Tan Lines Are, And Always Have Been, Summer's Best Beauty Trend
The fleeting, faded lines will never go out.
Published
Tan lines have a bad reputation. They're tied to images of bumbling tourists and awkward, out-of-place body lines. And yet, I encourage you to appreciate your tanlines for what they truly are: souvenirs from your time in the sun, pressed onto your body like seasonally temporary tattoos. They’re cheeky reminders of laying nearly naked on the sand or in the park, eyes closed beneath sunglasses that will eventually be imprinted into the memory of your tan. The point is, tan lines are fun and underratedly hot! What’s sexier than the contrast of a slash of pale across a clavicle or a phantom bikini tie stretched across a hip bone?
Obviously not all tan lines are created equal. The stark line of a sock tan can’t compare to the one across a thigh or a lower abdomen. But regardless, it’s time to embrace the appeal of the tan line. They are accessories in their own way, just like nipples.I consider tan lines to be a sign of leisure when so many of us spend our days in the frigid air conditioned interior of offices. In the way that being pale used to signify wealth because you weren’t working outside, a tan now symbolizes the same thing for the opposite reason: you have time to be outside. There’s nothing more naturally luxurious than a good tan.
Based on my FYP, I’m not the only one that’s thinking about tan lines this way. Recently I stumbled upon a video by TikTok user and makeup artist @isabellrrose showing off her sunburn tan line makeup look. Immediately, I’m obsessed. The look gives off trashy Y2K vibes in the best way, due in part to the shape of the hypothetical sunglasses and True Religion-esque necklace, but also because of what it conveys. It’s sexy and fun in a way that’s sort of sloppy . This is a girl who is too busy partying and having fun to care about not having tan lines. Extremely on brand for Brat summer!
Since seeing the first video, I’ve seen all sorts of recreations pop up, with varying shades of faux sunburn and shapes of faux accessories. The look is completely customizable based on the vibe you’re going for - I’ve seen versions that include layered necklaces, bleached brows, even a flurry of stars under the eyes. Tiktok user Janessa Latrice adapted the look for darker skin tones by using concealer instead of bronzer/blush to add contrast, while Lâm Thiên Di decided to skip the face makeup and just add some halter bikini lines for some truly inspired accessorizing. It’s an endlessly customizable look! And if bikini and sunglasses lines aren’t for you, you could even take a page out of Kim Kardashian’s book and go for an apres ski take on the look, à la her Skims campaign in November.
Skims
It’s certainly not new to want a bit of a flush — the tan line makeup look is a natural progression from the liquid blush splattered past few years. Personally, a bit of liquid blush immediately breathes life into my face. It’s the only face makeup product in my daily makeup routine. A blush makes us look healthy, active, livens you right up. So why not take the blush a step further and use it to craft some tan lines?
This trend and the embracing of tan lines in general is in direct opposition to the widely accepted belief that tan lines are unsightly, ugly disturbances of a tan. The internet is filled with articles about how to get rid of them, how to cover them, how to even them out. I rebuke this!! I’ve been getting ads about a new technical advancement in swimsuit technology that promises no tan lines. What a mess! Tan lines are a reminder of the journey, of the time you put into creating them. They’re the brushstrokes of your tan, the thing that proves it’s from the sun instead of the bottle. Even if, in this case, they are from the bottle.
I’m not totally convinced that sunglasses tan lines will become the trendy look of the summer, but tan lines and a slight tan/burn are inherently part of the summer beauty canon, and it’s time to honor them. Of course, the downside to tan lines, and to tanning at all really, is the possibility of skin cancer: it is decidedly unsexy to increase your risk of skin cancer for the sake of a tan! Now that I have a fully-formed frontal cortex and obsessively reapply sunscreen while I’m outside, my tan lines take much longer to solidify. This is why makeup enhanced tan lines are perfect: you get the look without the consequences. An extra dusting of blush or bronzer or contour is the perfect way to emphasize your budding tan lines as you build them up over the course of the summer, and even extend them into the fall to help prop up your denial about the impending winter months.