I have a few questions that I hope someone can help me with. First is that we want to try and get to Cancun a few hours earlier by flying standby, problem is that we can't pack enough sunscreen in a carry-on to last for a 10 day trip. i have heard that sunscreen is really expensive once you get down there so I am trying to work around the additional cost. For background we will be spending the first 3 days on Isla Mujeres then the next 7 at TTR. If you were in our situation where would you get your sunscreen?? Would you get it at the airport, somewhere in Cancun on the way the the ferry, or on Isla Mujeres?? Also, do they carry the same brands we have here in the US?? Sorry for the questions, just being very careful as my wife is fair skinned and burns VERY easily. I do not want a sunburn to ruin our vacation!! Thanks in advance
Stop at Wal mart in downtown Cancun to pick up the same brand as you find at home but about 50 percent more. Then go to the ferry terminal from there. It's only a 20-30 minute time difference.
You will pay at least double in Mexico for the same sunscreen you buy at home. Someone swiped my sunscreen in Cabo one year. I paid $8.00 for it on sale at home (reg $14), and it was over $30 in the stores in downtown Cabo San Lucas. I have read on here that sunscreen is also very expensive in Cancun, so i assume the price differential is similar. In Cabo, they had many of the usual drugstore brands you see at home, so I would think Cancun is the same, being a bigger place. You might want to rethink the carry-on-only situation if your wife needs a lot of sunscreen, as you may well go thru 3 or more bottles each in a week and this could get expensive at the inflated Mexican prices. Some women (like me!) are also quite particular about what sunscreen they use on their faces, and you may not be able to find the one you like in Mexico, or at the particular store you end up at. An alternative is to buy some of the new powdered mineral sunblocks applied with a brush or pouf. I have used those without burning, they are supposedly highly waterproof, and they are compact and light to travel with and there is no issue with liquids. ColoreScience makes a great one. Check eBay or Amazon.com for the best price, as it is not an inexpensive product you can buy at the drugstore. PM me if your wife wants more info.
Either bring it with you or stop at walmart .You will pay nearly double at the resort. We always bring ours with us.
The sunscreen in Temptation's gift shop ranges from $19 US to $35 US. We ran out of sunscreen on the 2nd to last day and just ponied up the money and bought a $30 US bottle of spray-on sunscreen which cost us $8 US in the States to buy before we left. We were going on the Boobs Cruise that day and sunscreen is an absolute must on the cruise (we used 3/4 of the can that day alone). But what's $22 US when you are partying at Temptation, right?
If you burn easily, you will go through a lot! Husband and I have Irish skin that doesn't like the sun, and we went through at least 4 bottles of high factor sunscreen on our 2 week trip. On Isla (north side) on the road leading to Hotel Avalon we found a pharmacy type shop where sunscreen prices weren't too bad (around $14), although they were selling in Pesos, so they might hike it up a bit for paying in dollars.
If you burn easily I recommend you buy the lotions from the girl poolside at TTR, the Sun Care Specialist that sets up her table. She is there about every other day and sells the 100% natural lotions: sunscreen, Aloe, Tea Tree oil with Aloe. I will warn you, they are a bit pricey, but they work GREAT! We stock up every other year we are there, use them when we get home and as I said, they last us about 2 years. They sell for about $30-$40 / bottle, but you use such a small amount it pays off in the end. If you do use another brand and get a burn, then you will have to go see her and buy the Tea Tree w/ Aloe. It will take the sting out while adding moisture back to your skin. We have found it to be a must, we even use it here at home with insect bites, bee stings, etc.. I suggest you do it right and buy the good stuff, you don't want to spend your vacation running from shade to shade because you got burned. We look at it this way, for less money then it cost to fly your bags to Cancun (have to love those baggage fees, lol) you can get a few bottles of the quality sunscreen poolside that won't clog your skin with oils and waxes and cause you prickly heat. Glenn had that one year, it's no fun to be covered in red bumps and hiding from the sun. The suncare specialist hooked him up with the tea tree & aloe (it cleared up in one day) and we've been using her products ever since with no problems. To answer the other 1/2 of your question, yes all the same brands are in Cancun that you can get at home. The price will be higher, like buying it at any tourist spot in the USA. I compare it to going to a ball game and paying $12 for a hot dog or a slice of pizza . . .Hey, at least the food and drinks are included at Temptation
