In the 1920s, Coco Chanel, The famous French haute couture designer spent a vacation on the French Riviera. After several days in the sun, she returned to the city with tanned skin, which was immediately noticed by the women of the European elite, who now not only imitated her style but also her tan.
This anecdote is just the tip of the iceberg of a trend that, apparently, would have imposed Chanel. For centuries, white skin was considered a symbol of prestige. For the nobility and the bourgeoisie, whiteness in women represented femininity and beauty. But, fundamentally, it was established as an element of social distinction: avoiding the sun separated them from the peasant women who worked outdoors.
When workers migrated from the countryside to factories in the 20th century, tanning ceased to be associated with rural work and became a symbol of leisure and privilege. Only those who had time for outdoor activities or could afford a vacation had tanned skin like Coco Chanel.
Only around 1950 did tanning spread to other social sectors. With the boom in tanning beds in the nineties, it was consolidated as an aspiration of the middle class. But the golden tone is not a universal ideal: in cultures such as Japanese and Chinese, white skin is a symbol of prestige and elegance. There, women do not seek the sun, rather they avoid it. In summer, it is common to see them wearing umbrellas and long sleeves or investing in lightening creams.
A healthy tan?
Today, tanning remains a powerful beauty ideal, but “healthy alternatives” are becoming increasingly popular. “In consultations, they ask about self-tanning, makeup and color protection factors,” he says. Cecilia Civalehead of the Dermatology Unit at the Piñero Hospital and president of the Argentine Association of Dermatology. “I clarify that, although they contain sun protection factor (SPF), they do not protect in the same way as sunscreens,” he adds.
Self-tanners offer the possibility of obtaining a golden tone without direct exposure. They can provide it with few applications, often visible for 24 to 48 hours. However, “it is a superficial tan and does not represent a change in melanin, the natural skin pigment that is produced when exposed to the sun,” adds Civale. In addition, they are not exempt from some drawbacks, such as the need to apply them precisely to avoid stains or their characteristic unpleasant odor.
There are also makeup techniques, which seek to simulate a tanned tone. “Nowadays, the trend is to show healthy, luminous and hydrated skin. I think it’s okay to highlight your tan or look for a little more color, but I don’t believe in pretending to have a skin color that you don’t have,” he says. Lucia Mullins, owner of Lucia Mullins Makeup and Hair Studio.
Known for her work on shows like “Having lunch with Mirtha Legrand”the makeup artist highlights that effects that seek to emulate skin color after heat stroke can transmit confusing messages or promote unhealthy images. “Sometimes I see references to the ‘heatstroke’ technique and it’s really ‘I roasted myself in the sun,’” he points out, adding that it is important “to find aesthetics but always hand in hand with health and information about the care of our body.” ”.
At the same time, myths such as that of the “solar callus” have emerged. Its followers promote sun exposure without sunscreen, arguing that the skin has the ability to develop a layer that makes it invulnerable. “It is incredible that this type of misinformation is transmitted on the networks: unprotected sun exposure is not only dangerous due to photoaging or sun spots, but because it can cause skin cancer,” warns Civale.
This anti-scientific discourse not only represents a setback against the dermatological consensus, but also reflects a growing distrust of medical institutions, a phenomenon that is also observed in the anti-vaccine movement.
More than just a fashion
Behind the obsession with tanned skin, which transcends a simple fad, lies an ideal of success and beauty deeply rooted in our modern societies. Despite the safer alternatives available today, the ideal of the “perfect tan” places us in an ambiguous position, between the saturation of information on makeup techniques and self-tanning products and the persistence of discourses that defend habits already proven to be harmful. for health.
“The industry offers several innovative and safe options, but it is important to prioritize skin health over aesthetics. A healthy tan is one that does not put the skin at risk. Fortunately, today there are ways to achieve this,” concludes Civale.
by RN
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