SEA BATHING

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 January 1933, Page 3

SEA BATHING

HINTS FOR WOMEN. For many of us bathing is the best part of apy seaside holiday, but unless you are a confirmed all-the-y.ear-round bather you must not expect to become a real “water baby” as soon as you arrive at the seaside fpr your annual holiday (says an English writer). It is unwise to bathe several times a day and slay in the watjsr for an hour or so at a time during the first days of your visit. Instead, J’oii should begin gradually by going in for 10 minutes at a time. Then, after a few days, when you have “settled in|o ypur stride,” <js it iypre, you may lengthen your “dip” to 20 minutes or hql'f an hour. Of ppurse, some hardy bathers can stay jn the sea for an even longer time than this; but ypu, being wise, wjll head for the beach qs soon as ypu begin to shiver or fepl pjijljy. And ypu .will be sensible enough not to try to outdo your hardier friends; for you will consider health and beauty more important to ypu thqn a reputation ior endurance. If you shiver after your dip and take some time to get warm again, you have stqypd in tljp water too long. You must be strict with yourself, and cut down t|w time of your bathe to at least five to 10 minutes less. You should glow comfortably after your rub down —not shiyer. On cool days, or if the rub dqwii idoes not Warm ypu up sufficiently, take a brisk ton-minute walk before sitting or lying pn the beach. A warm drink will help, too; but don’t Ipt it be a hot one, if you are really shivery, or you may develop pimples caused by the sudden change of temperatyre in your “innards!” The best time for bathing, except for those hard souls who battle regularly at, all seasops, is in the middle pf the morning. Digestive troubles, often very serious ones, are apt to pe caused by bathing too soon after a Jipayy meal or ip]jp,e(JiiHPly before one. For this reason, the early mornjng dip, though delightfplly refreshipg, is npt go.qd ppless a glass pf warm milk, or a cup of i?ea|ly milky tea, with a biscuit or slic.e of very thin bread and butter is taken before hand.

Unless your skin is exceptionally strong, don’t, I beg you, dry in the sun after a bathe. Only the thickest, least sensltjye skins can stand that xyi'thout getting rough, ' red and scorched. Particles of salt left, on the Sk|n act almost Jn the §ap)e way as magnifying glass and; intensify the power of the sun’s rays on the skin beneath. By all means, have a sun bath in your bathing suit, but remove gll the sea salt first by..a good rub a fresh water' spse, if p.ossijjje. Before ypur hatlie, you should ’ rujj all exposed skin—face, heck, back, arms and legs—with a protective pplA ..cream or with a mixture of equal parts of almond and oliye pils.' -This prey.ents Utlfe sea water “roughening the skin and also helps you to acquire an even, healthy coat pf tap with,opt scorching. If you prefer a cream to oils, use any gppd cold cream or make some with this recipe: Warm two ounces of spermaceti and two ounces of white wax sufficiently to make them blend easily; add two puhc.es each of aljnpnd .oil and glycerine-apd-rpgewater mixture, an ounce of almond meal, and a dessertspoonful of elderflower water. Warm all the ingredients a very little if necessary, to make them mix well. Beat thoroughly until quite creamy. Whpn you have dried after your bathe use nipre cream or the mixed almond and olive .oils. Don’t be afraid that these oils will grow unsightly hair on your limbs; vegetable oils such ,as these cannot prqnrote hair growth. Change into a dry bathing suit before y.our sun bath. And protect your' face frpm the sun by using cold cream whpn you make up. Smooth some good skin food or cold cream well into the skin round your eyes and on your eyelids' to counteract the drying effect of the sun and salt watpr after bathing. Eypn if yopr hair is naturally curly or permanently waved, wear a closely fitting cap when bathing- Salt water dries the scalp and makes the hair brittle and dull —as well as so sticky that, it capnot be arranged prettily. Get a. cap that fits very snugly to your head and xypar it right over every scrap of hair. The best caps are lined with a wide band of chamois leather, which keeps; out every trickle of sea water. You can easily wear a band of the leather on your head and put your cap on over this. If you are not already a swimpter, take every opportunity of learning to swim during your holiday, not only because you will be safer while bathing, but also because it is such marvellous exercise, is excellent for general health,' and slimming, uses up urn wanted plumpness and eases down “knotty” muscles which have been developed by strenuous games. At the same time, don’t neglect your “daily dozen” while on holiday. Swimming will not exercise quite all the muscles that you use when you do thp regular “jerks.”