NATASHA EXELBY, FORMER REPORTER AND TV PRESENTER GOT THE SHOCK OF HER LIFE WHEN SHE WAS TOLD AT JUST 19, IF SHE HAD OF WAITED 6 MONTHS LONGER, SHE WOULDN'T HAVE SEEN HER NEXT BIRTHDAY.
"I was 19 and naïve. I had a mole on my left foot. I didn’t think much of it because I’m covered in them. Growing up on a farm in Queensland, my moles are my backstory, and my freckles are the supporting cast. But the tale behind the mole on my left foot could have ended very differently.
After months of nagging, my mother forced me to see a skin specialist. I will never forget the look on the doctor’s face when he saw my left foot. He took the biopsy … Two days later I was told it was a melanoma and 4 days later I was in hospital for an operation performed by a plastic surgeon to remove the cancerous cells and reconstruct my foot.
They told if I’d come in 6 months later, I wouldn’t have seen my next birthday. Melanoma’s move faster than Usain bolt. And take it from me, if you think skin cancer is less serious than any other cancer, you’re about as sharp as a marble.
From then on, I’ve never left the house without wearing sunscreen. In 2012, when SPF 50 formulations hit Australian shelves, it was bigger than the Beatles. But it also felt like you were slathering yourself in pancake batter. Often the white cast was so strong I felt like I was reflecting traffic and while the label said ‘SP50’ I was basically applying a cheap moisturiser with a 50/50 chance of turning medium rare.
Still, while many suncare producers were freestyling the facts, I accepted it. The choice between looking like a glazed donut or losing my life was a pretty simple choice.
Fast forward to 2018. I was referred to Doctor Natasha Cook. I originally went there for cosmetic purposes – pigmentation and open pores. After years of sun damage - despite using the alleged “Gold Standard,” my face looked like a human cappuccino.
Through laser and drNC’s skincare regime, I began operating at dangerously high levels of attractiveness. (This might be a good time to inform you that sarcasm is my love language). But drNC’s products are no joke.
When drNC brought out the CC+ SPF 30 cream, I was positively giddy! Supreme coverage - aesthetically and medically. I had no business looking that good! But I owned it and have been using it for years. As a reporter and TV Presenter, I’ve spent thousands of hours under the blistering Aussie sun – which is pretty much like one big solarium compared to the UV radiation in the rest of the world. But courtesy of several coats of CC+ my skin had diplomatic immunity.
But a genius is rarely satisfied. So, when Dr NC told me she’d been working on a ‘genuine’ SPF 50 face and full body sunscreen for decades, I was hardly surprised. Nor was I surprised when she said she wouldn’t be putting it in a bottle until it was perfect. Most people’s ‘perfect’ means 100%. Dr NC’s quest for perfection means KPI’s must exceed 200%. I love the woman but trying to keep up with her brain is like jogging beside a Formula 1 car!
And then it happened! The Einstein of skin care finally cracked the perfect formula! Knowing my skin history, Dr NC asked me to test drive the SheerShield. I knew it would be good. I knew it would be great. Nothing she puts her name on isn’t. But this gear is NEXT LEVEL. It’s like science meets black magic. It feels like skincare - elegant and invisible - and actually does its job. For the first time EVER, I’m able to wear sunscreen that doesn’t feel like its wearing me!
And gents if you’re reading this, you need to get on board too. Chicks might dig scars, but while you think basking in the sun just gives you a glow, you’re actually dousing yourself in napalm laced confetti!
SheerShield and I are now in a very serious relationship. The future looks bright – just like my skin! SheerShield is the Kevin Costner to my Whitney Houston. It’s the ultimate Bodyguard.
So dearest SheerShield, I will always love you … and unlike Kevin and Whitney - you and I are NEVER breaking up!".
-Natasha Exelby
Corporate and Government Relations Specialist
Former Reporter and TV Presenter
