Sometimes we only recognise an icon in hindsight.
And if you happened to be an 11 year old girl in 1996 - like I was - then there were no greater icons than the Spice Girls.
They crashed into our lives on platform trainers screaming about girl power and pinching the bums of royalty. It was powerful stuff for impressionable pre-teens and I fell for them, hard.
From my precious copies of their albums to the Impulse spice world body spray I doused myself in, I loved them. And my very favourite of them all was always Posh Spice - Victoria Beckham.
Perhaps it was the fact that as the only brunette in my group of friends I always had to fill her part in playground dance routines, or more likely it was that her tongue-in-cheek brand of sophistication was something I aspired to myself. Either way, Vicky B spoke to me.
I got my hair cut into a bob and begged my mum for a strapless black pencil dress. Of course, a hell of a lot has changed since then.
The most unlikely thing of all was her successful reinvention as a credible fashion designer - one whose clothes I admired, but couldn’t afford, although I purchased many a high-street version of her designs and watched her endless parade of looks with interest.
Now comes a beauty line, which is much more accessible - and absolutely stunning. It’s my new addiction.
Anyone who is into sophisticated, ultra-luxe minimalism will find something to love in her chic edit of get-pretty products. The aesthetic is sort of like a mix between Tom Ford and Charlotte Tilbury, and the products are similar in quality and price to those two ranges.
The beautiful packaging alone is wildly appealing - and what’s inside does not disappoint.
Victoria Beckham Lid Lustre | Mink
It was lust at first sight when I saw this stunning crystal-infused pressed powder eyeshadow. It’s a real show stopper, perfect for the big nights out we’re finally allowed again and the upcoming festive season too.
The formula comes in a range of absolutely beautiful shades that seem very carefully considered, from the golden ‘Honey’, to the coppery ‘Tea Rose’ and electric navy ‘Midnight’, but it was this gorgeous, moody purplish brown that really appealed to me.
This will make such a dramatic eye look pared with dark chocolate brown shades. Major.
Despite its bold impact and shine packed finish, this is actually very easy to use, patted on with a fingertip for a blast of pigment, or sheered out with a brush for a finer finish.
This product is exactly why I’m quite obsessed with this beauty line - it’s really unique, sophisticated and looks amazing, plus the way everything is packaged makes it feel special and worth the spend. I definitely want to collect this in all the shades.
Victoria Beckham Smokey Eye Brick | Tuxedo and Signature
I absolutely adore these mini palettes. Carefully curated edits of shades housed in an extremely sleek and compact package, they really speak to me of quality.
I love the fact the case is so small - slightly less than the size of a credit card - which makes them ideal for travel or slipping into even the most petite clutch bag for touch-ups.
And yet the packaging is weighty and feels super high quality with it's tortoiseshell design top and gold metal edging. They almost have the feel of something vintage, because you don’t often find such luxe materials in cosmetic packaging these days, even with high-end brands.
They’re pricey, but despite the small size, you do get a generous 8.5 grams of product packed in there (for comparison, the Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Quads at a similar price point only offer 5.2 grams).
The outer packaging is all sustainable, using recycled paper and no plastic components.
I opted to get the Bricks in ‘Signature’ - a range of wearable, versatile nudes and browns that would cover everything from a light neutral look to a heavier evening eye - and ‘Tuxedo’ which is a grayscale of shades in a satin-matte finish designed to create Victoria’s signature smoked out eye look.
The formula is soft and on the powdery side, which makes it easy to layer up from a sheer wash of colour to something a bit bolder with a few passes.
Depending on your application technique, you can achieve everything from a dense, blocky look to a very subtle smoke.
In Tuxedo, the shades are:
Blanc - A soft matte cream shade designed to be used over the whole lid as a base or as a subtle brow bone highlight, as it has a low-key brightening effect
Rain - A very subtle grey shade that’s very neutral, not too warm or cool and works well as a crease colour
Noir - I’d call this an ‘off-black’ - a deep, moody charcoal hue that stops just shy of true black with a very matte finish
Fumee - A cool toned taupe shade shot through with an extremely fine silver reflect, much like the cigarette smoke I think this is designed to imitate.
Taken together the shades are a beautiful blend to create a very grown-up take on the classic smoky eye.
The shades exude a certain sophistication - they’re not shades a teen would wear. This is makeup for a woman who knows her mind and wants to avoid anything garish or bad taste.
In Signature, we have:
Cami - A gentle, warm-toned matte beige that can be used in the same way as ‘Blanc’ in the other collection
Slip - A beautiful, brightening peach-pink that will gently wake up your eyes
Saddle - A deep, bitter chocolate brown ideal for using as a liner shade or taking your eye look up a notch for the evening
Suede - A rich, matte taupe ideal for contouring the eyes or providing a sophisticated wash of colour over the whole lid.
These are really the shades I wear on an everyday basis, so it’s an ideal little palette for me. The shades sit really well together and can be used on a wet brush for a deeper intensity of pigment.
I’d really call this my ‘everything palette’. It feels supremely luxurious to use in product and packaging and it gives you a range of options to create the look you want.
Victoria Beckham Bitten Lip Tint | Bisou
Another absolute winner for me. I’d actually been looking for a lip tint for a while - a sheerer formula that could give that effortless, French girl look I crave - and I kept coming across this one. In the end I had to give in.
And wow, am I glad I did!
Again, the packaging is stunning, with that subtle tortoiseshell pattern running across the lid. Something any woman would feel completely elegant pulling out of a clutch bag. But I also love the wearability you get here.
The glassy stain leaves a really beautiful hint of colour on lips, and it also looks great on your cheeks too.
The formula has a smoothing, slightly plumping effect that makes it really comfortable to wear.It contains squalane and hyaluronic acid to leave that hydrated finish. It never feels either drying or sticky - you just get a flattering wash of shade that leaves a transfer-proof, semi-matte colour.
I’d say this dark reddish brown shade (described as a ‘rich nude berry’‘Bisou’) feels very sophisticated - the spot on choice of shades is definitely a strong point of VB’s beauty range.
It would work for both day and night, especially paired with a fresh skin finish and smoked-out liner. I really love it and am set on collecting the other shades as well!
Victoria Beckham Lipstick | Pose
Another product I adored straight away (honestly, this brand has rocketed straight to the top of my all time favourites!),this refined shade of lipstick has been my go-to pick as we head into autumn.
A mid-toned mauve, this is like nothing else I own. It’s like a really high-end take on a very 90s lip look, and I LOVE that!
In a single swipe, you get rich colour, a beautiful hydrated finish and a hint of shine, all in a clean, vegan formula. I love the slim metal tube with the slight tortoiseshell and it’s just beautiful. I think you can tell it's complete love.
These are the real deal - wearable, tantalising products that make you look good and feel better. I’m so glad a woman who has long been a icon to me has developed something so classic and thoughtful.
Posh and proud, darlings!
Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner | Cocoa
Trust VB to elevate the humble eyeliner pencil to something utterly lust worthy.
For such a beauty basic, I often think eyeliner pencils are extremely hard to get right. I want them to be creamy and smudgy, but then to set to stone-like immovability. I want to be able to do a soft, smoked out line or a precise feline flick. I want them to be unbelievably pigmented. Moon on a stick, anyone?
Luckily, VB’s eyeliner offering covers all those bases, which is quite possibly why it's almost always sold out everywhere and I had to wait months for this shade to come back into stock at Cult Beauty.
So does it live up to the hype? Well, its another beautiful product. I don't think I've ever used a pencil liner that goes on as smoothly as this - it literally feels like ACTUAL BUTTER.
Plus, using the inbuilt smudger, it's easy to get that 'smoky wing' effect I'm obsessed with that otherwise requires lots of delicate micro-blending in of layers of shadow that I most certainly do not have time for!
The only complaint I have on this one is that it doesn't set very well, so it's easy to smudge and also migrates around my eyes during the day, even with using an eye primer and a setting spray.
When used a certain way (highly smoked out) it works well. Or when I use a small amount along the lash line and then slightly wing out the edge using an angled brush. But add too much and you're basically going to be a smudgy mess.
So a little caution is needed on the application, but overall this is a great product for achieving a sexy smoked out look.
The Verdict
VB's beauty line is definitely premium in price, but the products I've tested do feel worth the spend.
The formulas are good, but it's mainly the super sophisticated packaging that warrants the price. Everything feels beautifully made and carefully thought out.
I love the fact they've started with a really limited range (for example, there's no foundation or concealer currently) as I feel like time has been spent perfecting each item.
I also love the shades, which are sophisticated, curated and seem a step apart from other brands.
Because of the price point, I wouldn't rush to buy every launch, but the products definitely feel special to use.
If you love your upmarket cosmetics, VB would definitely appeal, and I will almost certainly add to my collection (I'm currently desperate for a red lipstick from the brand.)
The standout product for me has to be the Lid Lustre, it's just beautiful to use and the texture, pigmentation and shades feel unique.
I'll be watching keenly to see what Victoria does next!
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