Serena Williams is hitting back at the internet detectives who have accused her of bleaching her skin. In a recent Instagram Live video shared on Dec. 2, the tennis legend addressed the rumors that surfaced after a recent video showed her appearing with a lighter complexion at an event for her 7-year-old daughter, Olympia.
Serena Williams attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women in Business Dinner at the Four Seasons New Orleans on July 06, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On Monday, while sharing a makeup tutorial for her beauty brand, Wyn Beauty, Williams, 43, seized the moment to set the record straight and shut down the baseless claims once and for all.
“And then I put just that neutral color, that is actually my skin color, and no, for you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin,” the athlete said as she applied Wyn concealer under her eye, according to a clip posted by LiveBitez. “There is a thing called sunlight, and in that sunlight, you get different colors,” the mother of two continued.
Williams addressed the speculation about her lighter appearance, explaining that she was wearing “stage makeup” while volunteering at her daughter Olympia’s school play, the video of which went viral in November. In the footage, Williams, who has 23 Grand Slam titles to her name, smiled brightly as she sat beside her husband, Alexis Ohanian, 41, at the event, sporting a blonde curly updo.
Taking a moment to confront the skin-bleaching rumors head-on, Williams called the accusations “ridiculous” and proudly reaffirmed her love for her dark skin.
“Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, she bleached her skin.’ I’m a dark, Black woman, and I love who I am, and I love how I look,” she said. The California native then joked that her new bathroom wallpaper revealed her “true color,” emphasizing that she had “never bleached” her skin.
Although the method may work for some, Williams emphasized that skin bleaching will never be part of her beauty routine, as it’s simply not her “thing.”
She added, “And if people do it, that’s their thing, and they have every opportunity and they should. I don’t judge, but you guys do. But that’s what this world is about, and I stay in my lane — the non-judgy one, and I keep it. But no, I actually don’t bleach my skin, so can we just kinda clear that up?” the Wyn Beauty founder concluded.
Serena Williams poses for pictures ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, July 26, 2024. Source: Xinhua News Agency / Getty
Fans are standing with Serena Williams.
Fans poured into the comments section to support the Olympic gold medalist.
“I stand with Serena it was clearly makeup and blogs reposted that video to be messy,” wrote one user.
Another person commented, “You look great, I don’t know why people are so obsessed with your skin tone.. what you do with your skin your hair or whatever that’s you it doesn’t have anything to do with anyone they’re not paying for it or maintaining it.”
A third Instagram user told haters plain and simply to “mind their business” and stay out of Williams’ face.
We agree!
RELATED CONTENT: Tales From TikTok: Serena Williams Is Giving Back By Investing In Women And People Of Color-Led Businesses
:quality(85):upscale()/2025/07/02/859/n/1922398/d8afa3b768658a601527c2.07656391_.jpg "Shakira on “Pelo Bueno” and Her New Ulta Beauty Line, Isima")
