Hot New Trend! Its the time of the Facekini – Burn that Bikini & Toss that Tankini!

I saw a report about the Facekini on TV last week and I just had to talk about it even if its probably yesterday’s news, because its funny!

The Facekini is, apparently, China’s answer to retaining fair skin even while you head for your beach holiday.

Height of fashion in the seaside town of Qingdao, China, didn’t you know?

The Facekini is a face mask worn to shield the face and neck from the sun and the harmful UV rays. It actually reminds me a lot of the masks that westlers wear Granted, a face mask may be able to shield skin from UV rays better than sunblock can, I think I’m sticking to my sunblock Still, I thought I’d show you what my previous beach holiday photo might have looked like if I wore a Facekini

Apparently, most of the time, the Facekinis are paired with full body suits so the sun exposure is kept to a minimum. From what I can see, the only exposed parts would be the hands, feet… and here’s where it may get a bit funny, the eyes, nose and mouth area.

All I’d say is, please remember the sunblock around the exposed parts of your face and body, because once the mask and suit comes off, you may look a little strange with tanned hands, feet and the bits around your eyes, nose and mouth.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

To be honest, it makes sense in many ways. Sunblock can only do so much to protect our skin, and so do umbrellas and the like. Cloth is the next best option to block UV rays. Being Asian, I can fully identify with the obsession to remain fair and lovely Traditional Chinese place fairness at the apex of their perception of beauty because it is associated with wealth. Wealthy ladies do not have to toil the fields and therefore do not get tanned.

Perceptions of beauty change through time of course but this one is hard to shake so long as people still hold it up as a measure of beauty.

Anyway, here’s what my beach frolicking activity might have looked like if I wore a fetching blue facekini.

Height of beach wear fashion doncha know?

I don’t know. I think I’ll stick to wearing copious amounts of good sunblock, wearing a hat and above all, not going to the beach. Failing which, I’ll just live with a little tan

Facekini fashion? Reckon you’d ever try it?

I can’t read Chinese but I think you can get these on Taobao.com if you’re so minded. Or you could just wear a balaclava or ski mask – same concept no?

Paris B

Image 1 and 2 were obtained from the Telegraph website (more photos there!), text are mine. Image 3 is my own

Categories: Clothes,Fashion,Musings
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