Sunscreen is a must because of its ability to prevent skin cancer and photo-ageing. However, did you know that Asians are a lot more conscious about suncare than Westerners?

In fact, studies from the US and the UK show that 40 to 60 per cent of their populations don’t wear sunscreen at all. Asians, meanwhile, have earned the reputation of being anti-sun because of a wide array of sunscreen offerings in the region, as well as the seeming obsession with sun visors (much to the fascination of the internet) and umbrellas whether travelling or just taking a casual stroll in their neighbourhoods. So it comes as no surprise that Asian sunscreens — Japanese sunscreens, in particular — are on a different level from the rest. But how exactly do they differ and why are Japanese sunscreens better?