What Light Girls Can Teach Us About Beauty

Yes, women of color tan, too! We already know how harmful UV rays can be to the skin. Not only can sun exposure cause major signs of aging, but it can also lead to skin cancer. It's often misconceived that tanning is a "white girl thing," but actress Raven-Symoné reveals her past tanning habit in Light Girls. "When I had my own show, I used to tan three or four times a week in a tanning bed to get darker," she said.

In Hollywood, African-American actresses are faced with the challenge of being black enough. Some producers are looking to cast a woman who has all the typical black features, including dark skin. Raven began to tan in order to appear blacker.

As a beauty editor, I had my first spray tan in my 20s. Originally I thought, "This is pointless. I'm already dark." However, I have found that during the Winter months, I feel pale without my Summer glow. Something about the brown color my skin turns after a few days in the sun makes me feel more desirable (and it isn't just the vitamin D).