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
LOL…thats a whole lot of terrorists!
Imagine how easy it would be to hide! :O No one knows who you are.
I saw the exact thing when I was holidaying in Bali..obviously I tote that she was wearing it for some health reason…for me if you don’t want to be suntan..then don’t go on a holiday near a beach hahahaha ..but still I guess people are so over the top beauty conscious that you might want to wear something like that
HAHA You have actually seen it in action! Wow! I wouldn’t have known where to look 😛 But I agree with you. Someone who doesn’t want to tan shouldn’t be heading to be the beach! 😀
Hi, may i know where to buy Facekini ? Quite intresting !! can block UV rays. This idea not bad. Where to buy ??
Hmm good question, I have no idea. You may have to look on Taobao.com which is what I gathered from the information online.
Seriously? Three little words – Only in China!
Indeed! I found it more amusing that they actually have patterned versions 😀
This post had me laughing so much that I just had to write about your blog in my blog. Thanks for dropping by 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it & thanks for coming by! 😀
Is it just me that find Facekini is a bit on the creepy side?? Kinda remind me of Hollowman, except we can see their eyes, nose and mouth. =.=”
HAHAHA you aren’t the only one, Mira! I wouldn’t want to meet one of them in a dark alley 😛 Or even on the beach come to think of it.
Wow! Never know that this is the trend now. I think I agree with you Paris B! Instead of wearing this face mask, I would prefer to put more sunblock and wear the hat 🙂 Haha!!
Haha seems to be only really catching on in Qingdao 😉 Still, we just never know right? The weirdest trends get picked up.
seems like they are gonna rob a bank.. scary..
Wouldn’t it be easy for a robber to hide in their midst? 😀
I am totally pissed off when I see the photos to be honest, and don’t see the funny side at all. If they are so worried they should have all the curtains pulled, stay in their flats/houses whatever, and just don’t go out!
a fun read! i think the facekini looks awful though, like some robbers going on vacation after looting a country’s worth of gold and money!
Haha true – best part is that its going to be a mystery trying to identify your friends! 😛
haha wow…
i guess better safe than sorry! (from sun damages) lol
Not a chance of this happening in Brazil – people here love a nice tan! If I saw facekinis around here, I’d go greet the Martian. 😉 Then again, what’s the point of going to the beach if you dread the sun?
HAHAHAHAHAHHHAA! See I thought you looked quite hot with your facekini. Matched your bikini! 😀
Right??? 😀
haha…enjoyed the post immensely 😀 😀 btw, i didn’t know that even Chinese people place importance on fairer skin!!! its damn prevalent in India and is so depressing for some people….honestly, I would opt for facekinis more than sunblocks 😀
Oh yes Chinese traditionally place a lot of emphasis on fairness. I didn’t realise it was that way in India too! I mean, sometimes we just can’t help the skin we’re born with. Would be nice if everyone understood that 🙁