Kristen Wiig as Tanning Mom on Saturday Night Live
Patricia Krentcil is the 44 year Oompa Loompa at the centre of the whole "tanning mom" controversy in the States at the moment. Not only is she sunbed tanned to a totally ridiculous standard, she also doesn't seem like a very nice person at all. In fact she seems a bit too fond of the gargle if her speech and general carry on are anything to go by. Deluded too: “There’s somebody out there my whole life that doesn’t like me because they’re jealous, they’re fat and they’re ugly.” she said. Er yes. Samatha Brick where are you?
Anyway the serious issue here is not actually Krentcil herself, but rather the fact that it's alleged she took her five year old daughter into the tanning booth with her. Watch the clip below to get the full story.
I wouldn't even give Tanning Mom leather handbag status because she looks cheaper than that. She looks like some cheap old yoke that's pretending to be leather, bought hastily in the sales and then shoved in the back of your wardrobe because you wouldn't be caught dead with it. Sorry to be harsh, but it's true.
So while America takes the piss out of Tanning Mom with plenty of toast jokes and Ms Krentcil begins fights with everyone from Sooki to the fat ugly people that hate her, we should actually take this opportunity to have a look at ourselves. I hate sunbeds (they can cause cancer and premature ageing), their use in Ireland is completely unregulated and I talked about it at the weekend in an interview I gave to The Independent.
"Award-winning Irish beauty blogger Aisling McDermott believes this aspiration for a Hollywood tan has driven new generations of Irish women into the tanning salons.
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"Some of them don't perceive pale Irish skin as being pretty and many don't like to use spray tans because they smell horrible and can be difficult to apply. The only alternative, short of lots of foreign holidays, is sunbeds and they're using them three or four times a week."
McDermott, who runs the Beaut.ie blog, says the huge increase in the number of salons reflects the demand "and the fact that there's lots of money in tanning". She notes that low prices -- some less than 50c per minute -- are particularly appealing to cash-strapped teens.
Meanwhile, Aisling McDermott believes women who seek a tanned look can have it without recourse to sunbeds or spray tans. "Skin finishing products are great. They give you that healthy glow and they're completely safe to use. And they don't have to be very expensive either -- Rimmel do a great one.
"I hate the idea of sunbeds and the fact that once you start you feel you can't stop because you have to 'top up' your tan all the time. Is it any wonder so many new places are opening?"
Read the full article here. - it has lots of info on the sunbed industry in Ireland and the widespread use of sunbeds.
But the sad fact is that many of us know a tanorexic: someone who's addicted to sunbed tanning and the instant confidence boost they believe it brings. Do you? Or are you still addicted to sunbeds or used to be?
Tell us in the comments!
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