A whiter shade of pale

From time to time I see lolitas moaning about the colour of their skin. It saddens me that there are girls out there who feel their skin colour is somehow "less lolita". Apparently porcelain skin is the most "ideal" shade for lolitas, probably because you see it used a lot with dolls. In my opinion there are positive and negative points to every skin tone, and I am speaking as somebody who has this so-called ideal skin tone.

I really didn't want to have to use this picture (please ignore the snow drenched hair and I really hate how big my generous nose looks here) but I think it shows off how pale I am. Sometimes it looks even paler than this. I am a typical English girl. In fact, I am probably lighter than a lot of English girls seeing as everybody appears to be obsessed with fake tan now. I am fully aware that being pale has its downsides.

For starters, pale girls sometimes look a bit washed out if they wear pure white. I usually try to wear off-white instead which is more flattering. I remember when I was trying on wedding dresses and I kept finding beautiful dresses but in white. When I tried them on they just didn't feel right. It wasn't until I tried on this heavily detailed dress in ivory that I found the dress that I felt was made for my special day. It showed off my glowing pale skin but it didn't make me look like a ghost. Another example is taking photos in the snow. All the light bounces off the snow which only seems to enhance a paler skin tone. I always think that black lolitas look beautiful in white. Ages ago, I wanted to give shiro (all-white) lolita a go. Maybe I should give all-black a go instead.

Another colour to be careful with is pink. Pale skin tends to be more sensitive and so you can appear a bit rosy in the cheeks. Sometimes pink, especially brighter shades, can make you look very red in the face as if you are constantly blushing.

My usual way to combat my pale skin is by using make-up. I am usually fine with major make-up brands as long as I wear the very palest shade of foundation. If the palest shade is too dark, you could always try to mix the foundation with a bit of moisturiser. Keep experimenting until you think you have found your ideal shade. If you are unsure of what shade suits you, a lot of department stores offer free make-overs. They offer great tips and sometimes you get some free samples at the end.

Here in the UK we have a make-up collection called Dainty Doll-

http://www.asos.com/Beauty/A-To-Z-Of-Brands/Dainty-Doll/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=4788

It is by Jelly Pong Pong but for some reason their site no longer has this collection. The collection was designed by Nicola Roberts who is in Girls Aloud.

She has ginger hair and very pale skin. It is always interesting to see what Nicola is wearing in the magazines because it gives a bit of insight in to what works and what doesn't. I love it when she wears deep emerald green shades the most. Nicola designed this collection because she felt that there was a gap in the make-up market and she wanted shades she could wear easily. Nicola admits that she used to hide her pale skin. If you look at the early Girls Aloud years, Nicola is wearing a lot of fake tan. But now she has learned to embrace her pale skin. Good for her!

In the photo above, you may notice I am wearing a very tiny hint of blusher. Currently, my favourite shade is Dolly Pink by Bourjois. This is the shade I am wearing in the photo. It has a slight hint of shimmer and the shade is very a very girly pastel colour. I adore it! I think pastels look great with pale skin. Pale skin can get away with a lot of different colours. The main item to avoid would probably be red eye shadow which will only make you look tired. To be honest, it doesn't look much better on darker skin tones either!

Contrary to popular belief, pale skinned beauties can wear red lipstick. You just need to keep trying samples until you find your ideal shade. Lipsticks with a blue base look good (they also make your teeth look whiter) but a strong pillar box red can also look striking as well. And if you have a lipstick that you feel is too dark, you could try mixing it with some petroleum jelly or Vaseline to make a pretty lip gloss.

Well, hopefully pale skinned girls who identify with my problem will find something useful in this entry. The most important message I can send out is that this whole "perfect lolita skin tone" is a myth. I have seen some stunning Asian and black lolitas. Instead of hiding your skin away, find a way to embrace it. Pale skin is not a lolita requirement!