Hey natural skincare gang, do you love spending time outdoors? Me too.

We’re all fanatical about looking after our wellbeing here at Wild Rising, and we all love hiking - founder Danielle especially enjoys the stretch of the South West Coast Path from Torquay towards Teignmouth and Exmouth with the green rolling hills and perfect blue sea.

There are so many benefits to walking and being outdoors - not only can it improve your physical fitness, but being in nature can benefit your mental health too, by exposing you to natural light and helping you to feel more connected to the world. Noticing the seasons change and nature just getting on with it is really grounding. 

It’s hard not to love the outdoors when you live in Devon - we’re lucky enough to have not only the South West Coast Path on the Wild Rising HQ doorstep, but loads of countryside nearby and Dartmoor National Park too, with a huge expanse of beautiful moorland. 

But this blog post isn’t just for me to gush about how much I love all the lush walking spots in Devon, it’s about how to take care of your gorgeous skin before, during, and after your hike, in the most natural ways possible. 

 

1. Your pre-hike skincare

Before you set off on your hike, as well as plotting your route, it’s important to prepare your skin. After washing and moisturising your face as you would normally, you need to protect your gorgeous skin from the sun, even if it’s a cloudy day. 

Although some natural ingredients like coconut oil do contain a little SPF protection, it's always best to go for a certified suncream. The All Natural Sunscreen from Shade is SPF 25 and is made with just 4 ingredients - the most natural sunscreen we could find - and as an added sustainable bonus, it comes in a recyclable tin too. 

You can also protect your skin by covering it - light layers made of natural, breathable fabric like cotton and linen are my favourite for protecting those often-burned areas like shoulders, while Danielle swears by wearing a hat while hiking to shield her face from the sun. 

2. Caring for your skin during your hike

While hiking, there are a few skincare essentials that we’d recommend to pop in your bag to keep your skin feeling fresh, protected, and hydrated AF.

First up, it’s gotta be a Wild Rising Lip Balm - Danielle is never without hers! A lip balm is totally an all-day, everyday kind of essential, but it’s even more vital when dealing with the elements of the outdoors like the sun and the wind, which can really dry your lips out. 

Another area of your body that is pretty much always out in the fresh air, working hard, and sometimes being a little neglected is your hands. 

So a sumptuous natural moisturiser or balm to keep in your bag is another of my favourite hiking skincare tips. I love this Mum Hand Balm from Artio Skincare - it’s super soothing, and made by a really great small business based in Northern Ireland - they’re award-winning, dontcha know. 

If you are going down the sunscreen route, I reckon it’s a good idea to take it with you, especially if you’re going on a hike that’ll last a couple of hours or more. You’ve gotta reapply, reapply, reapply on those areas where it might rub or sweat off. 

And of course, make sure to pop a bottle of water in your bag too - it’s important to stay hydrated to keep you glowing both on the inside and the outside. 

 

3. Hike aftercare for your skin

When you return from your walk, depending on the weather and how far you’ve hiked, your skin might feel a little battered from the elements, and your muscles may be tired and aching. 

I find that getting into a warm bath with bath salts is really relaxing, and helps to ease those aches and pains. 

Here at Wild Rising we have 4 blends of bath salts, but our Hero - Eucalyptus Muscle Soak Bath Salts are just the thing after exerting yourself, with a revitalising mix of eucalyptus and lavender oil along with soothing Pink Himalayan and Epsom salts. 

I love to make it a full pamper session by adding a face mask into the mix, after washing off any sunscreen and grime, of course!

After your post-hike bath, make sure to lather your face and body with moisturising oils, paying special attention to any parts that may have been exposed to the sun and wind. 

At this point, you could also use something like this Muscle & Joint Rub from The Heavenly Herb Company. It has a warming blend of herbal extracts, which have been used to help ease pain, stiffness and inflammation for centuries.

 

And finally, put your feet up and relax - you must be exhausted after all that hiking and self-care! 

While you’re resting up, why not keep reading the Wild Rising blog with a nice cuppa - we have lots more natural skincare advice, deep-dives into beauty products, and gift guides for skincare lovers too.