I’m off on a ski season to Cervinia, Italy in December, which I am so excited about that I can’t sleep at night without cuddling my new woolly hat. The fact that I can’t ski very well is clearly immaterial in my night-time fantasies of perfectly executed black runs. I am busy figuring out what gear to take with me to the mountains, so I was very pleased when the lovely people at Gear Zone sent me over some sun creams from French company Annecy to test.
The suncream:
“SPF30 High protection sun cream for sun, cold and wind, free from parabens.”
The lovely indian summer that the UK experienced for all of, ooh, five minutes, gave me the perfect chance to test the Annecy cream. Designed with tan-enhancing ingredients to give you a healthy glow whilst protecting you from harmful rays, the cream definitely stopped me burning and didn’t need many reapplications. It was a little greasy when used on the face, which is obviously the only place you’d be worried about on the slopes, but it protects so well it’s probably worth it to keep your skin safe.
The aftersun:
“Soothing after sun cream, intense freshness. Actively participates in the reparation of the hydrolipidic film of your skin and soothes immediately.”
This aftersun really does leave your skin feeling cooler and relieves the tight feeling your skin is left with after a day in the sun. The consistency isn’t too gloopy and it’s delicate enough to use on your face to relieve that attractive goggle suntan after a ski sesh. It does take a few minutes to sink in though, so not a good option if you’re in a massive hurry.
The lip balms:
“Protects, soothes and repairs chapped lips. Perfect for long exposure to sun.”
Despite being tiny, the range of ski lip balms that Annecy produce go a long way – the soothing salve is great for getting rid of dry skin after a day out in the wind, whilst the SPF30 lip cream blocks harmful rays on the slopes. They both smell amazingly of vanilla, but be warned – the high-factor cream does leave your lips an attractive bright white.
Verdict:
A great combo of simple but effective ingredients which shield your skin all day on the slopes, sporty, gender-neutral packaging and a reasonable price range (the set of three products is available from Annecy for €31.50) means the Annecy range is ideal for season pros and wobbly beginners (i.e me) alike. The eco freak inside me approves that there’s no parabens, too. Perfect kit to pack for the first few days on the mountains.
xx Sian
