I realized a few years ago that if I wanted to maintain my ‘youthful glow’ as they say, I better stay out of the sun and slather every inch of my body in SPF. Honestly, I’ve had so much fun finding out which sunscreens work for me. Like Goldilocks, I too test out the consistency, the smell, the finish. This one is too oily, this one pills and this new mineral beauty from Kosas is just right.
A Boomer and a Millennial Put Hailey Bieber’s Fave Kosas Mineral Sunscreen to the Test
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Published May 5, 2023
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Dasha Burobina for PureWow/Stephanie Meraz/Denise Meraz
You may have seen the viral Kosas DreamBeam Mineral Sunscreen with SPF40 cross your For You Page on TikTok. In fact, it skyrocketed in popularity once Hailey Bieber was seen using it in her GRWM video on Easter Sunday.
There’s a reason it’s so beloved, and not just because of the adorable packaging...although I was instantly sold by its thin, compact bottle and cute round edges. And can we talk about the bubblegum pink and cantaloupe orange color combo? An SPF smoothie dream!
This clean formula is packed with ceramides and peptides that purportedly leave you with a smooth, moisturized and bright complexion. Plus, it contains our BFF ingredient hyaluronic acid, which boosts elasticity and leaves you with supple-looking skin, and it’s water-resistant (for up to 80 minutes of water exposure).
A mineral sunscreen that doubles as a superfood? Sign me up.
For All Skin Types
Is the Kosas Mineral Sunscreen Worth the Hype?
Kosas
One word: Yes. I went into this new sunscreen hesitant, to say the least. On the one hand, I absolutely live and die for my Murad broad spectrum SPF that applies like a serum, but on the other hand, I was running low. As with any brand-new sunscreen test, I prepare for the worst: oil overload. Having acne-prone and combination skin, I found it’s best to always look for moisturizing ingredients. Spoiler: This did NOT clog my pores.
And the Kosas sunscreen passed my blot test (but I’ll let my mom talk about that in a bit). It squeezed out of the thin, needle-nose applicator tip—a detail I appreciated for the no spillage and ease-of-use purposes—giving me full control over the quantity. I found out after wearing for a few weeks that it’s best applied by first warming it in your hands before smoothing it over your skin, but my application of applying it directly from my hand to my face (sans warm-up) didn’t produce any negative results.
Since this is a mineral sunscreen, I made sure to apply this as the last step in my skincare routine, or, after my moisturizer. There was absolutely no pilling and I adored the peachy-pink hue of it that supposedly neutralizes the zinc oxide’s “white cast” effect we see often in other mineral SPFs. As someone with fair skin, this blended so well, almost acting like the most natural BB cream.
Kosas
I was so impressed by the creamy formula and soft dewy finish that I forced my 59-year-old mom to give it a go. She has rosacea and very sensitive skin, so when it comes to skincare, she’s one tough cookie. Basically, her skin tells no lies. Even the slightest hint of a fragrance can set her skin aflame in a bright red blunder.
Upon application, she noticed her skin turned slightly pink solely due to rubbing the SPF in, but she didn’t feel a thing besides feeling good. She loved how lightweight it felt on her skin, acting as the perfect base for makeup (something I fully agree with). After eight hours of wear under a full face of makeup, her skin still looked flawless. “What I liked best about this was the fact that it was not greasy at all,” Meraz says. “And on top of that, it didn’t compete with my Clinique foundation and powder. There was no separation or inability to blend.” To her point, I didn’t see any oil buildup in her T-zone or under the edges of her nose, and she couldn’t stop raving to me about how it faded the appearance of her sun spots, no doubt because of that soft foundation-like tint.
The Bottom Line?
At $40, this adorably compact Kosas DreamBeam Mineral Sunscreen is so well worth it in our books to carry around all spring and summer season. Pop it in your bag, show it off in your medicine cabinet or steal it from your daughter like my mother did, so she can keep it all to herself. Mark my words, reader: You’ve been warned. It’s so good, it might just go ‘missing.’ I guess it’s an early Happy Mother’s Day to you, mom...but give me my sunscreen back gosh darnit!
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Stephanie Meraz is PureWow’s Assistant Editor. She graduated with a bachelor of arts at the University of San Diego, where she majored in English literature and creative writing, and completed Columbia University’s intensive publishing course. Stephanie is a natural savant when it comes to pushing the boundaries in fashion, beauty, and dating & relationships. She has over 22+ years of experience as an avid shopper, securing a Limited Too personal stylist at four years old. You can count on her to test out the latest hair trends, suggest shopping tips, and spill the tea on her latest juicy dating experiences. No topic is off limits—however personal or embarrassing. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.
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