Naomi Osaka's Skincare Line Is Coming to Walmart

Update April 29, 2022: KINLÒ announced a new partnership with Walmart, bringing its affordable products to shelves across the country at 2,500 locations starting tomorrow, April 30. The retailer will be the only brick-and-mortar location to carry the line's five products, which will retain their under-$20 price tags. KINLÒ will also be available on Walmart.com.

"Growing up playing tennis, I never liked using sunscreen because of the white residue and I assumed my natural melanin would protect me anyway, but that's not actually true. I got a bad sunburn the first time I went to Australia, and then I started doing more research and learned that people of color have a significantly lower skin-cancer-survival rate," Osaka said in a press release. "I started KINLÒ to educate others about proper sun protection, no matter what they look like or where they live. Offering KINLÒ products at Walmart is a huge step in bringing suncare awareness and accessibility to a national level."

"Naomi is truly a pioneer in her work to build a future of skincare that is formulated for melanated skin, while shining a light on the unmet skincare needs affecting people of color," Angel Beasley, merchandise director,bBeauty, at Walmart U.S. said. "Adding the KINLÒ product line to Walmart aligns squarely with our mission to better serve the needs of all of our customers. Walmart is ultra-focused on reflecting our diverse customers and advancing racial equity."

Previously: Naomi Osaka, unsatisfied with conquering the tennis court (she's currently ranked no. 2 in the world, according to the Women's Tennis Association), being the global face for Louis Vuitton, and joining the quarantine pink hair gang, is launching a skincare line, KINLÒ, aimed at the specific needs of darker skin. Though details are still scarce, the line is set to hit shelves this fall and every item will retail for less than $20, allowing almost everyone to have access to what Osaka says is a "public health need."

"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."

In addition to an SPF 40 tinted sunscreen, which Osaka assures prospective shoppers won't have a white cast, KINLÒ's range will include a lip balm, body spray, eye cream, and an SPF 50 Tinted Face Lotion. The entire brand was designed to hold up during physical activity, of course, and formulations were designed in tandem with dermatologist Dr. Naana Boakye

"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," she added.

Baseline notes that KINLÒ marks Osaka's most personal project yet. In the release materials, the new brand cited CDC data that found 33% of Black Americans who are diagnosed with melanoma in the United States die.

"I never thought I would ever start my own company," Osaka wrote on Instagram. "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."