Face-Kini - the latest trend in beachwear

As reported by international media outlets, the ultimate alternative to sunblock in China is a full head mask with openings for the eyes and mouth.

Women wearing the protective mask can be seen at a beach in the Shandong province in east China.

According to the Daily Mail, the mask, designed seven years ago, also protects from insects and jellyfish and is available for 15 to 25 Yuan ($2.3 to $3.9).

The summer accessory is worn by Chinese women who prefer to have pale skin over a suntan. Traditionally in Asia, a tan has been associated with physical labor in rural areas, whereas paler skin indicates a certain status.

The ‘face-kini’ with its matching bodysuit seems to go one step further than the burkini, a swimsuit designed by the company Ahiida to cover the whole body.

The burkini, which looks like a wetsuit with a built-in hood, only leaves the face, the hands and the feet visible. The design was made for Muslim women who prefer not to wear more revealing suits.