As my vacation to the Jersey Shore approaches, I've been thinking about all the struggles I've had to deal with being a pale person, especially while at the beach. The sun is my enemy, but the shade is my best friend. Here are some struggles that pale people have to deal with:
1. You get sunburned no matter what.
I could wear SPF 500 and I would still get sunburned. No matter how many layers of sunscreen I put on at the beach or the pool, I still leave with a lobster-like glow. My usual day at the beach consists of me hiding under the umbrella from the sun. I love the sun and wish I could sunbathe, but the sun seems to hate me.
2. People often ask "Are you feeling sick? You look pale."
3. It's easy to tell when you blush or just exercised.
I look like I'm blushing most of the time. And when I actually am, my whole face lights up red like Rudolph's nose. Even if I do just a quick, mild exercise, my skin is red as can be.
4. Certain colors clash with your skin tone or drown you out.
Red is my favorite color. But sometimes it makes me look my pale skin look redder than it already appears to be. Red lipstick is another enemy of mine because certain shades make me look fierce, others make me resemble a clown.
5. Sometimes cameras can't distinguish you from the sunlight when taking a picture, so you end up looking like a ghost.
So basically when I try to take a selfie or any kind of picture, it's a very long process. I have to find the right lighting that doesn't make me appear to not have any facial features. You might as well call me Casper.
6. You can never find the perfect shade of make up.
Make up shopping is rather frustrating, and I will probably never be able to find a concealer that matches my exact skin color. Even my "Fair Clair" concealer still leaves my skin with a slight tint of orange/tan, making it easy to spot on my very pale face.
7. You "glow."
I'm practically my own reflector. When you're pale, you kind of just have this glow that shows up in pictures or in real life. It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just distracting to yourself and others.
8. You sometimes curse your roots (especially your Irish ones).
I'm Irish, that's for sure. I love my heritage, except for the pale skin I inherited. People usually get thrown off when they hear my very Italian last name, because of how I appear with my exceptionally pale skin.
9. People often to tell you to just go tanning or get a spray tan.
Prom season was always fun. I got the same question from friends and relatives, "Why don't you just get a spray tan?" Because, I don't want a spray tan, I'm just going to turn out orange. Plus, it's expensive. I'll take the pale skin over draining my wallet.
10. And when you actually do go tanning or get a spray tan, you most likely end up like this a little while after:
Once that tan fades away, you start to look like poor Ross here or an Oompa Loompa. That is not a risk I am willing to take.
11. You secretly like being pale, even if you don't want to admit it.
I mean despite these struggles, I've learned to embrace the paleness of my skin. I even rocked a red dress and red lipstick for prom, without a spray tan. If you're pale, you can rock it. Just remember to wear your ten layers of sunscreen!
