I was talking to a friend earlier and we were both exchanging lists of all the stuff we had to get done before going on holiday. One of the things on her list was to do something about her white legs. What is it with our horror of white skin? What is wrong with having white legs? I used to spray the frost off mine with a fake tan but then realised that having patches where it started to wear off actually looked worse than just natural skin. It’s taken me a while to come to terms with my skin tone but, really, I can’t do anything about so I may as well accept it. I am pale. I’ve learnt to love it.
This is such tricky one to crack; our idea of what is beautiful is so culturally hardwired. We associate tanned skin with beauty and good health. We see white skin as unattractive and unhealthy. I read an article in The Guardian recently called Dark is Beautiful. It was about the reverse. Dark skinned women wanting to be paler. The market for skin whitening creams is huge in Africa and the Asia Pacific region because, there, white skin symbolises success, education, sophistication. Dark skin symbolises a lack thereof. It’s a really interesting article which you can read here. The grass is certainly greener.
Women all over the world have such a hard time trying to live up to their culture’s version of beauty. We constantly believe we have to alter ourselves in someway. Love your skin, ladies. It’s beautiful just how it is.
Check out Cancer Research UK’s Own Your Tone campaign. There’s a great video showing a couple of serial sunbedders and the transformation back to their natural tone. Click here to see it.
So, this has to be some kind of sign. As I sit here writing this post, Everyone’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Luhrmann comes on the radio. If you don’t know it, check it out here. It’s full of advice on how to live happily and without regret. And without sunburn. Worth a few minutes of anyone’s time!