Naomi Osaka Is Launching a Skincare Line for Darker Skin Tones

Called Kinlò, the line features sun and skin care formulated specifically to meet the needs of darker-skinned individuals.

Called Kinlò, the line features sun and skin care formulated specifically to meet the needs of darker-skinned individuals.

naomi osaka skincare

(Photo: Andy Cheung/Getty Images)

by The RepresentASIAN Project
April 27, 2021




Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka is foraying into the skincare world.

The 23-year-old four-time Grand Slam champion announced Tuesday that she would be launching Kinlò, a “new functional skincare brand developed by Naomi Osaka specifically for people with melanated skin tones,” which is underserved by the broader market.

“I never thought I would ever start my own company, but I’m super excited to announce that I’ll be launching KINLÒ, a new brand of skincare products developed to protect and rejuvenate melanated skin tones,” Osaka wrote in the caption of her announcement. “I hope these products can help a lot of people and potentially save lives because I really feel that we aren’t protecting ourselves as much as we could.”

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Osaka, who is of Japanese and Haitian descent, was inspired by both ethnicities for this brand – “Kin” means “gold” in Japanese, “lò” means “gold” in Haitian Creole.

“What drew me towards this project is having memories of being a kid and not knowing how to protect my skin,” Osaka told Business of Fashion. “I only started wearing sunscreen recently.”

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Kinlò’s initial launch will feature an SPF 40 tinted face lotion that also protects blue light, an SPF 50 tinted face lotion formulated specifically for activity, a restorative body spray, recovery lip balm and recovery eye cream. The tinted formulas promise to blend without residue, and all of the items are affordably priced under $20.

The line is set to launch fall 2021 and will be sold direct-to-consumer via Kinlò’s website, as well as through a yet-to-be announced third-party retailer.

“For me, this project is something that requires more than just being a spokesperson,” said Osaka. “This is a public health need. I used to tell people that I didn’t need to wear sunscreen—but even if you have melanin, you need to take care of your skin, and I am passionate about that.”

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