Is china’s facekini a cute or quirky fashion trend?

When the temperature sizzles, there's no better way to stay cool at the beach. In contrast to the fact that many Westerners pay for tanning, things are totally different in China. 

When it comes to avoiding the sun, it seems Chinese creativity is unlimited. Why? Is the sunray harmful to health or the seawater severely polluted? The old Chinese saying "one touch of white disguises 100 kinds of ugliness" will quench your curiosity about why Chinese people prefer fair skin. 

Usually, there are three ways to avoid the sun. The first is to stay indoors, the second is to wear a wide-brimmed hat, and the third is to apply some sun cream to the exposed parts.

The facekini and the inventor Zhang Shifan

If you're in China, however, there is a fourth option – the fair skin conscious beachgoers in Qingdao have come up a novel way of protecting their fair skin from the sun with facekini. What is a facekini? 

The facekini, made of a stretchy fabric, is a mask designed for swimmers and beachgoers which covers the head and reveals only the eyes, nose, and mouth. The local people wear facekini in summer to protect themselves from the damaging tan inducing UV rays and jellyfish stings while at the beach. people often wear the mask in combination with various sun-protecting clothing such as sunglasses, visors, long sleeves and Batman-style capes, making them look like they're more ready to invade a country than enjoy a day at the beach. 

The fashion accessory has become widely adopted by middle-aged women, and even used for other purposes (a fashion for farm work) in China. It seems that the facekini has gone global. It once appeared on the magazine CR Fashion Book. 

The quirky fashion trend has amused Internet users all over the world. Take a look at their comments. 

Miss CeCe, UK

The aliens have landed!

外星人来袭！

Miller555, UK

Spiderman is coming to town…

蜘蛛侠来了。

Steve, Brazil

From the pictures I thought it was a large group of Mexican wrestling fans on holiday. 

单看图，还以为是一大群墨西哥摔跤的粉丝在度假呢。

Chris, Asia

VAMPIRES..!!!!

吸血鬼！

rayme, UK

Are you sure this isn't just where Bank Robbers go for their holidays?

确定不是银行劫匪在度假吗？！

Anon, Germany

I don't see the point in going to the beach if you need to cover up completely. Why don't they go to the beach early morning or early evening when the sun isn't so intense.

如果要全副武装，去海滩就没意义了。他们为什么不在早晨或傍晚去？那时阳光没那么强烈。

Robin, USA

If you want to prevent getting tan this much you should just stay home. I can't think of anything stupider than going to all this trouble to go to the beach only to sweat under these hot and sticky costumes in which you can't see or hear or feel anything but hot. And since they're made in China there's every possibility that if you're lucky the least they'll give you is a rash.

不想被晒黑就乖乖宅家里好了。去海滩还要穿又热又黏的衣服流汗，除了觉得热，感受不到任何美好，没有什么比这种做法更愚蠢的了。还是中国制造的呢，穿了你很有可能得皮疹。

Emma, UK

The tanned circles you'd get round your eyes would be quite amusing.

眼圈晒黑的部位会很逗吧！

lpf22, UK

They must still get tanned around the eye holes making them look like pandas.

眼睛周围肯定会晒黑的，到时候他们看起来像熊猫。

Boomer, USA

Bikers have been using face masks in America for the same reason for years, especially in the Southwest where melanoma (skin cancer) is far too common. I wish this would become popular in the USA. Looking 85 when you're 50 isn't cool.

在美国，骑自行车的人也会戴这种头套，特别是黑色素瘤高发的西南地区。希望这种头套在美国也流行起来！看起来像80岁，实际上只有50岁，是不是酷呆了！

Patrick, USA

For northern Chinese one of the standards of beauty and status is pale white skin. Dark skin is indicative of ones' status as a laborer or farmer and not one of an upper socialite.

对中国北方人来说，白皙的皮肤是美的标准和身份地位的象征。黝黑的皮肤通常意味着这个人是体力劳动者或农民，肯定不是上层社会的。

Steve, USA 

So they end up with skin cancer of the lips and eyelids through the holes. If it is that much of a concern doesn't come out into the sun.

头套上还有几个孔，是不是可以说他们的嘴唇和眼皮因此就得癌症了？既然这么怕晒，就别出去晒太阳嘛！！

Jones, Germany

It does look a bit creepy, but instead of sunblock (I now use factor 50+) it's probably a lot healthier to just use this. No chemicals. This year I used a long-sleeved top to go swimming in the sea in – the equivalent of factor 50 sun cream but it can't be washed off. And the best thing is that it gives me some protection from jellyfish, too.

看上去有点恐怖，不过用起来比防晒霜健康多了，起码不含化学制品。我今年套上长袖去海边游泳 – 防晒效果可媲美SPF50的防晒霜，不过防晒霜难洗掉。袖套反而能防止我被海蜇蛰伤。

Wyatt, USA

Added benefit: The face masks were initially designed to protect from sunburn but it turns out they are also quite handy at repelling insects and jellyfish and anyone of the opposite sex.

起初是为了防止皮肤晒伤，后来发现也能抵制海虫和海蜇，现在多了一个优点：吓跑异性。

xhh_me, China 

Are they just going to soak themselves in the seawater? 

遮成这样来海边目的只是泡水吗?

Chen Junpeng 1026, China 

Is it that people can go skinny dipping, only wearing the facekini? 

脸基尼，以后不是可以戴上直接裸泳？

The article is translated and editted by Chinlingo. Please indicate the source for any use, reproduction or transfer. 

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