Twelve years into her public career, and it still feels like Naomi Osaka is just getting started. The tennis superstar has crafted quite the résumé for herself, with four Grand Slam singles titles, two US Open titles, and a ranking as one of the best tennis players in the world (casual). This week, she’ll make her return to the 2024 US Open, where she’ll get the chance to compete for another title. But perhaps even more impressive than her athletic dominance on the court is what she’s managed to achieve outside of the sport.
Osaka has been a vocal advocate on topics surrounding mental health – even famously withdrawing from the 2021 French Open in order to prioritize her own mental well-being – and has worked to champion Black women through an array of business ventures, many of which are aimed at fighting racial injustice and addressing inclusivity gaps in a number of professional spaces. Her current industry of focus: beauty.
In 2021, Osaka launched her own “sun-care” brand, Kinlò Skincare, which is designed to treat and protect melanated skin in particular. “I used to subscribe to the misconception that those with melanated skin don’t need SPF protection, but a really bad burn at a match of mine proved me wrong,” Osaka tells PS. “I then researched and found out those with melanated skin have a lower skin cancer survival rate than those with lighter complexions. Educating the BIPOC community about the importance of suncare is a pillar for Kinlò and a huge mission of mine.”
She created Kinlò products with the hope that they would not only help to protect the skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays, but that they’d also aid in sun recovery. Since its launch, the brand has expanded to include everything from face moisturizers and sunscreen sticks to UV detection stickers – all priced at under $60.
“Making sun care accessible and affordable for all is something that’s really important to me,” says Osaka. “While the beauty industry at-large is massive, the percentage of companies owned by BIPOC people is small. I’m so thankful I get to create products that address concerns of melanin-rich skin specifically, and to open up the door for more black-owned businesses in the beauty space.”
We had the opportunity to connect with Naomi about her growing skin-care brand, hopes for the beauty industry, and all of the must-have products that keep her winning both on and off the court – from patterned slippers to editor-loved sound machines and more.
