So it's no secret - I'm pale. Like you can see my veins and all my freckles pale. And while I've grown to love being porcelain (literally in love with how striking my features can be in photos) - there are definitely some things I'd say are true for anyone who's living the fair-skinned life. So inspired by my 16 years and counting of rivaling the whiteness of Queen Elizabeth, here are 15 truths of being hecka pale.

1. You GLOW In The Sun

I don't know how common this is, but I literally radiate the sun. I turn into a human version of the moon. I remember taking pictures at the lake and we'd have to MOVE solely because someone's radiant self (and not smile) was making the picture hard to take.

2. Sunscreen Is Your Forced Best Friend

Even 15 minutes in the outdoors requires a moment's thought to "what if I get a sunburn?" And you will. Every last inch of your skin is Enemy No.1 in the eyes of the sun's rays and you will feel the burn if your SPF is not top of the line. I'm talking 50+ honey. And yes, I've heard all those studies saying "you only need 30 SPF" or whatever - but they don't know me. They don't know my likelihood of getting skin cancer. They don't know that I can become a tomato, even with SPF 30.

3. You Don't Tan, You Burn

Let me tell you- my arms ARE tan for me. So no, I don't tan. Ever. And tanning salons sound like asking for cancer. When I burn, I just turn red and then MAYBE, EVENTUALLY fry to a slight golden. Maybe. Not Worth it.

4. You Will Always Be Compared To A Vampire

The fear of excessive sunlight and the whole glowing thing don't really help this comparison.

5. But Vampire Is The EASIEST Costume Ever

Put on a black dress. Put on white makeup (if you even NEED it). Put on some intense eye shadow and lipstick. And BAM - easiest Halloween costume ever. Maybe one day you'll get tired of this costume, but for now - it'll work. Use that paleness to your benefit to look like the coolest vampire the world ever done seen.

6. Pale Skin = Transparent Skin

Didn't get the needed amount of sleep? ONCE? Welcome, purple under my eyes. Acne? You can see the redness going on underneath your skin. Have a crush? Blushing for daysss. I remember hearing a story about how people once called African Americans "colored", but upon being called "colored", this older African American man is just like "Honey - YOU are colored. I'm always black, but you - you change colors all the time under that white veil of yours." And ladies and gentlemen, he was totally right. We can be green, red, purple, yellow, white, grey, blue - and who knows what else?

7. The Struggle Of Finding Foundation

For us pale girls, some (okay, most) make up brands seem to stop too soon for us. We ain't "ivory", we porcelain, and y'all seem to stop at what looks like a Jersey spray tan on our faces - and it isn't gonna cut it. So when you go the makeup aisle, your eyes scan right to the furthest left. I haven't even made eye contact with foundation a shade that isn't yellow and pale it's so far down the line. As mentioned above, my face shows everything going on underneath - so sometimes I'd like a solid foundation to cover up a bit on days when the cheeks are a little redder than I'd like. But no. And any "magic concealer" that has no skin tone associated with it is going to be the WRONG color. Like make my face yellow kinda wrong color. But one day - you find something. And it will work. There is hope. (For reference for all my fellow pale peoples - Jackie Oats by Lush is good for light coverage, and I promise you there's something at the drug store. I promise.)

8. SHAVING

I shaved yesterday, but thanks to my lovely dark hair and transperant white skin- you can already see it growing underneath my skin. Little black specks are all over my leg and it's only been a DAY. And I can't shave again because it's not even GROWN OUT yet. Like bruh.

9. Sensitive Skin For Life

So, not only is shaving an extremely sad reality- but also it can make your hecka sensitive skin turn red and bumpy and as mentioned above (^^) this will be ENTIRELY visible. You have to be extremely careful that the potions and lotions and motions ya do don't make your skin the Devil incarnate with its reaction to it. It's a delicate white flower, my epidermis, and it must be respected as such.

10. You Feel Like You Were Born In The Wrong Time Period

Up until about 40-60 years ago, pale was where it was AT. People during certain eras of history would PAINT ON veins so that they looked paler and wore all that lead makeup stuff to look white as possible. I do this naturally. I would've been kicking it in the "attractiveness" game at ANY point from the Roman Empire to 1800's England in at least 4 nations - INSTEAD of fretting over being the whitest person at the beach. Okay - I mean it's nice to get to vote and get medical care and have basic women's rights to education, family, marriage, and the ability to pursue my own ideas and dreams - so I'll handle it. But STILL.

11. People Hate On Their Pale Skin, A lot

I've rarely met a pale-skinned person, especially any teenaged girls, that like or enjoy their pale skin. And lists like this don't always exactly help when it comes to trying to love your skin color. Pale skin just doesn't seem to be the beauty standard anymore as the desire is to be tanner and tanner - but lemme say this: I am beautiful. Fair skin and all. It's not a hindrance or a bother or something I fret about every day - it's part of who I am. And I like it. So stop hating on your fair skin, people.

So I love my fair skin in all honestly. It looks great in black and white photos, it's part of how I see myself, and it's honestly just a really amazing thing about me - but there are certainly some things true of having pale skin; that is just how it works out. I got a lot more years to go looking like I descend from Brits (which I do), and I'm excited to see how many more bottles of sunblock I'll get to go through. Thanks for reading as usual and hope to see you next week!