Slovene Bloggers Talk Sun Bathing: Pale is Ok. I Swear.

sreda, junij 29, 2016

Slovenska verzija tukaj.

When it comes to the beach, I'm a shade girl. I come from a family where finding a good shade on the beach was a top priority and we never lay in the sun. I don't have anything against sun bathing, I just never do it and I won't lecture you about the importance of sun protection because it's your business what you do on the beach, though I'm certain most of you are well aware how dangerous sun bathing can be. As far as I'm concerned, you'll find me in the shade, solving a numerous amount of crosswords and mostly not going into water unless it's 25°C+ because I'm always cold. I've got the strangest skin - I can stand in the sun for hours and I won't tan, but neither burn, even if I forget sun protection, I start turning red much later than you'd expect. I've never actually been severely burned by the sun, my skin has only been slightly red. That's why I don't sun bathe, I don't even recall ever sun bathing because it's pointless, since it's like my skin refuses to change colour. 


By now you might be wondering what's the point of this post. Well, I was invited to join a series of posts where Slovene bloggers who sport a fine, pale complexion warn you about the dangers of sun exposure and we hope that we will at least make you think more about the issue. Aside from me, you can read (mostly Slovene) posts from Anna (Mad about Red), Karina (Karinartistic), Nika (Beautyfullblog), Sandra (The Puzzle of Sandra's Life) and Tamara (from Cherry Colors). The thing is that last year there was this whole jam thing. If you're not from Slovenia (or maybe even from Croatia) then what you probably don't know is that there was this absolutely crazy hype for a fast tanning product called Marmelada (Jam) by Afrodita. The product doesn't contain sun protection, otherwise I can't see how it could work, but it caused hundreds of people to do something rather stupid - stay in the sun for hours with no sun protection in hopes of getting a deep tan. I didn't care for the hype. Why? Because I don't even remotely care about the shade of my skin. Yes, I'm pale. Always have been. Who cares? However, I was a bit taken aback to see what craziness this jam caused, as I was sure that the awareness of the dangers of sun bathing was high in Slovenia. I guess I underestimated how desired tan skin still is. Where I live, so in Dolenjska, though I absolutely cannot speak for everyone who lives here, sun protection is seen as something you wear on the beach or the pool and not every day, but whether people sun bathe, it depends on the person. Since I have a similar mentality about sunscreen, I absolutely cannot lecture you and I won't, but I can't say I spend a lot of time in the sun anyway, so I do have a sort of a pass. 


I know most of you might expect that I get a lot of comments about how pale I am, but I'd be lying if I said that I do. Perhaps I got a few comments from people I don't care about, but nowadays I'm apparently surrounded with only reasonable people and the last few comments I got were that I look like a proper Snow White or a doll. The only time that I can say that my skin tone was an issue was when I went to the doctor's. I've been tested for anaemia at least a half a dozen times because my doctor considered my natural skin colour, well, unnatural. And when I was younger I did care about being too milky and though I can't really tan naturally, I got self-tanning creams and also I bought my first blush precisely because I didn't want to look too pale. But a few years ago I just stopped caring. I'm pale and it's fine. I still keep a bottle or two of self-tanning products, but it's mostly because pale skins are almost completely overlooked by beauty brands when it comes to pale foundation shades (or our importers don't include them in the range available here, such as Rimmel recently). I also sometimes use them to hide the damage on my legs, but now it's very rare that I selftan, also a little bit out of spite. 

Look, I won't nag you about the importance of sun protection because I forget to use it too. They are still sticky or greasy and I find them too expensive to use every day if you use it the way the general guidelines say. But I know you're all smart individuals and you've heard the basic rules of sunscreen many times. That your sunscreen should offer protection against UVA and UVB, that SPF 15 filters out approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays, while SPF 30 keeps out 97 percent and SPF 50 98 percent. That you should stay out of the sun when it's strongest, so from 11h-16h, that you should use two table spoons of product and so on. Whether you choose to follow these advice it's up to you - it's your life, your health. I feel that in our self-absorbed society warning people about skin cancer isn't effective enough. I think it's far more effective to tell people that sun is the reason for 80 % of skin ageing and a 2% increase in skin damage ages you 3 years. Then everyone starts slapping sun cream at least on their face in hopes of keeping their youthful appearance. 


I at least make sure that if I'll be outside, I use a foundation with SPF. And I know so many claim it's not good enough, but I never get more freckles or sun burned on my face when with an SPF foundation, besides I'm not the one to spend hours in the sun, so I think it's completely enough for most days. My favourite makeup face products are:

A lovely primer that leaves a nice smooth finish, feels super lightweight, makes the application of foundation easier and it actually does what it promises - prolongs the wear of foundation and makeup. 

You can count on a Korean BB to have great sun protection and this one sports a decent SPF 25 PA+++. It's light, though it stays tacky for a long time and that's why I would use a powder over it. They also have a great, very pale shade called #13.

A more high coverage foundation, though not heavy (my version is for normal-dry skin) with a great satin-matte finish. It also comes in very pale shades.

One of my favourite bases because it looks like skin, but it's a bit dark for me so I mix with the lighter shade of Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude (SPF 20)


In summer, I will make more of an effort if I know I'll be spending a lot of time outdoors. As my sunscreens I buy the cheap stuff because considering how much the guidelines say you should use, there is no way I'm paying more than 5 € for a bottle. So I stick to Balea and currently I have:


Regular readers might recognise my orange tube which is kind of my staple (I adored the tinted version, but only mattifying is sold this year). It's cheap, it's light enough, though I still have to use powder and it's not terribly thick or too white (though the tinted version was way better). For the price it's good. 

SUN DANCE Transparent Sunscreen SPF 50
As I said before I hate greasy, thick sunscreen and they put me off using them, so I got the transparent version. It's still a bit oily, though not terribly so and it smells like classic sunscreen. It works just fine. 


If you read the whole thing and you're still thinking that I'm full of it and you still want at least to fake a tan, I do have a few options in my cupboard:

If you don't understand the name, basically it's a self-tanning toner, so it sinks in fast and leaves no greasy or sticky residue behind. That's why it should suit so many skin types, even oily ones. Its effect is gradual, which means it's easier to get an even tan and it took three-four days for me to get a nice colour going. It smells nice when it's new, but just as all self-tanners, it gets that weird smell the older the bottle is.

This is an instant tan and makeup for legs in a can. The colour is just right for my pale skin (shade Light Glow), as it's about the same colour I achieve with my self-tanner and it's not at all orange, but rather incredibly believable. It's not the easiest thing to apply, partly due to the spray not distributing the product well and it needs to be blended fast because it dries super quick and after that is doesn't budge at all. For me it's greatest downside is the lack of actual coverage which it promises, but it's the best such product I've tried so far.  

This and St. Tropez one are without a doubt the best self-tanners I've tried. Believe me when I say that it's a huge difference between this one and the drugstore ones. The colour is more natural due to an olive hue it has, it's much darker with one application than its competition and it lasts about a week on me. It has a marzipan scent that tries to cover the self-tan scent, but the older the bottle is, the more the scent develops, however, it is not as bad as at cheap versions such as Sun Dance's spray.

Not only does it have this gorgeous gold shimmer in it, which also looks good on the hair not just the skin, it also has a tiny bit of colour. It actually shows up on my milky skin and gives me a very subtle tan effect. The oil is a proper dry oil, it is in fact drier than the original, so it sinks in fast.


ESTEE LAUDER Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer
This is the only bronzer I've found that works with my pale, neutral skin tone because it has a reddish undertone instead of the orange/yellow one. It actually creates a very believable tan colour and love that it's matte. It was quite an investment, but it was worth every cent and it's the only bronzer I've used for years.  


Check what my fellow bloggers wrote:
Anna (Šoštanj) from Mad About Red: "»Vsaka porjavitev kože je bolezen kože«; mi še sedaj odmevajo profesoričine besede, ko nam je v srednji šoli dobro namerno želela preprečiti obisk solarija. Tisti čas je bila zagorela polt in solariji pravi hit." Preberi več...
Karina (Kranj) from Karinartistic:"I've always been referred to as being as white as the walls or the colour of sour cream, just because my skin lacks in melanin. I have a very light complexion with a hint of an olive undertone and I've never felt like that is something I needed to change. And yes, every time I went swimming by the pool or in the sea, everyone stared at me like I was an alien, because my skin was so bright against everyone else's." Read more...
Nika (Ljubljana) from Beautyfullblog: "Each year scientists discover important facts about skin ageing and sunscreens. But often these findings are so complicated and specific, that I struggle to understand. Therefore, I swear to common sense. And my aristocratic, fashionable and above all, healthy view on sunbathing." Preberi več...
Sandra (London) from The Puzzle of Sandra's Life: "I don't remember the last time I got a proper tan and it's not something I even wish for anymore." Read more...
Tamara (Koper) from Cherry Colors: "Dandanes je malo ljudi, ki bi se vtaknilo vame in v mojo "večno" bledo polt. In to mi je pravzaprav všeč. Če me kdo vpraša, "furam" Sneguljčico ali Nicole Kidman in imam potem mir. ;)" Preberi več...

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10 comments

  1. Meni so tudi večkrat omenili, da sem tako bleda. Ampak to samo poleti. Pa še to po navadi od takih ljudi, ki so ljubitelji sončenja in so 10x zapečeni. Sama ne maram sončenja, ker ne zdržim na soncu. Prehitro mi postane vroče in se potim kot nora. Je pa res, da ko sem na morju sem skoraj cel dan na plaži, ker tam pač poskušam izkoristiti tistih par dni za kopanje (ki ga kot kožni alergik celo leto čakam). Kljub temu, da sem precej svetla, imam topel podton, ki se poleti spremeni v oliven in se redko zelo "zažgem". Sem pa tista nadležna v družini, ki vedno sprašujem, če imajo drugi na sebi SPF in zakaj ga nimajo :D. Jaz se poleti vsak dan namažem na obraz, na telo pa, če grem ven. Mislim, da sem tudi sama bolj kot ne pristaš SPF predvsem zaradi anti age učinkov. Čeprav ne gre zanemarjati vse pogostejših rakavih obolenj in vsekakor izjemno močnega sonca. Ko sem bila majhna imam občutek, da sonce ni niti pol toliko peklo kot zdaj.

    Sally Hansen si že zelo dolgo želim preizkusiti. Tudi Nuxe olje me mika, sploh to z bleščicami, čeprav sem zdaj od Catrice LE našla fluid glow, ki bo letos perfekten za malo sijaja po telesu :). Se pa itak strinjam s tem, da naše trgovine mislijo, da moramo očitno biti vsi zagoreli in da svetla polt sploh ne obstaja v Sloveniji. Če pa že, potem pa je itak čudno, pa naj raje kupimo temnejši odtenek, da bomo izgledale bolj "zdravo". Katastrofa.

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    1. Si me spomnila, da mi je enkrat prodajalka v Limoniju ker niso imeli svetlih odtenkov YSL pudra, rekla naj si pa temnega vzamem, da bom imela kaj barve. Sem jo tako grdo pogledala, da je samo utihnila :D Sem potem svetlejši odtenek kupila na letališču v VB. Resno sem razočarana nad izborom Rimmelovih odtenkov, v čem je sploh fora, da so prišli k nam, če ni 010 Light Porcelain v izboru. Manhattan je vsaj imel vse odtenke, vključno s svetlimi.

      Jaz imam itak toliko ostalih napak, da se na to da sem bela ljudje ravno ne koncentrirajo. Sonce imam sicer rada, ampak na plaži pa ne, ker je takoj neprijetno bit na močnem soncu. Pri nas sem jaz tista, ki je zadolžena za nakup sončne kreme, ampak se še sama pozabim namazat, ponavadi zato ker sem večino časa še oblečena.

      Sem videla tisti Catrice fluid glow pri tebi. Izgleda awesome!

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  2. Great article. I am "white as wall" and I hear the question if I am not sick all the time and hate it with passion. I really don't understand the "cult of sunbathed skin". Only sunbathed skin looks healthy? Who says that? I am not spending hour roasting on the sun just because somebody thinks it look great :(
    In Asia every product is whitening (even antiperspirant) and to be Snow white is their dream :)

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    1. Thank you :) It's really annoying how people feel they can even comment on someone's skin tone. I glad that at least the self-tan craze died down considerably in comparison to six years ago, when I started blogging and more people are embracing their paleness :)

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  3. You look perfectly fine/beautiful with your natural complexion. The only issue I could imagine with being very pale is the lack of matching foundations :-D

    I always use sunscreen because I DO actually burn very quickly.. but at the end of summer, my skin only looks like light honey. So I never try to tan naturally since many years and only use selftanner before I go to the beach. I prefer to look like a roasted sausage on the beach then like a 'Weißwurst'. ^.^ And it allows me to stay in the shade because I am already 'tanned'.
    P.S. and yes, I hope to keep a more youthful appearance by using sunscreen every day *fingers crossed*

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    1. Weißwurst - died :D

      Thank you, I think so as well :) Yeah, the colour selection at almost every brand, including high-end such as Chanel & Dior, is poor for us pale individuals. I hope this changes one day.

      I'm lucky that I don't burn quickly, but also is the reason I forget to apply sunscreen, which is not cool. But I try to remember at least protecting my face. I don't self tan before going to the beach, as I fear it will wash off weird in the water.

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  4. Mateja in ostale blogerke; hvala vam za tole objavo!

    Tudi jaz sem ena izmed tistih, ki sem bol bele/svetle polti. Redno dobivam komentarje na račun moje kože. Ljudje me sprašujejo, če se bolna ipd; da sem bela kot jogurt in da to ni dobro. Nevem, takšni komentarji me kar zmotijo; nisem jaz kriva, da sem svetlejše polti kot nekdo drug. Vsak ima pač svoj ten kože. Uporabljan puder od Revlona, tadrugi najsvetlejši odtenek, in mi je super. Sem komaj našla en puder za mojo polt (vse druge, ki sem jih preizkusila, so mi bili pretemni). Res nevem, zakaj v Sloveniji ni več pudrov za svetlo polt; povsod vidim samo te ''temne'' pudre, skoraj oranžne.
    Malo sem zašla, ... skratka predvsem od starejših ljudi dobim takšne komentarje, češ, da je z mano nekaj narobe ker sem tako svetla. Pa ni, nič. Nimam anemije ali česar drugega, sem pač bolj svetle polti. Ne bom lagala, rada se posončim, vendar na soncu ne zdržim predolgo, ker mi postane neznosno vroče, zato se raje umaknem v senco.
    Upam, da prihaja čas, ko bodo tudi mediji začeli bolj govoriti o tem, da sončenje ni zdravo; da bodo začeli ''hvalisati'' belo, aristokratsko polt. In upam, da bo to tudi trenutek, ko bom v Sloveniji na voljo imela več znamk, ki bodo ponujale svetle odtenke.

    Upam, da sem sploh kaj napisala haha malo sem se zapletla.
    Super objava in še enkrat hvala. :)

    LP, Valerija

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    1. Ni za kaj, Valerija :) Res me čudi, da se ljudem sploh da obešat na take stvari. Meni je to znak, da človek nima dovolj dela v življenju in se potem ukvarja z malenkostmi, ter prikritim žaljenjem drugih. Ta je itak cvetka, da "ni dobro če si bel". A res? Si doktoriral iz tega kateri odtenek kože kaj pomeni? Zanimivo. Pa ja, to imaš prav, predvsem starejši so taki, ki mislijo, da vejo vse. Zdaj ko sem brala o Afroditini Marmeladi me je zelo zmotilo, ko so rekli, da je ne bodo prodajali v severne države (kot so Avstrija), ker tam ni sredozemskih polti. A mi jo pa imamo? Ker večina ljudi se mi zdi kar se tiče polti čisto podobna Avstrijcem. Butasta izjava.

      To, da ni pudrov pri nas je pa itak katastrofa. Zdaj so mi še Manhattan vzeli :/ Tvoj komentar je pa odličen :)

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  5. Krasna objava! <3 Všeč so mi tudi izdelki, ki si jih izbrala. Dejansko ima DM (Sundance) par res dobrih sončnih krem.

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    1. Hvala <3 Res je, Sun Dance ima dobre stvari. Zanimivo nikoli ne kupim Lavazon (Müller), pa imajo skoraj enake stvari. Enkrat bom raziskala tudi tisto znamko.

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