Happy Friday Skin Ravers!
Have you ever been curious where you get your health habits and beliefs from?
Ever wonder where you picked up the habit of applying sunscreen?
How about the idea of sun tanning or preserving your pale skin tone? Can you think back to what influenced you to think this way?
As I read some history pertaining to sun tanning, it made me think about my own beliefs about tanning.
As far as I can remember, having tanned skin, culturally speaking, was a sign of lower societal class. If your skin was tan, it meant, you were a manual laborer working out in the fields, and that you were not from the wealthy end of the spectrum. As I grew older, I didn’t have many friends (maybe except for one person) who liked tanning and intentionally would lie on the beach for some color, so it just wasn’t something I sought out to do. There were a few vacations to sunny places where I definitely hit the beach, but it wasn’t to get color. Today, I still have no desire to tan. I confess my major associations attached to it include premature aging, wrinkles and skin cancer.
When I think about my girlfriends that comment on their skin, I would say more than 90% of the girls with pale skin tones say they prefer porcelain white skin. Particularly despised are brown spots which I myself totally relate to!
Having tanned skin is definitely a more recent trend here in the US as well as in Europe and Brazil whereas pale skin is more desired in Asian countries such as China, Thailand and Korea.
I read a NY Times article titled ‘Beach Essentials In China: Flip Flops, A Towel And A Ski Mask’ talking of how many of the women beach goers firmly stick by their sun prevention with the donning of ski masks to fully cover up the face from sunlight. These “face-kinis” as they’re called, cost less than 5 dollars to buy but many people just make them themselves out of old clothing.
I can’t say I’ve seen anyone with a face-kini on here, but it’s interesting to see the spectrum from opposite extremes; from Pro tanning to against tanning.
Although, tanning is definitely a trend here, apparent also is a population voicing that going into the sun just for darker skin color is simply not desirable or worth it in the end.
I’m not talking about getting sun for Vitamin D production, but going into the sun purely for darker color sake.
What about you. What are your thoughts when it comes to tanning?
What meaning do you attach with it, wealth, prestige, beauty, sex appeal, wellness, being fit?
Which do you desire, tanned or pale skin?
peace out Skin Ravers.