To think there's absolutely nothing wrong with having pale skin

[bumbleymummy]

and it looks a hell of a lot better than orange streaky tan?

I walked past a group of teenage girls today and they all had orange streaky legs. Why? What's wrong with just leaving your skin pale? Why do they think orange streaky legs are preferable?

[VertigoNun]

It goes back to people not wanting to look poor. At one point only the wealthy could afford a holiday abroad and tan.

[DoesAnyoneReadTheseThings]

Yanbu I'm always being told I 'need' a spray tan...l my best friend is fake tanned and her bedsheets and clothes are always stained and she always smells like digestives as well as always being a bit streaky! And it doesn't blend well into the palms of your hands and then she has to wear a darker foundation or fake tan her face and then it doesn't match her hairline..... I never comment but I couldn't be arsed with the faff for a streaky biscuity result!

[bumbleymummy]

That's interesting vertigo. Isn't it strange that it used to be the other way around and ladies were never seen to be tanned/freckled.

[GreyBird84]

Ive gave up fake tan last few months but I imagine come summer I will use a gradual tanner.

I can't be bothers with the faff at min between DS & house renovation.

I def look much better with a touch of colour though. I say that even having had malignant melanoma. But obviously no one looks good orange.

I'm still on search for the holy grail of pale foundation. Have had the palest of Estée Lauder & Clinique - useless. I have a real thing about foundation marching my neck so if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears!!

[GreyBird84]

matching

[Rathkelter]

I am pasty, verging on blotchy, with a red nose when the central heating is on. In summer I also get red nose if I'm not wearing spf50. My legs are milk-bottle white and veiny. They were once tanned when I spent 3 weeks in South America. They looked infinitely better and my confidence was boosted. Now all I can bear to wear in summer are cropped trousers where ankles can breathe but veiny legs hide away as they look so old and craggy. I wish I had darker skin for vanity reasons. Oh, and the GP told me I have to wear sun protection all year round now! Great...

[originalmavis]

Ladies never had a tan as they didn't need to work on the fields! In fact they'd pale their skin with led to loom fashionable.

Oddly it seems the fashion in some parts of the Arab world to slap on tonnes of pale powder so that you look like a china doll.

I'm very pale but don't care really.

[VertigoNun]

I have found the answer to the foundation problem. Apparently the body shop do something that lightens your liquid foundation.

[Spl0ink]

Also mineral foundation is very good for pale skin. I use the bare esensuals one and it has some spf in it.

[Mousefinkle]

Some black people are bleaching their skin to appear more white which is just horrendous. And white people want to dye theirs orange to appear more tanned. Everyone wants something they don't have. Same with curly haired people straightening their hair and yet a lot of people with naturally straight hair whinge that it's lifeless and limp. You just can't win.

I'm with you though op. My mum was talking about needing a fake tan before she went abroad where she'll get a real tan. What the fuck is this thinking. Why would you do that?! Ridiculous. I think NATURAL skin looks a million times better than streaky orange digestive smelling skin.

[bumbleymummy]

When we were travelling in Asia, the women loved our pale skin and kept telling us how beautiful it was. They use all sorts of horrible things to lighten their skin :(

[bumbleymummy]

" I think NATURAL skin looks a million times better than streaky orange digestive smelling skin."

I agree!

[Birdsgottafly]

Could you have not just bigged up your like of natural skin colour without putting other people's choices down?

The main problem with some fake tans, is that until they develop, you don't know that they are streaky and unless you are happy to go back to being white, your stuck with streaks, or stuck in the house.

I, personally, at 48, so not young, would prefer to be an unnatural shade of 'tan', than my own colour.

I have one DD who is naturally Olive, another who is fake tanned and my youngest who is gothy/Rock chick.

I wouldn't dream of judging who looks the best.

[Earlyday]

I have pale skin - it's too pale. If I don't wear light make up or light ran then people ask if I'm sick as I loom so pale. They are right - I do look really unhealthy with my natural skin colour.

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

There is a bit in Gone With The Wind when Scarlett was admiring her beautiful pale skin.

[EponasWildDaughter]

The gradual tan hint of a tint body creams don't look streaky or orange if you use them properly.

Just like any other cosmetic it can look shite or can look great.

Personally my winter pale skin isn't 'lovely'. It's blotchy and uneven, with a few scars, bruises, veins, and dark freckles thrown in. It looks miles better a couple of shades warmer. A bit of gradual fake tan evens out the tone, makes my legs look slimmer and cheers me up a bit by reminding me of summer.

[bumbleymummy]

In Pride and Prejudice, doesn't Miss Bennet try to insult Lizzie by saying she is tanned at one point as well?

[bumbleymummy]

Oops - Miss Bingley!

[marsbarmarsbar]

I'm really pale but I don't care anymore, that's just the colour I am. Used to be into false tan when I was younger though. Now I live abroad in a country much more culturally diverse than where I come from I see every shade of skin and it's just made me more comfortable in myself. I do think brown fat looks better than white, veiny fat though so I'm definitely jealous of larger ladies with brown skin.. it just doesn't look as unhealthy for some reason.

[SaucyJack]

Most teenagers are yet to learn the art of applying beauty products properly, or knowing what suits them. I think it's cute.

It were all heather shimmer and gelled perms when I were a lass.

[ProfessorPickles]

My parents are always telling me I am far too pale and that I need to get outside in the sun more often. Which is funny because I'm fairly certain my mum doesn't go out in the imaginary sun more than me.
I think it's just my natural colour! I'm happy enough being pale, I feel prettier pale than with fake tan on

[FeckOfffCup]

If course there's nothing wrong with being pale. No need to judge other people though on what they do.

I use fake tan occasionally. I have olive toned skin and during the winter months when I don't catch as much sun, my skin goes a bit grey and I look quite drained so I use a gradual tan once a week or so to give me a bit of colour back. I'm not in any way 'orange'. Fake tan is one of those things where you notice the bad jobs, like hair extensions. Loads of people use it and aren't orange or streaky, and it's way better than using sun beds.

[YoJesse]

I get told constantly that I look pale and ill. I think that's where the problem is that people associate it with sickness. I'm just fair skinned ffs!!

[Orda1]

I hate comments about my pale skin, I actually quite like it. I can pretend to be all English rose.