Looking for an eco-friendly way to care for your swimwear? It’s summertime, and one of my absolute favorite things to do during the summer is throw on a suit and cover up and head to the beach, soak up the earth's energy, take a dip  in the salty water and bask in vitamin D. I’ve always loved being active in the water - in my 20’s I was a collegiate swimmer and water polo player - and I think summertime is the best time to go outside, be active, get sweaty, and dive into the ocean and wash my system clean. 

I love a dip in the ocean for fun, but I also think it’s so important to spend time in salt water because it’s so healing. Water is SO amazing for the body - it is cleansing, relaxing, moisturizing, and hydrating. Soaking up salt water can clear up your skin, boost your immune system, detoxify your digestive system, and even aid muscle pain, respiratory issues, and liver and kidney problems. Best of all, the ocean is a natural anxiety reliever and mood booster - the magnesium in the salt water is calming, the sea air boosts serotonin levels, and just listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore is SO relaxing and therapeutic. I think salt water is so important for cleansing and detoxifying the body - which is why magnesium salt baths are one of the detox rituals in my  Taller, Slimmer, Younger program. 

Summer is also the perfect time to get outside and really soak up vitamin D. Vitamin D is not only important for regulating calcium, which keeps our bones strong and healthy, but it  boosts immunity, which is especially important during this global pandemic. 

So, if you’re like me and you love the benefits of the ocean, or if you like to dip in the pool, soak in the hot tub, or visit the lakes, you must spend a lot of your summer in a bathing suit. I want to share with you my ritual for keeping my bathing suits sparkling clean, and safe from sunscreen stains, pool chemicals, and bright sunlight. I use a simple 4-step process from The Laundress, my favorite, non-toxic and eco-friendly laundry and fabric care brand. 

• Pretreat Stains
  I take the fabulous  Wash & Stain Bar from The Laundress, run warm water over the bar to get it wet and soapy, then work it into the fabric to target any stains from sun lotion causing discoloration.
  
  
• Handwash
  First, I make a little warm bath for my bathing suit and add a capful or two of The Laundress’s  Sport Detergent, making the water sudsy and ready to clean. Then, I throw in my suit, making sure it’s totally soaked and soapy. I leave my suit to soak up the goodness - 30 mins is just fine! 
  

• Rinse
  Next, I hold my suit under the faucet to rinse out the bubbles, being careful not to ring or twist the swimsuit

• Dry
  Finally, I lay my suit out on a flat surface to air dry - I try not to throw my suits in a machine dryer, or even lay them out to try in direct sunlight because intense heat can be detrimental to the fabric and elasticity not to mention fade the colors.

OR if I’ve used my bathing suit in the pool with chlorine I will place my suit in The Laundress mesh bags, use their amazing Sport Detergent and place in the washing machine, but will lay them flat to air dry too!

All ready for another fabulous day in the sun and salt - so grateful to live in California!

Use code LAUREN25 for 25% off Laundress products.