Brand Comparison
Heliocare vs Hera
A head-to-head comparison of two popular K-beauty brands. Which one is right for your skin?
Our Pick
Hera
Higher editor rating (9 vs 8.9)
Heliocare
Heliocare is the Cantabria Labs sun-care brand built around Fernblock® — patented Polypodium leucotomos fern extract used both topically (in sunscreens) and as an oral capsule taken before sun exposure. The technology originated in Spanish dermatology clinics treating melasma and polymorphic light eruption (PMLE), where oral antioxidants paired with topical SPF showed measurably better outcomes than either alone. Heliocare's commercial brilliance was packaging both forms together: the daily SPF + the pre-sun oral capsule sold side-by-side. The 360° sunscreen range is the modern flagship — Mineral Tolerance Fluid for sensitive/post-procedure skin, Pigment Solution for melasma, Water Gel for oily skin. Spanish dermatologists prescribe it the way some prescribe a multivitamin — daily, year-round, cumulative.
Pros
- ✓ Fernblock® Polypodium leucotomos — the only major brand with paired topical + oral photoprotection
- ✓ clinical trials in melasma and PMLE supporting the dual-mode protection model
- ✓ 360° sunscreen range covers tinted, mineral, water-gel, and oily-skin formats
- ✓ the oral capsule alongside topical SPF is a category-defining ritual
Cons
- ✗ the oral capsule is a supplement, not a regulated drug — efficacy claims rest on Cantabria's own trials
- ✗ $45-50 mid-tier pricing for what looks superficially like other sunscreens
- ✗ Fernblock alone won't replace SPF — consumer education risk
- ✗ international distribution still skews European pharmacy
Hera
Hera is the AmorePacific-owned Korean luxury house that has produced one of the most photographed cushion compacts in beauty history (the Black Cushion) and a quietly excellent skincare lineup that doesn't get the same Sephora-front-row coverage as Sulwhasoo or Whoo. Premium pricing, Korean luxury heritage, formulations that earn their place at the top of any K-prestige routine.
