The Ski Mask Trend on TikTok

If you've spent any time on ski and snowboard TikTok, you've seen it: a lift line, a chairlift or a group photo, and somebody whose whole head is a cartoon character. The ski mask trend on TikTok isn't about warmth or technical gear. It's about turning the most boring piece of winter clothing into the funniest thing on the mountain. Here's why it works, and how to film your own.

Why the ski mask trend took off on TikTok

The balaclava already had its social media moment. In December 2021, CNN Style reported that the knit balaclava, "sometimes called a ski mask," had become a staple across Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest, with 102.6 million videos attached to the #balaclava hashtag on TikTok at the time. A month later, the design magazine Domus wrote that the garment went viral thanks to TikTok and had moved into the collections of leading fashion houses. The funny-face version takes that idea up the mountain.

Ski content has a problem: everyone looks the same. Dark jacket, dark helmet, dark goggles. Helmets are close to universal now: the National Ski Areas Association reports that 90% of U.S. skiers and riders wore one in the 2023/24 season, up from 25% in 2002/03. From a distance, one rider is very hard to tell from another, and a lot of mountain footage blends together. A full-face mask with a face on it fixes that in one move. It gives the video a character. Viewers don't need to know who's under the mask, because the mask is the personality.

There's also a contrast that makes it funny. Skiing and snowboarding look serious: speed, cold, steep terrain. Put a goofy cartoon grin on top of all that and the clip gets a laugh before anything even happens. The more normal the setting, the better it lands.

And it's easy to take part. You don't need to land a trick or ride a famous run. You just need to show up in the mask. There's no shortage of places to show up, either: U.S. ski areas logged 61.5 million skier visits in the 2024-25 season, the second-highest total on record, according to preliminary NSAA data.

Why masks with expressions work best

A plain balaclava hides a face. A mask with an expression gives one back, and that expression does the acting for you. A big toothy grin looks thrilled on a powder day and completely unbothered after a fall. A tongue sticking out reads as cheeky in any situation. A sly smirk makes a perfectly normal chairlift ride look like you're planning something.

That's the idea behind Blockhead: a bright yellow full-face knit balaclava with a blocky head, thick black eyebrows and four faces to pick from: Tongue Out, Big Grin, Chomp and Smirk. With goggles on, the eyebrows and goggles turn into the eyes of one big cartoon face. You can compare them on the funny ski mask page, or read the viral yellow ski mask, explained.

How to film your own ski mask video

The lift line. Film from behind or beside, so other people in the line are in frame. The mask does the work; you just stand there. Reactions from people around you are the best part.

The chairlift. A selfie angle on the chair, with the mountain behind you, is the classic. Keep the phone steady and let the face fill the frame for a second before you pan to the view.

The group shot. One person in a mask is funny. A row of friends in different faces is a thumbnail. Line everyone up at the top of the run and pan slowly across the faces.

The reveal. Start with a normal-looking rider in a helmet and goggles, turn the camera, and show the face. Short and simple.

The run. Bright colors show up in motion. A yellow head going past the camera reads clearly even in fast footage.

A few practical tips: film on a sunny day if you can, because flat light makes everything look grey. Sunny days on snow also mean extra UV: the Skin Cancer Foundation says snow and ice can reflect up to 80 percent of UV rays, and UV exposure rises 4 to 5 percent with every 1,000 feet of elevation, so put sunscreen on any skin the mask leaves open. Keep clips short. And put the face in the first second of the video, not the last.

Practical stuff before you film

The mask still has to work on the mountain. Blockhead is one size, a stretch polyester knit for adult heads about 22–23 in (56–59 cm), and it fits under most ski and snowboard helmets. It has one wide eye opening sized for ski goggles; goggles aren't included. It's a fun mask for lift rides and cold days, not a technical base layer, so on very cold days dress warm underneath. Watch the wind, too: the National Weather Service notes that at 0°F with a 15 mph wind, the wind chill is -19°F and exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes.

Filming with friends? Any 2 masks get 15% off, any 3 get 20% off and any 4 get 25% off, mixed across faces. If you want the face that reads from the farthest away, start with the ski mask with teeth.

Ready for your own clip? Pick your face and start planning the shot.

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