Sea Bath Inspired Brightening Facial

You may not know this, but I am originally from Caribbean descent. When I was six I vividly remember visiting my mother's hometown, eagerly sniffing the fresh air and looking across the coast towards the Caribbean Sea. Well, on a few occasions we trundled off to the beach for an old fashioned Sea Bath, which basically meant swimming (or playing as I couldn't quite swim yet) in the natural salty seawater.

One of the benefits was that sea salt is very good for the skin, as well as seaweed and citrus fruits which help to brighten the skin and help fade blemishes. This has since resulted in my sister going through mountains of salt and lemon slices trying to emulate this, but for those strapped for time (or lazy like me) here's my take on it:

Step 1: Cleanser
For this a cream or balm cleanser would be best. One product that I tend to forget about is the No. 7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser, but this is incredibly nourishing and makes your skin glow after using it. It comes with a muslin cloth, but I tend to use it with a flannel to help open the pores. Unfortunately I chucked out the box months ago and I can't find an ingredients list- but the thick formula does remove makeup effortlessly and is a good buy (especially with a Boots £5 off voucher).

Step 2: Salt Exfoliant
You could literally go all natural by scooping some salt into a container with some lemon juice. But I tend to use Ocean Salt Facial Scrub from Lush instead as it contains organic lime in vodka, avocado butter, coconut oil and seaweed in addition to the expected sea salt. For those with sensitive skin, this can be very abrasive, so I would encourage those to go into Lush and do a spot test before buying.
I tend to apply this like a mask around my face, so that a thick layer sits on the skin when dried.

  This lets the natural oils sink in whilst the salt detoxifies the skin. After 5 minutes splash water on your face and gently make small circular motions as the Ocean Salt dissolves off your face. I did cover my undereye area with the salt but have no intention to exfoliate there- I've found that rinsing it off after 5 minutes significantly reduces my dark circles.

Step 3: Facial Mask
Clay masks can come in handy for congested skin - I use the Origins Clear Improvement Mask as it helps to clear pores and makes them appear smaller. I got this before Christmas and have used it regularly as the charcoal mask really tightens and has helped with blackheads (sorry).

Extras

Technically, you can resume your normal skincare routine after this, but to keep with the theme, I used The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner followed by REN Hydra-calm Global Protection Day Cream. The Seaweed Toner actually feels quite soothing after the mask, otherwise I'm not really a fan. It's formulated for oily blemish-prone skin which I don't have, but it still does the job.

I've spoken about the REN Hydra-calm Global Protection Day Cream before, but this is in their sensitive range and I love this moisuriser to bits. It's a very hydrating balm and only a pea sized amount is needed for the whole face. To be honest, I have been saving this for certain occasions as this is a sample size and the 50ml bottle costs £27. This cream does contain anti-oxidants to combat UV damage and Omega 3 and 7 to act as anti-inflammatory ingredients. This shows that REN is a natural brand with quality ingredients, so you do get what you pay for.

If anyone is near a tropical location, do go for a dip in the sea as seasalt also aids circulation and boasts other health benefits. Other things to look out for are natural sulphur springs as they also improve the skin, but just reading this and sitting in my cold bedroom makes me long for summer.

Any family rituals you'd like to share?