Gransnet forums

Style & beauty

Pale skin

(26 Posts)
junie1 Fri 02-Feb-24 14:38:53

Hi
I have pale skin, uneven skin tone and a few age spots, I am so fed up of looking so pale, it makes me look ill.
Can anyone suggest anything please.
Many thanks
Junie

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 02-Feb-24 14:49:59

I have pale skin too. It doesn’t bother me but if I didn’t wear eye makeup I would look totally washed out so I use it every day. I don’t like foundation but wear a tinted sunscreen every day, which is lighter than tinted moisturiser but does even the skin colour and, most importantly, protect against sun damage. I also use a little concealer here and there as necessary, especially under eyes. I don’t normally use blusher but that’s something else you could try. A little goes a long way.

junie1 Fri 02-Feb-24 15:36:49

Thanks so much

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 02-Feb-24 15:37:57

Have fun experimenting!

Georgesgran Fri 02-Feb-24 16:06:49

My skin isn’t very pale, but it’s make up every day for me, otherwise I look like death warmed up!

Starof1972 Fri 02-Feb-24 16:11:36

I second the use of a tinted sunscreen - as Germanshepherdsmum says it does even the skin tone. The one I use is LR Posay but I also find I need to use a little concealer to cover age spots. I'm still looking for a good under eye concealer if anyone has a recommendation. Sometimes my husband has to apply my makeup so foolproof stuff is needed wink

Chocolatelovinggran Fri 02-Feb-24 16:18:34

Blusher and eye make up are the pale girl's friends.

junie1 Fri 02-Feb-24 17:19:10

Thanks so much

junie1 Fri 02-Feb-24 17:20:38

Will look at the lr posay
Thanks for your help

CanadianGran Fri 02-Feb-24 17:39:44

I second tinted sunscreen and concealer. There are plenty of choices out there. Just ask for some help at your local pharmacy beauty counter.

Also a good facial moisturizer and a mask once in a while. I have a Caudalie Brightening Glycolic mask I try to use once a week. It's on the expensive side, but was part of a gift for me.

M0nica Fri 02-Feb-24 17:43:19

Pale pasty skin. I wear blusher - as I have since I was about 20. I was so fed up with being sent for blood tests whenever i saw a doctor, incase I had anaemia (I didn't) or constantly being asked if I felt alright because I was so pale.

I also have my eyebrows tinted and shaped to match my hair and wear mascara.

Esmay Fri 02-Feb-24 17:45:29

My skin is naturally very pale .

I start off with sun block .
Then , a foundation .
At the moment , it's
Lisa Armstrong from Avon , which is not available anymore .
Their own make is OK though not as light . I like Lancome .
Then , with a big brush I load up with some bronzing powder , flicking off the excess on the back of my hand .
Finally , some pale pink or peach powder blusher and always get rid of the excess on the back of your hand .

Eye makeup helps .
I like the smokey look .
I use a cotton bud to apply some eyeshadow .
A sweep or two of mascara .
Don't forget your eyebrows.
I'm using Avon semi permanent eyebrow tint .
Benefit is my favourite .
And lipstick is essential .
I quite like Clinique , but other makes are fine .
I'll use a mixture if the colour isn't right .

I always let my make up "calm down " before going out .
I'll put it on and then check some x 20 /30 minutes later and tissue off any excess if I think that it's not quite right .
I've done this ever since I've worn make up .

junie1 Fri 02-Feb-24 19:21:19

Thank you all so much, great tips and advice, off to try some of them

Thanks again
X

hollysteers Fri 02-Feb-24 20:28:09

There are moisturisers which contain a gradual tan, so using them every day can build up more colour without a sudden shock.

Musicgirl Fri 02-Feb-24 21:06:30

I have extremely fair skin. I have never tanned in my life and have to be very careful not to burn in the summer. I have managed to get sunstroke in Birmingham in the past. I find pastel colours completely wash me out and black is very draining. Grey gives me the wonderful six feet under look. I wear a lot of gold, red, and pink. I also like brown, most greens burnt orange. I am sparing with blue and generally find cream better than white. These colours do not mean that I am any less pale but mitigate it to some extent and also make me feel better in myself.

Callistemon21 Fri 02-Feb-24 21:12:47

I found a Clarins moisturiser got rid of age spots but it's very expensive so haven't bought it for a while.
Nivea facial sun cream in the summer is good (or all year round in fact).

Clinique blusher works wonders too!

junie1 Fri 02-Feb-24 21:33:11

Thank you all so much
X

M0nica Sat 03-Feb-24 09:47:40

Musicgirl we must have identical colouring because, except for being able to wear grey, the colours that flatter - and do not flatter me - are exactly the same. I am currently wearing a burnt orange sweater over dark brown cords.

I actuaally tan easily and well, but don't because in my early 20s, being out in the sun first brought me out in really nasty cold blisters and later these were replaced by migraine. So I have always avoided it. I am also not a lier around in the sun seaside holiday person. I would ratherbe out and about somewhere cool.

Freya5 Sat 03-Feb-24 10:04:06

My pale skin has bothered other people, are you ill, but not me. I'm happy with it and my still natural strawberry blond hair. Can enhance it with careful makeup, if I can be bothered, usually just moisturise, bit of mascara, but never to hide it.

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 03-Feb-24 10:09:42

I agree Freya, don’t hide your skin. I hate seeing a facefull of foundation rather than natural skin with a bit of concealer where necessary.

M0nica Sat 03-Feb-24 19:48:17

I have always used a touch of blusher, but otherwise go fairly easy on make up and other cosmetics.

However, if I was feeling a bit under the weather, not too ill to go to work, but conscious I might not see a full day at work out, I would leave the blusher off, knowing that someone would notice how pale I was nd ask if I was unwell.

Given however pale I am naturally, I go even paler when I am ill, by the time, say after lunch, I went to may manager to apologise and say I was feeling ill and would like to go home, they took one look at me and immediately agreed - and even asked if I was safe to go home alone!

Callistemon21 Sat 03-Feb-24 20:00:21

A tinted moisturiser or mis a drop or two of founsation with moisturiser works wonders.

Without blusher I looked "like death warmed up" rather than pale and interesting.

TurtleDove Sat 03-Feb-24 20:04:27

Garnier do a leave on moisturising lotion that has added instant tan. You can get it in fair, medium or dark. It is very cheap, under £10 for a large plastic bottle and I use it once a week after showering, it does fade away if you stop using it but the more you apply it the darker the tan will be so you can control the darkness. If you don't want to go too dark just use it once or twice and then go back to your normal moisturising body and face cream. Even our 53 year old son uses it as he hates sunbathing to get a tan. It is not like the normal self tanning lotions, this is also a moisturising lotion in a large plastic bottle. Amazon sell it.

I think if you are naturally pale then one or two applications will be enough for you.

GARNIER SUMMER BODY
Gradual Tanning Moisturiser

Marydoll Sat 03-Feb-24 20:08:03

Slightly off piste: I have extremely pale skin with fading red hair and was waiting with a neighbour for an ambulance after she experienced chest pains. My neighbour was permanently fake tanned and when the paramedics arrived they thought I was the patient, because I was so pale.

Farzanah Sat 03-Feb-24 20:46:35

I’ve pale skin with mousy/ginger hair, and if I wear makeup look like I’m in the undertakers viewing room. 😱
Less is more when you are older imo.