The Ultimate Beauty Kit For Your Workout

If running, hiking, skiing or any outdoor fitness session is your workout of choice, protecting your skin against the elements is key. Start with a lightweight cream on clean skin to avoid blocking pores. Sunscreen is a non-negotiable whatever the time of year. MZ Skin’s Expert UV Protector SPF 50 is a lightweight formula that offers major hydrating and softening benefits so you can skip your moisturizer if you’re short on time, while Noble Panacea’s The Energist Multi-Defence Cream SPF 50 banks on 100% mineral filters that sinks in instantly.

To maintain your skin quality, it’s important to tackle all those free radicals that have been whizzing around while you exercised. In fact, dermatologists often report that they can spot an outdoor runner the moment they walk into the clinic from the poor quality of their skin. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, work to offset the free-radical damage that tricks our cells into aging. Use it on your face (Westman Atelier’s Supreme C Serum has a gel-oil texture that leaves skin soft, not greasy) and your body (U Beauty’s Resurfacing Body Compound is packed with vitamins C and E for pore-refining benefits). For an easy option, Noble Panacea’s The Brilliant Discovery Ritual is a total skincare regime in four little packets, which you can drop into your kit when you’re short of time. In cooler temperatures, you’ll also want to add a lip salve to your regimen, as lips can get dry and flaky from a lack of humidity in the air. La Mer’s The Lip Balm is a NET-A-PORTER beauty team staple, as are silk hair ties, which keep hair in place without snagging tresses when pulled back (causing breakage). Consider an SPF spray for your hair, too, to prevent color fade, dryness and damage. Sisley’s Protective Hair Fluid offers UV protection while fighting frizz and won’t leave any residue, so hair still feels soft, not crunchy.

For more meditative forms of exercise, how you scent your space is just as important as how you prep your skin before a workout. Trudon’s warm floral Joséphine Room Spray has notes of sandalwood and white musk, and will perfectly set the mood for a yoga or Pilates session. Alternatively, you could burn a scented candle, such as Loewe Home Scents’ Incense Scented Candle (it also comes as a room spray), which gives off a relaxing aromatic mix of rich woody notes and fresh citrus. Avoid any perfumes or heavily scented body lotions, as these can be too strong for a more subdued approach to exercise – and be sure to avoid strong scents afterwards, too. We love Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Super Anti-Aging Body Serum for a major post-shower hydration hit, or 111Skin’s Celestial Black Diamond Body Cream for additional toning benefits. Facial oils are also ideal after yoga, as they work to really cocoon and nourish the skin, keeping that mind-and-body connection long after you’ve finished your session – Augustinus Bader’s The Face Oil really sinks into skin quickly, so you can just apply and go. Alternatively, try mixing a few drops of U Beauty’s The Super Intensive Face Oil with your foundation for a soft-focus effect.

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