If you clicked on this article, it's probably because you've been described as being "pasty", "pale", "albino", "white as a ghost", or questioned if you've ever stepped foot outside; especially at this time of year, when the shorts are coming out and those white beauties that are legs are unleashed to the world after months of hiding from but a single drop of light. Well, I am here to shed some light onto that, uhm... light skin.
Let's start with some basic terminology. Forget "pasty" and opt for more elegant words that are true representations of your GORGEOUS light skin tone: porcelain, ivory, an English rose, simply even "fair" sounds nicer. These are the words people should be using when describing your complexion. Feel better about it already, don't you? "Porcelain" creates such a stunning and exquisite image in my head, like that of a porcelain doll, which is looked at as a flawless and angelic embodiment of a little girl. AKA: you should take this as a compliment.
One plus of having a fair complexion is shopping for face makeup. Who else just goes for the absolute lightest shade when choosing a foundation? Not only the simplest strategy, but the most accurate! No need to spend hours attempting to color match, like all other girls (and guys) have to suffer through.
And hey, kudos to makeup companies for always choosing the correct terms to print on their bottles. My current favorite is "Perfectly Pale"...well said, NYX, well said. (Side Note: NYX is one bomb makeup brand that is cruelty-free and does NOT test on animals!)
Now, although us pearly ladies may tend to burn more easily, take this as a blessing! You KNOW that if you venture into the sun unprotected for too long or "lay out" to work on your tan, or even hit the tanning booths for just a few minutes, you WILL burn. That should be enough to keep you reapplying your sun screen every so often, which in turn will help to keep dangers like skin cancer, or even worse...wrinkles away!
At your 10 or 20-year high school reunion, you will be the young looking one, completely wrinkle free and looking amazing as ever, while the gals that spent hours on hours working on their "natural glow" will most likely be sporting leathery skin and crow's feet (sorry ladies). As a bonus, no tan = no tan lines
I'm so sorry if you prefer to blend in, but pale skin also often means standing out in pictures or in groups of friends, even more so in the summer when a lot of people are developing tan legs and sun-kissed noses. HOWEVER, I would like you to look at this as an AWESOME thing! You were born to stand out from the rest, you look unique compared to your friends, and people will notice you. Utilize this power and show people who you really are, whoever that may be, but make sure you channel that CONFIDENCE to pull it off!
And if you feel alone among your tan peers, take a look at the celebs. There are some beautiful actresses and performers out there right now. Take Emma Stone, Nicole Kidman, Amanda Seyfried, Emma Watson, Gwen Stefani, Dakota Fanning...Daniel Radcliffe (*cough, marry me, cough, cough*). These are just a few of them that don't fall into the fad of tanning, they love their skin tones for what they are, and they look absolutely gorgeous while pulling it off (especially you, Daniel).
In addition to celebrity status ivory-embracers, light skin tones were admired greatly in the past. Fair skin used to be seen as a symbol of actual royalty. If you had dark skin, it meant that you were most likely of peasant-status because you must have been spending the entirety of your days working out in the fields. Hours on hours of time to catch a tan, while the higher class lads spent they leisurely days indoors. The milkier the skin, the higher up in class you were in theory, so take a history lesson: if you are fair-skinned... you. are. royalty.
Annnddd if you absolutely must get a tan... please, I BEG of you, avoid the risk of a tanning booth, and opt for a safe, organic spray tan, or even I will admit, I've gone for a "natural glow" lotion before, that gradually darkens your skin with everyday use...works great, but I've learned to love my snowy white skin for what it is and no longer head to Target for the stuff as soon as shorts-season nears.
Lastly, please keep in mind (especially if you are naturally a darker skinned gal), this is not an article bashing all other skin colors, but one about embracing whatever stunning complexion you've got!
