Funny 'facekinis' used for sun protection
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E-mail CNTV, August 30, 2012
Everyone knows what a bikini is, but what about a "facekini"? They are becoming popular in some beach resorts in China because they can prevent sunburns--on your face.
These women on a beach in Qingdao, in eastern China, may look like they're about to rob a bank, but they are in fact protecting themselves from the sun with masks, or "facekinis"--a piece of nylon fabric with holes cut out for the eyes and mouth.
What's behind the seemingly horrific masks are the traditional aesthetic standards of China. Pale skin is highly-prized here as being delicate and feminine. That explains why whitening creams are selling so well in China.
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"Facekinis"--a piece of nylon fabric with holes cut out for the eyes and mouth, used for sun protection. |
Dark skin, on the other hand, is often associated with the undesirable tanning caused by farming the fields or doing manual labour.
A person says, "It is ok if our body gets sun-tanned. But if women's faces gets tanned too, we would look ugly in our clothes."
But not everyone on the beach thinks "facekinis" are visually pleasant.
Another person says, "They are afraid of getting sun-tanned. Women care too much about their looks."
"They look like ghosts and witches. It's very ugly."
The booming middle class in China is dedicating more time and money to travel and leisure. Unlike their sun-loving western counterparts, Chinese beach-goers often make efforts to avoid tanning, and apparently, some of them have developed a new beachwear trend.
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