sun cream to buy or not to buy?

[sharon-o]

probably been asked loads before but.. taking into accout baggage allowance should we get it before or buy in the states. We have planned to get some shopping in on our first day (stayin in villa) so thinking about getting toiletries etc on arrival. What do you think?

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Hi Sharon,
Yes really depends on luggage space.
I think if you can take your own then do so, every time we go I say we will
buy when we get out there only to see a 'buy 1 get 1 free' offer or something similar and generally end up taking our own.

You can certainly buy quality products out there from Publix, and possibly Walmart too.
Also bear in mind cheap is not necessarily good, with the heat and everything you do want a decent product, think I would opt therefore to buy before you go.

 

[Miffy2003]

I must admit suncream was one of the (very few) things I found to be more expensive in America than over here. Maybe I was looking in the wrong places though.

I stockpile throughout the year with BOGOF offers!

 

[kristieuk]

I agree that it's really a question of weight / space - if this isn't an issue I would buy before you go - it will also mean you automatically have room and weight benefit on your return journey for all those bargains!

It really isn't a lot cheaper in the US, paricularly if you stockpile from Tesco which I find to be cheaper for sunscreen (2 x Ambre Solaire for £8 last month).

 

[disneyholic family]

actually, sunscreen tends to be expensive in the states.....that is, expensive relative to other toiletries....i'm not sure why....
so i would doubt you can save much money (as you usually can on other things)...
but if you don't have the room, i suppose you could wait....but really....how much space does a bottle of sunscreen lotion take?

the key is that you HAVE to use it....we see so many fried Brits when we're in Florida.....they're so obviously British, by the deep red color of their skin.....it's painful just to look at them....
remember that the Florida sun BURNS....and does it very quickly...

we always bring ours with us, mainly because we like the local brand much better than the american ones....in fact, i just went out to buy some for the trip.....

given that you really should put it on almost the moment you get there, perhaps it would be best to at least take some with you...

 

[paulh]

i thought it was about the same price depends where you shop
paulh

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I looked at some at Publix in March and think the price was roughly the same.
However, they had nothing like the range at say Boots or Tesco's, plus with the likes of Ambre Solaire you know you have a good product.

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

I normally take a little left over in a bottle over and buy when we hit the States - maybe because we have tended to go out of peak season we've always found it to be reasonably prices, especially places like WalMart, Walgreen, Eckerds (sadly no more ).

However, this year, because we had our mini heatwave those few weeks ago, I stocked up on Ambre Solaire's new clear spray on like Miffy in Boots' BOGOF - plus didn't cost me anything cos I had to much £ on my Boots card So now we're well stocked up both for down the beach hut here and on holiday. It's quite light and we are only taking one bottle, plus one after sun - when it runs out I will just buy my normal one over there

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

I've just seen a flaw in my plan this year A few trips back we needed some cream just for the last few days of the holiday and the only cream in my Banana Boat that I could find was in a smallish tube, so it was fine so we bought it. Each year the tube comes out and gets refilled with our cream so it fits nice and small, light in the backpack for the parks and around and about each day.

So of course, with my fabby new spray, that obviously won't go into the tube so I will probably also take the half empty bottle we've already used just for the parks so the backpack carrier (i.e. ME) doesn't have to carry too much All these decisions We've got to have a few light moments today, I think