product marking, UKCA and CE (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. Trend UK: AIR/P/1 replacement filters (retrieved 20 October 2026)