Tennis star Naomi Osaka’s vegan business KINLÒ has extended its suncare products to 2,500 Walmart shops. KINLÒ creates products exclusively for people with dark complexion, and Walmart’s growth makes these vegan options more accessible. Last year, Osaka established KINLÒ as a direct-to-consumer brand to bridge a market vacuum for suncare products that aren’t usually developed with people of color in mind.
“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 stated.
Golden Rays Sunscreen SPF 50+, KINLÒ’s flagship product, is a non-chemical, mineral-based sunscreen with a golden color that mattifies and protects melanin-rich skin without leaving a white cast. The manufacturer has now added Light, Medium, and Deep hues to this item to accommodate a larger range of skin tones. Hydrating Face Oil, Coconut Body Oil, Hydrating Golden Mist, and Hydrating Eye Cream are some of the other products that will be available at Walmart.
The company also sells color-changing UV detection stickers that may be put to the body or a sun-exposed surface (such as a hat) and detect when sunscreen needs to be reapplied. The brand was founded by Osaka to be accessible to everyone, and its items are available at Walmart for $4.97 to $11.97 apiece.
“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,” Osaka said.
Vegan Suncare For Melanated Skin
For its Walmart debut, KINLÒ’s existing product range has been expanded to include new goods designed by Osaka to preserve melanated skin. Always Golden Daily Moisturizer, a tinted daily moisturizer with SPF 40; Always Golden Daily Body Lotion, an all-over body lotion with SPF 30; Sunscreen Stick with SPF 30; Cooling Body Gel Moisturizer; and Sun Spot Brightening Moisturizer are among the new products.
In a statement, Angel Beasley, Merchandise Director, Beauty, Walmart US, stated, “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… 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.”
Dr. Naana Boakye, the brand’s Dermatology Director, helped to create KINLÒ by raising awareness and educating people of color about skin cancer, sun damage prevention, and the mortality rate of skin cancer cases in the Black community. The brand’s entry inside Walmart will serve to raise awareness about the importance of suncare protection.
“Born as a direct-to-consumer brand, KINLÒ’s retail expansion with Walmart will not only allow us to bring high-quality products formulated with natural ingredients at an accessible price point to millions of people around the country… It also allows us to start critical conversations about health risks for melanated skin tones, provide inclusive education on suncare, and provide clean products designed to protect and nourish,” KINLÒ president Mia Meachem said in a statement.
KINLÒ goods, which are both vegan and cruelty-free, are also available on Walmart’s website in addition to in-store availability.
Black-Owned
Shontay Lundy, like Osaka, is working to enhance the suncare market by developing vegan solutions designed exclusively for melanated skin. Lundy invented Black Girl Sunscreen in 2016, with a composition that functions as a moisturizing barrier to UV radiation while leaving no white cast on melanated skin.
When she acquired money for the firm from a private female investor in 2020, Lundy became one of the few Black business women to achieve a $1 million investment threshold. Vegan and cruelty-free skincare products for kids and adults are now available at Target, CVS, Ulta Beauty, and Walgreens stores nationwide.
Source: “NAOMI OSAKA’S VEGAN SUNCARE LINE EXPANDS TO 2,500 WALMART STORES” by VegNews
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