Hey, sun lovers, beware of skin cancer!
When I received the news that my friend’s husband passed away, I was not really shocked. I somehow knew that one day, his sunbathing habits would take a toll on his health and, true enough, he would not escape skin cancer. 
George was a sun worshipper. Born and raised in Australia, he loved to surf and spend time with his friends in Bondi Beach. In the late ’80s, he went to the Philippines to scuba dive in Palawan, found love with a lovely Filipina and never left our shores. The Philippines became his adopted country. The beaches and the scuba-diving sites were his weekend haunts. Luckily, his wife shared his passion for scuba diving, but she did not sunbathe and always used sunscreen protection.
Temperatures are on the very high side this summer and it feels like the sun is taking some kind of revenge on us. I live on the 40th floor of a condo, have floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and I get the afternoon sun. Because I like my apartment bright, I very seldom bring down the roller shades, but this summer is different. With the scorching sun blazing through my windows, my helpers complain that they feel like they are sun- bathing daily. My black upholstered sofas are faded and now grey in some parts. I now have the shades down, and my two helpers are using sun block even inside the house as even with the shades down (they are of light material), the intense sun manages to seep through.
There are many sunscreens on the market now, but I have two particular favorites. Recently, Human Heart Nature came out with its own version of sunscreen which they call SafeBlock, a 100% natural sunscreen. As we all know, Human Heart Nature has natural plant-based products with no preservatives and other harmful chemicals. I patronize their products for those reasons added to the fact they are made in the Philippines and they use the produce of our local farmers. 
SafeBlock‘s photo-aging protection got the highest rating a sunscreen could get for photo-aging protection so it is sure to shield you from the harmful UVA rays of the sun. Its Sun Protection Factor (SPF )15 claims to block 93 percent of the sun’s UVA rays. SafeBlock also claims to be the Philippines’ first 100% natural broad spectrum, reef-friendly sunscreen with PA+++(photo-aging) rated protection. Human Heart Nature’s SafeBlock can be found in some Rustan’s Supermarket and other Human Heart Nature outlets (www.humanheartnature.com/buy) and sell for only P224.75 (50g) and P549.75 (200g).
It is the first time that I am taking oral capsules for sun protection Heliocare, the skincare line I discovered last year that has a trio of sun-screen protection. But because of my battle with melasma (skin pigmentation due to the sun), I use all three of them this summer. I will stop using the capsules when the rainy season sets in but will continue using the sun block gel and the compact. The Heliocare Ultra Oral capsules have high levels of Fernblock, a natural plant extract with proven skin-specific UV protection capabilities, boosted by Vitamins C and E and the botanically derived lutein and lycopene. I take the capsule in the morning and another one during the early afternoon when the sun is high to get antioxidant protection and help protect my skin’s immunological functions and cellular DNA. I never thought of protecting my skin from within, but my dermatologist told me that as we age, we have to protect our skin inside out. The lutein in the capsule provides ocular photo protection and the lycopene provides protection against the abnormal redness of the skin. Vitamins C and E enhance the broad-spectrum antioxidant activity and the 480mg Fernblock has a positive effect on the skin’s architecture.
Heliocare Advanced SPF 50 Gel Cream Colour is what I use as my makeup foundation, beneath my Heliocare Oil-Free SPF 50 Compact. The gel is tinted with a skintone-enhancing shade, ideal for masking uneven areas of the skintone and blemishes. The gel has phytobiological protectants —Fernblock: natural fern extract rich in polyphenols and flavonoids, combined with green tea extract which provides biological photo protection. The gel has to be reapplied every two to three hours during high sun exposure (like on the beach). 
Heliocare Advanced SPF 50 Oil-Free Compact comes in fair or light tint to suit your skintone. It is ideal for oily and normal skin, and helps to cover up redness caused by treatments such as microdermabrasion and laser hair reduction. It easily covers pigmentation and is water resistant. The Heliocare compact is suitable for lessening the effects of medication-induced photosensitivity, preventing melasma and photodermatosis. 
Sun protection is so important to combat skin cancer so be sure to always use it, most especially during these summer months when the sun is so intense and sizzling hot!
Heliocare products can be bought directly from some dermatologists or the local supplier at cell phone number 09175268890.
