Which Sunscreen is the best: Sprays or Lotions?
Sunscreens come mostly in two (three if you count sticks) forms: sprays and lotions. People will tell you that one is better, or that one isn’t as effective as the other.
Most creams and lotion-type sunscreens come in a bottle or a tube, and application is fairly similar to any other lotion or moisturizer. You do need some help to apply it on some unreachable areas of your body, such as your back and it takes a bit of time for the cream to fully get worked in and absorbed into your skin. After that, you’re left with slippery, greasy hands and feeling a bit heavy.
Sprays are popular because they are easy and quick to apply and do not leave a greasy mess on your hands. You also do not feel greasy and feel heavy afterwards. You can say that the main pro of sprays is its convenience.
However, convenience doesn’t always mean effectiveness. the FDA is still studying sunscreen sprays’ safety and efficacy, especially the risks from accidentally breathing in the fumes. It’s also not advisable to use sprays on younger children. Keep in mind that sprays can also be a fire hazard.
As for usage, creams can be measured a bit easier because you can see how much comes out of the tube while sprays are a bit more difficult to estimate. Studies also show that people who use spray sunscreens tend to use LESS because of the belief that a quick spray on a body part provides complete protection. To achieve the same level of protection provided by cream sunscreens, you would have to spray between 4 to 6 seconds.
It comes down to how long you’re spraying from the can versus how much you’re applying from the tube.
The Bottom Line:
SPRAYS
-are more convenient and easier to apply by yourself
-You actually need to spray more than you think
-Potentially unsafe for children
CREAMS
-convenient, a little harder to apply by yourself
-feels "heavy" and takes time to be absorbed
-easy to measure how much you’re putting on your skin
You make the choice on which sunscreen you should use. just make sure that you use it correctly, with proper labeling (SPF 15 minimum), and that you use it regularly.
