“Early on, playing on the pro circuit meant having to grow up in front of a camera,” says Serena Williams, whose career kicked off at 14. When she began wearing liquid liner and lip stain for matches, scrutiny followed. “People would always give me side-eye: ‘Why are you doing that? You’re an athlete.’ ” In time, the tennis legend made a case for aesthetic flourishes; now, with the debut of Wyn Beauty she champions performance-grade makeup for off-court life.
The 10-piece line is both clean and comprehensive, ranging from a stay-put tubing mascara to a lip-and-cheek pigment to an SPF 30 skin tint offered in 36 shades. Every detail is finessed, down to the W embossed into the matte lipstick bullet—taken from a personal font Williams created years ago. To her, the brand’s chartreuse packaging is a symbol of ongoing evolution. “I didn’t like the word retirement,” she says of her 2022 departure from the game. Her tennis ball has simply bounced onto an Ulta shelf.
Here, Williams discusses her early beauty inspirations, the key to a post-match reset, and which product is the all-star—not that she can play favorites.
Vanity Fair: You were a young teenager when you went pro. Who were you looking to for beauty inspiration?
Serena Williams: Back then, it was all about the top models. It was a sensation, these amazing models, so I was always looking into their beauty at that time. Naomi Campbell was someone that was really inspiring—she was always so beautiful.
