Premax Performance Skincare Weather Defence Facial Cream

As the name suggests, Weather Defence Facial Cream from Australian brand Premax is an exercise-specific cream designed to protect your face against harsh and testing climate conditions. It is made from natural ingredients to keep skin protected and moisturised and it really works – though it isn't the cheapest option on the shelf.

As a cyclist who gets out on the bike whatever the weather, I was excited to test out the Premax cream to see if it could help me grin and bear the worst of the British weather. The 50ml posh blue tube with its silver writing looks premium, and the "Made in Australia" label made me think that if anyone can create a cream to protect against the elements, the Australians have probably got to be the experts.

Aloe Vera Leaf Extract, Rose Hip Fruit Oil and Lavender Oil are just a few of the natural ingredients within the cream. It's white, with a light fresh smell, and a little bit of an oily feel to it.

A little goes a long way – just a small fingertip blob of the cream is enough to cover the whole face, or just use the tiniest dab for sensitive areas such as under the nose, lips and eyelids. It rubs around the face easily enough and I felt no irritation.

I found it created a definite barrier to bad weather, with almost a numbing effect against wind and rain. And it keeps on working, even hours later you can feel that it is still on the skin, and I had no issues with chapped lips or a sore nose while using the product. Following a four-hour hard ride in the rain, I could finally feel it come off my face when showering and using soap to remove it. It does feel like it has to be washed off with soap, so it's not a placebo effect, there's a definite barrier there.

At just 56g, the small tube would be easily packable into your bikepacking kit for a multi-day tour. I would have thought you wouldn't need to reapply until the next day, unless it was properly belting it down. For me, I found rides of several hours in rain became more bearable, knowing I had an extra layer of protection on my skin.

> Essential wet weather cycle clothing and gear – find the best ways to beat bad weather on the bike

As it's "exercise specific", you can obviously use it for more than just cycling; I can see that it would have a great benefit out on miserable weather walks or runs, if you are into that kind of thing.

Compared with other creams that claim to be good against bad weather conditions, there is no doubting that the Premax cream is expensive. The obvious competition is Vaseline, at around £1.50 for 50ml from supermarkets. However I find Vaseline a much greasier, more unpleasant product to use, and it doesn't rub in as well as the Premax. I also find it doesn't last anywhere near as long in the rain.

Weleda Cold Face cream (around £6 online) also claims to form a protective barrier against harsh conditions and lists beeswax as one of the natural ingredients. This hasn't been tested on road.cc but has received good internet reviews, although it isn't listed as exercise specific.

> 5 ways to protect your skin from the sun while cycling

In summary, I really liked the Premax Facial Weather Defence cream. The tube looks nice, and I would be chuffed to receive or give it as a present. It's easy to apply and use, and a little goes a long way. It forms a genuine barrier against rain, wind and the British Weather that is definitely not a placebo effect, judging by the fact that it really needs a few washes with soap to remove it. The natural ingredients are a plus as well. The only drawback is the premium price, as it is expensive for a small tube.

Verdict

Premium exercise-specific facial cream that forms a definite barrier against the British weather