Do you protect your arms, neck, and the backs of your hands with sunscreen as much as your face?
Your arms while driving, and the backs of your hands and the nape of your neck while walking, get more UV exposure than you might think. For the body, lotion or spray sunscreens are convenient because they’re easy to spread over a large area.
Body sunscreen checklist
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Rather than applying it as carefully every day as you do your face, a more practical benchmark seems to be whether you consistently reapply it to exposed areas. The arm next to the window while driving, the backs of your hands, and the nape of your neck are easy to miss, so remember to apply before heading out, and reapply according to the product instructions if you’ll be outdoors for a long time or come into contact with sweat or water. Also check the SPF and PA ratings and how much to use.
Lotion is easy to spread over a large area, while spray is useful for places that are hard to reach—but it’s safer to spray it onto your hands and apply it rather than spraying it directly toward your face. If you wash your hands often, the backs of your hands especially need reapplying. If you’re bothered by stickiness, applying two thin layers or combining it with physical protection like long sleeves or driving gloves can make it less of a hassle. My recommendation is to keep a body sunscreen in your bag or car, separate from your face sunscreen, and at least protect the exposed areas.