Southampton - Now that this spring's monsoons seem to be finally behind us and the sun has come out at last, we can turn our attention from protecting ourselves from the relentless wet with raincoats and umbrellas to protecting ourselves from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Conventional sunscreens can contain ingredients that can be irritating to sensitive skin, and some are suspected carcinogens. Sunscreen manufacturers are also under fire for over-selling their products' effectiveness. An SPF above 30, we are now told, is a myth. But there are plenty of products available for those green-minded souls in search of plant-based, natural products to put on their skin.

Now that summer has finally, we hope, arrived, here's a completely non-scientific look at some natural products to protect your skin from the sun.

Keep The Sun Off Your Skin
We all know by now that overexposure to the sun causes damage from ultraviolet rays that can lead to skin cancer (they cause wrinkles, too). That's why we need to avoid getting sunburned. Even tanning isn't considered safe anymore. Is nothing sacred? But in the Hamptons in summer, we want to enjoy the sunshine (now that we've finally got some).

The effects of the sun can cause serious skin damage.

 • One really obvious way to avoid getting sunburned is to stay out of the sun. Set up an umbrella when you head to the beach, sit on the deck or patio or work in your garden. Or you can fake a tan with a bronzing powder or self-tanning cream or lotion - they won't turn you orange anymore like they did in the old days.

 • You might want to try out some UV-protective clothing, too. The SCALA Collezione has a line of comfortable, colorful UV-protective hats that are perfect for outdoor activities. A search online will turn up lots of shopping sites that sell these hats.

 • LL Bean offers Sunsmart clothes through their catalog, stores and Website (llbean.com). There are hats, shirts, pants, shorts and capris described as having a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) of 30 or better. Land's End has Sun.Life shorts, skorts, pants, shirts and tee-shirts, all with a UPF of 30.

 • There's also UV-protective swimwear and stretchy shirts from a variety of manufacturers.

Use hats and sunglasses as well as sunblock when out in the sun.

Protect Your Skin When You're Outdoors
The other way to protect yourself is with a lotion, spray or gel sunscreen or sunblock. Did you know there's a difference between sunblocks and sunscreens? They actually work differently. A sunblock contains a substance that scatters or reflects the ultraviolet rays away from your skin. Two of the most widely used active ingredients in sunblocks are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. They're white and opaque (remember when lifeguards used to coat their noses with pasty-white zinc oxide?).

Sunblocks used to make your skin look pretty ghostly, but new technology has made it possible to micronize the particles of sunblock to make them so tiny that you don't end up with a white film on your skin.

Sunscreens protect you by absorbing UV rays so they don't penetrate your skin. Some of the chemicals used in sunscreens are controversial - the effects of longterm use aren't really known. Conventional sunscreen products are formulated with lots of ingredients with unpronounceable names. But there are lots of "natural" products that contain plant-based oils and fragrances that are free of more questionable substances. Look for labels that say your sunscreen or sunblock is "paraben free." Paraben (short for para-hydroxybenzoate) is a preservative widely used in cosmetics that is suspected of carrying a risk of carcinogenic properties, though the scientific jury is still out.

If you enjoy activities that keep you in the sun, consider wearing UV protective clothing.

Most high-end skincare lines include a sunblock or sunscreen product. And all the big-name organic and natural companies have them, too. A visit to Second Nature in Southampton or East Hampton, Wild by Nature in Hampton Bays or the Green Earth Grocery in Riverhead will turn up a variety of lotions, creams and gels. They're available online, too, from the manufacturers or "green" websites such as ave99 or treehugger. Here are a few to check out:

 • Avalon Organics has a line of terrific moisturizing lotions. Their Lavender Moisture Plus Lotion with SPF 18 contains lavender, licorice root, turmeric, arnica and other herbals. Paraben free.

 • Kiss My Face offers SunSpray with SPF 30 that's paraben-free, fragrance free, with UVA and UVB protection, and containing no animal ingredients or artificial colors, and that was not tested on animals. They also have something called Sunswat, which is the same sunscreen with added insect repellents—lemon eucalyptus, citronella and pennyroyal.

 • From Burt's Bees you'll find chemical-free sunscreen SPF 30. It's really a sunblock (contains titanium dioxide) plus various herbal extracts and natural oils, including hemp seed oil, sunflower seed oil, calendula extract, witch hazel, goldenseal, comfrey and more.

 • Jason, known for moisturizing lotions and hair care products, makes Sunbrellas Complete Block Spray, SPF 26.

There are loads more "natural" sunscreen and sunblock products on the market. Just be sure to read the labels to see what's in them. Remember, "natural" is only a word. It's not regulated or defined by the FDA, and anyone can use it. So read up, be careful, and enjoy that heavenly Hamptons sunshine this summer.