It was after I read Renegade Beauty by Nadine Artemis that I felt liberated. It is a book that completely liberated me as a woman and as a human being on Earth. It transformed the way I think about skin, beauty, and health, opening a portal that has taken me on a deep journey of healing and, in many ways, restructuring my DNA.

I used to be like most people. Even though I am Mexican and have Moorish roots, I am on the lighter side and can burn easily. So many of us are terrified of "too much sun," which can absolutely be true—sunburn is painful and damaging. Yet the lobby surrounding SPF is complex, and much of the messaging around sun exposure comes not only from the beauty industry but from an elitist idea that darker skin is somehow less sophisticated, and that aging is something to fear at all costs.

Yes, excessive sun exposure can age the skin. It can be drying, especially when paired with a diet full of processed foods, poor-quality oils and fats, and excessive refined salt. But Renegade Beauty is one of the most powerful educational tools I have ever encountered.

The sun is not an enemy. It is the source of life. It is medicine when used wisely. It is the pure, radiant energy of fire.

One of Nadine's invitations is to welcome the sun into your body every morning by exposing yourself to the first rays of daylight, ideally with as much skin exposed as possible, during the first 30 minutes of the day. I committed to this practice for about 40 days throughout the summer and into the beginning of autumn.

The shift was almost immediate.

My mood stabilized. My sleep deepened—sunlight exposure supports healthy melatonin production. My skin developed a beautiful tan, and it felt as though my genetic expression blossomed. Even my bones felt stronger, as if my entire structure was being nourished.

And this isn't some New Age invention. In the early 20th century, Switzerland had entire sun hospitals devoted to heliotherapy—daily, full-body sun exposure used as a therapeutic treatment. People sought healing for tuberculosis, chronic skin conditions, respiratory illnesses, and emotional disorders. Back then, medicine understood something profound: sunlight is powerful and deeply regenerative.

As I prepare for my journey to Spain, one of my first destinations will be Barcelona, a city where I once lived and loved deeply. There, I hope to revisit the beautiful Hospital de Sant Pau, founded in 1905, a place whose architecture itself seems to reflect a belief in beauty, light, and healing.

Coming back to heliotherapy, most of us simply don't see the sun as medicine.

I remember a moment of deep sadness while visiting the Yuba River in Northern California. It was an eye-opening experience to watch so many people covering themselves in commercial sunscreens loaded with endocrine-disrupting ingredients, barrier-clogging synthetics, and compounds designed to block UV rays—and potentially some of the benefits that come with sunlight exposure as well.

For the past year, I have also been in deep devotion to water: the rivers, the oceans, and the lymphatic system—the waterways of the human body. I have become increasingly interested in cancer prevention, vitality, and the connection between our health and the natural world. Seeing so much sunscreen wash into the waters we swim in made me question not only what we put on our bodies but also what we release into the ecosystems around us.

Of course, Nadine doesn't simply advocate for reckless sun exposure. She offers alternatives—beautiful botanical formulations designed to nourish and support the skin.

In heliotherapy, the goal is not to push your limits in the sun. The goal is to gradually build resilience and awareness. If you know you'll be exposed to intense midday sun, protection is important. But rather than immediately fearing the sun, we can slowly cultivate tolerance, learning how to work with its rhythms. There is also an app that Nadine recommends, D minder Pro, where you can add your coordiantes + your skin type and will help you find those windows of medicine.

I personally swear by two products from Living Libations: Everyone Loves the Sunshine and their Zinc Lotion. These have supported me through some intense summer adventures, including long days rafting rivers in Montana.

I apply them almost like a blessing, once before sun exposure and reapply as needed

They feel like warm, golden protection rather than a plastic film.

More recently, a friend recommended Badger, which I have been experimenting with as a lower-cost option as well.

Plants make sense to me as allies of the sun. They are literal vessels of sunlight. Through photosynthesis, they absorb solar energy and transform it into chlorophyll, minerals, antioxidants, and life-giving compounds that we later receive through food, teas, and oils.

When I use botanical oils while spending time outdoors, it feels like I am completing a circuit.

It is not just skincare.

It is Earth Care.

Nervous system care.

Soul care.

Here is what my ritual looks like now:

Wake up with no phone.
Step outside and greet the morning with Surya Namaskar.
Massage in Everyone Loves the Sunshine.
Rest in the morning light, nude when possible, for about 30 peaceful minutes. No sunglasses
Sip sun tea with plants like chamomile and pranayama
Eat sunfruits like apricots, peaches, mangos and papayas.

We are solar beings.

If you would like to learn more, you can read this incredible article by Nadine

“LET THE SUN SHINE IN: SUN-HARMONIZING SUN-CARE”

or purchase Renegade Beauty and all her sun care botanicals elixirs

or

Book a session with me to explore the connection between the sun, lymph, and dental health.

with love,

Maria