Nothing says carefree fun like making a trip to the beach. Granted, a lot of preparation goes into a vacation, but once you’ve planted yourself in a beach chair with your toes in the sand and the sun blanketing you in its warmth as you stay breezy under an umbrella, it’s a moment that makes even the most strained person relax. However, leaving the beach is a different story. The towels are covered in salt water and sand, your keys are nowhere to be found, and your hair, well at least it’s still on your head. However, with a little extra preparation and creativity, your trip back up to the room or car can be just as breezy as staring at the Atlantic.

Repurpose old plastic jars.

A large, empty peanut butter jar works great. Clean it out, tear off the label, and you’ve got a great, clear container to keep your phone, keys, and a little extra cash in. It keeps sand and water out, and just in case it ends up in the water, it floats.

Trade out your beach towel for a yoga mat.

Yoga mats are soft, water proof, and easy to carry. You’ll avoid a soaked sandy beach towel at the end of the day, and you’ll still have your towels clean and ready for what they were originally meant for – drying off.

Use extra plastic bags.

Pack a few spare plastic shopping bags in your beach bag. These are great for keeping trash in, or if your towel or t-shirt does get wet and soggy, it’s a good way to keep those items from getting your other belongings wet in your beach bag.

Douse sandy skin in baby powder

Always keep a container of baby powder in your beach bag. Sprinkle over skin, and the sand will wipe right off.

Set sunscreen reminders.

Sunscreen is the most important thing to remember when going to the beach, but if you can’t remember to reapply it to yourself or your children, it’s not going to do you any good. Before heading to the beach, set reminders on your phone to re-up on the sunscreen. The SPF and how much you plan to be in and out of the water should determine how often to reapply, but generally when using an SPF of 30 or higher, you can go about one to two hours between reapplication.

Take time to take care of your hair, before and after your beach trip.

While there are a million products out there that claim to keep hair healthy and hydrated while you’re at the beach, if you just remember to do these few things (with your favorite products), your hair will be much better off in the days following. Spray a detangler throughout your hair. (Optional: Rub coconut oil on the ends of your strands or all over if your hair is extra dry). Secure your hair by pulling it together in any way you choose. Braids work great! After your beach stay, apply a deep conditioning treatment, followed by your normal shampoo and conditioner routine.

Beach Hacks to Make Every Minute a Breeze

Health Life | May/June 2017

By Sarah Turner