Skincare for climbing, hiking, surfing & winter sports

Which hand cream for climbing?

Apply cream to your hands after climbing, not right before: fresh cream makes holds slippery and makes chalk clump. After the session, wash off the chalk, dry your hands and apply a thin layer; in the evening you can use more. The solid hand cream with beeswax has five ingredients and no added fragrance; the Bergamot hand cream is vegan and scented with essential oils. For calluses and very rough areas there is the SOS pitch salve, made from olive oil, larch resin and beeswax. Do not put cream on open or torn skin; keep it clean and cover it. More: Cream before or after climbing? · Caring for calluses on your fingertips · Chalk and your skin

Skincare for hiking: what do your feet need?

Foot care for a hike starts a few days before: cut your nails straight, smooth thick edges of hard skin in moderation and apply cream to heels and the balls of your feet in the evening, for example the solid foot cream Rosemary & Sage. It is meant for evening care, not as a lubricant inside your boots. Do not apply fresh cream on the morning of the hike, because damp, softened skin rubs more. Broken-in boots, suitable socks and taping pressure points early do more against blisters than any cream. After the hike: wash, dry thoroughly and apply cream again in the evening. In detail: Foot care before and after hiking

Sunscreen in the mountains, on snow and by the water

UV radiation rises by about 10 to 12 % with every 1,000 metres of altitude, fresh snow reflects up to 80 %, and in the cold you do not feel any of it. The solid sunscreen SPF 50 works with the mineral filters zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and is tested water-resistant. “Water-resistant” means that after two 20-minute water baths at least half of the protection is still measurable. So reapply after swimming, towelling off and sweating, and go over each area several times. For your bag there is the 20 g travel size, also tinted in LIGHT SAND or blue in OCEAN BLUE. More: Sunscreen in the mountains and on snow · SPF, UVA and water resistance explained

Lips and face in cold and wind

Lips have a thin outer layer and hardly any sebaceous glands; cold, wind and sun dry them out quickly. The Lemongrass lip balm leaves a thin film of beeswax, shea butter and oils but has no SPF; for the sun there is the SPF 15 Almond & Vanilla lip balm. On snow and on the water, cover your lips as well. Overnight, a thin layer of bee salve works too; it contains essential oils of mandarin, rosemary and fir. Water-free care keeps skin supple in wind and cold, but it does not guard against frostbite: that is what a hat, a scarf and breaks somewhere warm are for. More: Cold-weather cream: water-free, but no frost protection · Care for days in the snow

Solid care in your pack

Solid creams in a tin do not leak in your rucksack. They soften in warmth, so do not leave them in the car or in direct sun. Whether they count as liquids in hand luggage depends on their consistency, not their water content; even a solid cream can be classed as creamy. The deodorant creams Sensitive, with no added fragrance, and Lemon, with bergamot and lemongrass oil, do not reduce sweating; they work on odour. After sport, wash and dry your underarms and reapply. More: Storing solid cosmetics · Cream in hand luggage · Applying cream after sport

More on the topic

Preventing chafing when running and cycling · Rowing and paddling: calluses and wet hands · Calluses from strength training · Dry skin after the swimming pool · Removing handball resin: what dissolves it, and what your skin needs