By The Sea by Daisy Bard
I have an incredibly strong and lasting memory of going to Cornwall with my family every summer as a little girl. My parents would take us to Treyarnon Bay when the surf was at its dizzying height, and together, my younger brother and I would catch waves with our little bodyboards, often being subsumed by these miracles of nature that far surpassed our height and strength.
Later, when the water was calmer, we'd swim out as far as we could, revelling in the piercing freshness of the sea, then floating and basking in the glow of the fading summer day. If the time didn't run away with us, we'd even visit the secret lagoon where we could belly flop into the warm, shallow waters. When we got back to our house, we'd be told to shower before dinner. This is when I suddenly realise how dirty our adventures had made us because who would ever want to go on a clean adventure?
As I washed, sand would pour out of every orifice (how did it get there? I'd marvel, half admiring, half disgusted) and my skin would go from rough to smooth as the grains disappeared down the drain, requiring multiple rinses to get my body back to pre-beach condition.
I couldn't have foreseen the deja vu I experienced when I first used By the Sea Body Polish. Coming out of the container, it's pure wet sand in look and feel. (Of course it's not actual sand, it's an aromatic combination of sea salt, walnut shell powder, aloe vera leaf juice and seaweed complex extracts. But bear with me.) The coarse grains work their salty magic on your skin, as if they were straight from the sea, and you emerge a glistening mermaid, but with legs - Ariel would be jealous. Of course, this is only the first step in a regime that leaves you feeling primed, pampered and utterly refreshed.
The By the Sea range also includes a Body Wash, Body Lotion, Soap on a Rope and a Hand Cream. Mix and match for the ultimate in beachside holiday nostalgia. And if you're after the real thing, lather up and use in combination with real sand by planning your summer early and visiting one of these idyllic beachside locations without even having to get on a plane: Padstow, Cornwall. The site of my childhood summer holidays, Padstow has boomed in the last twenty years thanks to Rick Stein setting up a range of fish restaurants, bistros and businesses in the town.
Beautiful beaches such as Treyarnon Bay are a frisbees throw away. Brighton. You can't beat a pebble beach, but as Brighton residents will tell you, it's not all fish and chips by the pier. Pop down for a show at the Brighton Fringe or one of the UK's best Pride parties. St. Brelade's Bay Jersey. The island of Jersey is one of the often forgotten treasures of the British Isles, and it's only a short ferry away. It could almost be mistaken for the tropics, with palm trees, white sand, clear water and a gorgeous coastline. @dazethebard Cover image of Treyarnon Beach courtesy of Cornwall Beach Guide.
