The Pink Shoe Diaries

Adventures in Self Tanning

you know, being pale is not my natural state.

(it really shouldn't be anyone's natural state)

i look alot like my mother, and she has gorgeous olive mediterranean skin. so i too should have gorgeous, olive mediterranean skin.

but alas, my father's last name is Stewart.

and so i am white

(and freckled, eek!)

not pasty frosting white, but you know, light peach white.

i do have the propensity to get VERY tan though. if you saw me in my lifeguarding summers you would hardly recognize me now. i was dark golden tan. i was Not Pale.

i was a bronze goddess.

but that time has long since passed. and since my father and my grandfather (with their Stewarty skin!)both were diagnosed with, and eventually beat, skin cancer...i really need to be a little more careful if i am not to be scabby and scarred in my old age

(and of course, to avoid crow's feet would be nice, too)

so i am seeking alternative means of tanning. which is not to say i will not be out in the sun, because i plan on being at the beach at every possible non-working moment this summer. but i will be kicking it with my new friend SPF 15.

goodbye SPF 4. it's been grand. :-(

which brings me back to the title of this post. i am a fan of mist on tanning, and plan on getting into that once the summer rolls into full swing. for now, i would like to me lightly tan. not like certain people in my office who are suddenly deep brown even though it has been above 60 degrees maybe once in the past month, and they vehemently deny ever being near a tanning bed. riiiiiight.

i am no stranger to sunless tanning lotions. my last adventure was 4 years ago and involved some tanning foam i found in the clearance bin at CVS, and me turning this color



you would think i would be turned off them for life, but one cannot live in fear because of one, bad, orange experience.

so i did my homework: i read up on different brands and the below item won me over with it's reasonable pricing ($9.99-$12.99) and the good reviews it one from testers on many websites.



so, tonight after dinner i took the requisite exfoliating shower, and with some help from a very obliging Adam in order to get my back and shoulders, i got myelf lightly coated in this pleasant smelling lotion.... i waited for 5 minutes to get dressed as instructed....and now 30 minutes later i am already a nice light tan color. not too dark...but like i sat out in the sun for an hour or two. and somehow managed not to freckle. (that's the best part!)

according to the directions, i am to apply daily until my "desired color" is achieved and then i am only to apply once or twice a week from there on.

i will keep you all abreast of my bronzing status. for now, i upgrade myself from Pale Person to Golden Girl.