Here is a wonderful document sent to me for review and they were kind enough to include my comments and additions.This answers many questions and is an essential read for those Live action gamers:
LYONSHEL NERO (LARP) FAQ 1.0 3/10/2002
SECTION 1: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
1.1) What is a Lyonshel?
Lyonshel masks are single piece FOAM latex
appliances that cover your face from your forehead to just past your upper lip, and from ear to ear. The masks are shaped and painted to make your face look cat like. There is one basic shape for the Lyonshel,
and several different ways in which the shells come painted, to represent different big cats. (There are actually other models, but this is the most common).
Everywhere the appliance might come in contact with your face, except the nose, is coated with surgical adhesive. This allows your facial expressions to come through the mask, although in a somewhat muted way.
The mask is very comfortable to wear for long periods of time, making it good for LARP games.
1.2) Who is Rick?
Rick is the guy who makes the lyonshels. He is great, and all Lyonshel owners have a lot of respect for him. He more than deserves your respect too. He doesn't LARP, but he seems to get it, and sells a lot of
masks to LARPers.
SECTION 2: SHOULD I GET ONE?
2.1) Why use a Lyonshel as opposed to just face make up?
Many who play Sarr in NERO prefer to use face make up. Others prefer the mask greatly. Everyone is different. The best solution seems to be to try both and come to your own conclusions.
"I personally use the Lyonshel because it really makes me look alien. At the end of NERO events, when I take the mask and costume off in a back room, nobody knows who I am. I have literally had Player
Characters who adventured closely with me for thirty hours in a weekend meet me without the mask on after the event and say 'who are you'? It is an amazing feeling." ----Joe M.
2.2) Does the mask restrict your field of vision, making LARP combat more difficult and dangerous?
Everyone's face is shaped differently, but only one of those who I know who tried it reported any significant reduction in his/her field of vision. Touch your forefinger to the bridge of your nose right between
your eyes, then rest the length of your finger along your nose, putting the rest of your hand in a fist close to your mouth. Now look around. That's about how much your field of vision gets obscured. One of the
fantastic features of the lyonshel design is that you keep
your entire peripheral vision while wearing it.
2.3) Can I wear glasses over a lyonshel?
Yes, you can wear glasses over it. Rick seems to have specifically
designed it to work with sunglasses, so the areas to the sides of your
eyes are completely unobstructed. Glasses will eventually rub the paint off on the nose rest pad area. Prior to wearing the glasses, a small piece of transparent tape placed where the pads rest will protect the
paint in that area.
2.4) Does the mask obstruct your mouth, making talking, eating, and
drinking more difficult?
Unfortunately, yes. Keep in mind that this should be treated more like you are wearing a makeup, not a mask. If you want to eat in the mask, you'll need to have food that comes in somewhat dry, bite-sized
pieces. To drink, you'll need a straw. Otherwise you'll wind up getting whatever you're eating or drinking all over the mask and ruin your chin makeup, and it will be very difficult to clean. A Cliff bar broken
into pieces with your fingers is easy to eat
without taking the mask off. You can also drink water or Gatorade from sports bottles (the kind with nozzles) without having to have a straw. Plan on enjoying the main meal of the day out-of-game with your mask
off, however.
The mask attaches to your upper lip, and interferes with some mouth motions associated with speech. F's are especially difficult, and you'll find that you're not as loud with the mask on. A little practice
makes these problems go away.
Some who wear the mask in LARPs go so far as to cut a section of the mouth off of the mask to mitigate these problems.
Rick adds: " If you keep your
upper lip detached, and not have the mask going too far past your lip, you can
whistle with it .I would like to add some tips on trimming. Dip your finger in powder and run it on the inside of the mask so the scissors won't stick to it. Make sure you
angle the scissors almost parallel to make the edge cut tapered. Finally, use a magic marker or a Sharpie to redefine the lip."
2.5) How much does a Lyonshel cost?
Approximately US$60 at the time this is being written. This includes a painted mask with adhesive backing, instructions and whiskers. Current prices can be found at http://www.lyonshel.com.
2.6) Can I sleep in a Lyonshel?
The Lyonshel mask is comfortable enough to wear while sleeping, if you sleep on your back. If you sleep on your side, or otherwise mush your face into the pillow, you will feel the mask pulling against your
skin, which may keep you awake. Also, unless you sleep on your back,
you'll probably damage the mask, tearing it, nicking the paint, or putting a permanent dent in it.
It can be damaging to your skin to wear the mask for more than 18 hours without taking it off for a few hours to let your skin breathe.
Everyone seems to agree that it is best to take the mask off before sleeping.
2.7) Can I wear the Lyonshel in the rain?
The mask seems somewhat water resistant. It can only be worn for short periods of time in light rain if you also wear a hood. Do not wear it in driving rain, or stay out in the rain for too long while wearing
it. Too much exposure to water will adversely affect the paint. The mask also will take a long time to dry if it gets soaked.
Rick adds: "There area few ways to fortify the appliance. Spray sealers like clear matte will work, but it will leave the surface feeling a little rough. Another way is
to seal the surface with a thin layer of Pros-aid NoTack adhesive. This will dry extremely glossy and tacky and must be worked down with powder and any black areas touched up. A sealed surface also lends itself to
cleaning easier if the masks gets dirty."
See the Appendix for rain-resistant LARP makeup tips from Rick.
2.8) Will the Lyonshel come off if I sweat?
When you start to sweat a lot, the lyonshel will come unstuck from the parts of your face that sweat the most, probably your forehead
, under your eyes, and upper lip. This will "mute" your facial expressions somewhat, but the
mask won't come off entirely. In fact, it may take quite a while to get it off. It is about as stcky
as a Band-aid and removing is alot like that. As long as you're patient and peel slowly you wont have
problems. Never getting too much mask between your face and fingers guards
against tears. Ripping it off fast can damge skin, destroy the paint,
the mask, and any hope of making it that cool again.
2.9) Can I wear the Lyonshel under a helmet, with a hat, or with a face veil?
Yes. The lyonshel mask does not have a muzzle that protrudes so far as to interfere with any regulation SCA helmets, fencing masks, or most other helmet designs. An armored veil may scratch the mask, ruining
it, but a cloth veil would work well. Many who design costumes to go
with lyonshel masks incorporate some sort of additional head and neck covering, which hides the seam of the mask without requiring makeup.
2.10) How long does it take to put the mask on and take it off?
It takes about ten seconds to put the mask on. The makeup around the mask is what takes time. It takes about ten minutes to take it off. This can be very annoying if you are crashing from LARP induced sleep
deprivation, or need to get OOG quickly without completely freaking out the hamburger sales person. On the other hand, if you get attacked in the middle of sleeping, it is
feasible to call a hold and get your mask on quickly, which you couldn't do with makeup.
Rick adds: "Getting it off can be very
easy if you sweat a lot. EVERYONE'S SKIN IS DIFFERENT. If you have dry skin, you
must carefully remove the appliance. Never stretching it very far you push the
skin down or away while holding the appliance. Keep moving your fingers as you
get more of the mask off so you are very close to the attached area. This way
you wont rip the appliance and destroy the paint.
A Qtip dipped in Alcohol will unstick a folded edge or wipe off wet glue from your skin. Removers like Detachol or Bond-off will swell up the foam for a day or
two until it evaporates, so use very sparingly and resist the urge to flood the area."
2.11) I am allergic to latex. Can I wear a Lyonshel?
Probably not. The adhesive is hypoallergenic, but the mask itself is foam latex. You might go to a Halloween store and try one on for a few minutes, then see if you break out.
Rick adds: "Some of my Emails go like
this..."I got my lyonshel from a shop and it is supposd to be very sticky?
Actually, it falls off my face" So unfortunatley some do get tried on too
much in stores.
2.12) I want to play some kind of big cat that there isn't a Lyonshel
for already. What can I do?
If you are artistically inclined, you can order a blank unpainted lyonshel from lyonshel.com, and ask Rick for an air-brush paint recipe. He's usually more than happy to help, especially if you offer to send
him a picture of what you come up with.
Barring that, you can sometimes work out a deal with Rick where you pay him extra and he'll paint your lyonshel in a custom way. Again, offer to provide some reference pics and then pictures of your
results! There'slittle chance this will happen in the two months leading up to Halloween. Be generous to Rick, and treat him nicely. He deserves your respect.
Rick adds: "The formula for this paint was created by and should be credited to Dick Smith This is widely used in the film industry today and was created. PAX is the proper
term and is so named for the adhesive and the paint combination. This is rugged material
for those who LARP. It is rubproof and water proof and tough to get off. I believe you can
feel more at ease if you're not worried about being careful with the makeup."
2.13) Does the Lyonshel stick to hair?
Yes. You need to get your hair completely out of the way before you put it on. A little chin beard can stay, however, and adds greatly to the character of
the mask.
*Rick adds: "Rubbing a little Vaseline on the mustache and eyebrows protects them from sticking in the adhesive. This cat has never been without a mustache while wearing
a mask."
2.14) Do I need to wear makeup in addition to the Lyonshel?
You don't need to wear makeup to look really good in a lyonshel, but even a little makeup in conjunction with the lyonshel can put your costume over the top. All of the pictures on lyonshel.com have models
wearing makeup in addition to the lyonshel, for example.
If you're playing a Black Panther or White Tiger, a little black or white over the eyes and chin seems to make a big difference. To go all-out you can continue the markings painted on the mask onto your
forehead, chin, and neck. At night, or in low-light settings, the added makeup doesn't really seem to show much, unless you're playing a black panther.
2.15) If I wear an all black Lyonshel, do I still need to paint a pink spot on the nose to comply with NERO rules?
Yes. But, the point of that rule is to distinguish you from a dark elf. In some chapters, the shape of the mask is considered to be distinguishing enough, so the that's-not-very-gawthic pink spot is not
required. Check with local marshals.
You can paint the pink spot on yourself with either an airbrush and the PAX recipe, or some pink fabric paint and matte medium. See the answer to the question about cleaning the mask below for painting tips.
2.16) How long will a Lyonshel last for?
If you take a face-dive into a pile of rocks and mud, it won't last very long at all. If you're conscientious about taking it off slowly, keep the back free of makeup, clean the back with alcohol regularly,
incorporate a hood of some sort into your costume to keep the rain off, and repaint dirty areas with an airbrush and Rick's paint recipe, it could last forever. Most players will find they get about 8 to 10
weekend events out of a lyonshel before it gets really dirty and
ripped. That comes out to about $6 to $7 per event, which isn't a bad deal for such a cool mask.
SECTION 3: I HAVE ONE. NOW WHAT?
3.1) The mask comes with these wacky new-age instructions on how to
get used to wearing the mask. What gives?
Well, the wacky new-age instructions boil down to something fairly practical: put the mask on and watch yourself talking and making facial expressions in a mirror for an hour or so before your first event. It's
a good idea, and will probably improve your role playing in ways you're not entirely conscious of.
If you have enough imagination to play a LARP at all, you'll probably have no difficulties imagining yourself as a big-cat-person. Those wacky new-age instructions are for people who might not be as familiar
with acting as you are.
3.2) Should I attach the whiskers?
The lyonshel mask comes with a bunch of whiskers and instructions for gluing them to the mask.
This is ultimately a matter of personal preference, but most I have seen LARPing with the lyonshel mask do not glue the whiskers on. The mask can take more abuse without the whiskers, and they don't add so much
to the mask visually. Also, gluing the whiskers on makes the mask more difficult to store, since you (probably) don't want to put permanent bends in the whiskers.
Rick adds: " I disagree.The whiskers lend a distinct feline look to the mask when placed properly and I recommend putting them in. It does take a little finesse to get them in a natural
pattern and pierced deep enough to appear natural, but not too deep as to annoy your upper lip. The whiskers should'nt be too long so that you can store the mask neatly in it's box."
3.3) How should I store the mask?
Store the mask in the box it came in. If you want a more sturdy box, that's fine, but continue to use the plastic face the mask normally rests on if at all possible. Avoid anything that would keep the mask bent
out of shape for a long period of time, or anything that might get cloth or paper stuck to the adhesive on the back of the mask.
3.4) How should I wear makeup with the mask?
Clean and dry your face first, then put the mask on, then apply make up. Don't get makeup on the underside of the mask, or it won't stick to your face from that spot again, ever. Getting a little make up on the
paint side of the mask is fine, just don't try to wash it off. If you wear make up at all with the mask, at least fill in your chin to continue the coloring on the lyonshel, that is what people will see the
most. Next do your eyes, which will be less obvious since your
eyebrows now jut out another 1/2". Finally, do your forehead and neck. Many just wear a hat and a neck covering to eliminate the need for makeup in those areas. At night the only thing anyone will be able to
really see is your chin, so if you start playing on a Friday night you
may not need much make up at all before you go in-game. You can dust setting powder on the mask without harming it, in fact it brushes off quite cleanly.
Rick adds: " I like to finish the eye makeup and lip before I apply the mask. Once you establish just where the mask area is, it is much easier to do the makeup without the appliance in the way. I have also taken to finishing off the makeup and leaving the appliance off until the very beginning of the event, then, using a mirror, carefully pressing it in place. This can keep you fresh if you have to wait or drive a bit to get to where you are going."
To remove the makeup, take the mask off first. Then apply makeup remover. If you get any sort of makeup remover on the mask, it will probably remove the paint from the mask. Do not put the mask back on until
you have removed all of your makeup, or your will get makeup on
the adhesive side of the mask, ruining it.
3.3) It doesn't seem so sticky any more. How can I fix it?
The adhesive on the back of the mask loses it's stickiness after repeated applications. You'll need foam latex makeup application wedges (easy to find in the drug store), rubbing alcohol, and a bottle of "Extreme
Mask Adhesive" from Lyonshel.com, to restore the mask's stickiness. After the first two weekend events, and then in between every weekend event after that, clean and reapply adhesive to the mask as follows.
Take a foam latex makeup application wedge and dip it in rubbing alcohol. Dab alcohol all over where there's adhesive on the mask. This breaks up and cleans off the dead skin, dirt, and oils from your face that
have accumulated on the back of the mask. It also seems to break
up some of the adhesive itself, which is fine because you're going to replace it. Don't use a cotton ball! The fibers of the cotton ball will stick to what adhesive is left on the back of the mask and you'll
have an unfixable mess! Also, don't use too much alcohol! Just dab it
on the back of the mask. If the alcohol soaks through to the painted side of the mask, it will break up the paint and ruin the mask's appearance.
After you've cleaned it thoroughly with alcohol, let the alcohol completely evaporate. This seems to take about an hour. You shouldn't smell any alcohol on the mask. Now, take another foam latex makeup
application wedge and have it ready. Working quickly, take the FANG
cat-stick and squeeze little blotches of it onto the glue side of the mask. The blotches shouldn't be much larger than the tip of the FANG cat-stick bottle itself, and should be about 3/8" - 1/2" apart from
each other. Now take the second foam wedge and use it to smear those little blotches around on the back of the mask. This should result in a fairly even and thin layer of new adhesive on the back of the mask.
The adhesive is opaque white when it comes out of the bottle, but you should spread it around so thinly that you can't see any white by the time your done. The adhesive never really "dries", but it does "set"
into a particular shape, so you should not let it rest on the back of the mask as little blotches for too long. After you're done smearing
the adhesive around, let the mask alone for at least another hour, then store it normally.
3.4) The front (painted side) is dirty. How can I clean it?
The paint on the front of the mask will dissolve and flake off in the presence of just about any solvent but plain water. You could begin by gently
dabbing, never rubbing ,the dirty areas with an impeccably clean wet cloth. Do
not use soap or any other solvents, unless you want to remove the paint entirely.
If you know how to airbrush, and have the gear to do it, check out the PAX paint recipe farther down and just paint over the stained areas. If you're really a perfectionist, you could clean all the paint off of
the dirty area with a little solvent, and then repaint it entirely.
Some have had good success touching up the paint on the front of the mask by brushing on cloth paint (the kind that doesn't dissolve in water once it's dry), and covering it with acrylic matte medium.
3.4) It ripped. How can I fix it?
Small rips, or rips in the areas to the sides of the eyes, are best fixed with the same "FANG cat stick" adhesive you use to stick it to your face. The adhesive is transparent when applied thinly, so if a tiny
amount gets on the paint side of the mask it won't be too obvious. Also, the extra adhesive in the area will glue both ends of the rip more firmly to your face, so the rip won't separate while you're wearing
it.
It might be possible to permanently fix a mask with crazy glue, but nobody seems to have tried it yet.
Rick adds: "Super glue will glue the foam together but it will dry into a very hard seam. The Fang adhesive will also work to repair a tear, but again you will feel dried
glue. Do not squeeze it together as you will cause a "scar" in the mask. I am planning on making available small flexible plastic strips to reinforce those troublesome areas like the side of the eyes where it
is prone to tearing, These strips will provide confident strength without losing flexibility."
3.6) I have an old busted Lyonshel, what should I do with it?
Clean and reapply adhesive to the back of it as you normally would after an event, and donate it to the props department of your local LARP. They'll use it to make an incredibly cool "undead sarr" encounter.
Appendix: Rick's LARPAX procedures:
This material has been used by the hollywood industry for
over three decades with no reports of injury with the proper use. This information is provided in good faith, and each individual should proceed with caution involving any kind of makeup for extreme conditions For extended use and rough play.
Todays adhesives are very strong and be
removed with Detachol or Bond-off and soaked for a few minutes before it is dissolved enough to come off.
Extreme Lip Procedure
Stretch your bottom lip aross your teeth and paint in the lip line. Keep that lip stretched so the mixture gets in all the valleys. Wait until this is
completely dry, you can speed this up with a blowdryer. Before you release your lip, rub powder into the painted area. Make sure you get into the corners of your mouth because that sticky feeling is
distractingly uncomfortable. Let your lip go and blot with wet towel.
Extreme Chin and Neck Procedure
Stretch you bottom lip and chin by pulling your bottom lip into your mouth. With a small white sponge blot on keeping your chin in the stretched-out position. The same
with your neck. Crane your head back and stretch the neck until it is
taught. Work the sponge down only where the white strip will be.
If you are by yourself, you fish around for the blow dryer and do not leave that position until you powder or your skin will stick together and remain uncomfortable until your removal. If you don't use a blow
dryer, you are in for an uncomfortably long wait in that position.
After the area has dried, powder liberally and finally relax your face.
Move around and make sure there is no part sticking to itself and brush off excess powder. Using a moist paper towel, gently blot off.
You can also make a mixture to match the other areas of the mask depending on your personal requirements.
You now have a tough and durable layer that will stand extreme conditions. This will not wash off or rub off on a costume. The above procedure can be done before you apply the mask to make the whole process a
lot easier.
LARPAX REMOVAL:
This will not wash off with soap and water. Soak a paper towel or Baby Wipes in
Extreme Remover and lay it over the area and let it sit there for 2 (real) minutes.
More waiting just makes it easier. The remover will turn the larpax into a goo, but hasn't really dissolved it. Begin to gently rub
and wipe away. Resist the urge to scrape with your fingers or your skin will pay. Use more towels and remover and when all those rubber cement
type balls are gone, wash with soap and water and immediately apply
a nice creme and treat your skin to a cooling application of
Aloe Vera or some similar luxury.