A lot has changed since Serena Williams‘ 1998 US Open debut. In nearly three decades, she’s become a 23-time Grand Slam champion, a mom to two daughters, and arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time. These days, you’ll also find her living the life of a beauty founder, as she launched a makeup brand, WYN, in April of 2024.
As beauty takes on a more pivotal role in her life, Serena is looking back on what her beauty and skincare routine was like around the time of her first Open match at 16.
“I honestly don’t even think I had a skincare routine back then, which is crazy to think about,” she tells Women’s Health. “I do remember wearing sunscreen though—I’ve worn it every day of my life, that I can remember.”
The athlete also recalls relying on several serums over the years and doing her brows and eyeliner before her matches. Once she was off the court, she would put on a mix of foundation and sunscreen because she couldn’t find a skin tint that worked for her. In hindsight, she wishes that beauty brands like her own existed to fill in the gaps.
Now, Serena switches between simple and extensive skincare and makeup regimens, depending on the occasion. With a busy schedule that requires a lot of travel, she keeps the Vine Vera Resveratrol Eye Collection Age Defying Eye Serum on hand, which contains vitamin C for brighter, firmer skin. She uses coconut oil to cleanse her face and remove makeup before moisturizing with cocoa butter. When she’s in need of a deeper clean, she reaches for the Dr. Barbara Sturm Darker Skin Tones Enzyme Cleanser, a powder formula that lathers up with water to gently exfoliate and buff away dead skin.
In terms of makeup, her daily routine consists of WYN’s Featuring You Hydrating Skin Enhancing Skin Tint with SPF 30 and a little bit of concealer. For a hint of color on her lips and cheeks, she opts for WYN’s MVP: Most Valuable Pigment Multifunction Lip & Cheek Color. The smudge-resistant gel is super buildable and lasts up to 72 hours, which is why Serena sometimes uses it to transform or elevate her appearance. “If I want something glam, I add a little bit to my eyes before finishing off with the Big Vision Lengthening & Defining Tubing Mascara,” she says. “That goes such a long way.”
WYN BEAUTY Featuring You Hydrating Skin Enhancing Tint SPF 30
WYN BEAUTY MVP: Most Versatile Pigment Multifunction Lip & Cheek Color
WYN BEAUTY Big Vision Lengthening & Defining Tubing Mascara
Although Serena has worked with dozens of makeup artists throughout her career, she tries to keep an open mind on new ways to create a look. “I used to do my eyebrows a certain way, and then I learned that, now, you can do them another way,” she says. “I’m learning [new] methods, and I always try to upgrade how I’m applying makeup to get the best look—I’m like, ‘Okay, I need to do what they’re doing in 2024 and not 2001.'”
Now that she’s leading WYN, she also has a lot to look forward to as beauty brands are starting to increase their presence in all things sports. “I’m most excited about getting these products in with our amazing athletes,” she says. “That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life—combining strength and beauty.” She adds that the “technology wasn’t quite there” in previous years, but with new formulas and products breaking into the industry, there’s more room for beauty and sports to exist in the same space.
Sabrina is an editorial assistant for Women’s Health. When she’s not writing, you can find her running, training in mixed martial arts, or reading.
