More than skin deep…
WORDS: Tom Owen
IMAGES: HONOR ELLIOTT
When we began our partnership with Lumene this year, the company made it clear they were interested only in the authentic opinions of our athletes.
“I think the riders are happy to have a relationship with us where we’re making authentic content that feels true, as Lumene supports their skin needs through a tough racing season,” says Alexia Medlock, the company’s UK marketing manager. “We are not expecting them to be ‘influencers’, we always emphasise that they be genuine. We don’t want them to talk about product if they don’t like it.”
Lumene is a natural skincare brand, so it makes sense that they want their relationship with Le Col - Wahoo’s riders to be as natural as possible too.
Luckily, our team has been loving the Lumene experience so far.
“My favourite product is the Lumene LAHDE 24H Water gel,” explains Alice Towers. “It’s really effective when my skin is sensitive and I need to soothe it.”
While April Tacey adds, “I’ve actually really been enjoying the products and I have noticed the benefits with my skin. As it’s not so dry anymore and it’s feeling so soft.”
A pro cyclist’s perspective
But why does skincare matter to professional athletes? How does caring for the skin fit into the preparation for a major season goal? Alexia says the occasional moment of self-care is exactly what is required to help decompress.
“Having a pampering moment might build up the self-esteem and the self-confidence, so it’s good for an athlete to do that every now and then. It’s not the kind of thing you want to worry about when you are in the middle of your preparation for a race. You want to feel good about yourself in your own skin, so that you can focus on the challenge at hand.”
And of course, there is the extraordinary strain that life as a bike rider puts on your body’s largest organ. From wind to rain to beating summer sun (occasionally, in the UK, at least), the elements take a toll on our skin, making it hard to keep moisturised.
“It’s also about understanding sun damage,” says Alexia. “Just because the sun is not ‘out’, it doesn’t mean the UV rays don’t reach the layers of your skin. We encourage the riders to use some product with SPF every time they leave home.”
“When people experience skin concern it can affect their quality of life, their self-confidence.”
Building the foundation
At the start of the year, our riders filled a questionnaire so that Lumene could better understand their skin needs and concerns. From there, the brand was able to recommend the right products for each individual.
“This partnership is about supporting women in a sport that is mainly represented by men – and accompanying them in the process of understanding their skin,” Alexia explains.
The education part of the partnership has been enormously helpful for our riders, helping them to better understand their own bodies. The skin is the biggest organ of the body, and when it is damaged or under strain, that can have myriad negative effects on both mindset and physical performance.
“When people experience skin concern it can affect their quality of life, their self-confidence,” Alexia says. “We focus on how women can embrace the skin they are in by understanding it, protecting it and using the right product for it.”
The full range of Lumene products are available to buy online at Feel Unique, while their customer service team are available to answer any skin queries you might have via their Instagram Direct Messages.