“Have you spent your whole life in a basement?”
“I bet she sparkles in the sun like Edward Cullen.”
“You look like you’ve come straight off the set of The Walking Dead.”
Sound familiar?
As well as fighting off the haters, pale girls face an uphill beauty battle. Finding a drugstore foundation to suit your skin tone is as doomed a pursuit as that crush on Liam Hemsworth, and any attempt to fake a ‘healthy glow’ leaves you looking more like the Oros man than Gisele Bündchen.
So, what’s a melanin-challenged lady to do besides single-handedly keep the sunscreen industry in business? If it-girls Emma Stone, Lorde and Rachel McAdams are anything to go by, embracing the pale skin you’re in is totally on trend.
Tanorexia is so ‘00s. Invest in these pale girl essentials and start unapologetically rocking alabaster skin:
Bust out the BB cream
BB Creams provide light coverage without smothering your natural ‘peaches and cream’ complexion.
Save: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream in Light (R 93; Clicks)
Splurge: Diorskin Nude BB Crème in Light 001 (R 345; Red Square)
Disguise dark circles
Under-eye circles are the bane of the pale girl’s life. Bust the blue tones with a peachy concealer.
Save: LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer in Classic Ivory (R 45.95; Dis-Chem).
Splurge: Clinique All About Eyes Concealer in Light Golden (R 250; Clinique counters).
Get your glow on
Use an illuminating primer or a highlighter on the high planes of your face for an ethereal glow that accentuates your porcelain complexion.
Save: Yardley Illuminating Primer (R 99.95; Dis-Chem).
Splurge: YSL Touche Éclat Highlighter in 2 Luminous Ivory (R 510; YSL counters).
Rock the red lip
The classic red lip looks ultra-striking against fair skin. Go on, be bold!
If you’re warm-toned, give these a try:
Save: L’Oreal Infallible Le Rouge in Red Fatale (R 184.95; Red Square).
Splurge: Chanel Rouge Coco in Gabrielle (R 505; Chanel counters).
If you’re cool-toned, these are your best buys:
Save: Maybelline Color Sensational in 547 Pleasure Me Red (R 119; Dis-Chem).
Splurge: MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo (R 185; MAC stores).
Boost your brows
Embrace the striking contrast of dark brows against pale skin by adding extra definition.
Save: Eylure Brow Crayon, available in Dark Brown, Mid Brown and Blonde (R 124.95; Dis-Chem).
Splurge: Billion Dollar Brows Universal Brow Pencil (R 269; Stuttafords).
BB Beauties, are you embracing pale skin or is self-tanner your go-to product this season?
Let us know below.