How can i get rid of my white panda eyes after a skiing holiday?

April 9, 2009 6:24 PM

How can i get rid of my white panda eyes after a skiing holiday?

After wearing sunglasses while skiing, that area remained white while the rest of my face tanned!
What can i do about this? Ideas that come to my mind are to continue tanning with a balaclava or to apply some kind of make up that will cover it up/even it out.
If anyone really needs a picture to answer my question, i can take one!

posted by freddymetz to health & fitness (9 comments total)

I had that suntan pattern for years while in undergraduate school. The only way it ever went away was to get tan without the sunglasses over the span of a month or so, as the initial panda tan faded.

Trying to even it out by blocking out the rest of your face and just tanning that area is likely to result in some weird patches and an accentuated line in the spots where you cannot precisely cover the tan line. I tried that once with a forehead tan line I got mountain climbing while wearing a bandana (yes, a bandana - it was the early 90s and we all make bad fashion decisions at some point). It was a disaster that lasted for years.
posted by The World Famous at 6:37 PM on April 9

I would put an SPF on your daily to prevent further tanning and just wait it out. Wear your sunglasses as much as possible when you are outside to conceal the peculiar tan. I saw a guy with that look today and I must admit I found it sexy in a "this guy is outdoorsy, rugged, athletic, and doesn't really care about his sunglasses tan" kind of way.

If you want to cover it in a hurry get some Revlon Colorstay makeup in a matching tone. Apply with a makeup sponge and tap, tap, tap on a small amount of makeup with the sponge until it is very well blended. I suggest Revlon Colorstay because this makeup offers good, natural coverage without fading. I wouldn't go the makeup route unless you are extremely self-conscious. I think most people won't give your tan lines a second thought.
posted by Fairchild at 6:53 PM on April 9

Continuing to wear sunglasses is going to further hurt the cause. The untanned part needs to catch up with the rest of your face (or the rest needs to fade). It's mostly a matter of time. If you do go skiing again make sure to put on a high-SPF sunblock.
posted by 6550 at 7:02 PM on April 9

Heh, in high school, some of my classmates deliberately tried to attain this look as a status symbol (i.e. they were well-off enough to go on skiing trips).

I wouldn't advise trying to even it out, though the mental image of someone tanning in a balaclava totally made my night. If you're desperate to get rid of it, try using a mild exfoliator on the tanned parts of your face to speed cell turnover. And wear sunscreen!
posted by charmcityblues at 7:15 PM on April 9

I say this everytime someone asks about undereye stuff; if you go with makeup, plop yourself down at the makeup counter and have them show you how to apply. MAC is a popular choice if you're a guy, but really, any counter should be fine.

Other than that, I'd put sunscreen on all over and wait for it to even out. My skin would have thanked me if I'd followed that advice years ago.
posted by cestmoi15 at 7:21 PM on April 9

Spend some time outside. It'll even up.
posted by JuiceBoxHero at 7:26 PM on April 9

To avoid this in the future, wear a strong sunblock during the day while you're skiing and at night before you go to bed use one of those lotions that gradually builds up a very light tan over a few days - you can get ones particularly for the face. The logic is that the sunblock stops (as far as possible) the exposed areas from getting too dark, and the lotion evens out the tone over the face.
posted by essexjan at 12:04 AM on April 10

that sounds interesting, what are these lotions called that gradually build up a light tan??
posted by freddymetz at 4:33 AM on April 10

I'll agree with the "cool, a skier/hiker/outdoorsy person who cares more about sunglasses than panda eyes" poster. I don't mind seeing it at all!

Lotions: they're called self-tanning lotions or creams. Your profile says you're in Germany, so I'll mention the Nivea Self Tan cream for the face; the most important thing is to exfoliate well with a face cloth so the cream evenly spreads on bare skin, not dry skin bits and so on. This one is particularly good (according to my sister) because it is smooth and easy to apply evenly. The smell is icky, but that goes away quickly. Otherwise, ask the cosmetics counter lady in a drugstore for suggestions on what she or her friends have tried. Personal experience is more useful than nice packaging/scent/advertising. I feel obligated to mention be very careful around your eyes, although I'm sure you've already figured that out. Good luck.
posted by variella at 9:26 AM on April 10