Spray sunscreen works, but you probably miss spots.

Yes, if you apply enough and rub it in. The problem is that almost nobody does that.

Spray sunscreen is convenient, but it’s easy to underapply because you can’t see how much you’re actually getting. You need to spray until the skin looks wet, then rub it in like lotion. A quick mist-and-go leaves you with bare patches and a false sense of security. Lotions are harder to mess up because you can feel the coverage.

So if you’re willing to be thorough, spray is fine. But for kids or quick reapplication on yourself, stick to lotion. Don’t trust a light cloud to do the job.