Patent - It is an object of the present invention to create an improved sunscreen promoting tanning and vitamin D generation, while protecting the skin from damage. This is achieved according to the present invention by a composition suitable for providing protection against ultraviolet radiation containing one or more active ultraviolet radiation absorber through which ultraviolet radiation in approximately the 295 to 315 nanometer range is permitted to enter the skin in an amount sufficient for the body to produce a healthful and disease-opposing quantity of vitamin D.sub.3 and chemical precursors and products. Particularly, this composition may comprise one or two active ingredient that is primarily a UVA filter selected from Avobenzone or Ecamsule and one or more active ingredient that filters ultraviolet radiation in approximately the 295 to 315 nanometer range selected from Octocrylene, Oxybenzone, Octisalate, Sulisobenzone, Homosalate or Merdimate and mixtures thereof, and the weight of the total composition Avobenzone from about 1% to about 5%, Ecamsule 1% to about 10%, Octocrylene 0.5% to about 7%, Oxybenzone 0.5% to about 6%, Octisalate 0.5% to about 6%, Sulisobenzone 0.5% to about 6%, Homosalate 0.5% to about 7% or Merdimate 0.5% to about 5% and mixtures thereof. One surprising discovery of the current invention is that from a standpoint of protection from UVB radiation, the pre-vitamin D3 absorbance range (i.e. 295 to 315 nm) has a safety advantage over other ranges of UV radiation absorption precisely because of the absorbance by pre-vitamin D3. As such, pre-vitamin D3 can be viewed as not only a chemical with important biological functions but also as a UV filter itself, protecting other biochemicals in its absorbance range. One critical and distinguishing feature of the current invention in regard to the prior art is that others, who are skilled in the art of sunscreen formulation, have consistently over many years recommended overlapping, broad-spectrum active ingredients that effectively filter out radiation in the pre-vitamin D3 absorbance range. Urocanic acid acts as a natural, endogenous sunscreen or photoprotectant against UVB-induced DNA damage in humans. Urocanic acid is found predominantly in the stratum corneum of the skin. When exposed to UVB irradiation, naturally occurring trans-urocanic acid is converted to the cis isomer, which is known to activate suppressor T cells. The absorbance spectrum of trans-urocanic acid is high in the 260 to 295 range, and moderate in the 295 to 315 nm range. The basic discovery of the current invention is that from a standpoint of protection from UVB radiation, Avobenzone's ability to absorb radiation in the 290 to 315 nm range actually increases over time. Since avobenzone is a preferred ingredient, this means that as the sunscreen user spends more time under the sun (i.e. after sufficient vitamin D production has occurred) Avobenzone begins providing better coverage in the 280 to 315 nm range. An unanticipated and surprising advantage of the current invention is that as the vitamin D precursor 1,25(OH)2D3 is produced by the body as a result of invention's formulation, that very 1,25(OH)2D3 protects primary human keratinocytes against UVB-induced DNA damage.