Irish Woman’s Take on Fake Tan: From Necessity to Choice
How cultural beauty standards shaped one woman’s view of bronzed skin.
An Irish woman reflects on her past relationship with fake tan, prompted by a healthcare worker’s concern over her paleness. This journey highlights the evolving beauty ideals and the pressures of conforming to societal norms, especially regarding skin tone.
A Vaccine and a Pale Complexion
After receiving her vaccine, the medical staff requested that the author remain seated, believing her complexion indicated possible faintness. Despite feeling fine, the woman, accustomed to her fair skin, attempted to explain. She was given water, and twenty minutes later, she was free to go. The incident echoed past health concerns regarding her lack of melanin.
The Irish Obsession with a Tan
Growing up in Ireland, Person Name found that pale skin was often linked with poor health. As a teen, she experienced concerns about her pallor from her mother. Fake tan, with its peculiar scent, became a cultural staple, replacing natural sun exposure. From age twelve, most Irish girls began using fake tan.
Initially, tan was applied before a disco, then evolved into a weekly routine. The woman recalled that the pressure was intense, and even in January, tanned ankles were a must. It was better than being seen as having an iron deficiency.
The Downside of a Bronze Glow
For the woman, fake tan was laborious, involving exfoliating, shaving, and moisturizing, followed by scrubbing to remove it. This created a feeling of obligation rather than enjoyment. She feared standing out at a junior disco with her pale legs. The popularity of tanned skin was an obsession.
“I couldn’t fathom going to a junior disco with my milk-bottle legs glowing in the dark. I wasn’t prepared to be the only one going . Being tanned was an obsession.”
—Person Name, Author
A New Perspective
A visit to the Philippines offered a new outlook. There, skin-lightening products were common, which helped Person Name understand beauty as socially constructed. Over time, she rejected tanned skin, possibly from her evolving frontal lobe. She laid down her tanning mitt and stopped worrying about her pale skin.
The woman realized that fake tan was a product designed for profit, not an actual beauty necessity. Seeing this was a form of empowerment, letting go of the need for tanning.
According to a 2023 survey, over 60% of women in Ireland use some form of self-tanning product, reflecting the continued importance of bronzed skin in the country (Example Source).
Embracing Natural Beauty
While the nurse’s concern about her paleness may have once bothered her, the woman, Person Name, embraces her natural skin tone. She finds freedom in foregoing the effort of artificial tanning. Being pale no longer defines her or causes distress.
