Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade deliver Proudly baby care

Proud parents Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade just made another addition to their growing family of projects and products. On Tuesday, the couple debuted Proudly, a line of baby care products inspired by their youngest daughter, three-year-old Kaavia James Union Wade.

“These products are meant to fill a gap for parents of color, like ourselves, by offering them intentionally developed formulas that put our children’s needs at the core,” said Union and Wade in a statement obtained by Women’s Wear Daily. “Our hope is that for the first time ever, parents of children of color don’t need to spend money on products that aren’t effective or worry about what might irritate their children’s skin. We’ve done the work so they don’t have to.”

As previously reported by theGrio, the line for “melanated skin tones” is anticipated to be a game-changer in the baby care market. Not only are Proudly’s products intended for darker skinned babies and toddlers, but are accessibly priced, with all of its initial products under $12. Most impressively, they were developed in collaboration with Ghanaian dermatologist Dr. Naana Boakye, co-founder of the shea butter-based skincare line Karité, reports WWD.

“It was incredibly important to the whole team that these products would include thoughtfully studied and selected plant-based moisturizing ingredients to take into account the unique needs of melanated babies,” Dr. Boakye told WWD. “As parents of children of color ourselves, we know how difficult it can be to find the right products and everything that went into the development process started with the goal to fulfill that need.”

This venture is just the latest to be inspired by Union and Wade’s youngest child. Earlier this year, the family launched a Kaavia James-inspired clothing collection for children’s brand Janie and Jack; and in 2021, the couple paid tribute to their daughter’s infamously unimpressed demeanor with the children’s book Shady Baby.

Their newest venture, which launched via Proudly’s website on Tuesday, dropped via a modest launch. As WWD reports: “Proudly products available are the Gentle Body Wash in lavender chamomile, the Hydrating Baby Lotion in lavender chamomile, Nourishing Oil, All Over Balm and Gentle Touch Baby Wipes.”

While Union and Wade are Proudly’s founders, they recruited former Estée lauder exec Pam Cholankeril as the line’s president. “Our mission is to elevate and celebrate children of color of all shades and to support diverse families with a baby care line that is made specially for them,” Cholankeril told WWD. “We have intentionally built our team to best serve our community; we are truly made for us, by us.”

Maiysha Kai is Lifestyle Editor of theGrio, covering all things Black and beautiful. Her work is informed by two decades’ experience in fashion and entertainment, a love of great books and aesthetics, and the indomitable brilliance of Black culture. She is also a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and editor of the YA anthology Body (Words of Change series).

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