WFMW: Summer Glow and A Giveaway!

I've mentioned that I'm naturally pale. In fact, the only way I can tan is if I burn first, and since I have no interest in getting skin cancer, I decided to accept my white, white, Whitey McWhiterson skin. But oh, how envious I was when I saw other people's tans in the summer. When I was a teenager, I used a self-tanner, and even though I exfoliated and rubbed it in carefully, I turned out as orange as a traffic cone.

I still thought that was better than being ghostly.

In more recent years, a Mystic tan intrigued me, but I knew I couldn’t afford to keep paying for those. And last year, I tried a moisturizer with tanning lotion mixed in. I chose the one marked fair skin, because that seemed obvious. I woke up excited to see my skin and…nothing had happened. I looked exactly the same—the same color as my off-white sheets.

I kept using it for a while, then gave up. Then this year I read a column by Amalah over at the Advice Smackdown in which she said the same thing happened to her, but she was braver than I and tried the one for medium skin tones, and it worked.

Lo and behold, the miracle of a summer glow has happened to me as well.

DO NOT ask me to post pictures. At least not tonight; I really need to repaint my toenails. Just take my word for it: I am not unnaturally dark; I just have a very light golden color. When I wear shorts and skirts, I keep looking down to admire my legs. The other good thing is that you don’t have to do anything difficult to prepare. I shave my legs, and sometimes use an exfoliating scrub, but the scrub isn’t absolutely necessary. Rub the lotion in as evenly as you can, but it won’t leave streaks like a self-tanner. If you already HAVE medium skin, I think they have a darker version as well.

Okay, I was going to tell you about the bronzer I got to add some color to my face, but I need to do it quickly so I have time to get to the giveaway!

The bronzer is Sally Hansen Natural Beauty (by Carmindy of What Not to Wear, who I adore) Sun Glow Powder bronzer. I use a large brush and go lightly over the parts of my face the sun would naturally touch, if it didn’t burn me to a crisp: my cheekbones, forehead, nose, and chin. I love it, and isn’t it pretty, with that flower?

On to the First-Ever Hairline Fracture Giveaway! I wish I had one of those bronzers to give away, but I don’t. I do, however, have several skin products for you to try!

Included in this fabulous prize package: first, a tube of Eucerin Everyday Protection body lotion with SPF 15. Did you know even your hands can get sun-damaged? Next, a smaller tube of Aveeno facial sunblock, SPF 55. Then a compact of Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation in Buff—that sounds light and non-greasy for your face in hot weather. Finally, a packet of Jergens Natural Glow Express moisturizer in Medium. It’s not the same brand I used, but I bet it will work just fine.

To enter, just leave a comment on this post before Sunday at midnight CST. I’ll choose the winner randomly and post the results on Monday. Please make sure you include an email address—either linked to your profile or in the comment itself; if I can’t contact the winner, I’ll choose someone else. Oh, and I can only ship to the US and Canada...sorry if that leaves you out. Thanks for reading and making my life so much more interesting!

For more ideas that work, go to Rocks in My Dryer.