Kosas Dream Beam ($40 for 40 mL / 1.4 fl oz.) is a tinted mineral sunscreen with SPF40 that blends aspects of skincare and makeup. It has moisturizing ingredients and gives the skin a smooth and subtly glowy finish. Used as a foundation primer, it helps to smooth out the look of texture and pores and the subtle glow shows through foundation ever so slightly. It can also just be used by itself as your primary face sunscreen, leaving no white cast on the complexion thanks to the peachy tint.

What stands out:

• This isn’t the cheapest sunscreen/primer but I like the quality and the price is not outrageous.

• Packaging is somewhat unique, seems well designed. The lid twists off easily and there is a precision dispenser. The product isn’t too runny or thick and it is easy to squeeze out exactly the amount I want. 

• It is heavily scented. Heavily may be a slight exaggeration but it is very noticeable and it lingers after application. It is a rosy-floral scent. I’m not totally against fragrance in skincare but I’m glad I like the fragrance, otherwise the intensity would bother me.

• It’s slightly glowy with super fine shimmer particles. The individual particles are not really noticeable, meaning I don’t get a sparkly effect from it. The finish is a smooth, even glow that mimics dew from well moisturized skin. If you inspect super closely in the just the right lighting using a magnifying mirror, you MIGHT be able to pick out the individual shimmer particles.

• It feels very moisturizing and smoothing. It works great underneath heavier coverage foundations and is one of the more effective primers I’ve tried for minimizing the look of texture/pores. I haven’t used it for all that long but based on the texture, I imagine my combination skin would get along well with this most of the year. Some reviews I’ve read mention this feeling too oily for oilier skin types, so it potentially might not be a go to during the hottest summer months for me.

• Coverage is barely noticeable. The tint seems pretty neutral and very close to my skin tone. I wouldn’t use this in place of foundation because it just doesn’t even out the skin tone enough by itself.

• I read several reviews mentioning that this pills. I have only had this pill when combined with one other product (Glow Recipe Blur Drops), but have experienced zero pilling by itself or with any foundation I’ve used it with.

Was it worth the purchase?

Yep. I’m happy with it and I see myself reaching for this often for a quite a while to come. My favorite thing about it is how well it smooths the skin under makeup and isn’t too shiny/glowy under foundation.