I Tried Everything from Naomi Osaka's Skincare LineHere are My Honest Thoughts

Including KINLÃ’'s tinted sunscreen for melanated skin.

After months of anticipation, tennis star Naomi Osaka's KINLÃ’ is finally here. Since the tennis star's announcement in May, we've been not-so-patiently awaiting the launch of the melanin-focused skincare line. And now that it's here, it ticks all of our beauty boxes: affordable, inclusive, and protective.

Earlier this year, Osaka revealed that the lack of education around sunscreen and options for darker skin tones inspired her to start the brand. To bring her vision to life, she teamed up with dermatologist Dr. Naana Boakye. “This is a public health need,” she told Business of Fashion. “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’m passionate about that.”

Now that it's here, we tried the full collection. Read on for the details and to hear our honest thoughts.

The Full Collection

Arguably the star of the collection is the Golden Rays Sunscreen SPF 50 + Melanated Tint ($20)—the answer to your mineral sunscreen woes. When Osaka said she wanted a sunscreen that works for melanated skin tones, she wasn’t kidding. The lightweight, mineral sunscreen has a universal brown tint so that it doesn’t leave your skin with the all-too-common white cast.

KINLÃ

The anti-oxidant-rich sunscreen also has a natural matte finish and is water- resistant and sweat-proof. Skin barrier repairing niacinamide rounds out the ingredients in the tinted sun protection formula, proving this SPF really does it all.

Next up is the Hydrating Eye Cream ($15), made specifically for sensitive and delicate eye areas. When you're exposed to the elements, thin under-eye skin is just as prone to dryness from sun exposure as the rest of your face. The dense cream features red marine algae , which offer some protection from UV rays and reduce the appearance of fine lines.

The Hydrating Golden Mist ($15), on the other hand, is an after-sun essential. The body mist soothes and heals sunburned skin with anti-inflammatory aloe vera and calendula. Another key ingredient is hemp seed oil which hydrates and locks in moisture. If you really love the summery, coconut, and orange scent, it doubles as a room mist.

You can shop all the pieces separately or grab the Golden Ritual Skincare Set ($50), which includes all three products and a hydrating lip balm.

The Review

The Golden Rays Sunscreen is super lightweight and super tinted. After thoroughly rubbing in two pumps of the sunscreen, the result is warm, matte skin. I'd say to start with one pump and then slowly add more to make sure it's all fully absorbed. I'm not nearly as active as Naomi Osaka, so I can't fully confirm the product is sweatproof. But, I can say it stayed matte all day, a rarity for most sunscreens.

The Hydrating Eye Cream was actually a bit of a surprise. I think it goes to show how little we (or maybe it’s just me) consider the eye area. When I think of sun protection, I usually don’t think of eye creams. However, the skin around your eyes is just as important as the rest of your face and even more delicate, so it’s a great addition to any sun protection routine. The cream itself is very rich and dense and, most importantly, unscented. As the name suggests, it's hydrating and melts into the skin. It also feels soothing and pretty luxurious. I'd definitely be into a KINLÒ skin moisturizer if that were on the horizon... (hint, hint).

Lastly, I tried the Hydrating Balm and Body Mist. Now, you can't shop the balm alone, but if you do grab the whole KINLÃ’ kit, it's a good added bonus to keep on hand. The mist is a super-soothing, lightweight spray that smells amazing. I love that it doubles as a room mist because I've spent most of my time lightly spraying it around the room.

You can shop the full collection now at Kinlo.com.

Pangestuti R, Siahaan EA, Kim S-K. Photoprotective substances derived from marine algae. Mar Drugs. 2018;16(11): 399.

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