Please help me with my holiday shopping list

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Going to Greece in a week. What do I need that I haven't got/listed already? Can you recommend anything for the items below?

So far on the list -

• suncream (which?)
• mozzie spray (which?)
• bikini - would like black, black and white, or red ideally - needs to have big pants and cup sized top but be available in a high street shop for less than stupid money
• little black or red or maybe even white day dress
• something to wear over bikini to go to the beach
• a sunhat for a stupidly small head (found an ace gold one in M&S which sounds ghastly but was lovely - refuse to pay 25 English pounds for it though)
• something to stop my hair getting all vile and frizzy and strawlike

Thanks btw. :)

Aftersun.

I love shopping for travel shampoos/ shower gels. Try to get a creamy moisturising shower gel to soothe your skin after a day in the sun.

For suncream, i love piz buin all day, lasts a good 6 hours before it needs reapplied and have yet to burn yet with it.

My mil also has small head and bought a child's hat out of accessorize.

Debenhams good for swimwear and beach dresses, they have cupsize bikinis which are in the sale like the one below

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_064020230560_-1?breadcrumb=Home%7ESale%7EWomen%7ESwimwear+%26amp%3B+beachwear%7EDD%2B+swimwear

Had forgotten that Debenhams did swimwear - thanks for that.

Will look out for piz buin and will look in Accessorise. After sun a good idea too - the sort of thing I'd forget and then regret.

I would recommend Nivea 'Protect and Bronze' sunscreen, even at the high SPF I have had a nice tan without burning.

Avon 'skin so soft' dry oil strangely seems to deter mozzies and is good after a shower in the evening to keep skin soft instead of an aftersun.

John Freida do a 'frizz ease' leave in conditioner that you can spray on during the day and leaves your hair nice and shiny for the evening. The overnight serum is also really good for getting rid of frizz.

Suncream - another vote for Nivea Protect & Bronze. I find Piz Buin doesn't moisturise my skin enough and leaves it a little dry.

Mozzies - Boots Natural Repellant is excellent stuff. Use it on us and DCs. You could also take a bottle of lavender essential oil with you: sprinkle a few drops around bedding and on any net curtains - it's a natural mozzie repellant. You can also use one drop neat on any bites that you are unfortunate enough to get (but don't use neat on DCs skin).

Bikini - New Look, Dorothy Perkins, Next and River Island all offer cupsize bikinis. I always find excellent beach dresses in Next too. H&M have some great beach dresses in at the moment.

Sun hats: Accessorize had some bargains in the sale. Worth a look.

Hair: my hairdresser has recommended that I either use a hair treatment or hair oil combed through my hair first thing in the morning and then either put hair into a bun, plait or pony tail. I use Kerastase Masque Force Architecte (and the shampoo/conditioner from the same range) and also Kerastase Elixir Ultime which is a fab hair oil - can be used as a pre-shampoo treatment or before/after blowdrying. All these products are fairly pricey but you only use a very small amount so long-lasting. Kerastase also do a "Soleil" range specifically for use in the sun.

L'Oreal Full Restore 5 is a good second choice IMO.

Brilliant - thank you both.

What does the 'and bronze' bit mean?

For beach stuff I will start in H&M and work up price-wise, I think!

The bronze bit is because apparently it stimulates melanin production which protects the skin but also is what gives you a tan :)

Thank you. :)

beach dress?

This is a nice day dress

Need to be able to get it in town tomorrow and we don't have a Uniqlo. I like the white one but that neckline would make my norks look huge, sadly.

Why does everyone in the whole world have bigger norks than me?

I hate mine - if I could give you them, I would. :)

For suncream, try Ultrasun. You put it on once and it lasts all day. Waitrose sell it.

Clarins sun stuff is the best ever even if £££. I can't bear most suncream but can wear theirs - it's lovely.

For mozzies, Mosiguard is good - they do a sort of stick thing that's good round ankles and wrists to stop the mozzies eating you if you go out for dinner. Boots used to sell it.

Anthisan cream is a a must - a godsend for mozzie bites.
Just bought DD1 a fab 50s-style Kelly Brook bikini in New Look available in cup sizes.
I have three daughters with long hair and we got through a whole bottle of this hair stuff from Boots in Greece last summer. Keeps your hair soft and tangle free during a day on the beach. I used a LOT of Aussie Miracle hair conditioner as well.

Thank you.

Failed to find a bikini today, so may just have to make do with my old ones. Lots of cupsized tops but all with tiny pants or halternecks, or both. Did manage to get a lovely pair of 50s-esque high waisted shorts in H&M though, for a mere 3 squid.

Forgot the moz spray so will have to get that later in the week.

Check out Style Passport - is super!

Just had a fun twenty minutes on there, thanks. Ouch at the prices of some of the clothes though!

Have you tried Ebay? If you search by cup size and a couple of brands you like eg Fantasie and Panache or Freya, you should come up with some good stuff for much cheaper than the rrp, I got two lovely Panache bikinis for less than £20 each last summer and they usually arrive in 2 days. I am 36GG so it has to be bra-size for me.

Yes some of the stuff is a bit on the expensive side. Fab sales though and I'm pretty sure you get a decent discount on your first order...