Even if you apply sunscreen to your face and arms before heading out in the morning, it is easy to leave the backs of your hands until later. Washing and towel-drying your hands also changes what remains of the morning application. Before you leave, check what skin is exposed from your wrists to your fingers and apply sunscreen there. During the day, use handwashing and towel use as cues to reapply, in addition to watching the time.
This guide covers applying a body sunscreen lotion or cream by hand. The same amount does not suit every product. Check the container or carton for where to use it, how much to apply, what condition the skin should be in first, and how to reapply.
1. With your sleeves in place, see what is exposed from wrists to fingers
Looking straight down at the back of your hand, the area between your cuff and the base of your fingers may look like one flat surface. First, let your sleeves sit as they will when you go out, and open your hand loosely. Check the center of the hand, the skin between the cuff and the back of the hand, the backs of your fingers, and the outside of the base of your thumb. If you applied sunscreen to your arms, look for any exposed skin between where you stopped on the arm and where you started on the hand.
For example, a sleeve may cover your wrist when your arm hangs down but ride up when you reach forward as if holding a bicycle handlebar. Instead of pulling on the sleeve to decide where to apply, try the position you will take outside and see what skin it exposes.
If the cuffs sit differently or you wear a watch on one wrist, check each hand in turn. You do not need to work sunscreen under a watch or clothing. If a sleeve or watch shifts while you are getting ready, check the skin now visible beyond it.
2. Spread sunscreen over the back of the hand, including the fingers and thumb side
Start with clean hands and dispense the amount indicated on the label. Place the sunscreen on the back of your hand and use the finger pads of the opposite hand to spread it from the center outward. If you stop at the base of the fingers, you leave the backs of the fingers uncovered. Spread your fingers slightly and work from their bases along their backs. Check the thumb the same way.
After covering the center, tilt your hand slightly. This reveals the base of the thumb and the side that curves from the back of the hand toward the wrist. If your nondominant hand is awkward to use when applying sunscreen to your dominant hand, rest the hand receiving sunscreen on a flat surface to keep the area steady. If your clothes leave your wrist exposed, check where it meets the area on your arm.
Simply transferring sunscreen from the back of one hand to the other tends to leave it in the middle, making it hard to tell whether it reached the fingers and edges. Even if you split it between both hands first, check one hand at a time at the end to make sure you spread it to the edges and fingers. White streaks or clumps are a sign that product is still concentrated in one spot. A clear finish alone does not tell you that you applied enough.
3. After washing your hands, dry them and consider whether you are going outside
Right after washing, before you think about reapplying, look for water drops on your palms, the backs of your hands, and your fingers. If the sunscreen is meant for dry skin, blot with a dry towel and check between the fingers and near the cuffs. For a product that can be applied to wet skin, follow its own instructions for how much and how to apply.
Wash your hands as usual before eating and at other times when you normally would. There is no need to skip washing or leave the backs of your hands unwashed to preserve sunscreen. After washing, consider whether you plan to go outdoors. If you are leaving right away, check the backs of your hands after drying them. If you are staying inside, make that check part of getting ready to leave.
After applying hand sanitizer, let it dry before using sunscreen. If you use hand cream too, one option is to moisturize first and then apply sunscreen. Do not mix separate products on your hand to decide how much to use. Check for any instructions about the order on the products you have. If you only want to moisturize, see how to spread hand cream all the way to your fingers for more guidance.
4. Consider reapplying after water or towel use as well as at the suggested times
During the day, follow the reapplication directions on the container. Even if it has not been long since your morning application, consider reapplying before you go back out into the sun if you have washed your hands, gotten them wet while working with water, or rubbed the sunscreen-covered area with a towel. Conversely, even if none of those things happened, keep following the reapplication directions on the label.
You cannot tell how much sunscreen remains by looking at it. Even if the towel has no white marks, do not assume the sunscreen is still there. Use contact with water or friction as a cue instead. Even if your palms dry first, check the backs of your hands and fingers if they are still wet. Gently remove dirt and sweat as needed and get your skin ready for application as directed before spreading the sunscreen.
If you will go outside again after washing your hands, tie the check to something you do right before leaving, such as going out at lunch or heading home. That can be easier to remember than relying on the clock alone. As in the morning, check both hands, including the wrists beyond your cuffs and the fingers on both hands.
5. If application feels awkward, check the label and your routine before using less
If you want to pick up your phone or bag right after applying sunscreen, you may be tempted to use less on the backs of your hands. First, check that the product can be used on the body, look up the recommended amount, and consider when you can apply it before handling anything. Gather your keys and bags before you leave and finish by applying sunscreen to the backs of your hands. This makes it easier to avoid interrupting the application.
If you keep missing areas, pick one thing to change next time. If you miss your wrists, check with your sleeves in their usual position for going out. If you miss the base of your thumb, tilt your hand. If you forget to reapply, make it part of the routine after washing your hands and before leaving. Choose one step that addresses what you missed.
When you get home, check how to remove your sunscreen. Do not base your cleansing method only on a water-resistance label or the number of applications. Choose a cleanser suited to the area where you used it. If you are unsure what to look for on the container, see how to remove sunscreen and read its label for guidance.
