Can I intentionally wear the niqaab directly without a hat and perform Umrah?

I am a woman who has always performed Umrah wearing a hat and covering my face. Recently, when I was about to perform Umrah, my sister-in-law insisted that I could wear my niqab directly without the hat, as I would only be wearing it for a few hours, and damm would not be waajib upon me. However, I disagreed with her because I felt that this would compromise the essence of Umrah.

I believe wearing the niqaab in such a manner involves intentional contact of cloth with the face, which contradicts the principles of ihraam. The allowance for unintentional contact exists, but wearing the niqaab directly seems to me like a deliberate act, done only to avoid the inconvenience of using a hat.

Please clarify my doubt:

1. Can I intentionally wear the niqaab directly without a hat and perform Umrah?

2. Can I wear gloves during Umrah as many Saudi women point out during Umrah that it's haraam?