Malibu Barbie

She’s been inspiring girls since 1971 to have a golden tan (her and her little bottle of tanning lotion).

(Image courtesy of fashioneditoratlarge.blogspot.com) And as a former tanning bed girl (my high school prom photo is all you need for proof), I can tell you that it does feel oh so good to be not so pasty.  However, now that I’m old and wiser and wrinklier, I have found a new love…spray tanning. Yes, you may smell funky.  Yes, it may leave you looking a little Michael Jackson-esk after it starts to wash off.  But the perks are wonderful.

(Image courtesy of cathyphillipsfashion.blogspot.com) Remember this scene from Bride Wars?  Yup, it was a Ross moment in the spray tan booth.  Hopefully my pastiness won’t be oranginess…

As I am looking forward to dressing up in a few nights for this formal I’ve been discussing, I have considered wearing a backless dress.  And that just does not look good with pastiness. Which lead me to the spray tan decision.  It’s quick (think about 15 minutes tops for in and out) and won’t cause my crows feet to deepen.  I’m sure that inhaling these ingredients and having my skin absorb these strange chemicals could potentially be just as bad for me in the long run, but since we’re talking about doing this a few times a year, maybe less, I think I’ll risk it. Am I recommending spray tanning for you?  No.  But I do love feeling like a bronze beauty in the middle of winter in the Midwest.  For a few days anyway. All this tanned skin talk, did you know?  Women in the Victorian era used lead-based cosmetics and arsenic to whiten their skin.  Hm, cancer causing, I think yes.