I do one month before the trip,protect my face tho. For some reason if I bake my face (suntan bed or the real thing) it swells and I look something like Frankinstein! Happened the first time I went to Ja. Woke up the second morning and there it was! I made up my mind I would not let it ruin the vacation. Wore my sunglasses most of the time,and use an umbrella when on the beach now!