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:

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface // Exposed // Peaceful

Ilia Organic Lipstick in Inkpot // Wild Child // Neon Angel

Nail Art {The Safe Way}

This past summer, the beauty scene has been rampant with some outrageous nail art that puts conventional artists to shame. When visiting my younger cousin in Indianapolis this summer, she begged me to let her perform manicurist duties on me and I happily obliged. She adorned my finger nails with leopard print, spending way more time than I would ever have spent on myself, setting the gold background then carefully drawing white specks perfectly outlined in black. She then extended the jungle theme down to my feet, where my toenails were christened with zebra print. Who needs a manicurist when you've got the Pablo Picasso of nail art in the fam? I've seen tuxedo print finger nails, chevron nails, even all-out miniature paintings on the ends of women's phalanges.

While I'm all for this trend, it's important to be selective in what types of polish people are using; many of them contain harsh chemicals that could potentially be cancer-causing. The three active ingredients in many nail polishes which are cause for concern are Dibutyl phthalate, Toluene, and Formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen and DBT has caused speculation for causing reproductive and development issues (including infertility). When choosing a nail polish, look for ones that say they are "three-free," which means they do not contain any of these three toxic chemicals. Good news is, many of our most beloved brands are safe. Essie, OPI, and Butter London are all 3-free. The brand Scotch Naturals is also free of ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, nitrocellulose, acetone, and heavy metals, making it "truly non toxic."

While these brands claim to be safe and "eco-friendly" it is still important to note the amount of waste that goes into the production of nail polish. All of those glass bottles go to waste because they obviously cannot be recycled... Just something to keep in mind when coming home from ULTA with the hottest 12 new OPI's of the season.

Raise your hand if you think I should walk into the salon and ask for one of these looks?

{images via HelloGiggles.com}

Natural Beauty

photo credit of Nicola Odemann

suds that smell like luxury// bare minerals loose powder// tarte 'smart' mascara// say yes to tomatoes exfoliating daily cleanser// pureology shampoo + conditioner