Serena Williams has spoken out against rumors that she bleaches her skin, describing the claims as “ridiculous” during an Instagram Live session on Monday. The tennis legend addressed the speculation after a video surfaced from a recent family school event, where her appearance sparked online chatter about her skin tone.
Williams, 43, attributed her lighter complexion in the video to lighting, stage makeup, and natural changes in sun exposure. While demonstrating products from her Wyn Beauty line, she took the opportunity to set the record straight.
“And then I put just that neutral color that is actually my skin color,” Williams said while applying makeup during the livestream. “And no, for you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin.”
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The 23-time Grand Slam champion didn’t hold back, adding, “There’s this thing called sunlight, and in that sunlight, you get different colors. Yes, I’m calling you out on this because it is ridiculous.”
Williams also expressed pride in her heritage and appearance, declaring, “I’m a dark-skinned Black woman, and I love who I am and how I look.” She criticized the societal pressures and assumptions that lead to such accusations, while making it clear that altering her skin tone is not something she has ever considered.
“If people do it, that’s their thing,” Williams said, adding with characteristic grace, “but I stay in my lane — the non-judgy one.”
This isn’t the first time Williams has opened up about her skin. In 2023, she revealed a creative solution for healing a sunburn: applying her own breast milk. Sharing the experience on TikTok, Williams explained that she had extra breast milk after giving birth.
