Totorus

Photo credit by vintagecat

In ages past, a pale skin pointed to wealth and high rank. Only women of the upper classes could afford to keep their skin pale. They did not have to work on the land, as ordinary women who toiled in wind, rain or sun.

A pale skin was, for a long time, considered as an element of beauty. Through the ages, women have done a lot to make their skin as light as possible. If you google, you’ll find many examples of how great names from history tried to fulfill this beauty ideal. Like Poppea, wife to the Roman emperor Nero, who was reputed to only bathe in the milk of female donkeys.

In the nineteenth century, pale skin was out for a while. Everyone wanted a tan, and the more tanned, the more beautiful.

Recently, there is again a trend to have pale skin – just look at all those models on the catwalks.

Aside from the argument on whether a pale skin is really healthy or beautiful, there are some things you can do to make your skin whiter.

It goes without saying that you’ll need to stay out of the sun if you want to protect your skin. You can also get protection from clothing. Long sleeves will protect the arms. If you prefer, you can even wear (light) gloves. The face can be shielded by wearing a (straw) hat or using a parasol (if you don’t think that’s way to).

If you have to go out, it is advisable to use a sun block crème of the highest SPF (sun protection factor) you can find. You can even apply a foundation crème over the sun block, once it is absorbed in the skin. Choose a foundation that is a few shades lighter than your own skin color. Just remember that people need sunlight to produce vitamin D. Being healthy is more important that a pale skin!

Another way to make your face look whiter, is to use talcum powder. Our grandmothers used it too. Talcum can hide many failures in the skin, but the trick is to apply it so that you don’t look like a clown, who’s fallen into a pile of cornflower!

Another old fashioned home remedy is the use of oatmeal. If you rub your hands in oatmeal a couple of times a day, your hands will stay white and soft.

Milk is really a great means to make your skin paler. Also lemon is used, together with lots of water. Squeeze some lemons in water, and rinse your face (or other body parts) with it at least three times a day. Warning: don’t try again, if you see that your skin reacts with burning or itching.

As dark hair contrasts to white skin, you can think about coloring your hair. There are lots of products around, all easy to apply. Take dark brown or black, and your skin will automatically look paler. Same goes for nail polish. If you apply dark colors, your fingers pale.