Reviews

Castelli Linea Pelle Skincare Combi Pack – review

Very good chamois cream but so-so embrocation and foul weather cream

Castelli aren’t known for their skincare products, but these three products each do a reasonable if not outstanding job to cover you whatever the weather, though the chamois cream is definitely the pick of the bundle.

The Linea Pelle range from Castelli is designed to help riders apply extra protection to their skin when conditions become more testing. In the combo pack on test you get all three products in the Linea Pelle range: a warming embrocation cream, a foul weather cream and a dry lube chamois cream. All three come in 100ml pump-action tubes and as a bundle cost £40, while they are also sold individually for £15 a pop.

Castelli skincare range include a chamois cream, foul weather cream and embrocation

Specification
Price: £40
Size: 100ml per product
Website: Castelli
UK distributor: Saddleback

Let’s start with the chamois cream: it’s very fine and adds moisture to your skin without leaving residual cream deposits. The packaging encourages you to use it sparingly, indicating this is a cream designed for dry weather, as does the light anti-friction film created. Ingredients include tried-and-tested tea tree oil for freshness, but there’s no real perfume to speak of. It’s fresh, light, non-greasy, yet long lasting, and does it’s job very well.

Next up is the foul weather cream. Essentially it’s a water resistant cream to be applied to the legs to provide a water repellent barrier against rain, while also providing some wind protection. On the skin it appears like a film, which has a side-effect of intensely moisturising you skin while offering its protection.

However, it isn’t an all-day solution and had already begun to wear off at the end of a 30-minute wet and wild commute, so it isn’t the hardest-wearing cream in the world. With that in mind, it’s best suited as a protective barrier at the start of the ride, but don’t expect it to do the job over the course of a five-hour outing.

The cream is non-petroleum based, which means it won’t damage clothing that it comes into contact with, and actually seconds as an intense moisturiser – I used little spots on my hands when they became particularly dry and chapped, and it works a treat. However, a word of warning: the intense nature of the gel cream does mean it’s very greasy – it’s always worth washing your hands after applying, especially on a large area.

The ‘combi pack’ bundle comes with this carry bag, but all three products are also sold separately

Finally, the warming embrocation cream. Some cyclists love this stuff, others don’t see the point. However, if you do appreciate the feeling of warm skin before you start riding, then this is an adequate solution. It’s not especially powerful – although the menthol smell certainly is – and that’s a shame considering the price, but if you’re after a gentle sensation at the beginning of a shorter chilly ride, then this is a potential solution. Again, though, cyclist looking for a long ride solution may do well to look elsewhere.

Conclusion

Overall, it’s only the dry lube chamois cream that really impresses, as the foul weather cream and embrocation are so-so, particularly given the price.