We’ve used KINeSYS sunscreen since day one of our little road trip back in 2006 and except for a handful of times when we’ve neglected to apply it (human error), this sunscreen has kept us sunburn free as we’ve traveled through and explored the (very sunny) Americas.
We’re a tough crowd when it comes to sunscreen
The thing about sunscreen is that it only works if you use it and you’ll only use it if you want to use it. For us, that rules out goopy, oily, globby creams that sting our eyes or cake up on our skin or stay sticky all day long. Ick. It also rules out anything that’s got harmful stuff in it or dumps harmful stuff into the environment.
When we discovered KINeSYS, the company with the funny name and the serious sunscreen, we were sold. Here’s why.
- PABA free (PABA can cause allergic reactions and may increase cellular UV damage)
- paraben free (some studies have shown that paraben can irritate skin, raise the risk of breast cancer, wreak havoc on estrogen levels and maybe even increase skin aging due to sun exposure)
- oil free and totally non-greasy
- preservative free
- alcohol free
- super water-and-sweat-resistant
- fast-absorbing
- easy even coverage, even on hairy skin, thanks to the micro-mist pump spray
- some are fragrance free so Eric doesn’t end up smelling like a Hawaiian Tropic girl
- the non-aerosol pump spray doesn’t harm the environment with fluorocarbons or waste a lot of product in an aerosol mega mist or explode in your checked luggage
- ergonomically designed bottles are easy to hold and allow you to use the bottle upside down in order to cover hard-to-reach areas like the backs of your knees
- the gentle formula doesn’t sting Karen’s sensitive eyes
- the company’s Earth Kind policies include bottles that are totally recyclable, no ingredients that accumulate in the body or the environment, vegetable-based ink used for printed materials and they get 100% of their electricity from wind power
- their products are not tested on animals
We’ve relied on our KINeSYS sunscreen to keep us safe in the sun every single day but especially when we’re doing stuff like snorkeling with whale sharks in Mexico, hiking through the jungle to El Mirador archaeological site in Guatemala, diving in Belize or exploring the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador.

Karen sunscreening up in the Galapagos Islands.
During our first Galapagos trip we were the only people on the boat who actually liked their sunscreen (that’s Karen, above, re-applying in the Galapagos next to some new friends who were cooling off in a tidal pool). Not surprisingly, we were also among the few people on the boat who didn’t get sunburned during island hikes and snorkeling trips.
Enter to win our favorite sunscreen for free NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY HAS EXPIRED
We’re giving away 12 four-ounce bottles of KINeSYS fragrance-free SPF 30 sunscreen spray (a US$18.99 value each). To get yours, input your email in the entry form below so we can notify you if you win.
Start by liking the Trans-Americas Journey Facebook page and the KINeSYS Facebook page, then earn a separate entry for each of the following actions done through the entry form below:
- Send out a pre-written Tweet about the giveaway
- Follow the Trans-Americas Journey on Twitter
- Follow KINeSYS on Twitter
- Share and like this travel blog post
Some entries can be repeated once every day, so come back for more chances to win.
The contest ends on December 26, 2014 at 5:00 pm eastern time and winners will be chosen at random. Winners will be notified via email shortly after that. Entries of each winner will be confirmed before prizes are awarded.
NOTE: Anyone can enter, but bottles can ONLY be shipped to winners with addresses within the continental USA (sorry Alaska and Hawaii).
Thank you for this review of the sunscreen. It will enable me to have more choices before buying a produc.
Given how expensive the stuff is fresh off the shelf in the tropics, I’ll have to enter this contest …. hope I win!