Four-time Grand Slam tennis champion and activist Naomi Osaka launched her own vegan skincare brand KINLÒ, targeted specifically at people with melanated skin.
As a first time CEO, Osaka worked with GoDaddy to create a custom website and online store, along with her partners at A-Frame, a Los Angeles based holding company that develops talent-led sustainable personal care brands built for underserved communities.
“Bringing KINLÒ to life was a personal and professional goal of mine. I am thrilled that my first entrepreneurial endeavor will be something meaningful to my community, and I couldn’t be more thankful for my team at A-Frame and GoDaddy,” said founder and CEO Naomi Osaka in a media release.
“Through my personal experience and learnings, I have found that Black, Brown, and other melanated skin toned communities are often an after-thought in the discussion and research surrounding sun care, including being excluded from clinical studies on skin cancer. Additionally, there is a lack of sun protection products being made with melanated skin in mind. These points have all led me to create KINLÒ, a mission-first brand.”
Made with clean formulations, the vegan and cruelty-free brand offers a range of active and recovery skincare products built to protect and rejuvenate melanated skin tones.
The line includes an Active Golden Rays Sunscreen that is mineral-based and designed to eliminate whitecast, as well as a Hydrating Eye Cream, Hydrating Golden Mist, and Hydrating Lip Balm. The brand plans to expand their skincare line, centered on both protection and recovery from the sun and blue light.
Founder Naomi Osaka will helm KINLÒ as CEO with Dr. Naana Boakye serving as Dermatology Director to help ensure formulations are of the highest efficiency and standard and that education about skin cancer, in particular, skin protection in the Black, Brown and Asian-Pacific communities, is a priority.
Vanessa Motley Coleman has been named Vice President and will oversee business operations along with the global team at A-Frame.
The brand pays homage to Naomi’s bicultural heritage in the meaning of the name KINLÒ, with both Kin and Lo meaning “gold” in Japanese and Haitian Creole respectively.
KINLÒ will first launch exclusively on the company website.
