A woman, wearing a nylon mask, creates a circle in the sand at a beach in China (© Aly Song/Reuters)

These beachgoers are serious about avoiding sunburn

7/7/2012

Leave the sunscreen at home this summer, at least for your face. These Chinese beachgoers have come up with a new way to avoid sunburn: wearing balaclava-style masks. If you don't mind looking like you just robbed a bank and decided to take a dip afterward (and are a fan of pastels), these nylon masks that encase your entire head are a surefire way to prevent lobster face. The masks were invented seven years ago, and are sold throughout China. While they might seem odd to Westerners, as The Atlantic noted, the Chinese prefer pale skin over tanned, and are one of the world's largest market for skin-whitening products.


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Would you wear one of these masks?