Beauty Inside and Out: Venus Williams

In the ultimate quest for inner beauty and outer glow, Marie Claire asks our favorite trailblazers to share intel on finding balance in their busy lives. Read it all here, in Beauty Inside & Out.

Venus Williams knows a thing or two about being busy. But between winning seven Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals (casual), heading up multiple businesses across wellness, interior design, and fashion, and being the ultimate aunt to niece Alexis Olympia Ohanian, the tennis pro still manages to squeeze in time for self-care. Curious how she does it all? Her feel-good motto boils down to the following trifecta: happiness, wellness, and balance. 

“First of all, self-care is all about happiness and living your life in a way that allows you to be happy. A broader definition is being able to live your dreams and do things that you love—whether that’s in work or life. That’s a huge part of wellness. Then, it’s about finding balance in your life to feel healthy and be healthy—mentally, physically, and spiritually,” Williams says. 

While the Eleven by Venus Williams founder and Asutra part owner & chief brand officer emphasizes that the magic recipe will be different for everyone, she clued us in to a few of the foods, products, and playlists that keep her feeling her best from the second she jumps out of bed at 5 a.m. Here, she’s breaking down the must-haves she relies on day-to-day (including her just-launched moisturizer!) and the filling salad that keeps her going. 

Inner Beauty 

Morning Music 

“I get up and go [in the morning] and I’m usually playing music throughout the house. What I want to hear changes. Maybe if I have a day off, it’s something more chill, but if I’m getting going, it’s something else.” 

Happy Viking Superfood Strawberry Smoothie 

“I always have the Happy Viking Superfood Strawberry Smoothie throughout the day. I have about 150 grams, which is a pretty big number. It not only supplements the muscle, but it also supplements recovery, and helps my focus. It’s a huge part of my routine.” 

Christian Dior Ambre Nuit Candle 

“Every day at my house, the candles get lit. I have a bunch of candles burning, but my favorite of all-time is Ambre Nuit by Christian Dior. It’s just a magical smell and lingers for quite a while—like eight hours. It’s incredible.” 

Asutra Dream the Night Away Melatonin Lotion With Magnesium

“It’s one of my favorite beauty hacks. It helps you achieve that inner and outer glow. Getting enough rest? It’s not easy—people aren’t sleeping enough. If you’re not sleeping enough, well, you know how that looks. Getting a good night’s sleep is really important for your total health: your mind, your body, and your soul, your skin, and your morale. I love using this because it keeps my body stronger and ready to take life on."

Asutra Relieve Your Pain Menthol Pain Relief Lotion

“This is my go-to for all of my aches and pains after all my workouts and matches, so that I can recover and bounce back." 

Wildling Empress Stone

“I really love it [gua sha], I think it’s fantastic. It’s a really natural, really easy way to maintain a youthful appearance. It doesn’t take much time and it doesn’t take a huge investment.” 

Outer Glow 

Eleven by Venus Williams Unrivaled Sun Serum

“I usually do most of my skincare after training, but I do this first thing in the morning. After I work out is when I’ll clean my face, put on my serums, and any kind of cream. I try to keep my routine pretty simple—that way it’s achievable."

Household Items for Haircare 

“My hair is African American hair, which is a little different from straight hair—it needs a little more oil. I actually use castor oil in combination with facial oil and that really works for me. One of my favorite proteins to use in my hair is egg—just raw egg. My mom told me to use it and I was like, ‘Oh, mom doesn’t know.’ But, when I did use it, it really helped my hair not to shed. I like to do that every six weeks depending on what kind of state my hair is in.” 

Non-Toxic Makeup

“One of the things that’s really easy to control is what you put on your body. It’s not always as easy to control what you put in your body. I’ve been slowly replacing my products with cleaner products. Exa is an amazing product, I love Thrive Causemetics—all the makeup lines at Credo.” 

Eleven by Venus Williams Ace the Day Face Lotion

“It’s nothing to sleep on. It offers UVA/UVB protection and restores skin hydration. It’s a beautiful product that you can also wear with makeup if you want to."

Recipe for Success: Venus Williams’ Avocado Salad 

Chop, Toss, and Go 

“My favorite go-to is my avocado salad. [This recipe is] very easy—you throw in whatever you like. For me, it’s avocado, tomatoes, red onions, and some herbs. I usually do cilantro and dill—I love dill. Sometimes I’ll do scallions. Then, I add some chili oil on top. I’ll mix chilis with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Finally, you can add protein. You can add eggs, you can add chicken. You want it vegan? You can do that, too. It's very quick and very easy. You can have it pre-made and just go [out the door]."