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It’s a plan and simple fact: I am pale. I’m not like vampiricly pale. I’m not pasty or oddly see-through. I’m grateful to have a bit of color in the form of freckles. My arms and face are very spotted. In the summer months, my freckles become more pronounced. And I’m glad I have them because the melanin, which causes the pigmentation of the skin, plays a part in protecting my skin from the sun’s UV rays – plus they are pretty unique :)
However, I get a sunburn when I spend copious amounts of time out in the sun. The numerous sunburns I have had have been bad. When I was younger, my mom would call for me to reapply sunscreen while at the pool and I would swim around pretending to ignore her. I’d also hold my breath and sit at the bottom of the pool imagining that I was a mermaid who didn’t have to worry about sunburns. My mom would then list off all the things that I would match in shade if I didn’t reapply: lobsters, tomatoes, strawberries, stop signs, apples – basically, anything in a vibrant shade of red.
At first when I would get a little too much sun, it was hardly noticeable. But then in the morning, it would hurt to get out of bed. I would have to be absent from the beach activities in order to stay out of the sun. I was always on the extreme ends of the sun spectrum: getting way too much or not being in the sun at all.
To recover from my sunburns, I piled on globs of goopy, green Aloe Vera – I consider it to be a magical remedy. I swear I will one day have twins and name them Aloe and Vera, which would be kind of fun (but I’m also joking). Unfortunately, Aloe Vera doesn’t protect from UV rays, only in the aftermath of a sunburn.
When I finally learned that the sun was not my friend, I turned to other ways of getting a tan. The tanning salons scared me (and still do). I remember my friend once showed up to prom as a spray tanned monster – and sadly, her dress did not go with orange. I also tried some self-tanning lotion, like the kind from Bath & Body Works, which leaves this weird residue on your skin. You rub your skin together and it lumps up like little brown slugs – gross. Of course, there is also bronzer, which a lot of girls can use to achieve the perfectly glowing skin look. But my strong suit is not makeup, and bronzer always makes it look like your head went to the beach and your body stayed in bed. You don’t appear to be all over tan unless you put bronzer all over, which I have heard some people do. But, why would you want to walk around all day with powdered skin like it’s the Victorian era or something? Sounds high-maintenance, if you ask me.
I found a practical solution in self-tanning towelettes. The L’Oréal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Towelettes are the best kind that I have used. They are easy to apply because you just apply to the areas you want to be bronzed and the color gradually appears. It can be as subtle as you want, or you can achieve a darker look by using more wipes on the days following. The best way to apply the product is by wearing gloves, so the tanner doesn’t turn your hands a strange color. Evenly applying it on your skin is the key, and its best not use it too much around the knees, ankles and elbow because those are areas where your skin moves a lot and it makes for odd patches if there is too much product.
There are a few downsides to the product, like the strange smell and the fact that it takes a long time to dry. The way I see it, the positives outweigh the negatives. A package of 6 towelettes only costs $11.99 at Ulta. Popping into Ulta for this also gives me the chance to goggle at all the pretty beauty products while I’m there – and it’s much easier than making an appointment at a tanning salon, waiting in line at the salon (because it’s busy in this time of the year), and then hoping that the spray doesn’t turn you orange.
It’s important to remember the dangers of UV rays and artificial UV rays, the kind emitted by tanning beds and its correlation with melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer. I know I’ve put myself at risk in the past by not wearing sunscreen, but now I take care of my skin by applying sunscreen when I’m out running, hiking or relaxing at the pool or beach.
For me, the perfect kit for toting to the waterside includes a bikini, a towel, a hat, sunglasses and a water bottle. I also make sure to use self-tanning towelettes to prep before, sunscreen to protect while in the sun and of course a little aloe to save my skin afterwards, just in case.
The suns out! Now who’s ready for school to be out?