The Refined Hippie: Pale Is Pretty: Tips for Embracing Fair Skin

If you're anything like me, you have probably struggled between what the media touts as "beautiful" when it comes to complexion- bronzed, tan, sun-kissed, call it what you may- and what is healthy for you and your skin in the long run. My heritage is mainly German and Scandinavian (Norwegian), so sun-kissed is not a term best used to describe our complexion. I have been inside tanning beds, stood awkwardly naked for professional spray tans, and had chemicals spewed in my face during machine sunless tans, all in an effort to achieve that perfect "glow." And this is all despite the awareness of the harm that I was inflicting upon myself. Thankfully as I get older I also grow smarter, and I no longer subject myself to this nonsense.

We all know that tanning beds cause an array of health issues ranging from skin spots to melanoma, but now the word is out that spray tans are not necessarily any safer. Spray tans contain a chemical called dihydroxyacetone (DHA) that has been shown to "cause genetic mutations" on cells in a lab. So why are we still doing this to ourselves? The only way to break this self-destructive habit of trying to achieve a look that is simply not natural is to learn to embrace what we were born with. For some of us that means accepting that pale is pretty.

I am enamored by celebrities and other women out there who own their paleness and prove that it is just as beautiful. Kirsten Dunst is one that I find does this extremely well (shout out to a fellow Dunst!) Below are some photographs that I hope will help prove to you all that pale is indeed pretty.

Another reason to love your fair skin is that we rock bold makeup trends like no other. Recently I have been into the deep plum lip color like Ilia's Ink Pot paired with a neutral blush or bronzer such as Tarte's amazonian clay blush in Exposed.

These eco beauty finds work great for porcelain and ivory skin tones: