Female masking is a sub-form of cross-dressing that involves, in addition to the wearing of women's clothing, a mask (usually made from latex) that gives a pseudo-real representation of a female face. Pictures of masked participants in this activity may have a reasonably lifelike appearance although the immobile nature of the mask presumably means it would be unlikely to work in real-life situations. However, given the never-ending cycle of research and development in special makeup effects, it seems likely that a more lifelike mask will become available, if not commonly affordable. For example, latex is the most commonly used material for these kinds of masks, due mostly to how easily it may be obtained and its relatively low cost. It also mimicks the slightly translucent nature of human