Get your sunscreen in Europe
 

From today's NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/09/
fashion/thursdaystyles/09skin.html

FWIW, I have the Ambre Soleil brand and I paid the equivalent of $11, not $24. I bought it last week before I knew there was anything special about it. There are a lot of Boots fans here on the Europe board and Boots does carry the Ambre Soleil products...BUT they charge over 30% MORE than I paid for it at my local Waitrose. I've found Waitrose to be cheaper than Boots for several other things as well...so if you pass a Waitrose, check them before rushing into Boots. (Tesco and Sainsbury may have it cheaper as well, but after a few bad experiences with their stores, we've made Waitrose our regular grocery store.)

Boots is just about the most expensive store for regular cosmetics and toiletries, so unless you specifically want Boots-branded goods, you should stay away. Most High Streets have a branch of Bodycare, where branded toiletries cost about 25-30% less than in Boots, and SuperSaver (mainly in the North) where they may be even cheaper.

Thanks, Alec, for those additional suggestions. I don't find Boots all that special, but there are Fodorites here who love it!
I wonder if Space NK carries the more upscale La Roche brand. Their prices are on the high side, though--much easier (and cheaper) for my husband to bring some back from Brussels.

Tescos have currrently got Ambre Solaire lotion at £4.99 each or 2 for £8.

Boots, indeed, isn't that cheap compared to high street supermarkets, although they do a lot of 2 for 1 or 3 for 2 offers, which helps.

For those of you who are interested, the main UK supermarkets carry many bodycare brands, and in order of cheapest for food and other things, they go something like this:

Asda (cheapest)
Tesco
Sainsbury's
Waitrose (pricey)

A cheaper alternative high street chemist to Boots is Superdrug. I tend to only ever go to Boots when I'm at airports these days, where they seem to have the monopoly.