Why do white women hate their fair skin?

[epari]

Okay so I'm a white woman myself. Ever since I was in school, which was 99 percent white, all I got was

"Milk bottle legs"

"Put some fake tan on"

"Get on the sunned"

I thought it was so confusing considering these girls were the same skin tone as me underneath their makeup etc.

I just never got it, and when I would ask the question all I got was "life's better with a tan, everyone looks better bla bla bla"

But if I'm completely honest, fake tan looks fake, it's so obvious however much you convince yourself it's not, and ironically since I married into a Middle Eastern family, my husband constantly praises how he loves my fair skin and told me fake tan looks disgusting bla bla bla.

So I actually want to know, why is it the majority of British girls and American etc hate their own skin tone?

I don't hate my skin, but it is very white and shows up every blotch, spot, vein etc.

It's sun-sensitive so I have to be extra careful (even if I'm out for extended periods on a cloudy day).

The media over the years has told us that very white skin is unattractive so it becomes fashionable to cover it with a tan/fake tan/make-up/sheer tights whatever. It's just the flip-side to people in other countries bleaching their skin (but luckily for us not as dangerous).

Basically, where there is a way to tell woman to change some part of their body and make money, that's what will happen.

I hate mine because it's ugly

I always did, and it was because I was teased badly over it (mentioned whenever I met anyone new, literally every time. "My God, aren't you pale!" ).

I was called Morticia, milk bottle, ghost...

Luckily my 15 year old daughter embraces her paleness and won't sit out in the sun or use fake tan. She's so pale all the regular shop foundations she's tried look pink or orange on her.

”Basically, where there is a way to tell woman to change some part of their body and make money, that's what will happen.”

This.

I’m very pale and I don’t hate it at all. But when I was in my twenties there was a time I used to put fake tan on a lot. Now I’m m perfectly comfortable as I am- glow-in-the-dark white.

I love my pale skin. Sunscreen all the way. My skin is part of who I am. Never tried fake tan and don’t want to.

I don't mind being pale. I had fake tan once and looked like a complete idiot. My mother in law regularly comments on how white my legs are, like I don't know what to say to that? I just say oh yes so they are!

I am so pale that I actually glow. I don't put fake tan or anything. I like being pale, I've accepted it's who I am and what I look like - I'm comfortable with who I am. It's society that has a problem!

The only problem I have is that burn astonishingly easily, I have to put suncream on even if I'm putting the washing out. But no, I don't hate being pale

Why are skin whitening/lightening products in countries where women traditionally are dark-skinned such a massive market?

because we're women and therefore we are wrong.

I love being fair skinned and I love my freckles, age spots they make me feel young. When I was younger I always wanted a tan but I thought that was a thing of the past now, with all the knowledge available now about sun damage. My dds are all pale and seem fine about it.

Tanned skin used to be indicative that you had an agricultural job and were poor. Untanned skin showed you were wealthy enough not to work on the land!

Coco Channel popularised a sun tan as showing off that you could afford to travel abroad.,

I have fair skin naturally, but spend so much time outdoors for work and play that I’m usually fairly weather beaten!

The only thing I don't like about my ghostly white skin is how easily it burns if I'm not careful! I'm not interested in fake tans or even make up or any other time consuming expensive fake stuff, life's too short to spend it fighting the way you look.

I have olive skin thanks to a South American grandparent. Growing up in a crap town in the 80s I was insulted about my skin tone by girls who seemed desperate to have it - lying with barely any clothes on covered in sun tan lotion even in the weakest sun. So I have always wondered the same thing OP!

my husband constantly praises how he loves my fair skin and told me fake tan looks disgusting

Because just as your DH has opinions on what is disgusting (and opinions which impact upon/matter to you), so does the media. And the media bombards women from a very young age to always feel "less" without x, y and z products. It's brainwashing that begins from the moment we're able to watch anything other than In The Night Garden.

Hate my pale skin as things like stretch marks, cellulite, spots, veins etc show up a lot more on me. Pale skin can look great on those lucky enough to have flawless skin. When I wear a bit of fake tan it helps to give me a bit of confidence. I also burn so easily which I hate.

Because it shows up every blemish: bites, blotchiness, broken veins. Because I have a lot of pink tones and can look very “corned beef”
Because I think a lot of people’s white skin, mine included, looks the same as when a cat or other furry animal is shaved for an op or because of mange.
Because I don’t think it ages well.
I think the average white skinned person looks a lot more raddled in daylight strength light when naked than the average black or olive skinned person.
I firmly believe the widespread preference for “fair” or light skin, is a cultural phenomenon based on historic and contemporary socio economic factors and not down to aesthetics.
I think aesthetically, black or olive skin is more attractive on average.

I don't know if it's the media but I've always envied those with super smooth completely even golden skin.

I love my white skin. Have never worn fake tan and always cover up in the sun. My children both have beautiful white skin. My son even more so as he has red hair and it is so fair.

I'm very pale, it looks unhealthy. Every spot or dark circle stands out.

Lucy, has your dad tried the palest shade from Fenty Beauty or Huda? These are the only two we have found that are anywhere near pale enough for my DD, who is so pale the doctor keeps trying to give her antibiotics in case she has an underlying infection.
They are wee bit pricy but worth it for the confidence boost she gets from having makeup she can use that doesn't make her look like a clown.

As PPs said - if there's way to extract money, it will be used. I also think it goes back to the view that a tan is 'healthy', rather than skin damage.
I love my pale skin. It takes a lot of factor 50 to stay this pale although I might just be hyper aware as my mum has cancer, who knows.

It's fashion, that's all.

Yonks ago the fashion was for women to be v pale as it meant they were wealthy enough not to have to work.

When holidays abroad became more of a thing for more than just the super rich, but still exciting and expensive, think late 70s maybe, being tanned meant fancy holidays and disposable income, so it was aspirational.

I expect there has been influence from usa as well, again harking to desirable lifestyle eg california with everyone attractive, bronzed, fit healthy.

Just fashion although a long lasting one.

I don't mind my pasty skin, I do catch a bit of a tan on holiday but not much. For me I hate that every blemish and vein shows clearly on pale skin yet brown skin can hide a multitude of sins.

Everyone looks fab when they have come back off their holiday and have a bit of colour.

I don’t mean an old leather heavily tanned look but that lovely refreshed and healthy glow when you’ve been away and the sun has left you sun kissed and healthy looking.

So for me it’s not about hating my skin but wanting to recreate that just got back from holiday look when I use fake tan.

That’s the look I prefer although in winter I love a pale but creamy complexion with rosy cheeks and berry lips.

• just to add, I think it’s the body that it is particularly unforgiving to, rather than the face.