Celebrating Black History Month: Naomi Osaka’s suncare line fights skin cancer and misinformation

All week long in celebration of Black History Month, Baseline will shine a light on Black voices, TV shows, podcasts, non-profits and contributors that are making a lasting impact on the sport.

As a tennis player, Naomi Osaka spends most of her days under the sun. But for much of her life, applying sunscreen was not a part of her pre-match routine.

Misconceptions about suncare and melanated skin have persisted for years, and as a result there’s a widespread belief in many communities of color that there’s no need to wear sunscreen. But as beautiful as melanated skin is, it doesn’t protect itself from sun, aging and skin cancer without a bit of help—and that’s where Osaka hopes she can spark some change.

Last fall, the 24-year-old launched Kinlò, a skincare line that’s formulated to protect and nurture melanin-rich skin. All of the products are cruelty-free and vegan, but what’s most exciting is the way they're tinted: It doesn’t leave a white residue on melanated skin, which can often be a pain point for Black and brown customers who may avoid wearing traditional sunscreen altogether as a result.

It’s an insight that, Osaka said, came from personal experience. It took an unexpected sunburn during one brutally hot Australian summer day to drive the point home.

“To be honest, I didn't really start wearing sunscreen until the first time I went to Australia,” Osaka told Refinery29 in an interview last year. “The sun is so much stronger down there, so I actually got burnt—and that's when I realized that my own natural melanin wasn't enough to protect me, so I started wearing sunscreen.

“But I definitely remember that it left a white, pasty residue that never blended in. My hope is that Kinlò will never be that type of experience for people. I want the customer to actually get excited about applying our sunscreen because they know it will protect them... and blend in completely.”

Kinlò comes from the words “Kin” and “Lo”, which mean gold in Japanese and Haitian, respectively, a nod to Osaka’s heritage. But Kinlò is more than just another celebrity’s beauty-themed vanity project—Osaka worked with skincare experts for years before starting development on the brand.

She also hired Dr. Naana Boakye to serve as dermatology director for Kinlò. According to the CDC, while 13% of the US population is Black, Black dermatologists comprise just 3% of all dermatologists—which can result in the misdiagnosis of skin conditions and mistreatment of Black patients.

Another sobering statistic: according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the five-year survival rate for Black patients diagnosed with melanomas is only 65%, versus 91% for white patients.

“I was shocked when I learned about the statistics of skin cancer in the POC community, particularly about how much higher the mortality rate is for those of us who are diagnosed with skin cancer,” Osaka said. “That really opened my eyes to the fact that protection for melanated skin is a real public-health need.

“I immediately wanted to facilitate conversation and help debunk the myths about us not needing to wear sunscreen because we have natural melanin—that's really not true.”

That’s why products like the ones in Osaka’s Kinlò line are so important, but are only half of the battle. Osaka has also dedicated herself to fighting the same misinformation and misconceptions that she herself believed before she began doing her research.

The three-time Grand Slam champion recently appeared on an episode of the long-running children’s series Sesame Street to help spread the word about skincare and the importance of sunscreen. Every Kinlò product, which ranges in price from $5 to $20, includes educational material to help customers better understand their skin needs and the products they are using.

“I used to believe the saying ‘Black don't crack,’ but now I've learned that's not true,” Osaka said. “It's so important to protect our skin, even though we have natural melanin. Our melanin is beautiful and needs to be celebrated.”

Learn more about Kinlò and shop Kinlò products here.