Naomi Osaka Announces Kinlò, a New Skincare Line for People of Color

Ranking the number two tennis player globally isn't enough for Naomi Osaka, the internationally recognized athlete and fashion ambassador. She's now entering the skincare industry, but not just as a name-only brand.

Osaka's focus will be on sun protection for people of color. Business of Fashion cites statistics from the National Cancer Institute, which reports that approximately "33 percent of Black Americans die from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, within five years of diagnosis."

"What drew me towards this project is having memories of being a kid and not knowing how to protect my skin," Osaka told BoF. "I only started wearing sunscreen recently."

Osaka, who is of Japanese and Haitian descent, drew from her dual cultures for the brand's name, Kinlò, "Kin" meaning "gold in Japanese; "lò" meaning "gold" in Haitian Creole.

The collection, scheduled to launch later this year, will include two SPF products, restorative body spray, recovery lip balm and recovery eye cream, each "formulated to address the needs of people with more melanin in their skin, something that many product lines simply ignore," according to BoF.

The product line is part of a larger initiative Los Angeles-based A Frame Brands, helmed by Ari Bloom. Together with Hill Harper, the pair is launching "a portfolio of personal care and hygiene brands targeted toward underserved communities, typically supported by a famous talent," BoF reports.

Osaka continues to keep tennis front and center, recently winning the Australian Open but falling short at the Miami Open, where her 23-match winning streak came to an end in the quarter-finals.