China’s Weird New Beach Style:
The “Facekini”

Forget sunscreen. Swimmers in Qingdao, China, are protecting their skin by wearing masks to the beach.

The masks, dubbed “facekinis,” cover the entire head, face and neck, reaching down to the collar bone, with holes cut for the eyes, nose and mouth.

The trend may seem odd to those not from the region, but Qingdao residents and beach-goers say they’ve been wearing the masks for some time now to protect their white skin, which is considered a sign of beauty in China. In fact, some swimmers sport full-body swimsuits to prevent from tanning.

In addition to protecting from UV rays, the mask is also being sold as a way to repel mosquitos, protect from jellyfish stings, and even ward off shark attacks. According to one facekini vendor, bright orange masks can help to deter sharks “because they fear this colour the most.”

Check out photos of the facekini trend HERE!