Beauty Treatment: Pales in Comparison

Tanning may not be the best path to healthy-looking skin.

A study conducted at the University of St. Andrews examined the role of skin color in determining perceptions of health and beauty. Participants were asked to manipulate photographs of Caucasian faces by digitally varying skin redness, yellowness, and lightness. To achieve the healthiest appearance, the men and women—all of whom were white—enhanced skin redness, which suggests aerobic fitness and fertility, and yellowness, which is associated with consumption of carotenoids (fruits and vegetables) and a strong immune system. Finally, they decreased darkness, perhaps because melanin blocks vitamin D synthesis and raises the risk of rickets and osteomalacia. Lighter skin also signals youth.

So why is tanning so popular? "It's the yellow aspect of tanning that people find attractive," researcher Ian Stephen explains.

Easiest Tan Ever?

Fruit and vegetable consumption gives the healthiest glow, Ian Stephen suggests. But if you want to look tan without the sun, here are two quick alternatives.

1. Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream, $42 A little goes a long way. I found a marked difference in my skin color the next morning.

2. Jergens Natural Glow Healthy Complexion Daily Facial Moisturizer, $8.49 This kept my skin soft and added a natural-looking tan after about a week.