Helmets hold the lens AND protect your face from IR burns. Same reason you cover your arms and hands. Forget what these clowns do on TV. If the helmet gets in the way, you can buy no. 10 lenses for simple welding goggles. They won't be auto dark but you can remove the auto dark lens ass'y from a helmet and put into a single lens goggle. I would suggest a non flammable head band and bandit's mask if you go w/o the helmet.
I use a small, bright as hell halogen when I can't see to start. I also keep a static helmet with me whenever and wherever I weld in case the auto dark stops working (they have). To weld with an static helmet as thousands of of weldors have done over time you need a sixth sense of perception in the total dark.
This is the type of soft lens that will take the auto dark lens ass'y:
Edit: Just found this, it's called a 'monkey mask:
And I found this eBay link:
https://www.ebay.com/p/Protable-Leather-Welding-Solar-Auto-Darkening-Filter-Lens-Hood-Helmet-Mask/1592964569?iid=301279812273&chn=ps
Now that might go dead over time, but it's a simple leather mask with an auto dark lens already installed for 16 bucks shipped from china. It's your eyes....
There are models that range in price from 30 bucks to 10x that.