Kinfield's New Sunscreen Will Have You Pumped to Wear SPF Into Fall

• REVIEWS
• Sept 17, 2021

Kinfield's New Sunscreen Will Have You Pumped to Wear SPF Into Fall

by Lindy Segal 

Table of Contents

1. What Is Kinfield Sunglow SPF 30?
2. How Is Kinfield Sunglow Unique?
3. What Skin Types Can Use Kinfield Sunglow
4. Kinfield Sunglow Review
5. Other Sunscreens to Try

Summer days may be (ahem) drifting away, but wearing sunscreen is a 365-day-a-year deal. And although I’m proudly a daily SPF wearer (see: exhibit A), thanks to the pandemic, I’m no longer a daily makeup wearer. But I’ll always love the look of a natural-looking glow, especially if I can achieve it without adding an extra step to my morning routine. So I was instantly smitten with the idea of Sunglow, a new sunscreen-highlighter hybrid product from Instagram darling Kinfield.  

Although Kinfield first made a name for itself with its aesthetically pleasing bug spray and "out of office” dad hats, the brand’s ever-increasing skincare offerings are developing a cult following too. "Sunglow, like all of our products, sits at the intersection of function and form,” explains Kinfield founder Nichole Powell of the latest launch. "We wanted to create a product that solves a very real functional need (in this case, needing daily sun protection) while also making it something that’s delightful to use and easy to incorporate into an everyday routine.” It’s that word, delightful, that I believe is the key to wearing sunscreen year-round: If you truly enjoy the product, and it looks and feels nice, you won’t mind applying it every day. And at $28 for 2 ounces, Sunglow is a great value compared to other facial sunscreens. But does it deserve a spot in your morning routine? Read on for a full breakdown of the two-in-one product, my honest review, and a few other formulas worth checking out while you’re here.

What Is Kinfield Sunglow SPF 30?

First things first: It’s a mineral sunscreen. To recap, there are two camps of sunscreen. Mineral, or physical sunscreens, physically block UV rays, while chemical sunscreens convert UV rays to heat. The latter also tends to be more transparent, so people sometimes prefer to use chemical formulas—however, mineral sunscreens may be gentler on the skin (and the planet). The active ingredient in Sunglow is non-nano zinc oxide, and it offers SPF 30 full-spectrum protection. "Zinc also has anti-inflammatory and skin-calming benefits that make it a great choice for acne-prone and sensitive skin, so it felt like a win-win all around,” says Powell.

And by combining sunscreen and highlighter, Sunglow also avoids one of the biggest issues many have with mineral sunscreens. "The biggest challenge when formulating a mineral sunscreen is creating one that doesn’t add a white cast, but we were able to solve that with the light tint in Sunglow,” says Powell.

A few other things worth mentioning: It’s also vegan, cruelty-free, formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or synthetic fragrances, and the packaging is recyclable.

How Is Kinfield Sunglow SPF 30 Unique?

Kinfield has one other sunscreen, Daily Dew, which is water-resistant and has a slightly higher SPF count (35, to be exact). And while they’re both mineral sunscreens, Sunglow takes the multipurpose product thing to the next level. "We did a lot of customer interviews early on in the process of starting our sun care line, and we heard over and over again that they really wanted multi-functional products,” says Powell, who adds that SPF was of particular interest. "Our customers were mixing sunscreen into moisturizers, highlighters, and foundations to create their own blends, so we thought—why not make a multi-purpose SPF that protects the skin while also doubling as a gorgeous, glowy base for the day?”

Because it pulls double duty, you can also use Sunglow like you would a traditional highlighter. "If you’re layering it as a highlighter, don’t forget to add another SPF,” reminds Powell. "I love using our untinted Daily Dew SPF 35 across my full face, and then using Sunglow as a highlighter on key points.”

What Skin Types Can Use Kinfield Sunglow?

According to the brand, it can be worn by all skin types and all skin tones. "In general, mineral sunscreens are a great choice for anyone with acne-prone or sensitive skin, thanks to the anti-inflammatory benefits of zinc,” says Powell. Beyond that, it also contains jojoba oil, sunflower seed oil, and glycerin for added moisturizing benefits.

Landing the exact hue of the product was crucial too, as it doesn’t require the typical shade-matching of tinted products. "We tried more than 25 combinations of pigments before landing on this unique blend,” says Powell. "The rosy-gold hue is flattering across a variety of skin tones, and works especially well for those with deeper skin tones who prefer a lightly tinted option when it comes to mineral sunscreens.”

Kinfield Sunglow SPF 30 Review

This wasn’t in the directions, but I gave it a quick shake before opening it, which I usually do with mineral formulas as they can settle. I dispensed a dime-sized amount onto my hand, and right away I could appreciate the rose-gold hue Powell described: glowy, but not glittery. It also has a light fragrance with notes of bergamot, grapefruit, and lime, which the brand describes as "inspired by the beach towns of Portugal.” I’m generally fragrance-averse, but it didn’t bother me.

Photo: Credit: Lindy Segal

Now, the all-important question: How does it blend? I’m happy to report it only took about 10-15 seconds to melt seamlessly into my skin, and the texture felt creamy, not chalky. For me, it wasn’t quite hydrating enough to replace my morning moisturizer (my skin has been veering dry lately), but if you have oily skin, you might be able to skip that step. 

Photo: Credit: Lindy Segal

As for the finish, it adds a sheer, warm glow. I also liked that it evened out my skin tone a bit, without looking like "makeup.” 

I also tried the product as a highlighter (on my cheekbones, nose, and cupid’s bow) with tinted moisturizer underneath.

Photo: Credit: Lindy Segal

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner. If you see me wearing makeup in the near future, I’ll likely be in this exact formula: tinted moisturizer, concealer, Sunglow, mascara, lip balm. Sunglow added just the right amount of glow and color I was looking for, but If you like full-on shimmer, you’d want to layer another highlighter on top. 

Final verdict: I think it’s a great value for the price, and the two-in-one formulation works for me. As I mentioned, most days I don’t wear makeup, so Sunglow’s barely there tint is ideal, but I can see myself using it as a highlighter with regular SPF in the future, too.

Other Sunscreens to Try

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