Tanning

Hi guys!

It's Signe today from A Classy State of Grace.  My topic of today's post is tanning.

I've had good and (very..) bad tanning experiences. When it comes to tanning, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

[1] A tan really only works on certain skin tones.

People who would look good with a tan:

Hailee Steinfeld has a similar hair color and skin tone to my sister. This photo looks like it was taken in the winter when her skin was a lighter color, but you can tell the tone is definitely different than Leighton Meester's for example. If you look up Hailee Steinfeld in the summer, you can tell that her skin naturally darkens and gets tanner, as does my sister's. 

Blake Lively isn't necessarily someone you'd think of as being naturally tan. She's also a blonde, which you usually associate with fair skin. But the reason she can pull it off is her complexion looks naturally sun-kissed, and with the blonde highlights you get a California surfer girl look. 

People who SHOULDN'T tan:

Sorry, but if your skin is as fair as Elle Fanning's, then just don't try to tan. Not only will you end up getting burnt and just looking as red as a lobster, a tan on this type of skin is basically impossible. There's a pink tone to Elle's skin, so when people with this skin tone try to tan, mostly just the pink comes out. Not to crush your dreams, but it's unrealistic with this skin tone to want a tan like Hailee Steinfeld can get-- it just wouldn't look natural.

Personally, I think pale skin and dark hair like Zooey Deschanel has looks simply lovely together! If you have this combination, don't try to tan. You'd end up looking orange (if you used tanning lotion) or pink. Again, you can tell a tan like Hailee Steinfeld can get would look unnatural here-- on people with naturally fair skin and dark hair, you can tell the look just "fits" on them. 

I probably have something in between Blake Lively's and Elle Fanning's skin. I have gotten very tan before and I thought it looked pretty good (I have some freckles that come out more in the summer.) However, I do have naturally fair skin, and sometimes I do just end up turning pink.

[2] Don't try too hard to tan.

Often, laying out in the sun can have less results than spending time outside and then just realizing you're tan one day. Personally I think laying outside in the sun to tan is kind of stupid, because I have better things to do with my summer, it's so unproductive, and it just damages your skin. If you do it slowly by spending time outside, swimming, exercising, running, etc then by the end of the summer you should see a natural, healthy glow.

[4] ALWAYS wear sunscreen.

Sunscreen does NOT prevent a tan-- it simply only prevents burning and skin cancer. I thought I would get more tan if I used less sunscreen when I was on spring break in South Carolina two years ago- BIG mistake! I just got really badly burnt, and it took over a year for the lines to fade. So really, there's not a reason not to use sunscreen. Although fairer types of skin burn more easily, darker types of skin also need to wear sunscreen. My sister has darker skin than I do, so she thought she didn't have to wear as much sunscreen as I do. She ended up getting some skin damage from not wearing very much last summer. She still tans easily, but the point is that not one type of skin is safer than the other.

 Also, apparently an SPF of 35 protects 97% of your skin, so a higher SPF than that won't really do much more. You should use AT LEAST an SPF of 15- preferably up to 35- apply it generously, and reapply it every 3 hours. If a friend or family member isn't putting it on, remind them of the dangers of skin cancer and encourage them to take care of their skin.

[5] NEVER use tanning beds. 

I'm assuming this one is pretty obvious because the girls here on Chit-Chat are pretty smart! But just as a reminder, using a tanning bed increases the risk of melanoma by 75%. Safety concerns aside, am I the only one who thinks these tans look plain trashy?...

[6] Tanning lotions are probably not as necessary as you think.

My #1 rule when it comes to tanning is this: if you spend time outdoors and never get tan, then your skin isn't meant be tan. If you experience this, don't force a tan! Your skin probably naturally looks best lighter, and that's ok. If your skin DOES naturally tan, then you don't need the help of tanning lotions. The only time I think fake tans are really necessary is if you have a sun-kissed or darker skin tone and need to go to a special event in the winter when you look washed out. Weddings, prom, etc. before you've gotten your summer tan is a good excuse to use tanning lotion or a spray tan. 

XX, 

Signe