Travellers are now stuffing their bags with sun cream

From Seoul to Paris, pharmacies and beauty stores have become must-visit stops for travellers hunting cult sun cream formulas.

Before her last trip to Seoul, Caitlin Francis-Agnew spent weeks crafting her itinerary, including stops at Olive Young, South Korea's premier cosmetics retailer. Her objective: to buy as much Korean sun cream as she could haul back to Canada.

In Lakeland, Florida, Anna Clark is preparing for her family's summer trip to Cartagena. She sends me a Google Maps screenshot, where she's highlighted the route to Colombian pharmacy chain Farmatodo. "An eight-minute walk from our hotel. I will be stopping by," she writes. She will buy viral EU sun cream formulas available abroad but not in the US.

Gone are the days of bringing home destination-themed fridge magnets. For a growing number of beauty enthusiasts, sun cream has become the must-have holiday souvenir.

Why, of all things, sun cream?

According to behavioural psychologist Carolyn Mair, attitudes towards sunbathing have shifted drastically since the 2010s. While tanning was once associated with vitality and leisure, "today, sunscreen is increasingly viewed as part of everyday self-care and healthy ageing". Skincare culture on social media, she adds, has helped reinforce this mindset – and introduce conscious consumers to innovative sun cream formulas from around the world.

The most coveted options come from the Asia-Pacific region and the Mediterranean, where summer temperatures can be intense. Rena Kim, Olive Young's global communications lead, told the BBC that foreign visitors from over 190 countries accounted for more than 25% of the company's offline revenue in 2025, with sun care emerging as a standout K-beauty staple, particularly among US and Brazilian shoppers. Olive Young's new Central Myeongdong Town location is reportedly flooded with tourists who arrive with suitcases and large shopping bags.

In 2023, EuroNews reported that TikTok had turned French pharmacies into tourist destinations. Three years on, beauty magazines call visiting them a "must", citing products their beauty editors restock when in Paris. Sun cream is always on the list.

American consumers, in particular, are drawn to other countries' sun creams because FDA regulations mean their advanced filters aren't available in the US. "Sunscreen is one of the easiest things we can do every day to prevent [cancer and premature ageing]," says Patrick Coleman, a dermatologist based in New Orleans. "[Overseas sun creams] are decades ahead."

But sun cream fever spans nations and ages. Zoe Karlis of Melbourne, Australia, visited Greece last year and delighted in buying sun cream at Greek pharmacies. "Overall, I have a lot of confidence in Australian sunscreens because our regulations are so strict," she says. "[But] I love browsing the pharmacy aisles for brands we can't get at home. It's less about one being 'better' and more about the joy of discovering what's out there. Losing an hour in a Greek pharmacy is half the fun of the holiday."

Meanwhile, social media buzzes with hauls and recommendations. "It's a rabbit hole," says Francis-Agnew. "What's available in Canada is very limited. Our regulations around UV filters are really restrictive, so we're stuck with options that leave a white cast or feel greasy."

The timeless allure of global beauty

Coveting other cultures' beauty secrets is nothing new, says Mair. "French beauty has long........

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