masker

Masker is a term used in Indonesian and Malay to denote a mask. It has two primary senses in everyday usage: a protective face covering and a cosmetic facial mask. The word is a loanword from English, adapted to local spelling and pronunciation.

In its protective sense, masker refers to any device worn on the face to obscure identity or filter air, including surgical masks, respirators, and cloth masks. It appears widely in public-health guidance, product labeling, and daily conversation, with phrases such as masker kain (cloth mask) or masker bedah (surgical mask).

In cosmetics, masker describes a facial treatment product applied to the skin. Skincare items such as sheet masks, clay masks, cream masks, and peel-off masks are commonly labeled as masker in Indonesian-language packaging, with the more specific term masker wajah used for facial masks.

Distinctions in usage reflect cultural contexts. Traditional Indonesian theatre uses masks described by the term topeng rather than masker; in modern everyday speech, masker most often refers to contemporary masks used for health protection or skincare rather than historical mask types.

Regional variation exists, with masker functioning as a general, everyday term for masks in many Malay-speaking communities as well as in Indonesia. While the word is common in informal speech and media, specialized contexts may prefer more precise terms such as topeng for decorative masks or masker wajah for skincare products.