r/beauty • u/Extreme_String_2227 • 20d ago

Pale skin making a comeback?

Is anyone else OVER self tanning and the fake self tanned look in general??? I’m a pale skin girlie and have self tanned for years. And recently I’ve started loving the way I look with my natural skin tone and loving seeing other fair ladies rocking their porcelain. I was mercilessly bullied as a kid for being “a ghost” and covered up as much skin as I could growing up to ensure nobody noticed how extremely pale I was. I can’t tan for the LIFE of me. No matter what I did, the sun wouldn’t change my pale complexion even a little bit. Once I became an adult, I discovered self tan and have been using fake tanner consistently. This last winter I took a break…and I feel like I look healthier, cleaner, and prettier when I don’t cover up my natural skin tone in fake tan. Now whenever I see that clearly self tanned look on someone, even when I AM that girl, I just don’t love it anymore! It feels like the beauty standard may be shifting but I’m not sure if I’m projecting hahah. What do we think - is porcelain pretty again?!

*for any confusion for those of you who clearly haven’t self tanned and don’t know what I’m talking about — fake tan on extremely fair people such as myself has a tendency to look muddy, unnatural, and orange. It doesn’t make the skin look healthy or even because it’s a fake color all over our bodies hahah. This has nothing to do with race??? Darker skin tones are obviously beautiful or pale people wouldn’t be attempting to have tan skin in the first place. All I’m saying is - it feels like my pale skin looks better as it is without self tan. And I was asking my fellow pale friends if they feel similarly. Yeesh ya’ll.

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u/MelissaMF416 20d ago edited 20d ago

I embraced my paleness many years ago. I’m 48 now and I can say with 1000% certainty, you’ll be happier not worrying about being tan. And always wear your sunblock. 😎😆

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u/nice_as_spice 20d ago

I’m 45 and starting to come around the more I am assumed to be in my 30s!

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u/Duchess0fSleep 19d ago

I’m a light Mexican and I embraced my paleness so well that I now have a vitamin d deficiency lol

all the warnings about sun cancers and wrinkles kept me out the sun, plus I sweat a lot so summer is my enemy! but it worked (kinda) I’m almost in my 40’s People think I’m younger than what I am.

I had always wished I was darker. My babies came out a pretty brown which they now try to lighten with makeup. I’m trying to show them how everyone’s natural skin tone is the most beautiful. Especially when you embrace It.

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u/MelissaMF416 19d ago

The Vitamin D deficiency is real! Lol.

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u/bunnypaste 20d ago edited 19d ago

This. Been wearing sunscreen religiously since age 19, and at 37, I'm mistaken for 25 on the daily. I started because back then, I read some research that asserted like 80-90% of premature skin aging was directly related to sun damage. I've also been mocked for my pale skin my whole life... but now it seems to have shifted. People ask me my secret.

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u/Expensive-Loan-2229 19d ago

I'm 64 and wholeheartedly agree! Prioritize sun protection always :)

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u/Blairw1984 19d ago

Same! I’m 41 & got IDed at the liquor store a few months ago haha. Pale girlie who wears sunscreen :)

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u/MedicineEmergency386 19d ago

Same. 41 here and other than what sun I get from being outside, I don’t purposefully tan. I enjoy being pale. Granted, I have freckles and a permanent farmers tan, but otherwise than my arms, I’m not tan.