The Perks and Perils of Being Tan

cheezepleeze is basically a bronzed goddess year-round. Us and our pasty elbows are trying VERY hard not to be jealous.—Sparkitors

I know my title doesn't sound as good as The Perks and Perils of Being Pale, but I just couldn't get the alliteration to work.  "The Tops and Turn-offs of Being Tan"? Nah.

Anyway, we could get into how it's great to be fair-skinned but able to tan, but the kind of "tan" I'm talking about is the kind you're born with. Here are the pros and cons of being permanently tan.

Pros:
-Well, I still have yet to figure out why tans are so yearned for by some people. I find pale skin just as lovely. But, apparently, tans are desirable, so we'll count this as a pro. Does that sounds conceited? IT IS. Just kidding, guys. But you can cross this off the list if you think so.

-You don't get sunburned easily (or maybe it's just that I wear sunblock a lot... heh).

-You don't have to buy (or consider buying) self-tanner

-Sitting in the sun? Going to tanning salons? Nah, no need!

-Pimples and such don't show up as much... well, I think so anyway!

-You look great in white or creamy colors - they contrast nicely with your skin.

Cons:
-You don't look good in all colors (I could never wear orange!)

-You can't pull off awesome hair colors like platinum blonde or blue

-This goes for any aspect of appearance really, but the grass sometimes seems greener on the other side. When I was 11, I wanted freckles more than anything! No luck there.

-You may feel a little out of place, depending on where you live. I live in a neighborhood where almost everyone is paler than me. It's cool to be unique, but it can also feel a little sad to be different.

In all honesty, I think all skin colors are beautiful. Of course they have pros and cons, but so does everything (except Dan Bergstein). So love what you got!

Great advice—but we still sort of wish we were tan. IS THAT AWFUL AND SHALLOW OF US? Are you "permanently tan"?

Related post: The Perks and Perils of Being Pale