Do you think having a tan is attractive?

[kenny]

I lived in the Philippines for a year.
They avoided the sun.
Getting darker meant being of a lower social class and having to work outside.

This used to be true in America too.
Then came Coco Channel.
She started the trend of a tan representing being upper class and having leisure time to lie on the beach.

Now we know that sun exposure can result in skin cancer 40 years later, but tanning salons still make zillions off of tan being fashionable.

It is funny how in different times and places a tan can be seen as unattractive or as beautiful.
I suspect the tide is turning now and it is increasingly being seen as the unattractive health threat that it is.

I am white and have fair skin and do avoid getting sun or a tan.
I have changed my programing and I no longer consider tan skin attractive.

I once read that a tan is actually a huge scab over the entire body.

There is a lot of controversy over tanning salons:
Article about tanning salons

 

[Mara]

yep i do...i am not a fan of very pale skin....veins creep me out, mine too. but i am olive anyway so i tend to think color is attractive since that is what i look at in the mirror.

also when i am not 'tan', my skin is more yellow than anything else, really not appealing. IMO you can get some sun, and do it in a smart way rather than avoiding sun completely. one extreme or the other is not appealing. but some people hate the sun too.

one of my friends who has olive skin from his dad has a french mom who was very pale and he told me he really only finds very pale skin attractive since his mom is pale. his wife is very pale with red hair. hehee.

 

[Bia]

If it''s a naturally sunkissed tan, then yes. If it''s a fakey-bake tan from a tanning salon that makes you look like brown leather, then no.

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 9/22/2009 2:50:06 PM
Author: Bia
If it''s a naturally sunkissed tan, then yes. If it''s a fakey-bake tan from a tanning salon that makes you look like brown leather, then no.

Ditto.

But, regardless of how good they look, I''ve given up tanning. It''s just not worth the risks. I will learn to appreciate my paleness.

 

[asscherisme]

Nope. Being a survivor of melomona, I see tan as unhealthy and avoid tan at all costs. I also see dark tans and think leatherlike. I don''t like tan at all.

 

[monarch64]

Those are all great arguments against tanning, Kenny. I don''t find very, very pale skin attractive, though. That''s not to say that I don''t find it UNattractive, either. It depends on whether the person looks overall healthy or not--shiny hair, clear skin, eyes, nice teeth and nails all contribute to whether one''s skin color is attractive or not.

I have a darker complexion and tan easily. In fact, even with spf it is hard for me to avoid obtaining some sort of extra color when I''m outside--gasp!--working, at the lake, walking the dog, or whatever. I guess I should start carrying a parasol or something.

The older I get, the more I want to take care of my skin. I used to frequent tanning salons and I did enjoy having a tan, and I especially loved to go in the winter months because it seemed to alleviate the seasonal affective disorder-like symptoms I get every winter. I still go sometimes, but it''s far less frequently. I took a two year break from tanning entirely a couple years ago. It really depends on my mood. I''m a firm believer that anything you do to excess probably isn''t healthy for you.

 

[that_someone_special]

I always say my fat looks better tanned

I enjoy tanning. It''s relaxing and great.

This year, however, I went away from that because I found two tiny AGE SPOTS ON MY FREAKIN FACE!! I''m 25. So... Limited tanning from now on.

 

[Lorelei]

I think a gentle sunkissed look is very attractive however for me I try to stay out of the sun, I do not nor have ever tanned or sunbathed.

 

[junebug17]

I limit my tanning too, and wear sunscreen, but I definitely look better with a little color in my face. People have told me I actually look healthier with some color. But I am aware of the health risks, and try to be careful and limit my time in the sun, just enough to get a touch of color. I know I shouldn''t even do that, but I guess my vanity takes over.

 

[elrohwen]

I don't see anything wrong with having a little bit of color, but I think really tan people (usually the people who go tanning, or get fake tans a lot) don't look attractive, they just look orange

I don't think it looks good if you tan or fake tan to a color more than a couple shades darker than your natural skin color. If you're naturally pale, making yourself look dark and orange is not a good look. But if you naturally have olive skin, getting a darker tan looks fine because it's closer to your natural color.

And it's never attractive to see girls who are already wrinkling and sun damaged in their late 20s.

ETA: I'm a pale skinned and freckled red head, so that probably makes me biased.

 

[kiett98]

I hope so, as I have a natural all-over tan... I am black. I have a white friend at work (it feels odd distinguishing someone''s race, but I guess in this instance it is fine) who occassionally goes to the tanning bed and I always ask her if she wants to end up with leathery looking skin like some of the older ladies we work with who obviously still continue to tan. That usually stops her from going.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 9/22/2009 3:14:47 PM
Author: kiett98
I hope so, as I have a natural all-over tan... I am black. I have a white friend at work (it feels odd distinguishing someone''s race, but I guess in this instance it is fine) who occassionally goes to the tanning bed and I always ask her if she wants to end up with leathery looking skin like some of the older ladies we work with who obviously still continue to tan. That usually stops her from going.

I met a 30 year old who had a leather face already! She was otherwise very pretty, but I couldn''t get away from how bad her skin looked after too much tanning. That''ll scare you away from tanning if anything will.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 9/22/2009 3:14:47 PM
Author: kiett98
I hope so, as I have a natural all-over tan... I am black. I have a white friend at work (it feels odd distinguishing someone's race, but I guess in this instance it is fine) who occassionally goes to the tanning bed and I always ask her if she wants to end up with leathery looking skin like some of the older ladies we work with who obviously still continue to tan. That usually stops her from going.

Ick, I have know a couple of ladies for a long time (15 yrs) and thought the tan look looked nice but now as the years have flown they look quite leathery NOW.

I tan easily but I definitely do things to avoid it as my dad had a cancerous mole removed recently and I rather not have the leather look 20 yrs from now.

 

[dragonfly411]

I sometimes think that I must have lived during mideival and/or Victorian eras because I actually think that ivory skin is beautiful for the most part. Scarlett Johansson has some of the prettiest skin to me. I don''t tan much, and am generally the lightest of all of my friends, and this is mainly due to the history my family has of skin cancer. But I''m very happy with being a little paler, I don''t feel a great need to be tan

 

[iheartscience]

I think a slight tan is attractive, but I also like pale skin. I think it depends on your skin tone, really. My twin sister and older brother are more olive skinned than me and during the winter when they have no tan they look a little yellow! I''m more pale than they are and don''t tan as easily, and I don''t look nearly as yellow in the winter. My husband has gorgeous pale skin and doesn''t really tan at all (he just burns!) so I''m always on him about wearing sunscreen!

I''ve never really tanned, whether it''s in the tanning bed or just laying out. I usually get a little bit of a tan from playing soccer and now from riding my scooter. I''m not that great about applying sunscreen unless I''m at the beach or outdoors for long periods of time. I need to get better about that because I don''t want to look old!

 

[Burberrygirl]

Date: 9/22/2009 2:53:32 PM
Author: elledizzy5

Date: 9/22/2009 2:50:06 PM

Author: Bia

If it's a naturally sunkissed tan, then yes. If it's a fakey-bake tan from a tanning salon that makes you look like brown leather, then no.

Ditto.


But, regardless of how good they look, I've given up tanning. It's just not worth the risks. I will learn to appreciate my paleness.

I agree, I have pale skin and I've always been super careful. I'll allow myself to get a little bit of color so I don't look like a ghost, but I always use spf when I'm in the sun. I don't do tanning beds, the risks just aren't worth it especially with my family history. My sister is always tan, it looks ridiculous. She uses tanning beds and the VeraSpa spay tan. She's five years older than me, but her skin looks at least ten years older than mine.

 

[Liane]

I think it''s a regional thing. I went to high school in the South and tanning was considered almost as basic as makeup -- girls started doing it in high school if not earlier and continued it as a lifelong habit. Now I live in a big Northeastern city and, in my social circle, tanning is generally considered low-class, especially if it''s the super obvious oven-baked orange level.

My own personal preference is for people to show their natural, healthy skin colors -- whatever those may be -- rather than damaging themselves in the name of vanity. A slight tan from normal, healthy outdoor activity is attractive. Anything more than that, no thanks.

 

[kiett98]

Date: 9/22/2009 3:20:43 PM
Author: Skippy123

Date: 9/22/2009 3:14:47 PM
Author: kiett98
I hope so, as I have a natural all-over tan... I am black. I have a white friend at work (it feels odd distinguishing someone''s race, but I guess in this instance it is fine) who occassionally goes to the tanning bed and I always ask her if she wants to end up with leathery looking skin like some of the older ladies we work with who obviously still continue to tan. That usually stops her from going.

Ick, I have know a couple of ladies for a long time (15 yrs) and thought the tan look looked nice but now as the years have flown they look quite leathery NOW.

I tan easily but I definitely do things to avoid it as my dad had a cancerous mole removed recently and I rather not have the leather look 20 yrs from now.

Yes, I find it ironic that the thought of leather skin will keep her out of the tanning bed before the thought of cancer... but I''ll say whatever it is that works!

 

[tlh]

Tan on healthy athletes, YUM!

FAKE BAKE ORANGE, YUK!

 

[janinegirly]

A tan is still considered attractive by most in the Western world. I know I look better with a tan for one..I look healthier and best of all don''t need make up, just pink lip gloss and voila! With my pale winter skin, ugh. Of course talking about within reason, not the extreme tans or leathery scary look My skin is olive to start so doesn''t take much to get a nice tan (and happens with sunscreen,etc), so I don''t have to over do it. A tan = attractive, healthy glow and leisurely lifestyle in the Western world.

In Asia, the paler the skin the better. Umbrellas to block the sun are an accessory. I always heard this was because peasants had tans from working in the fields so it was looked down on.

I know I''ve made some gross generalizations, so hope I didn''t offend--just trying to make my points quickly!

 

[vespergirl]

Yes, I think a tan looks good. My family is from Europe, where everyone tans, and people don''t use sunscreen like in the US. No one in my family has ever had skin cancer - maybe it''s our Mediterranean coloring.

I only like natural outdoor tanning, though - I used a tanning bed before my wedding and didn''t enjoy it. I am tan in warm weather, and let my skin get naturally paler in cold weather, but I usually keep at least a little tan year round because of my skin tone.

I think that I look thinner and healthier with a tan, and need less makeup.

 

[Haven]

I think I look better when I have a natural looking tan. I went to tanning salons in high school and college, and now I regret it. I was also a lifeguard for years and spent many summers getting a very dark tan.

We just read an article one of my students brought in titled "Death by Suntan at 26" about a 26-year-old young woman named Glenna Kohl who died of melanoma. It was originally published in Cosmopolitan magazine. Very heartbreaking story.

My skin is pretty pasty, naturally, but I no longer plan to tan either in the real sun or under a lamp. If I really want some color I''ll opt for the spray-on tan, and otherwise everyone will just have to accept me as the pasty white girl that I am.

 

[IloveAsschers13]

Date: 9/22/2009 3:50:49 PM
Author: vespergirl
Yes, I think a tan looks good. My family is from Europe, where everyone tans, and people don''t use sunscreen like in the US. No one in my family has ever had skin cancer - maybe it''s our Mediterranean coloring.


I only like natural outdoor tanning, though - I used a tanning bed before my wedding and didn''t enjoy it. I am tan in warm weather, and let my skin get naturally paler in cold weather, but I usually keep at least a little tan year round because of my skin tone.


I think that I look thinner and healthier with a tan, and need less makeup.

This isn''t exactly true. I think it totally depends on where- I was just going to say when I was in the Netherlands, NO ONE was tan- I didn''t see one tanning salon. Same with a city I went to in Germany. I embraced my paleness then... It was awesome. I think tan looks pretty, but I wish pale looked prettier since I don''t ever fake bake!!

 

[luv2sparkle]

I cant think of anything I would rather do less that sit in the sun and sweat! Even in my 20''s I wasnt fond of that. I do tan pretty easily even though I am a
fairly light skinned person.

My daughter however loves it. She is more olive complected than I, but still. I think she will regret it. In fact, she already has forehead wrinkles at 27!

 

[4ever]

I think a very natural looking light tan is attractive and a dark tan is really not. There's always those scary leathery sun worshipers when I go to the beach at summertime, not only is it not attractive but I look at them and can't help think about skin cancer and want to get in the shade and slather on the sunscreen imediatly.

I think mostly I'm just envyous of people who can tan. I can't. I'm very pale and have freckles....not a ton because I'm very carful with my sunscreen and wear it under my make up every day of the year. I don't so much tan when I'm out in the sun as burst into flames and come home looking like a lobster dinner. I got teased at school when I was younger for being "pastey", which is quite crap as there's not much I can do about that. I'm very pale so fake tan just looks orange.

Anyway, I know there are people out there who prefer whities like me. My bf likes it and prefers people without a tan.....that and he's into gingers and the whiteness often comes with the territory. I don't think I look unhealthy.

ETA: I totally agree it depends where you are in the world. In New Zealand I'm abnormally white as most people spend time at the beach in summer or are naturally darker. When I was in the UK I felt so normal. It was fantastic not to feal like the freaky pale person because they were mostly ALL freaky pale people.

 

[vespergirl]

Date: 9/22/2009 3:56:57 PM
Author: IloveAsschers13

Date: 9/22/2009 3:50:49 PM
Author: vespergirl
Yes, I think a tan looks good. My family is from Europe, where everyone tans, and people don''t use sunscreen like in the US. No one in my family has ever had skin cancer - maybe it''s our Mediterranean coloring.


I only like natural outdoor tanning, though - I used a tanning bed before my wedding and didn''t enjoy it. I am tan in warm weather, and let my skin get naturally paler in cold weather, but I usually keep at least a little tan year round because of my skin tone.


I think that I look thinner and healthier with a tan, and need less makeup.

This isn''t exactly true. I think it totally depends on where- I was just going to say when I was in the Netherlands, NO ONE was tan- I didn''t see one tanning salon. Same with a city I went to in Germany. I embraced my paleness then... It was awesome. I think tan looks pretty, but I wish pale looked prettier since I don''t ever fake bake!!

True about not seeing tanning salons - Europeans don''t do fake tans. My family is from a resort town off the Dalmatian Coast in southern Europe, though, and all the Germans, Poles and Czechs come to our island and spend the entire month of August sitting in the sun. I think that Euros do the real tanning in the summer, and just let their skin go naturally pale for the rest of the year. Also, southern Euros (like my family) generally tan more than northern Europeans - sunnier weather for more of the year.

 

[T L]

I''m exactly like you - pale as a ghost. However, for someone at my age, I have virtually no wrinkles, so that says something. I wear SPF all the time in the sun. The sun is the major contributing factor to wrinkled skin and skin damage in general.

 

[tigian]

I think a light natural tan is attractive. I''m also always amazed at how white my diamonds look when I am tan. I don''t actively tan, but I am outdoors playing tennis, biking, playing with my dogs and even with sunscreen, I tend to get some color.

 

[radiantquest]

I prefer to have color, not really a tan. I am naturally pale, like see through pale. I also have psoriasis. I went to the dermatologist and tried everything short of light therapy and shots. The light therapy is costly and I have to travel over an hour to do it. The shots are just out of the question. So I go to the tanning bed about twice a week for about 15 minutes and it keeps my psoriasis under control and it only costs $20 a month. I stopped going for 2 weeks and the itching and scaling came back so I was right back on it.

It kills two birds with one stone. I get a smidge of color and it keeps the itchy-scratchys away. I moisturize like crazy though. I talked to the dermatologist about it. They said that of course they would never tell someone to go to tanning beds, but in my case they understand and they said the best thing that I can do is keep my skin moist. I use gold bond ultimate lotion, cover my face and use a really good lotion to try do best for my skin as I can.

 

[princesss]

I think it depends. I like how I look when I''m tan (but tan for me is still pale for everybody else). Right now I kind of look like somebody dip-dyed me. Tan to my elbows, then it fades gradually to my shoulders. My chest and stomach are white, then the tan starts just above my knees. It''s all from being outside playing sports, so maybe I just like feeling active more than I like being tan.

It does help hide cellulite, though. So that''s a plus for being tan. It can cause cancer, though, which is why I have heaps of sunscreen and don''t visit tanning salons.