If there’s anyone who understands the effects of playing hard under the hot sun, it’s tennis champion Venus Williams. Couple that with wanting the unparalleled clean sun care that endures regardless of heat or activity and Williams is going to serve up the best, maybe even better.
Consider the tag line to her brand of sunscreen EleVen by Venus Williams: “EleVen is better than a 10. It’s not best, it’s better - Be an EleVen.”
The Compton native now lives in Palm Beach where she says, “The sun is no joke.” She trains in 80-degree weather year-round and stresses that it’s especially important for her to apply sunscreen every morning before she steps onto the court.
“Once I realized the harmful effects the sun can have on my skin, I was inspired to create a sunscreen line that protects every skin type from these harsh rays.”
Williams prioritizes clean beauty and has ensured that the formulations from the Unrivaled Sun Serum with SPF 35, to Power Player Perfect Form tinted lip balm with SPF 15, deliver on hydration, protection and all with no white cast on melanin rich skin.
Here, Williams reveals what self care looks like to her and a beauty tip from her mother that helped shape the confident woman she is today.
“Our goal at EleVen is for the products to help people protect themselves from sun damage that can come from harmful rays, while doing so within clean beauty standards.”
Get to Know – Venus Williams
What was the impetus to start your brand?
Honestly, I used to believe the sun would not affect me due to my darker skin tone and it wasn’t until I was in my 30s that I woke up and realized I needed to start protecting my skin. Because of this, I wanted to create a sunscreen that worked for all skin tones.
Do you have a beauty philosophy? What is it?
My philosophy is simple: take the time to prioritize self-care with clean beauty products. It’s such a small thing that we can fit into our daily routine yet has such a big impact on our lives long term, especially skin care. The skin is the body’s biggest organ, and you must give it the love it deserves!
What were some of your first memories of beauty growing up? What are some early beauty influences? (family/relatives, culture, era, location)
One of my first memories of beauty was that my mom wouldn’t allow us to straighten our hair growing up, she was a huge proponent of natural hair. I’m so glad my mom pushed for this and today, I still love rocking my curls! I think her influence helped me embrace other parts of myself too.
What does self-care look like in your life?
Self-care is something I prioritize every single day, whether that be through clean skincare products or fueling myself with nutritious foods. I believe it’s important to set aside time for myself each night to manage aches and pains after a long match or unwind with a face mask. Without this, I would go crazy!
What inspires you most about the beauty landscape and industry today?
The beauty space has really stepped it up in the past few years and that’s very exciting to me. I love that a lot of companies are moving towards clean beauty and are becoming more inclusive across the board. Beauty does not come in one shape or form, and it’s encouraging to see the industry embracing this and working towards a higher standard.
