Sunblock

[nothintolose]

For those of you that are shipping sunblock down, if you don't use special stuff, I noted that sunblock at Dolphin Market on STJ was the same price and in some cases cheaper than it is in New Orleans.

Granted I was looking at the display of Hawaiian Tropic and Coppertone not things like Neutrogena or whatever.

Just a thought.

[RickG]

Chelsea Drugs is pretty reasonable too with a big selection.

Cheers, RickG

[Lulu76]

I didn't think the prices were that much higher last time I looked, but I know that the sunscreen that I'm using right now is hard to find here, so I don't know if they'd have it on St. John. I also have almost a whole can left of it and apparently you only have a year to use sunscreen. St. John is my last hurrah!

[PA Girl]

apparently you only have a year to use sunscreen. St. John is my last hurrah!

One couple in our Feb 08 group lugged down a big bag of half empty bottles. They have a pool at home and she figured STJ was as good as time as any to use up the random bottles that accumulated at their house.

They both got oddly burned (weird patterns) the first two days and then we looked at the dates on the bottles. All had expired between several months and several years earlier.

[nothintolose]

I have heard the same thing about it expiring so I don't take any chances.

The other thing that should be noted is that for it to be effective from the start, you should apply it 30 minutes before you go out in the sun.

I have made the mistake though of doing the 30 minute before thing then wearing a shirt over it in the car (where it apparently gets rubbed off) and having a bad burn. Now I bring one can of spray stuff to reapply before I get out there.

[theshopper3]

One thing I found on the Island that I feel worked really great was a sunscreen with bug stuff in it.

We don't have such a thin here in Canada & we didn't get any bites. so I will be buying it once we arrive.

The Shopper

[Lulu76]

I, too, learned the lesson about using too-old sunscreen. My friend told me that you could only use it for a year, but she had been wrong before. In addition to the smell from Coppertone that had apparently "gone bad" and no longer smelled like coconuts and sunshine, I also got burned to a crisp.

I really like the spray sunscreen. Right now I have the bullfrog for kids, and it works really well.

[PA Girl]

The Coppertone Baby stuff that is water proof is great spray sunscreen. It goes on white and then fades so you can see if the coverage is consistant. I have our little guy trained to stand still with his eyes closed (he says it tickles and gets a kick out of it) as I coat him from top to bottom.

[nothintolose]

I also like Bullfrog's stuff that is non-greasy.

The only thing I don't like about the spray stuff on my arms is that it works like mousse and makes my arm hairs stand up

[PA Girl]

The only thing I don't like about the spray stuff on my arms is that it works like mousse and makes my arm hairs stand up

Ha! you are right about that.

[Gromit]

I like the idea of the spray Banana Boat (aerosol) but I find that it's sticky and it takes up a lot of room in the suitcase relative to the amount in the can. In other words it just doesn't go as far IMHO. SO that leaves me with lotion and spray dry oil.

I also use only waterproof SPF on island. Nothing worse than sunscreen burning your eyes after getting in the water. That is the WORST!!

I usually bring a "swimming/active" sunscreen and a "lounging on the beach" sunscreen.

For the active stuff I use the Banana Boat SPF 15 waterproof. I found that with a 15 I hardly ever burn. (I'm one of these gals that's pasty white in winter but can get a deep dark tan in summer if I have the time).

I always apply sunscreen before I put my bathing suit on in the AM before leaving the house for the best coverage-- ladies I know you've all missed the area on the upper thigh at least ONCE -- OUCH! This way I'm not getting sand all over me and I can just jump right in the water when I get to the beach.

My lounging on the beach SPF fave HANDS DOWN is the Key West Aloe line. I found it when I was in Key West a couple years back and have been ordering on line ever since. Again an SPF 12-15 works great. Dark tan, never burn and really moisturizing.

I like their dry oil spray: http://www.keywestaloe.com/itemdesc.asp ... 99&eq=&Tp=

Then I also bring along some of their TOO COOL spray which is 94% aloe JUST IN CASE.

One time I forgot to put on sunscreen on a cloudy day while floating in a pool in Ft. Lauderdale and the tops of my legs burned--BADLY.

I used the Too Cool spray aloe (94%) and no lie the next day I was as close to fine as I could get. Still some pain, but not nearly as bad as it could have been.

Here's a link to Key West Aloe's Suncare page: http://www.keywestaloe.com/items.asp?Cc=004&Bc=

The other thing that I do in advance of arrival (and this may be controversial to some-- but it's what I do to keep from burning) is go to a tanning salon.

I know that some people are totally against this but I have found over the years that if I squeeze in just a few visits before heading down I am much less likely to burn, this is especially important if I'm going in Spring after a long winter or in December after my summer tan has faded.

I usually go twice a week about 3 - 4 weeks before departure. I start very slowly -- maybe 3 mins and work up to 8 mins max.

Again, this may not be for everybody but it works for me.

As far as quantity of sunscreen I will go through two standard size tubes of the Banana Boat and will use about half a bottle of the Key West Aloe spray on a 7-10 day trip.

Just a reminder that my product recommendations are my own and I do not work for any of these companies or industries in any way shape or form. These are just products that I like, I use regularly while on STJ and are totally reliable.

One thing to note for newbies though. The sun in the VI is probably stronger than you have ever experienced on the mainland. I can go without sunscreen for a little while on an East Coast beach with no probs. But I woudln't REAM of leaving the house on STJ without some sunscreen (minimum SPF 15) on my body. You will burn in a heartbeat.

And NOTHING will ruin a vacation faster than a really bad sunburn!

[Lulu76]

I was thinking about going to the tanning bed, because I don't burn at all when I have a base tan. I'll have to see if I can fit it in my schedule.

[lazylane]

[quote="Gromit"]

The other thing that I do in advance of arrival (and this may be controversial to some-- but it's what I do to keep from burning) is go to a tanning salon.


My husband and I do the same thing every year! We vacation every year in December and he starts tanning in mid October believe it nor not(he's a redhead so he really has to prepare!) and I usually start in early November and work up to 12 minutes max! Works great and I have never had a problem on island, but I also use SPF30 Banana Boat just to be safe!!! Especially when we do a day sail and are in the sun all day!!

[RickG]

We are more sensitive to the sun in the spring than in the fall. No base tan!!

I like to use the aerosol sunscreen on the kids cuz they're getting kind of big to hold down. It is less effective than the rub on stuff, but you get better covereage. Tradeoffs!

Cheers, RickG

[cptnkirk]

Have heard the one year deal on sunsreen, guess we've been lucky never had a problem with old sunscreen. We always hit the tanning beds a little before we go on a beach vacation, gotta be safer than burning I don't care what they say about tanning beds.