Dr Kianna De La Mores on launching ONSKN, serving in the military, and wanting a brand dedicated to addressing the unique skincare needs of Black skin with specialised, minimalist products.
Skin is the largest organ in the human body, yet many in the Black community have often felt overlooked by mainstream media marketing. Typically, advertisements focus on concepts like lightening and brightening, but there’s so much more to skincare. Questions about managing dryness or preventing breakouts during colder months are rarely addressed. The recent surge in sunscreen awareness is a significant development, as many discover that sunscreen is essential for skin health, regardless of ethnicity. Dr Kianna De La Mores aims to change this narrative with her brand, ONSKN, set to launch on 18 November 2025, ensuring that Black skin receives the respect and specialised care it deserves in the skincare market.
In this edit of The Woman Behind The Brand, Dr Kianna De La Mores discusses her passion and vision fueling her to revolutionise skincare for Black skin through her brand. At the core of her journey is a deeply personal perspective that drives every choice she makes, championing the belief that Black skin deserves the same sensitivity and luxury as any other.
The journey: From medical disregard to a global skincare mission
What was the inspiration behind the launch of ONSKN?
It was a result of personal passion and crisis, dating back to 2016. As an Afro-Latina, I’ve always felt my skin wasn’t a priority for manufacturers. The defining moment, however, was after a botched biopsy, following an allergic reaction, on my shoulder that left me scarred. What was most hurtful was the doctor’s complete lack of care after I expressed disdain for being scarred; their direct words were, “Put some vaseline, you will be fine, and you could just go home.”
I looked at the doctor and said, “I have melanated skin.” It was disrespectful. Black skin is consistently disregarded in healthcare, and that translates into skincare. I realised I wanted to create a line that celebrates Black skin, rather than letting it be dismissed.
Beyond the medical industry, did your 11 years in the military shape your understanding of skincare needs?
It absolutely shaped the brand’s focus on environmental stress. I moved over five times, experiencing everything from the extremely hot climates of Texas (up to 110 degrees) to the very dry, high-elevation climates of Idaho.
This constant moving made me realise that people often don’t understand that if you go to a new climate, your skin can react completely differently. Even in modern years, I couldn’t find products that worked for me in remote places, sometimes only having a single Walmart available. My time in the military directly informed the formulation, ensuring our products are ready to protect skin in different climates.
What was the biggest mindset shift you had to make moving from the military into the beauty industry?
The biggest shift has been realising that I am more powerful and limitless. Leaving the military allowed me to focus deeply. Five years ago, I never thought ONSKN would come to life, as it was tough balancing active duty with research and education. Now, I feel truly unstoppable. I’ve done the research — I don’t just rely on experts, and I verify the information myself. I want that level of excellence and accuracy to be clear to every customer.
Building the brand: Minimalism, intent, and identity
How did you come up with the name ONSKN?
It came after the formula. When I was testing the product, people would constantly ask, “What are you wearing on your skin?” or “What’s on your skin? I love it?” I thought it would be fun and cheeky to just call it “ON SKIN beauty.” It worked because people remembered it, and I later dropped the ‘I’ to make ONSKN look better in text.
Who is the “ONSKN” woman?
She is the bold and minimalist woman, for sure. Black women are the blueprint — we are bold, and we lead trends. You can see the minimalism in the clean, clear, and easy-to-understand wording on the bottle. But the colours are bold.
Our philosophy is about a simple routine — I don’t like complicated, 12-step routines. The brand is for individuals who value proactive looks but also want a minimal skincare routine. While it’s for everyone, this brand is built specifically for people of colour.
On ONSKN’s Instagram, you highlight specific ingredients frequently. Why the focus on education?
There’s a lot of misinformation about our skin. The average person doesn’t know ingredients to look for, especially since their skin’s needs change in humid versus dry climates. I am focused on information and education, so everyone knows what’s in their routine and what it’s effective for.
Challenges & The future
What were the biggest challenges in building and sustaining the brand?
It was so easy to be discouraged, but I kept pushing. The three main challenges were: Manufacturing. It was crucial to find a partner that aligned with my goals and commitment to excellence—someone with whom I could talk directly with the chemist about the formulation. I refused to cut corners just to make money.
The next was finding aligned partners. Many branding companies were white-owned, underrepresented, and didn’t understand the vision or my personal story.
The number one problem was funding. This was huge. I have self-funded 90% of this brand using personal loans and my savings. Black women have significantly less capital to start businesses than white women, but I decided to keep pushing and make sacrifices.
What’s next for ONSKN?
I’m focused on expansion, with a dream for ONSKN to be the next Sephora or Ulta, but catered to people of colour. African women and the vision of the Beauty Hut founder inspire me, and I’m excited to look into the African market and see where ONSKN lands. I’m also focused on building a team so I can expand.
The brand is finally launching on 18 November 2025, and I am so excited for what is to come. There will be promotional discounts and more.
Get to know Dr Kianna De La Mores
Go-to product
An essence spray that rejuvenates my skin.
A beauty step I’ll never skip
My eyebrows. They have to be done. It doesn’t matter if I’m going through the coffee place. My eyebrows. Anastasia Beverly Hills is the eyebrow pomade that I use. Ask anyone who’s known me since I was around 10 — they’ll tell you. I do not. My mum used to beat me for just trying to cut, you know, arch my own eyebrows, but I love it, I cannot skip my eyebrows.
What is a beauty trend that you love and one that you think is overrated?
I definitely love the lip liner and lip gloss combo. Overrated? Definitely, false eyelashes. I think everyone should calm down with them.
What is one ingredient that you always look for in both your products and any product?
I definitely look for hyaluronic acid. It works really well for me, smoothens out my skin. Especially effective in a gel form.
One word that describes ONSKN
Resilient.
