NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan - In Taiwan, where the sun is scorching during the summer, many women wear large face covers to protect themselves from the sun's ultraviolet light, which can damage skin. Women riding motorbikes often wear large masks that cover their face below the eyes, as well as their entire neck.

A shop specialising in anti-UV products in New Taipei City near Taipei said it sells about 20 large masks every day at this time of year.

While cloth masks can be bought at night markets, the specialty shop deals mostly with masks made out of polyethylene and other materials that provide a pleasant, cooling sensation, Wu Sin-yu, the shop's manager, said.

"We have a big selection of masks, including pink and gray ones, to meet our customer's preferences. Many of them want a mask that matches their clothing," Wu said.

The masks cost about 300 Taiwan dollars (1,000 yen) and are used the same way as ordinary ones.

A 44-year-old insurance saleswoman who rides her motorbike to work every day said she does not mind how her mask looks. "I don't care about its appearance. The most important thing is that it does the job," she said.