As a girl whose heritage is Irish, German, Swedish, and probably many other Northern European countries, I have always been pale. Practically translucent. My blue veins are easily seen in my arms, and razor burn on my legs looks like a rare skin disease from a mile away.
My entire life, I have never been able to tan. I always burned. Not the kind of burn that turns into a tan after a few days or the “I only burn once then I am good.” No, I turn into a freaking lobster. Every. Single. Time. And, that is only if I idiotically decide not to apply sunscreen. Usually, I have to apply thick layer after layer of at 100 SPF sunscreen every hour while attempting to enjoy any outdoor time.
So, finally I decided to try something I never thought I would: a tanning bed. I always had reservations about them, instead opting for cheap fake tan lotions that never actually worked. I thought tanning beds would be too expensive and harmful. While it may be super harmful if done incorrectly (I promise I did my research before laying in that bed), it is included in my gym membership, so I thought that now is the best time to try it out. Summer is just around the corner, and I really do not want to spend another shining like a glittery vampire in the sun.
I was super scared to tan the first time. I had no idea what to expect. How long would I do it for? Which bed out of the ten beds do I use? How do I use it? And, most importantly, will I burn? Luckily, the lovely staff at my local Planet Fitness helped me choose and walked me through the whole process.
Overall, my first-time tanning was amazing. I may have started the bed before I was actually in it, and I may have only tanned for five minutes (like I said, super pale), but it was a really great experience. I felt like you do after a long day at the beach. I felt like sunshine was deep in my bones—rejuvenated and sun-kissed, even if my skin was still pale.
I have gone a few times since then, and I am happy to report that my skin in showing a bit of color, and for once it is not red! (Okay, I am not going to lie I turned a little pink after my second session). I am nowhere near tan by most people’s standards, but I am super happy and satisfied with my results so far, and I am going to continue tanning. Hopefully, I will finally be the skin tone of most people on the beach, and the sun will be the only thing glowing.
So, if you are on the fence about tanning, do it. But, make sure you do it properly and healthily. Listen to your skin, and do not push yourself too much. Enjoy it. Enjoy your (hopefully) tanned skin. And, of course, enjoy the fake sun!