Your friends were being thoughtless dickheads.
they’re right, men prefer natural tone (of whatever colour) over streaky or orange fake tan. They are absolutely wrong that men like pale skin tones over dark ones. This is insanity. Who are these people they’re talking about? How can they make this sweeping statement? They’ve heard this theory on historical preference for pale skin and they’re trying to make themselves feel better about being pale. (Which they shouldn’t have to do - there have been fashions, and continue to be fashions, for women and skin tone…both dark and light…but it’s the media and women who perpetuate them. Not men. And it is all based on commercialism, of course.)
but they are absolutely wrong in what they’re saying. You cannot say what individuals like or don’t like - every woman on this thread will have a different “type”. Same goes for men.
Also, men do not get swept up in the same body fashions women do. Whether that is current or 18th century 🙄
For the most part they think too much fake of anything is silly - puffed up lips, extra hair, tonnes of fake tan, etc.
A man likes what he likes - big bums or small bums or tall girls or short girls.
some have types and only go for that, some have varied tastes.
As someone with incredibly pale skin, which I’ve always been insecure about (and had other women belittle me for) I can tell you I’ve never, funnily enough, had a man make a single comment on me being too pale. Whether they themselves have been light, dark or somewhere in the middle.
I have, however, seen many a man look confused and chuckle at women with big fake eye lashes, too much plastic surgery, too much filler, too much tan, obvious extensions, etc. and ask why we feel the need to do these strange things to ourselves.
and I can assure you, if a man looks at you he is either finding you attractive or not - that is not based on anything other than HIS own personal attraction.
i don’t know why some women do this shit. I’ve had women literally tell me that “pale skin just isn’t attractive” or that it makes them “feel sick as you can see veins”. Of course they then turn round and go “oh, not you of course. Just other people with pale skin.”
and not just skin - hair, clothing choices, ankle size. It’s bullying.
you need to decide whether your friends were being ignorant of their comments and trying to reassure themselves, or whether they were trying to boost themselves by tearing you down. But don’t absorb this ridiculous concept and take it forward with you into dating and every day life. It is not true. You are beautiful and I don’t need to see your skin tone to know that.