Im super pale, almost ghostly white, however Im terrified to tan because of the long term effects, so Ive started trying to find a good self tanner... Or Im wondering if there is a sunscree/sunblock I dont know about, that will allow natural tanning without the harmful effects... So if anyone knows of a good self tanner for the ghostly white, and self tanner tips are good too!!! Thanks!

I too am extremely pale, I'm glad to hear that you're not exposing yourself to the harmful effects of UV radiation through natural sunlight or artificial tanning. Unfortunately, there isn't a "safe" lotion to apply that will simultaneously protect your skin and allow you to tan. UV light prompts melanin production, which produces a darker skin tone. It's also the driving influence behind cellular mutations of DNA, which can lead to certain types of skin cancer.

When I was in highschool, I tried several different self tanners for formal events, but always managed to look a bit streaky and orange. I have friends who use the "spray-on"/sunless tans in which you're sprayed in a shower-like chamber with coloring or chemicals which interact with your skin over a few hours. It may be an option that you can look into, it's offered as a service at many tanning salons. They seem to look a little more natural than products you can get a drug store, but it still looks a little bit off to me.

I've just come to terms with my ghostly skin, I figure I'd be in vogue during Victorian times. :)

don't mean to steal your thunder but i'm also looking for a sunless tan lotion...

prom's coming up in a month and i've got a farmer's tan from being out in the sun so much.

my dress is strapless so it'll be really obvious if i don't do something about it soon! :O

my legs are pretty pasty due to the fact that they're been covered all winter, so a few weeks ago i bought Jergen's natural glow body lotion.  it does give a nice healthy glow, but isnt super super dark, so it looks pretty natural.  i'd definetly give it a try, even my friends have noticed a difference on me.

 http://www.care2.com/greenliving/sunless-tanning-lotions.html

 Also a thread on another forum I'm on about someone who tried it, with pictured results.

http://chatter.thebeautybottle.com/showthread.php?t=1537&highlight=tea+glow

 

This might interest you if you want a really easy at home recipe for some subtle color. I haven't tried it, I like being pale, but it seemed to work well from the other posts. 

I used the CVS knockoff of a Johnson & Johnson self-tanning lotion that got good reviews on Epinions, and it worked really well for darkening me just slightly and evening things out. Just make sure you wash your hands well afterwards or you get toffee-colored finger-webs. It's called CVS Essential Glow Daily Moisturizer. It was very subtle, but that's what I wanted because it's harder to screw up.

i use olay touch of sun (or something to that affect) because its more of a lotion than a tanner, which means its not so drastic until you use it often.

i'm such a weirdo and when i first bought it i only applied it to the right side of my tummy to see if it actually works, and it does. i'm pasty white too.

i also use jergen's (i use the firming kind) and it's helped me get a nice healthy glow.  it smells great, along with working well.  and ditto to making sure you wash your hands afterwards and dab areas such as the knees, ankles, elbows, and tops of feet with a tissue after applying so that it doesn't look fake.  :]

paleness is hot 

I too use Jergens brand Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer since discontinuing being in the pool 50 weeks per year. I've been paranoid about skin cancer since before I joined swim team and learned to swim Freshman year of HS. Back then I wore spf 75 til it started to burn me, then I switched to spf 60-65... everyone would joke that my spf 75 would not only block UV but also remove thier current tan.... before I moved to Fresno I was deathly white, to the point of tranluscence.. you could see all my veins and sometimes even my muscles under my skin...ah how I miss it at times.

This might help: http://youtube.com/watch?v=phn1JflDkMU 

So I used the Jergens stuff, ONE TIME... and had an orange tinge to my skin... I guess Ill just lather up on the sunscreen before I got out, and touch up my tattoos througout the day with a stick and just stay pale...