This sunscreen leaves my skin so glowy—it’s basically replaced most of my makeup-bag

I think we all know by now the importance of wearing SPF. It’s the one product that dermatologists and skin experts are unanimous about recommending—thanks to its ability to protect skin from sun damage. This, in turn, prevents the appearance of things like pigmentation, fine lines and dehydration as we age.

However, while I never stop banging on about it being a non-negotiable part of my own skincare routine, I’m well aware that many people have had bad experiences with facial sunscreen. I feel you. As someone with acne-prone skin, I’ve used many a sun lotion that has exacerbated breakouts and increased oiliness, and it's not what you want when you’re trying to look after your skin health. So, you can take my sunscreen recommendations seriously.

I have tried hundreds, and always put new releases to the test as soon as I can. But this latest sunscreen from Kosas has quickly shot to my number one spot thanks to its ability to not only protect skin from the sun, but keep oiliness at bay and leave my skin looking so damn glowy. In fact, the Kosas DreamBeam Sunscreen SPF 30 is so good that I’ve taken to skipping the rest of my base make-up routine most mornings.

My honest review of the Kosas DreamBeam Sunscreen SPF 30

First impressions

Despite experts frequently recommending mineral sunscreens as one of the best options for acne-prone skin, I have to admit that I don’t tend to use them. Typically, I find that mineral formulations can be a little thicker, harder to blend, and often leave a slight white cast on the skin.

So when I saw that Kosas DreamBeam was a mineral formulation I didn’t think I’d get on with it. However, this is unlike any other mineral SPF that I’ve used. The texture is ultra-lightweight, beautifully blendable, and it doesn’t leave behind any white pigment on the skin—just a sheer and subtle glow. Even better, it’s non-comedogenic so it won’t clog pores, fragrance-free (ideal for sensitive skin), and silicone-free so it doesn’t pill beneath any products applied on top.

The formula

Kosas is known for its “clean” approach to beauty, which means that DreamBeam is formulated without mineral oil, parabens, sulphates and phthalates. Personally, I take 'clean beauty' claims with a pinch of salt. I feel like there’s a time and a place for certain kinds of ingredients, and I don’t think they should be demonised—but it’s good to know if that’s your jam.

What I’m more interested in, however, is what is inside the formula; and this is brimming with great stuff. First up, there’s hyaluronic acid to hydrate and allantoin to soothe (great if you’re prone to redness), but it’s also packed with peptides and ceramides—two ingredients that I am starting to seek out in my skincare now that I’m in my mid-30s. The result is a moisturising sunscreen that not only protects skin with a 21.7% mineral concentration of non-nano zinc, but also firms, plumps and smooths the surface of the skin. Genius.

The finish

There are two versions of the Kosas DreamBeam Sunscreen available—Sunlit, a soft golden bronze, and Original, a peachy-pink.

Sunlit would be ideal for deeper skin tones or those that love a sun-kissed complexion, but I’ve been wearing Original on a daily basis thanks to the fact that it neutralises discolouration on my skin and provides a natural-looking glow. In fact, it’s so good at making my skin look brighter, fresher and more even that I haven’t felt the need to layer on my usual skin tints and tinted moisturisers on top.

Most mornings I have around five minutes to do my skincare and get my make-up on before heading out on the school run, and thanks to this I can trust that I’m protected from the sun’s rays while still looking and feeling a whole lot more polished. Of course, it doesn’t promise coverage so my natural skin texture and tone still shine through, but it’s perfect for a low-maintenance day. And if I do decide to apply make-up on top? It acts as the perfect smoothing filter and radiant base for anything that I layer on afterwards. Dreamy indeed.