Beach 101

Beach Tips

It’s beach season, and if you’re like me, you are probably at the beach as much as you can. A few tips for you beach bums!

•  Be careful of glass. A lot of people have a tendency to walk barefoot on the beach which is perfectly fine, but you must be careful of broken glass that is in the sand. If you do get a cut, go to a nearby life guard for band aid and alcohol wipes, do not risk a chance of an infection!
• Always wear sun block, even on a cloudy day. I know you want that tan, but trust me you can still get it with sun block on. You definitely don’t want too much sun at the beach and catch skin cancer while you’re at it. Another bad thing about too much sun is the increase of wrinkles and saggy skin, definitely not what you want. If you think there are no rays on cloudy days, you thought wrong. The sun’s rays are just as strong on a cloudy day as it is on a sunny day.
• Use a lip balm that contains a minimum of 15 spf. Your lips need protection from the sun as well because it will probably be the first to dry up. Remember to bring a chap stick with you to the beach, best if it contains a spf to keep you protected from the sun.
• Stay hydrated. You have no idea how much the sun absorbs from you. The best thing to do is bring a cooler or a little cooler bag of water. The best way to not have the sun take all that energy is to bring a spray bottle with you and spray your body to keep you cool.
• Rub your feet in the sand. The sand may be extremely hot, but it is definitely worth rubbing the soles of your feet into. Think of it as a free scrub at the beach. The more you exfoliate the sand into your skin, the more dead skin you will remove from your feet.
• Get tanned faster in the water. There’s just something about the sun and salt water that will get you tanned a lot quicker than just laying there. So if you’re pressed for time and want to get a real tan in, get in the water. Plus, it’ll keep you cool when the sun is beaming on you.
• Bring an umbrella. On the really sunny days, water and sun block just may not be enough for you. Always have a backup plan and have an umbrella with you to hide from the treacherous sun when is just too much to take in. If you’re traveling alone and an umbrella is just too much …
• Wear a hat. The hat will not only protect your face from the sun, but it will also keep your scalp from sunburns. The sun and salt water will dry out your hair so the hat will help, but remember to go home and condition right after.
• Don’t fall asleep with your sunglasses on. I don’t know about you, but I’ve done it before so try not to get those frame marks tattooed on your face. If you do choose to sleep on the beach, I suggest covering your head with a towel or shirt. This will reduce the amount of redness on your face. If you are one who gets fever blisters while absorbing too much sun, this would be a great solution for you while you have a comfortable nap.
• Have aloe vera gel handy. The last thing you want is to scratch and turn red before a day of work so always have aloe vera hand so sooth the itching and redness after a day at the beach.
• Put deodorant on the night before if you’re afraid of sweating. A day at the beach is extremely hot which will eventually lead you to sweating. If you’re afraid of sweating too much, you can pop on some deodorant the night before going to the beach so it will absorb in your skin better to reduce the sweat.
• Wear flip flops. I don’t know how many people I have seen go to the beach in sneakers. It is extremely uncomfortable and you will not remove all the sand from your sneakers. It is definitely a no no when you are coming from a friend’s car. You will only bring him back the gift of more sand which is difficult to get rid of.
• Wear waterproof makeup. If you must put on makeup before hitting up the beach, remember to put on waterproof mascara and eyeliner to last you through the day. There's even a few seal your makeup products that you can use to hold up that eyeliner.
• Do not wear makeup on your face. You should keep the face clean of makeup. You do not want to go in the water and have your makeup run all over the salt water where kids are playing. Plus, you're at the beach for a tan, makeup will only get in the way. 
• Bring snacks. This is probably my ultimate favorite! Yes I am a big fat ass and I love food. If you’re like me and you love going into the water, you will get hungry quick! It is best to prepare healthy snacks of course like cut fruits that will keep you refreshed, but it doesn’t hurt to bring a bag of chips to the beach.

Lastly a list of what you should bring to the beach: sun block, towel (one to lie on and one to wipe yourself dry if needed), flip flops, chap stick, water, hat or bandana, and optional of: umbrella, snacks, iPod, book, sunglasses, beach chair, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, band aids, and a change of clothes. If you're traveling with kids, you should probably pick up sand buckets and bottles to collect shells to keep them entertained.