Glow Recipe is doubling down on sun care with the launch of two new innovations

Glow Recipe is making a renewed play in the sun care category, unveiling two new launches designed to streamline daily protection and hydration: the Watermelon Glow Dew Shield Hydrating Fluid SPF 30 and the Watermelon Glow Dew Balm SPF 45.
The move follows the 2022 debut of the brand&rsquo;s Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50 &mdash; a product that gained popularity but also drew constructive feedback from users, particularly around texture and wearability. For co-founders Christine Chang and Sarah Lee, that feedback wasn&rsquo;t a setback, but a brief to return to the lab. The result? A lightweight, chemical-filter sunscreen that promises serious hydration, zero white cast, and no risk of pilling&mdash;plus a balm stick made for effortless top-ups throughout the day.
We sat down with co-founders Christine Chang and Sarah Lee to discuss what went into the reformulation, why SPF 30 was the sweet spot, and how they&rsquo;re building a true sunscreen &ldquo;wardrobe&rdquo; for modern skincare routines.

Your previous SPF in the &lsquo;Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Sunscreen&rsquo; was beloved by many. What made you guys reformulate and re-release the product? 
Christine Chang: When we first launched our Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Sunscreen 50 in 2022, the excitement from our community was incredible but we received honest feedback that the formula wasn&rsquo;t quite right and caused pilling. As a brand, we value transparency and take our community feedback to heart so we took this back to the lab to create a completely new formula - a weightless, SPF made with 100% chemical filters for broad-spectrum protection, so there&rsquo;s no white cast or pilling, just glowing skin. We wanted to create a SPF that included the best parts of a Korean sunscreen but accessible to everyone globally.
What was the reason behind changing the SPF value from SPF50 previously to SPF30 now? Talk us through that decision. 
Sarah Lee: A lot of the community feedback we received was that the mineral and chemical sunscreen formula was causing pilling and a white cast. For Dew Shield, we opted to use only chemical filters which allows for us to offer a weightless, hydrating fluid formula while still maintaining an SPF 30 protection level. Dew Shield SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB rays, while SPF 50 blocks around 98%. We always recommend reapplying throughout the day for the most effective sun protection.
Besides the SPF factor, what changes did you make to the formula and what did you want to make sure to keep the same, ingredients-wise as well? 
Christine Chang: This is a brand new formula! Dew Shield uses a blend of organic chemical filters for broad spectrum SPF 30 protection without a white cast, in alignment with the Clean at Sephora and Sephora Planet Aware seals. It&rsquo;s also formulated with niacinamide, which helps strengthen the skin barrier by boosting hydration and reducing hyperpigmentation from sun exposure. We also formulated with a blend of black, red, and white rice extracts, known to help protect the skin from signs of damage caused by pollution and blue light. To deeply hydrate and soothe dry skin, we've included a nourishing mix of glycerin, watermelon seed oil, and vitamin E.

As someone who used and enjoyed the previous version, I do prefer the texture of this new one as it sinks in more quickly into the skin while still imparting a glow. Did you make any tweaks to the texture? 
Sarah Lee: Because we formulated with clean UV filters, the texture for Dew Shield is ultra-nourishing and weightless, so it sinks right into your skin. The milky formula glides right on like a moisturizer, and gives skin a natural glow. Also clinically tested to increase skin hydration immediately after applying, after 24 hours, and after 2 weeks of use&nbsp;
What are the challenges of formulating sunscreen for the global market? 
Sarah Lee: We grew up in Korea with our moms teaching us that sunscreen was one of the most important parts of our routine. We also know that sunscreen can often be a formula or experience that isn't something you want to wear every day, and that can take time to get right. We spent the last two years perfecting a new formula that we knew our community would love. It&rsquo;s been a labor of love to create this formula that is inspired by everything we love about Korean suncare - clinically proven deep hydration, quick-to-absorb, seamless texture without white cast and glowy finish with advanced broad spectrum protection. We&rsquo;re so excited to launch Dew Shield in over 30 markets globally.

Glow Recipe has entered the portable sunstick market with the Watermelon Glow Dew Balm SPF 30. What made you want to create this product and did you view it as a companion to the Watermelon Glow Dew Shield?
Sarah Lee: We consider Dew Shield and Dew Balm to be a part of your SPF wardrobe for the summer. Dew Shield SPF 30 is meant to be your everyday essential SPF. We recommend applying it as the last step in your skincare routine after your moisturizer for a dewy, non-greasy finish. We recommend reapplying sunscreen every two hours, even if you&rsquo;re not outdoors. Dew Balm SPF 45 has a convenient hands-free formula and is easy to throw in your bag and reapply on the go.

Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow Dew Shield Hydrating Fluid SPF 30 and the Watermelon Glow Dew Balm SPF 45 are available now at Sephora online and in stores.&nbsp;

Here's Why Glow Recipe Reformulated Their Viral Watermelon Glow Dew Shield

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