I Don’t Use Sunscreen the way you would expect…

Dearest graceful ager.

Confession: I don't use sunscreen the way most people expect me to.

As an esthetician, that can feel like something I'm not supposed to say out loud and in my earlier days of my career, I wouldn't have.

After my last confession about how simple my skincare routine really is, a friend reached out and asked me a question I had a feeling would come up eventually ."Lisa, do you wear sunscreen?"

With the warmer Arizona days already starting to settle in, it felt like the right time to answer that honestly.

The truth is, my relationship with the sun looks a little different. I thrive in it.

It doesn't mean that I completely ignore protection or don't respect the sun, but my healthiest days start in it.

I love the morning sunlight, before the world feels busy, but that's not the only reason you will find me out in it most days.

It actually began during a time when my health felt off, especially hormonally and I was searching for ways to support my body more intentionally.

Working with my naturopathic doctor, morning sunlight was one of the simple, foundational things that was recommended to me. At first, it felt almost too easy, but the more I researched it and the more consistent I became, the more I started to notice shifts in how I felt and the better I understood why I have always been "called" be in the sun and how skin truly works.

Morning sunlight plays a powerful role in helping the body function well. When light reaches the eyes, specialized cells in the retina send signals to the brain that help regulate our internal clock. This supports healthy cortisol release for alertness and focus, helps suppress melatonin so we wake up fully and later supports deeper sleep as melatonin rises again in the evening. Morning light also encourages serotonin production, which supports mood and emotional balance.

And then there's vitamin D. Something I personally pay close attention to. When UVB rays touch the skin, the body begins producing vitamin D, which supports bone health, immune function, and overall wellness. For me, I've noticed that when my vitamin D level is around 80, my energy feels steadier, my mood feels more balanced and inflammation tends to calm down.

My routine with the sun is simple and honestly, it's become nonnegotiable for me. I aim for at least 20 minutes of morning sunlight before 10am whenever possible. During that time, I step outside with as much of my skin exposed as possible, I settle into my favorite nook without my contacts or glasses and look in the direction of the sun, allowing my eyes to fully receive that exposure. I have learned by paying attention to how my body reacts that this is when I also develop my healthiest looking tan. Not from pushing exposure, but from consistency and timing.

I also appreciate sunset light when I can, even though I'm not always as consistent with this one. Evening light helps reinforce circadian rhythm and signals the body to begin winding down. This plays a bigger role in skin health and overall wellness than many people realize.

Over time and through research, Ive learned that the skin has an incredible ability to adapt to protecting itself from burning and this is referred to as building a “solar callus."

It starts with gentle, consistent exposure, ideally in the early morning or later in the evening when the sun is less intense. From there, time in the sun can be increased gradually, allowing the skin to adapt without becoming overwhelmed.

The key is never pushing to the point of redness or burning, but instead paying attention to how your skin responds and then adjusting accordingly. I let mine get slightly pink. Over time, this kind of consistency can help the skin respond more efficiently to sunlight, reducing the need for constant, habitual sunscreen use.

This isn't about avoiding protection altogether, but about becoming more intentional with how we expose our skin to sunlight so it can build natural resilience.

That said, there are still times when protection matters, especially during longer periods of sun exposure, peak UV hours or after treatments when the skin is more vulnerable. Like most things, it's less about extremes and more about learning what your skin needs and when.

When we're working with IPL (Intensed pulse light), laser or other advanced skin therapies, sun exposure has to be approached differently. These treatments intentionally create controlled stimulation in the skin and sun exposure naturally wakes up melanocytes which are the cells responsible for producing pigment.

When melanocytes are already activated by UV exposure, the skin can become more reactive, which increases sensitivity, inflammation and the risk of unwanted pigment changes after treatment.

That's why I always recommend avoiding direct sun before and after these procedures and being more intentional with protection and sunscreen while the skin is healing. It isn't about fear, it's about supporting the skin while it's doing the work we've asked it to do.

Fall and winter are often considered ideal seasons for IPL and laser treatments. With shorter days and less intense UV exposure, it's simply easier to protect healing skin and achieve more consistent results while still respecting your skin's natural rhythm.

So graceful agers, I do still use sunscreen when it's needed, especially after treatments or when I know I'll be in the sun for extended periods of time, but honestly, most days I don't. When I do reach for it, I'm intentional about it. I choose cleaner, toxin-conscious options that align with how I approach overall health and I use them when protection truly matters rather than out of habit or fear.

My hope in sharing this isn't to tell you what to do. That's never my intention. It's to remind you that our bodies are intelligent and that your skin and your health are meant to be a conversation, not a set of rules.

There's space for sunlight and protection. For science and for intuition and for listening to your body while still honoring what your skin needs in different seasons of life.

When we learn to work with our bodies instead of against them, everything starts to feel a little more aligned

Sometimes the answers feel a little clearer when we slow down enough to notice them.

Until the next confession,

Lisa