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James Asks...
i am a boy
i always look pale (as tho im ill)
i eat a good balanced diet (lots of fruit and veg), take regular exercise so im sure its nothing to do with my lifestyle.
however, i want to look more tanned ... well not tanned but have a healthy glow (not paleeeeeee) - can u think of anythin other than fake tan or makeup (any cosmetic, or food?)
thanks
What we suggest...
Hi James
Thank you for contacting Q2A with your enquiry.
We understand from your enquiry that you are concerned about looking pale and want to know ways you can look healthier other than fake tan or make- up.
Firstly how much time do you spend outside? The sunshine creates vitamin D in the body which is essential to health and also helps achieve that natural glow you are looking for. However it is important to use protection when in the sun as fair people can burn easily and also keep in mind all the associated risks with the sun such as cancer.
Another thing to consider is whether you are ill or had a recent illness. It may be worth going to the doctor and maybe seeing if you are anaemic which is tested through a simple blood test. Don't worry if you are anaemic it's easily treatable usually through iron tablets, and it could account for your pallor.
Also look at your family and see what kind of skin tone they have - usually if one ore both of your parents have pale skin the likelihood is you will too.
There are certain foods that can make your skin go a deeper colour. Eating too many carrots can sometimes impart a yellow tinge to the skin due to the beta - carotene in carrots that gives them their orange colour. However this is certainly not recommended for your health and making your skin have a yellow tinge is not really classed as looking healthy.
Another idea is to tan your skin with tea. You can give pale skin a healthy tan appearance without the dangerous ultraviolet rays. You brew two cups of strong black tea, let it cool and pour into a plastic spray bottle. Make sure your skin is clear and dry. Then spray the tea directly onto your skin and let it air dry. Repeat as desired making sure the tea is cool enough for it not to burn you. We are not sure how easy this would be to achieve a consistent colour, or what would happen if you skin got wet - we guess it would come off! We don't believe there are any great health risks to trying this, but we doubt it would be very successful.
Another idea is to buy the moisturisers that have a hint of tan in them for a natural glow. They are sold in the supermarkets and Boots the Chemist. They do have their critics but may be worth trying. A few are:
'Botanics Golden Glow Body Lotion (200ml) which builds a gradual golden colour with regular use, without streaking or exposing your skin to sun. The retail price shown on the boots website www.boots.co.uk is £1.49.
Another one is Neutrogena Nourishing Glow fair body moisturiser which is said to do the same thing and retails at boots at £4.99.
Other ones available are Nivea and No7 .
We are not recommending any particular one to you just listing a few that are available.
If you want to check these out further your nearest Boots stores are:
32-36 The Mall
Bury Greater Manchester
BL9 OQQ
Open 8.30am - 5.30pm Monday - Saturday and Sunday 10.30am - 4.30pm
Unit 1
Woodfields Retail Park
Peelway
Bury
Greater Manchester
BL9 5BY
Open 8am - midnight Monday to Friday, 8am- 10pm Saturday and 11am-5pm Sunday
Another option is looking at the clothes you wear and seeing if they suit your skin tone as if you are wearing the wrong colour this can in effect make you look paler. The colour a person wears can have many effects - it can make them look happy or sad, dynamic or dull, ordinary or extraordinary, and even younger or older. Colour affects people on two levels. It can make them look more attractive. It can also enable them to be perceived as more dynamic, credible or professional or older. So colour affects a person both physically and psychologically.
Each person is born with a unique, inherited skin tone. There are certain colours that work against a particular skin tone. They can cause the skin to sallow, less luminescent or bring out dark circles, wrinkles and furrows.
If you go on the website www.ehow.com/how_3249_choose-colors-flatter.html it takes you through the various complexions and hopefully you can see which one suits you the best. We will summarise the main points of that website below:
Their position is that peoples' skin tones can be divided into 'seasons' depending on their skin type. Winter people usually have pale white, yellowish - olive or dark skin, brown hair and deeply coloured eyes. Summer people tend to have pale or pink skin and are often natural blondes or brunettes with pale eyes. Autumn people tend to have golden undertones. Many redheads and brunettes with golden brown eyes fit into this category. Spring people have creamy white or peach skin and generally have coloured or strawberry red hair, freckles, rosy cheeks and blue or green eyes.
Colours that flatter winter people are for example white, black, navy blue, red and shocking pink. Lighter colours include icy tones rather than pastels. Colours to avoid are beige, orange and gold.
Colours that flatter summer people are for example pastels and soft neutrals - lavender, plum, rose-brown and soft blue. Colours to avoid are black and orange.
Colours that flatter autumn people are camel, beige, orange, gold and dark brown. Colours to avoid are blue tones like navy.
Colours that flatter spring people are warm colours like camel, peach, golden yellow and golden brown. Colours to avoid are dark, dull colours.
By looking at the website or even asking family and friends you should be able to start choosing the colours that flatter your skin tone and hopefully ones that don't make you look as pale.
There are companies available that help you choose the colours that suit you best, however they are very expensive so it would be a lot cheaper to ask friends and family.
You say you don't want to use fake tan - is this because you don't want it to turn out an orangey effect and streaky? Many hairdressers and salons do spray tans and done professionally this can be avoided. It's worth asking about.
Two places that we have found do it in Bury are:
P'hairfection
63 Parr Lane
Bury
Lancashire
BL9 8JR
Tel: 0161 766 8093
Harmony
464 Walmersley Rd
Bury
Lancs
BL9 6QE
Tel: 0161 763 6162
Opening Hours: Tuesday 9am- 7pm, Thursday 9am - 5pm, Friday 9am- 5pm and Saturday 9am-4pm.
If you go on the following website:www.accessplace.com/beautysalon/lancashire/bury.htm you will see a list of beauty salons there and check what other companies do spray tans.
Also remember that although it may be trendy now to have tanned skin you never know what the trend is going to be next year or even next month so try and not worry and try and be happy in your own skin.
I hope we have answered your enquiry, please come back if you need any further help.
Best Wishes.
Q2A
Expert advice and every precaution has been taken to ensure that the information on this page is trustworthy and reliable, but the publishers do not hold themselves responsible for any inaccuracy as information can go out of date very quickly. This page gives general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law. With regard to suggested weblinks given in this reply please note that Lancashire County Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
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