Even though you have have a good base, I would use SPF 25. The sun is very different there and you will burn quickly. Don't worry, the tan will come!

My belief is that you need at least 15- it gets pretty thick and gooey after that. But the most important part is to reapply often. Sometimes you see people put on 45 *once* in the morning and then complain it "didn't work" at sunset.

Your wife and I sound like kindred tanning souls. I tan once/week through the winter just to maintain a little color. I know, I know. Skin cancer and all. But it is what it is.

I always wear SPF 15, never burn and get GREAT color. I would advise the same for both of you. My husband wears SPF 30 since he refuses to go to the beds. After 1-2 days, he switches to 15 as well.

She could push her luck with 8, which I also have done, but ended up with a slight burn after all day at the beach (10 am -3 pm). Best to err on the side of caution with the 15 since you want to be in the sun the whole trip as well as you will most likely want to touch her skin in the evening 🙂

Thanks LandLockedBeachLover,

There better be some skin touching, lol.

nsalphadog

I used to be the Beach Attendant at the Buccaneer Hotel on STX before I transferred to the Engineering Dept. (No laughing allowed) I saw many, many folks who ended up looking like lobsters. When my wife and I go to Cane Bay Beach, we can always tell the tourists from the locals. The locals all sit in the shade. The Carribean sun is very intense. If I am in the sun for more than an hour without sunscreen, I get burned. I never got a sunburn in the states, and I am from the South. I always recommend at least a 30 sunscreen. I also recommend reloading regularly. A lot of sunscreens advertise they are waterproof, but I have yet to find one that is towel-proof. The Carribean sun will get you thru the clouds. It will get you thru the trees. Be careful. I can think of no faster way to ruin a vacation than to get a bad sunburn.

Ric said:

"The Carribean sun will get you thru the clouds. It will get you thru the trees. Be careful."

It will even get to you in the shade, from reflection off the water....got THAT t-shirt 🙂

After the last time that the doctor hacked the basal cell carcinoma out of my cheek, I decided being cancer-free was more important than looking good. (Somehow all of the ones I had cut out of my back and arms over the years didn't have the same impact.) I use a spf 30, frequently stay in the shade, wear a t-shirt while snorkeling. I tried some of the self-tanning products--not to try to look tanned, just to take some of the glare off my whiteness, but I'm becoming more comfortable with looking how I look.

I agree with Nick. Sun can be very damaging to you later in life and can age you before your time. I'm a blonde blue eyed vain 37 yr old whom is dealing with the effects of crows feet on my drivers eye and squint lines between my eyes from not wearing sun glases for so many years. I don't leave home without them now. My Dermo scared the holy bejesus out of me when I asked him about base tanning for a vacation. I don't do it but my 18 yr old does. What can I say? My skin tone is a "normal white." I'm not Casper and I don't glow so I am ok to go au naturel. Sometimes I do the Misty Tan and I love it. I just wish it would last longer. For my upcoming trip I'm going to be sporting the natural look and 30 SPF. I bathe it it. Definitely don't want to be miserable with a sunburn during any of my vacation.