What truly makes me feel like I'm in paradise is finding the perfect little shell whilst walking along a white sand beach. Bringing those treasures home with me are a reminder of that feeling, but it's very important that my little treasures aren't someones home! When collecting seashells and coral, I only keep open faced, broken, or empty shells (dead shells) that have been washed up to shore. You should never, ever remove a seashell from the water with any sea creature still inhabiting it, or break any corals (live shells). With that in mind, you can still find plenty of beautiful seashells! Depending on what part of the world you are visiting (or living #blessed), you can find different seashells and corals, or similar ones to other regions, but with different markings. Here's how to prep and polish your seashells and corals so they look just as bright and beautiful as when you found them.
1. Soak over night for at least three days on a row, changing the water daily // Separate your solid white seashells and coral from the colourful ones and let them soak in a mixture of 50% bleach/50% water for the first night only 2. While seashells are wet, use a soft bristle tooth brush to gently scrub any debris or sand that has not been removed with soaking 3. Remove seashells and coral from water, and allow to dry out for 48 hours 4. Once completely dry, the seashells and oral will look cloudy and matte. Apply a small drop of baby oil to your soft bristle tooth brush and polish the seashells. This will restore colour and add gloss 5. Allow the baby oil to soak in for up to 24 hours, then use a microfiber cloth to remove any excess oil if necessary.