TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Sunscreen question

My wife’s skin is very sensitive to sunscreen. She develops a rash with all the products we tried. Except the one in the picture.
My question to current visitors on the island: have you ever seen such a product on the island? We would rather buy on the island than here at home. Appreciate your help.

I see it's an aerosol. Bad for the environment and anybody down wind.
Happy to see some excursions, like Boomerang, won't allow it unless sprayed on hands first. Rant done.

French side pharmacies might be able to help you find a sunscreen that works for your wife, they have a nice selection of European products.

Amazon has a bunch of Alba products,,,SPF 50 sunscreen lotion is $7. Easier than worring about it

My wife has the same issue. The Alba is her top choice in the States. This is what we picked up in the French pharmacy next to Super U in Hope Estates. It is not an aerosol spray but a pump. Very effective distributing lotion and then rubbing it in. It worked great for the both of us. They also have a 50SPF. I wish they would ban the aerosols outright. 90% of the people using them think it's like waving a magic wand on themselves and don't even rub them in. 98% are oblivious to how the overspray effects those around them.

The reason the aerosals are not allowd on boats is because the overspray stains the gel coat.

I might suggest that you think about bringing one with you from home, as everything is much more expensive here in the islands, and probably even more expensive on the French side than the Dutch.

Without knowing, I'm guessing they might not want to have to check a bag?

Thank you all for the suggestions. This year we plan to take only carry-on bags, no checked bags. so no sprays allowed. I'm not a fan of sprays either and I found some sunscreen lotion (less than 100ml) also made by Alba. In any case we are part of the 2% who know how to use a spray if needs be.

lol, right on Carol.

Also slippery decks.

My wife buys La Roche-Posay on island and also at home on Amazon. Highly recommended for sensitive skin and protection by her dermatologist after having Melanoma twice.

FWIW, I've successfully taken a small (<100ml) spray bottle of sunscreen in my carry-on bag. No problem at either airport.

Because it's Coppertone, it's not gonna help the OP. Merely sharing my experience.

I was coming to suggest the same. The ingredients are high quality and nothing in that brand irritates my skin which is quite sensitive.

Ditto to La Roche-Posay. It's all we use and buy it at the pharmacy next to Super U in Grand Case.

We usually by it at the pharmacy in Maho. Best price plus a 10% discount cash or CC they have always extended us. Not sure why they do but nice to get.

I would try a French pharmacy. I too break out from sun screen and one year, at a pharmacy in Grand Case, I bought Laroche Posey (sp) before it was available in the USA. I was excited when it finally was sold in the states only to find out the ingredients were not the same and thus I broke out. So now I buy it when in SXM.

We end up buying alba lotion. Suitable for carryon bag. Thank you all for your help.