China|Laos|Vietnam - Mouth mask: a multi-purpose tool
In China, riding on busses with chain smokers and in polluted cities, our mouth masks have become our best friends.
In Vietnam, the mouth mask is part of the motorbike outfit together with the helmet and gloves during chilly weather. 
It also protects you from 'cold winds' entering through the mouth and nose which are commonly believed to be causing sickness. In China, it's utilized to protect others from one's own sickness.
But there is more to the mouth mask than health. Mouth masks are also utilized in the quest for white skin. What a tan is in the West, white skin is in Asia. And probably even a little more desired, as white skin speaks of higher social class, especially for women. So for this social engineering purpose, women of lower social standing do everything to protect their skin from the sun.
For those of dark pigmentation, there are a range of products to whiten your skin (Pakse, Laos). Alas, it's impossible to find a skin moisturizer that doesn't offer to whiten your skin. And just to be on the safe side, this Nivea deodorant also does the job under your armpits (Bangkok, Thailand).
