Always Wear Protection

When it comes to shielding ourselves from the sun, nobody does it better than Asians

- Danica Lo

Gearing up for summertime means layering on UV protection—and if you live in Asia, you know we're talking about way more than just a light slathering of sunscreen. From everyday umbrellas and giant face visors to high-tech beauty products and kinda weird outliers like facekinis—those beach balaclavas that have become popular over the past few years at some seaside resorts—it seems like we’ve pretty much got sun protection down pat. Or do we? As our climate and environment continue to change and new innovations hit the market, Tatler speaks with skincare experts on what everyone should know about protecting the skin they’re in.

Different skin types can react differently to sun exposure, and doctors and scientists have found that Asians tend to have a thinner stratum corneum, which acts as the skin’s protective outer barrier. This is why “Asian skin is known to scar more easily,” says Jenelle Kim, doctor of Chinese medicine and founder of JBK Wellness Labs. “Asian skin can be more vulnerable and also harder to heal.”