‘I Had to Figure Out How I Wanted to Show Up’: Serena Williams Seemingly Addresses Unrecognizable Appearances Following Attacks from Critics
Serena Williams is boldly stepping into a new era of owning her beauty following years of criticism about her looks — quite literally — with the launch of her debut makeup line, WYN Beauty.
News of the business venture comes amid various fan discussions surrounding her recent appearances, where some have deemed her almost unrecognizable. WYN was a passion project, in partnership with Good Glamm Group and Ulta, that was six years in the making.
The 10-piece vegan and cruelty-free line features makeup staples like skin tint, concealer, lip and cheek color, matte and featherweight lipsticks, lip serum, eyebrow pencils, eyeliner, as well as long-wear, water-proof, and lengthening mascaras. The items, according to Williams, were inspired by the little ways she managed to primp herself for the public during her tennis career.
“After playing on center court in front of millions of people, I’d have to do press. There was a point where I was talking to the press every single day. I had to figure out how I wanted to show up, but I only had a few minutes after a match to do my makeup,” she tells Byrdie for their spring cover story.
“I never wanted to fit into a box,” adds the 23-time Grand Slam winner. “I don’t look like anyone else and never will. I was one of the first athletes [in tennis] that had a differently shaped body. I felt I’ve pioneered in so many different ways, so I wanted to include beauty in that.”
The skin tint, in particular, caters to 36 skin shades, an aspect of Williams’ appearance that has been harshly criticized.
