Serena Williams is still reminiscing about her time in France during the 2024 Paris Olympics over the summer. She had such a memorable time that the tennis star could not help but share a photo from her trip on Instagram.
“Missing my favorite city,” Williams captioned a photo of her throwing up the peace sign with the Eiffel Tower strategically placed in the background. However, just as the 43-year-old uploaded the image, her comments section went into overdrive, dissecting her makeup.
The legendary tennis player’s look reignited discussions about colorism and beauty standards, with some followers speculating that she was trying to lighten her appearance.
Social media comments questioned whether her makeup choices reflected personal preferences or an attempt to alter her natural skin tone.
Many of Williams’ followers expressed disappointment, recalling the “chocolate-faced teenager” who captured hearts at the 1999 U.S. Open when she beat Martina Hingis in straight sets.
Some followers didn’t hold back on the post, criticizing her glam team for making her look, in their words, “white.”
One commenter quipped, “Makeup artist needs to be fired,” while another wrote, “That shh is supposed to blend in with yo natural color. Turning into Michael Jackson right before our eyes.”
“Y’all better fix my girl makeup or whatever i don’t like this,” another wrote, adding, “I love you tho.”
A fourth remark read, “Makeup on face not matching up with hand and leg.”
Others could not help but joke, “She looks like she played in yt girls. Serena why would you destroy your beautiful black chocolate face. Girl you were an Amazon queen. Just stop.”
As one fan said, this is an issue of judgment and asked who was running her page: “So you mean to tell me that Serena is actually looking and selecting these pictures, posting and actually thinking they look cute? Nah, will the real Serena step to the front right now and do some color correction.”
This type of scrutiny isn’t new for Williams.
Over the last few years, her appearance has often sparked polarized reactions on various social platforms, with some fans accusing her of using skin-lightening products or cosmetic enhancements to modify her image. At the core of many of the arguments is her marriage to Alexia Ohanian.
After her appearance on the popular YouTube show “Hot Ones,” she was met with a flurry of comments questioning her personal perspectives on beauty standards. Some claimed her makeup artist didn’t know what she was doing when she painted her face for the episode.
Supporters have frequently jumped to her defense. Nevertheless, the scrutiny seems relentless, with each post drawing renewed debate and opinions on her makeup, complexion, and even her choice of blond wigs.
Despite these comments, Williams has largely refrained from addressing the backlash, instead focusing publicly on her family, health, and business ventures, including her WYN makeup line that she says she uses when she gets her face beat.
As she embraces new chapters in her life, including motherhood, being a wife, and growing her brand, her choices most likely remain the subject of public discourse. Some fans will admire her evolving style, sometimes even celebrating her glam squad, while others will continue to call her out for what they see as wacky white girl makeup choices.
