While Serena Williams’ vanity may include plenty of luxe products (her skincare routine reportedly costs nearly $1,000),
the retired tennis star has a surprising hack for treating sunburns: breast milk.
The 23-time Grand Slam champ took to TikTok earlier this week, writing, “Ok is this totally weird??? I have to say after a week of using MY breast milk under my eye — it worked! I’m dying to hear your thoughts. Be nice lol 🙈.”
According to Williams, she suffered a sunburn under her eye and decided to try the remedy. “They say put breast milk on everything and I have a lot extra, so I’m gonna try it for a week or so and see how it goes.”
Fans were quick to chime in with their commentary. “Yes ma’am. 40 years ago I used it as a facial when bathing. Miracle milk,” one person wrote on TikTok. Another added, “I gave a friend some of my breast milk to make bar soap for me to use on my son’s eczema. Was a wild concept to get my head around, but it worked!”
“When my son was three months old, he had an eye infection, and an older native woman told me to squirt some breast milk in there and it disappeared,” a third person wrote.
Williams isn’t the only celebrity to speak out on the healing powers of breast milk. In April, Halsey talked about how she, too, uses breast milk on her own skin. “It’s full of antioxidants and good fats and stuff that speed up the healing process,” she told Nylon, calling it the “best skincare ingredient.”
According to Women’s Health UK, a specific type of breast milk (a.k.a. colostrum, which is produced the first few days after giving birth) is brimming with protein and fats.
“Many people see breast milk as a great home remedy for treating all skin concerns. Due to its natural healing and anti-inflammatory properties, breast milk can be used for cuts, eczema and acne,” dermatologist Salomé Dharamshi told the outlet. Aesthetic doctor and founder of G&M Healthcare Dr. Grace Hula added that it’s “full of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that can benefit the skin in various ways,” including fighting off bacteria and infections, and thus preventing blemishes.