What to Do After a Sea Swim: Our Favourite Post Swim Ritual

There’s nothing quite like a sea swim.

The hardest part is getting in. Then somehow, a few minutes later, you’re wondering why you ever hesitated. You get out feeling wide awake, slightly windswept and very pleased with yourself.

But once the initial buzz wears off, there’s the small matter of getting warm again.

For us, what happens after a sea swim is almost as good as the swim itself. Warm layers, something hot to drink and, when we’re heading home, a long bath.

And naturally, we add seaweed.

First things first: get warm

As lovely as that post-swim feeling is, standing around in wet swimwear isn't quite so lovely.

Dry off, get out of anything wet and layer up. A warm drink is always welcome too. Give your body a little time to warm naturally before heading for a hot bath or shower, particularly after a colder or longer swim.

There’s no rush. That's rather the point.

Give your skin some attention too

Sea water can leave skin feeling amazing, but salt, wind and cold can also leave it feeling dry or tight.

This is where we love bringing seaweed into the post-swim routine.

Naturally rich in minerals and skin loving compounds, seaweed creates a silky bathing experience that leaves the skin feeling soft, hydrated and replenished. After being out in the elements, sinking into a warm seaweed bath feels like a pretty good way to finish the day.

Seaweed bathing: the post-swim ritual

Seaweed bathing has been enjoyed around the Irish coast for generations, and perhaps it makes even more sense after you've just come out of the Atlantic.

At Orra, we use hand-harvested Irish Fucus serratus, which is carefully air dried and packed into an organic cotton bag. Once placed into warm water, the seaweed rehydrates and the bath takes on that distinctive silky feel of a traditional seaweed soak.

No spa trip required. No loose seaweed floating around your bath. Just run the water, let the seaweed steep and climb in.

Stay for a while.

Don't forget what comes after the bath

Once you've soaked, pat the skin dry rather than rubbing it and follow with our nourishing seaweed body oil while the skin is still slightly damp.

Our Seaweed-Infused Body Oil was created with exactly this kind of ritual in mind. A blend of seaweed extract and botanical oils helps lock in moisture and leaves the skin feeling soft and nourished.

Then comes the most important part: comfy clothes, something good to eat and absolutely no obligation to do anything productive.

Sea swim. Warm up. Soak. Replenish.

We love sea swimming because it's simple. It gets us outside, into the elements and, for a little while at least, out of our own heads.

The ritual afterwards can be just as simple.

Get warm. Rehydrate. Look after your skin. Slow things down.

And if there happens to be a seaweed bath waiting for you at home? Even better.

Bring the ritual home with Orra's at-home Irish Seaweed Bath and Seaweed-Infused Body Oil.