The Sunscreen Conundrum

Hello lovelies!

It has been positively violent here in New York what with the weather and all. If you have checked out my profile you'll see that I happen to be one of those (or am I the only one?) bizarro hot weather-worshipping, sun-loving fiends. Ahhh...heat makes me happy although I will acquiesce for the sake of you all not jumping to the conclusion that I am subhuman, these two days have been downright uncomfortable. There I said it.

On these days the penetrating sensation of sun on my skin, although a welcome change from those frigid, short days not long ago, fills me with so much anxiety it's difficult to enjoy something that ought to be invigorating. I have these horrible images popping around my head of skin cancer, dark spots, breakouts, wrinkles...oh my!

The sun has become public enemy #1, am I right?

So like all dutiful Americans that have been force-fed sunscreen since infancy, I slather on my daily moisturizer with a powerful SPF year round. As of late, however, I have been questioning this ritual that we are so ingrained to think is totally necessary for avoiding pre-mature aging or worse...

First, I know that the sun destroys cells. This is not at all debatable. I know it causes skin cancer. I know that dark spots and wrinkly, leathery skin are the results of too much exposure to Lovely Ms. Sol. But, is there a middle ground here? Is it any healthier to don protective chemicals year round? I know that there are "natural" sunscreens available and I am sure loads and loads in development. I haven't found one that I much like just yet- nor that I can tolerate the smell of. But I still question how "Natural" these natural sunscreens are.

OK I realize that this post is based entirely on gut reaction and this all begs for a bit of research (so don't worry, I will follow up once I school m'self) but take for example a "Natural" sunscreen available at Whole Foods called UV Natural. The ingredients still leave me in a pretty perplexed "huh?" state. Zinc Stearate, Iron Oxides, Capric triglercycerides...

I begin to wonder if, like all crazes come and gone, we are just a bit riled up and searching again for ways to control our environments. I read an article by a nutritionist guru out of NY, Natalie Rose, that a few hours of sunlight in the early morning is GOOD for you and to be honest, my intuition believes her.

For memorial day I was out on the North Fork with my family and lost my mind when I realized I had forgotten my moisturizer with SPF!! (For the record I use DDF Daily Protective Moisturizer). It was probably the first time in years that I had been so vulnerable to the horrors of the sun- with only my nighttime moisturizer to get me by (Bee Yummy, a totally granola concoction sans any chemicals that would raise eyebrows. But people- I SWEAR by it). I didn't sun bathe, or course, but an early walk on the beach, a lounge in a hammock under the shade, an outdoor evening dinner...I'm telling you lovelies, my skin had never looked better. It was only slightly tinted but seemed to glow a bit upon the reunion with its old friend. It felt lovely and for the first time since my childhood, I had little freckles speckled across my nose (faintly mind you!).

So ultimately I wonder if the old adage "everything in moderation" holds true- even with the all-powerful sun. After returning to NY, I have been back to my SPF routine, but I have a secret fantasy of ditching it again on my next trip. It honestly makes me feel ridiculously naughty and indulgent.

Am I just asking for trouble??? Please weigh in!

~ Olivia Villanti