Last Updated on February 19, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

why spray sunscreen doesn't provide adequate sun protection

Don’t you LOVE it when things are made easier for you? Like, having takeout dinner delivered right to your door. Getting prepaid return bags with your online order. Being able to pay for the bus with Apple Pay. You could argue that convenience is making us lazy. I don’t care. If it makes my life easier, I’m all for it. Always. Well, almost always. Every rule has an exception, hasn’t it? Mine is spray sunscreen. In this article, I’ll break down the problem with spry sunscreen, why I don’t use it, and the only scenario where it makes sense to have it at hand. Let’s answer the question, should you use spray sunscreen?

Can Spray Sunscreen Provide Adequate Sun Protection?

Let’s be clear here: spray sunscreens do have what it takes to provide broad spectrum protection. They use the same UV filters as all other sunscreens. Yet, they still fail at the job. The formula’s good, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

Here’s the deal: if you want to get the level of SPF stated on the bottle, you need to apply sunscreen generously. The recommended amount is 1/4 of a teaspoon for the face and a small glass shot for the body. How the heck can you do that if you can’t see the sunscreen?!

That’s the issue here. Creams sunscreens may be thick and greasy, but at least you can see them. You know exactly where you apply them. Spray sunscreens have lightweight textures that make them a pleasure to use. But they’re transparent. It’s hard to spray the recommended amount of sunscreen you need BUT easy to miss a spot or two. Guess what happens to those spots? Sun damage. Ugh.

Missing spots is way easier than you’d think. Wind blows the spray off course before it even reaches your skin. The temptation to do one quick pass and move on is real, because it feels like you’ve covered everything when you haven’t. Research shows that people consistently apply less sunscreen when using a spray compared to a cream.

P.S. And don’t get me started on the spray sunscreen that has landed on your towel or your neighbour. Yep, not all the sunscreen you spray on your skin actually ends up on your skin. What a waste!

Related: How Much Sunscreen Do You Really Need?

How effective is your sunscreen? Sign up to the newsletter below to receive the “Sunscreen Audit” Worksheet and find out if your sunscreen is really up to the job:

Is Spray Sunscreen Safe?

Leaving you with unprotected patches of skin isn’t the only concern with spray sunscreen. People make a huge fuss about applying chemical UV filters because “skin absorbs everything” (spoiler alert: it doesn’t and I debunk this myth here), but what about actually inhaling the thing?

When you spray sunscreen, especially near your face, you’re breathing some of it in. The FDA itself has raised this concerns, especially when it comes to chemical sunscreens containing filters like oxybenzone or avobenzone. The truth is, we don’t yet have enough data to say exactly how harmful this is – but “we don’t know” is not exactly reassuring when the stuff gets into your lungs.

Mineral sunscreens in spray form aren’t off the hook either. Inhaling zinc oxide or titanium dioxide particles (or anything else that shouldn’t be in the air, for that matter), isn’t something you want to be doing on the regular.

Related: Does Skin Really Absorb 60% Of What You Put On It?

What About Using Spray Sunscreen On Kids?

Oh, this one’s important. Dermatologists and the FDA have specifically warned against using spray sunscreen on children – and the inhalation risk is a big reason why. Kids breathe faster than adults, they move around unpredictably, and they’re not great at holding their breath on command. Getting a face full of aerosolised sunscreen is basically guaranteed.

Beyond that, the under-application problem is even worse with wriggly little ones. You’re trying to spray a moving target. Of course you’re going to miss spots. Stick to cream sunscreen for kids. Yes, they’ll complain. Yes, it’ll take longer. Do it anyway.

Is Spray Sunscreen Bad For The Environment?

While we’re at it – aerosol spray sunscreens aren’t exactly eco-friendly. The propellants used in aerosol cans contribute to air pollution, and the single-use metal cans aren’t always easy to recycle. Then there’s what washes off your skin into the ocean. Certain chemical UV filters – hello again, oxybenzone – have been linked to coral reef damage. Some places, like Hawaii, have actually banned sunscreens containing certain filters for this reason. So not only is spray sunscreen a bit rubbish at protecting your skin, it’s also a bit rubbish for the planet. Harsh but fair.

Can You Use Spray Sunscreen To Touch Up During The Day?

You get it. I’m not a fan of spray sunscreen. But I can’t redo my makeup every time I need to reapply my sunscreen either. That’s where spray sunscreen comes in. If you’re in need of a sunscreen touch-up, they do the job without messing up your makeup.

It doesn’t give you the same protection but hey, it’s way way way better than not reapplying your sunscreen at all cos you don’t want to ruin your makeup. Just be sure not to rely on spray sunscreen alone. Spray sunscreen should NEVER be your first – or only – line of defense against the sun.

Related: How I Reapply Sunscreen While Wearing Makeup

How To Use Spray Sunscreen Correctly (If You’re Going To Use It Anyway)

Look, I know some of you are going to use spray sunscreen regardless of everything I’ve just said. So if you’re going to do it, at least do it right.

  • Never spray it directly on your face – spray it into your hands first, then apply it like a cream.
  • On your body, don’t just do one lazy sweep and call it done. Spray each area multiple times and actually rub it in.
  • If it’s windy, get out of the wind or you’re basically just sunscreening the air.
  • And whatever you do, don’t use it on children’s faces.

Does doing all of this make spray sunscreen just as good as cream? No. But it makes it a lot better than doing it wrong.

The bottom line

Spray sunscreens are convenient, but tricky to apply right. Miss a spot and you may end up with a sunburn. Don’t risk it!