What products are more expensive or hard to get in AR?

[MariainDC]

I am starting to pack and thinking about what to bring. I realize some things are more expensive or harder to get in AR, so I want to think about what to bring. Are there any particular beauty products etc. that are more expensive there than in the US? I will of course bring my favorite sunscreen and face cream and my makeup, but wanted to ask if there are particular things that are good to bring. (I also stocked up on vitamins on iHerb.com, which has really good prices - I lost a lot of hair a while back and am taking B12, zinc and other things that are supposed to have some effect on the hair.)

 

[Desde2008]

If you really like a product that you are currently using now, bring it. The chance of finding the same product here is very unlikely. In the long run it will be a lot cheaper and you will have more time to have fun here.

 

[jyi]

If you are particular about your hair products, including shampoo/conditioner, you should bring that too. I personally was not too fond of the brands here (Pantene, Tresemme, L'Oreal El Vive) and ended up buying expensive imported shampoo instead.

 

[Farenheit]

Strip wax is really expensive here. And you can't get eyelash dye, I had to ask my mum to mail me some...if you like highlights in your hair, have them done before you leave, I've never found anyone do them decently here. I'm a fan of gel eye patches and cloth/gel face masks, I always bring lots of those, and detox foot patches, not to mention a box of frownies...

 

[MariainDC]

Thanks very much everybody! Appreciate the advice.

 

[L.C.C.]

most makeup and beauty products are more expensive in argentina. I'm from Australia (where things are generally a lot pricier than the US) and when i visit argentina i take between 3 - 6 months of whatever i need - plus lots of products as gifts for family. It isn't just the price - they don't make good things in Argentina, people accuse me of being an elitist but it is true!
Make sure you take your own shampoo if nothing else! after 3 months of Argentine shammpoo my hair started breakng off at the root! I don't know what is in it or left out that makes this happen but i know several other women who also had this problem. Also if you like to use natural or organic products take them wth you - if you read the back of argentine "beauty" products they are mostly made of poisons.

 

[Nailddict]

I missed a few things, definetly bring products that you have to get online for some reason since getting them to Arg willbe a hassle or most likely an impossibility. I also found makeup to be more expensive, as in the Maybelline eyeshadow you see at 5 bucks it can go for over double the amount! I use gel eyeliner and kohl eyeliner and could not find some there, and I would recommend brning your own foundation/BB cream if you use it.

I am sorry to hear about your hairloss, a very close family member recommended Folic Acid vitamins, and her hair has considerably thickened. (Worth a try) Also, if I may recommend there is this product called caboki. It is a like a powder that covers any thin hair places, or bald spots. It actually works very well (you cannot tell someone has it on) but my relative uses it as a temp fix since it can make you selfconscious. I hope your hair grows soon and very healthy!

 

[Professor Sunshine]

Travelling thousands of miles with three daughters, I better have some advice for them as to what not to forget. Please feel free to elaborate, it will make my few moments in the mornings go much better! It will also cut down on the "dad, she won't share" comments. Thank you.

 

[EricLovesBA]

Anything you're used to buying imported from China, expect to pay twice as much here for the batch of product that failed the factory's quality control, or a lower grade version made from cheaper materials.

 

[Ashley]

Bring absolutely everything beauty-wise you can't do without. Finding replacement products here is often impossible and usually expensive. Bring all makeup (the variety here is limited across all pharmacy-type brands...which are also x3 the price of anywhere else. Top brands are also hard to find and very expensive). If you use applicator tampons (and won't switch to the other ones), bring them. A specific cream or face-wash, bring it. The only available shampoos are the very basic pantene, sedal-type brands. The same goes for styling products. Nicer bath products - soaps, shower gels, bubble bath, etc (Body shop type things) are of a much lower quality here and smell pretty awful generally. I've also found it really hard over the past year to find a decent bar of soap. I'd always bring back with me some nice bars of French olive oil soap or sandlewood soap when I visited home, which you just can't get here, but now even a regular Dove soap is hard to come by. Theres just lots of Lux-type brands.
Bring clothes. Don't bank on buying things here. Its expensive. The availability of sizes is limited. Most high-street type brands (and even a lot of higher end Argentine brands) are very fond of low-quality, man-made fibers that make (at least my english body) itch and sweat!