Sun protection becomes all the rage in China as temperatures soar

May 16, 2023

BEIJING, July 20 (Reuters) - In scorching Beijing, "facekinis" are the hottest new fashion downtown as surging temperatures shatter records.

With the mercury rising above 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) and the surface temperature soaring as high as 80C in some parts of the country, residents and visitors have taken to carrying portable fans and covering themselves up to avoid getting a tan. Some hats even have fans built in.

Facekinis, or full face masks with holes for the wearer's eyes and nose, sleeves to cover arms, as well as wide brimmed hats and lightweight jackets made out of UV-resistant fabric have become especially popular.

[1/5]Mannequins with sun protection headgear are seen displayed at a store in a shopping mall, amid a yellow alert for heatwave in Beijing, China July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo

"Compared to before the pandemic, two or three years ago, this year is much, much better than previous years. Sales volume is definitely up a lot this year," said a salesperson, who gave her surname as Wang, in a shop that sells hats.

Many female consumers in east Asia favour fair skin, and sun protection products are also popular in neighbouring countries such as South Korea.

"The main concern I have is potential skin diseases, or developing sunspots," said 17-year-old student Li Xuyan who with her mother sported masks that covered most of her face when they visited a tourist area in Beijing.

Chinese state television on Wednesday showed tourists taking selfies next to a 12-metre-tall thermometer that displayed a real-time surface temperature of 80C at the scenic Flaming Mountains in Xinjiang.

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