Monday, 11 July 2011
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What's the Appeal of Being Tan, and Is It Worth It?
I have to say, I am guilty for wanting sunkissed skin.
I dream of the freckles that appear across my face after the first few weeks of June and of the potential tan lines that appear around a bikini top. But, why do I feel so guilty after unfolding a beach chair during a sunny 90 degree day? Here is my vow to take a first step of recovery: admitting that I'm a vitamin D addict.
I feel like I'm betraying my family every time I walk outside with my SPF 4 tanning oil. My sister has Basal Cell Carcinoma."Basal cell carcinoma affects the deepest layer of the epidermis. Instead of metastasizing like melanoma, basal cell carcinoma attacks the surrounding tissue, making it less deadly, but heightening the chance for disfigurement.My boyfriend, who has red hair and freckles, admits that he likes seeing me sun-kissed in the summer over being 'porcelain' in the winter. What's so appealing about being a shade darker than you typically are? Why are we so afraid of being bleach white at the beach, when being the opposite isn't healthy?
What do you think of tanning, Lovelies? Is it worth it? What do you think is the appeal?
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- From: Zebrawithanaccent@xanga
- Name: Zeb
- About Me: I don't want to blend in anymore. I want to shine, and make a difference
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Comments (104)
being tan is gross. I hope to be very pale. Last thing I want is cancer.
I'm a red head with freckles. What pisses me off is when people tell me that my NATURAL complexion looks unhealthy. Not only does that make little sense to me but tanning your skin with beds and prolonged sun exposed actually IS unhealthy.
As for the look of tanned skin, it certainly can look attractive. If it isn't overdone. I don't think it's any more attractive than porcelain skin. I just think it's best to stay close to your color. Don't try and change it too much or it's going to look weird.
I don't stay out of the sun 24/7. I sit out in the morning sun for about 15 minutes to collect my vitamin D, and in the summer it can alter my skin tone a tiny, tiny amount. I mostly just freckle but I do get a smidgen more golden porcelain.
I always believe in less is more.
I used to really enjoy tanning about 7-8ish years ago. It didn't matter whether it was outside or in a tanning bed. To be honest, I used to enjoy the tanning bed because that was a 30 minute break from my day to just close my eyes and have no one else around. Luckily, I didn't do it for long. Less than two years ago, my mom was actually diagnosed with melanoma. It metastasized somewhat rapidly, and we lost her within a year. In light of that being in my family, I'd rather just defend my paleness. That's just me,though.
i'm very pale, and i like it that way, so i slather spf 45 on even when i'm just taking my dog out for a ten minute walk. i think teenage girls are the only ones who really think that pale is ugly and orange is hot. i also like not having skin cancer.
your sister has skin cancer and you still don't bother protecting yourself? thats just plain stupid. sorry, but its the truth. a family member having skin cancer means your risks are also heightened. if you HAVE to be tan so your boyfriend thinks you're hot, there are lots of self tanners you can buy
You only need a couple of minutes out in the sun to get the Vitamin D your body needs. At most, like, 15 minutes.
I'm extremely pale, but i don't tan easily and I don't burn easily. I actually find tanning quite boring haha. But if you have a natural, slight tan then it's fine!
It's a society thing. Every beauty related ideal is from society.
I don't think there's anything unappealing about having your natural skin tone. I don't see the appeal of tanning and I don't think it's worth it.
Why don't you just fake bake, it's better than cancer.
yepppppppp: http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ller4nH5x81qgi77to1_500.png
Oompa Loompa, do-ba-dee-doo...
i love tanning. but i try not to tanvery often and wear loads of sun protection because i'm naturally very fair. each to their own really
I can't stand the orange skin look. It's really unattractive to me. And somehow I can usually tell if it's the person's natural skin color. So when it's not, it is usually a turn off for me. Having a healthy glow is fine and beautiful but much more then that and I think the person looks like a tool.
I'm Asian, and I tan sooo easily, so it's never really been a big deal to me, haha
um...you know if you wear sunscreen outside, you can still tan. >_> You don't need the tanning oil.
I never tan and some girls look good a little darker, but I don't care that much. I love being pale.
I don't understand why "tan" is the new standard of beauty. I am happy with my pale skin. I love it because it's what I was born with and I don't feel the need to change my body to fit into what society tells me is beautiful.
Also, I think it's damn stupid when girls use tanning beds. Really? It's about as logical as smoking cigarettes. You know it's bad for you, you know it could give you cancer, you know there are safer ways to get darker skin if you really must have it, yet you insist on locking yourself in a cancer bed, shelling out big bucks to up your chances for melanoma to over 50%?
Again, I love my pale skin. I love how my freckles stand out against it and how it makes red lipstick look even better (Rose McGowan anyone?). I wear sunscreen, don't use tanning beds, and pamper my skin because when I'm 40 I would still like to have soft, elastic skin, not dried up leather skin.I just don't understand why people can't love themselves the way they are.
I think people want the glow that's supposed to come with being tan. Like you, I love when my freckles pop up, and I like having the sun-kissed glow, but I don't want the skin cancer or the wrinkles that come wih it. People forget that fair-skinned folks can glow too, and just because you're bronze doesn't mean you look good (hello, all leather-skinned ladies!)... After many a painful sunburn, I gave up on trying to get tan, and now stick to SPF and occasionally, good ol' tan in a can (I've always wanted to call it that somewhere besides to my family), and hopefully in the long-term it'll keep me healthier and looking younger than if I did try and actually tan away! The sun exposure I do get still brings out my freckles, but otherwise I'm always going to be pale. :P It took me until a very, VERY painful sunburn last year to come to terms with it, but I've been sunburn free this summer and I look damn good in my swimsuit, even if I'm just about snow white!
Coco Chanel started the tan trend in the 1920s. Before that, white skin was always valued among white American and European women. Skin that is not tanned ages much better than tan skin.
One of the biggest appeals for the people I know is that a slight tan goes a long way towards hiding flaws... veins, cellulite, freckles... all hidden by tan skin.
Fewer skin flaws = less photoshopping = more desireable model.
Well, first of all Vitamin D isn't in sunlight. Sunlight just activates the Vitamin D in your body. Tanning is a trend, like back in the day when they would apply white powder on their faces to enhance their beauty. The trend will change sooner or later.
I think people should be their natural tone. Besides, in Chinese culture, it's very desirable to be pale. Cancer is not worth it. Often the fake bake looks very unnatural.
I love to tan, and I love being tan. Call me fake, tell me I'm going to get cancer, I don't care. To each her own.
I only tan when I get sunburned so bad..it's not worth it in my mind. I'll always be pale and I'll have to accept it. Though I'm a bit darker because I did get sunburned so bad recently. Though I'm still peeling a bit. I never understood tanning itself.
I personally think people who tan are disgusting. Why would you damage your skin like that? And don't you know what it will look like when you're old? Just ew. Fake bake if you must, but honestly, your natural skin color is ALWAYS better.
This post is funny.......pale-skinned people don't want to be dark until the summer season. Otherwise it's uncool and whatever. Very funny if you think about it.
You don't need tanning oil to tan. You can tan with a higher SPF, preferably 30 and up. Even 50. You will tan faster with oil, but you need the SPF protection.