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Victoria Beckham Beauty Review: We tested over £1200 worth of product – these are the ones that really worked
BRB, just reinventing my makeup bag
Victoria Beckham is a beauty icon – fact. So, when she launched her namesake brand back in 2019, my only question was, 'Why did it take so long?' I had high hopes that she'd deliver that enviable 90s look in product form, and she did not disappoint.
I was a loyal Spice Girls fan, but even if you weren't, I do think the Victoria Beckham Beauty range stands out on its own amongst other celeb beauty brands. It wasn't just the luxurious, weighty packaging in the Insta-worthy tortoiseshell design (I'm a sucker for this packaging), but the formulas are unanimously creamy, buttery and blendable. Seriously, it makes a smoky eye foolproof to achieve.
It's worth noting that this isn't the cheapest celeb beauty brand knocking around (the most budget-friendly are the lip liners at the £30 mark, while the new foundation comes in at a staggering £104), but it is the definition of luxe. It's expensive because it looks and feels expensive – totally VB vibes.
Victoria Beckham Beauty Bronzing Brick
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Victoria Beckham Beauty The Concealer Pen
Read review
Victoria Beckham Beauty Cheeky Posh Blush Stick
Read review
Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner
Read review
Victoria Beckham Beauty Lip Definer Lip Pencil
Read review
I'd tried bits and bobs since the launch, but it wasn't until I went on a recent trip and had to bring my condensed makeup bag and I realised how much Victoria Beckham Beauty I use on a daily basis, that I decided it was time for a rundown on my top-rated products from the range (and the ones I'd skip on next time).
Victoria Beckham Beauty review
This bronzing brick is one of the most pigmented formulas I’ve tried. Most leave a delicate dusting, leaving me to question whether or not anything has changed, but one sweep of this warms up my complexion just like a two-week sunny holiday.
I love that there are two hues – a warm tone for building warmth and a cool tone for sculpting (very posh spice of me). It blends easily with a fluffy brush, leaving a matte finish with a soft-focus effect. I also love to drag the warm hue over my eyelids. Mwah.
The packaging is super luxe too, with a gilded tortoise shell design. The compact is also very weighty. Sure, this doesn’t make it very carry-on friendly, but it does add to the overall high-end feel.
Glowing Customer Review: “The two shades appear very natural on my skin tone providing the right amount of “tan”. Applies perfectly without feeling cakey. I feel like it sets my make up well also.”
This may just be the most expensive concealer I’ve ever used, but it’s also one of the best. In partnership with luxury skincare brand Augustinus Bader, the pen contains a patented ingredient named TFC8 – a combination of peptides, amino acids and vitamins to protect the skin – as well as poluglutamic acid and squalane to improve overall skin health and moisture.
Initially, I thought: “Skincare in a concealer? Surely not!” But after trying it for myself, this is one beauty journo admitting she was wrong. No, it’s not going to deliver results like your favourite serum, but since using this, I have noticed fewer dry patches around the corners of my eyes.
And the coverage works just as hard as the skincare. The rich texture easily melts in with the tap of a finger, and has enough pigment to cover anything from dark under-eyes to pimples.
Glowing Customer Review: “This one ticks all the boxes — perfect shade, flawless texture, and an applicator that makes application effortless.”
This was the first product I ever tried from the range, and it made me fall in love with blush again. I use the terracotta-y shade 'Playground' on a daily basis to act as a 2-in-1 blush-bronzer hybrid, and it's the skin equivalent of a Red Bull for when I'm tired.
Not only are all the shades wearable (picking only one would be a feat), but they also blend out easily, without compromising on pigmentation; these are not blushes that are going to disappear after five mins, trust me.
Despite their staying power, they leave cheeks looking hydrated and dewy, so you're left with a natural-looking flush.
Glowing Customer Review: “Love the packaging! Elegant and easy to carry during travel since it’s not bulky. The finish is natural, and easy to use!”
Starting this edit incredibly strong, you can believe all the hype when it comes to these liners. They are possibly the most creamy formula I have ever tried and, come rain or shine, they do.not.budge.
They glide on so seamlessly and leave behind the most pigmented line I’ve ever seen from a pencil eyeliner. I also love that they’re available in 21 shades in a range of finishes, including matte, jewel and shimmer. I use these for a winged liner, in my waterline and even as an eyeshadow stick (yep, they’re that pigmented).
Glowing Customer Review: “Dear VB Beauty Team, I just wanted to congratulate you on your fantastic Olive eye pencils — the quality, texture, and colour is truly outstanding. They have quickly become an essential part of my makeup routine.”
Out of the entire range, I feel like people are sleeping on these the most. Considering we all know what VB looked like in the ‘90s, are we really that surprised she nailed lip pencils? I think not.
These have the precision of a pencil with the creaminess of a crayon and wear considerably well throughout happy hour (I’ve tried and tested them thoroughly). The nude shades are my personal favourites (quelle surprise), and I find them so pigmented and natural-looking that I often wear them on their own.
Glowing Customer Review: “Love this colour. The staying power was great without feeling like it was drying on the lips. It lasted throughout the day, even through eating and drinking.”
Ignore the price tag for a second, this lightweight foundation has received thousands of glowing online reviews for its ability to create a naturally flawless-looking complexion without feeling like you’re wearing much makeup. The finish is radiant and glowy (but not overtly dewy) and lasts the day with minimal blotting needed.
It’s also formulated with Augustinus Bader’s TFC8® complex (hence the price), so it helps to support the skin’s natural regeneration process, AKA, giving you radiant, firmer skin the more you wear it.
Glowing customer review: “This is better than I imagined. It glides on, stays in place but is breathable feeling, My skin looks so healthy”
I don't tend to get along with fluffy brushes due to the mess they leave on my lids, but this might just be my exception. Despite the bigger brush, this managed to cling to individual lashes, which I think is down to its slightly drier-than-normal formula.
It separated my lashes like a pro and provided a subtle amount of volume. It's not the most impactful mascara I've ever used, but it is clump-free and gives my lashes a genuine fanned-out effect. Wear-wise, it was flake-free, too.
Glowing Customer Review: “I have found this to be a fabulous mascara, it enhances and lengthens the lashes and doesn’t clump!”
I’ll be honest, stain blushes are never usually my forte, but the new VBB Colour Washes are so, so gorgeous. The texture has a water-like consistency, which means it sinks into the skin seamlessly, while still leaving a dewy and pigmented flush.
Formulas like this can feel a little tricky to apply, but I found the best way is to directly dab the applicator onto my cheekbones and buff out with a fluffy brush. Luckily, I don’t think the pigment is too scary – in a good way, some stains feel way too intense, even a clown would turn them down – so it lends a natural, pretty flush to my cheeks that lasts all day. Seriously, the pigment sticks on until it easily melts off with my cleanser at night.
I know £44 is spenny for a blush, but a few drops really do go a long way, so this bottle will last.
Glowing Customer Review: “I never use blusher as I have never found the right one, until now. This is easy to use, goes on brilliantly and looks natural. I love it.”
The newest addition to the VB Beauty range is a set of three fragrances. Each represents a different era and set of memories in Victoria's life. If you remember the OG Noughties Beckham fragrances, these are so much more sophisticated than that.
Suite 302: Trust me when I say it was hard to pick a favourite, but I think this has to be mine. Inspired by rendezvous
in Paris, this features notes of black cherry, musk and black leather. This is sexy – simple as that. If you love a smoky perfume, this is for you.
San Ysidro Drive: This is the complete opposite of Suite 302. It features fruity – but not sickly – passion fruit, peony and vanilla, which leaves you with a warm and strong feminine scent.
Portofino '97: If you're a fan of a zesty scent, this needs to be in your collection. I'd seen online some comments about this being a Tom Ford dupe, but the only thing they have in common is the name and colour of the bottle. This mixes black pepper with amber and vetiver that *scream* sexy man. The vetiver makes it more spicy than Suite 302's smoky aroma, so it isn't one for the faint-hearted.
The Lid Lustre Eyeshadows are like glittery butter and can be worn as a light sheen or an intense, bold eye if you layer them. They’re a doddle to blend, and the final result looks effortless, yet high-maintenance at the same time.
My only bugbear is the fallout. You will end up with glitter on your cheeks before midnight, but it kind of goes with the grungey look, right?
Glowing Customer Review: “Absolutely love this Lid Lustre! Has the perfect amount of sparkle without going over the edge... Staying power is wonderful!”
Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Pearl highlighter stick
If you’re looking for a highlighter to give you glass-like skin – sans chunky glitter – this is your stick. It’s subtly pearlescent to allow cheeks to hit the light, without leaving you looking like a disco ball.
This is shaped like a lip balm, which really meant it hugged my cheekbones as I applied it. It’s more shiny than anything else, so it’s basically the equivalent of lip gloss for your face (without any stickiness).
Glowing Customer Review: “It’s creamy and light, instantly enhances even with minimal makeup. Also makes a lovely shimmer for eyelids.”
The brick-style layout of this palette gave me serious Bobbi Brown vibes (which is always a good sign). These look like they're going to be quite chalky, but once applied, I was shocked at how buttery they were.
As such, they were fuss-free to blend and looked so natural. If you're looking for an effortless smoky eye, this will have you covered. Due to their creaminess, they did move around on my lid a bit and crease; however, if I'd used an eyeshadow primer, this wouldn't be the case – hindsight, am I right?
Glowing Customer Review: “The best eye shadow I’ve ever used! I tend to have oilier lids and I often feel like my shadow falls off haha. The colours are beautiful, compact is quality, and best of all the shadow lasts!”
How can you get excited about a brow gel? When it’s VB’s brow gel, it’s possible. What’s kept me hooked is how lightweight the formula is: it almost feels like you’re applying water to your brows to hold them in place, without leaving a sticky residue – which so many formulas tend to do.
The gel comes in five shades, but I opted for the clear as that last slick of product. I also love the comb-style applicator that precisely shapes my arches to how I want them.
Glowing Customer Review: “Just love it! So easy to use, perfect shade. Love, love, love.”
These are essentially a gloss-lipstick hybrid. The balmy texture delivers a pigmented wash of colour, but the finish is super shiny and hydrating, making them comfortable to wear, too.
It’s tough to find shine that lasts, though, which is the only problem with these. If you hate the stiffness of traditional lipsticks, though, you’ll love ‘em. Plus, the 90s-esque grungey shades are *chef’s kiss*.
Glowing Customer Review: “Best lipstick I own! Feel gorgeous when I wear it. Goes on easily and fades lovely.”
Essentially a glazed doughnut finish for your lips, this lightweight gloss doesn't skimp on shine. The texture is super creamy and lasted me a pretty impressive amount of time considering its intense wet-look finish.
The colour is subtle but not wishy-washy like some of the other formulas I've tried. The best bit? My lips are left so much softer once the gloss wears off.
Glowing Customer Review: “One of my favourite glosses that leaves no excess residue and lasts a long time.”
Victoria Beckham Beauty Cell Rejuvenating Priming Moisturizer with TFC8
Anyone who's a VB fan will remember how the primer in her Estee Lauder collab back in 2016 basically broke the internet, so I was excited to see if this alternative lived up to the OG.
It's had a skincare upgrade – courtesy of one Augustinus Bader – and contains a cocktail of amino acids and vitamins, aiming to replenish skin. Because of all this, it's pretty pricey for a primer, but it's so hydrating that even I, someone with chronically dry cheeks, could get away with using this as my moisturiser.
It left my skin feeling silky and soft, without leaving behind a greasy finish, and did work as a great base for makeup. It even gave my skin a slightly blurring effect – always a bonus.
I personally wouldn't spend this much on a primer (or moisturiser), but if you're willing to splurge, this won't disappoint.
Glowing Customer Review: “It makes your skin look a little shiny on application but with the concealer and bronzer powder you get a lovely natural glow that lasts all day, without that full makeup mask look and feel, which is so much better. Great for highlighting on top of moisturiser on lazy days.”
This makes a moody lip effortless and leaves you looking like you’ve gorged on fresh cherries (the luxury).
It dries down quickly and provides a velvety finish. It’s not as drying as previous lip tints I've encountered, but it isn't exactly hydrating either.
Its lasting power is impressive, and I like that you can tap it on for a most just-pinched look or build it up to a bolder colour. Although I’ve had two of these, and both sponge applicators have fallen off the top, just FYI.
Glowing Customer Review: “This is a great tint. Beautiful colour and feels fresh on the lips. Does not create any flaky texture or leave traces on lips as it fades.”
How we test:
We don’t do things half-heartedly at Cosmo UK. I reviewed over £800 of Victoria Beckham Beauty, from bronzers to perfumes, to tell you which products are worth buying.
Let’s be real, while undeniably beautiful, the collection isn’t exactly cheap with the most affordable price set at £30, so it’s important to know exactly what the good stuff is before investing. When testing, I considered everything from packaging to pigment, to lasting power and results.
Every single product in this edit are ones I believe are genuinely worth the price tag, but if I had to pick a few favourites, the BabyBlade eyebrow pencil and Satin Kajal Eyeliners will always have a spot in my kit.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
- Clare Stephenson is the Senior Beauty Ecommerce Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over three years experience as a professional shopper. She has reviewed pretty much every celebrity-found makeup brand out there, making her a brilliant authority to share her thoughts and honest opinions on Victoria Beckham Beauty.
This is by far the smallest contour stick I’ve ever encountered. The slimness means you can contour your nose without any fuss and allows you to be more precise and get into smaller nooks (i.e. your eye socket), too.
However, if you’re just a cheek-swipe gal like me, I did find it took a bit longer to achieve my toned look than with other chunkier sticks in my collection. Having said that, it was very blendable. It is the same price as my bigger contour products, though, so with only 1.1g of product, you’re going to be going through this pretty quickly, which will add up in the long run.
Glowing Customer Review: “The slim stick applies so effortlessly, the shade is beautifully formulated, and it blends seamlessly into the skin.”
Charlotte Bitmead (she/her) is the Senior Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. She has over six years experience writing about beauty and has previously written for ELLE and The Sunday Times Style, covering everything from politics to sustainability to inclusivity within the beauty industry. When she’s not writing in-depth features, testing out the newest skincare fad or trying to decide what nail art to get, you can find her overspending in bookshops or shouting at Arsenal matches. Find her on LinkedIn
Clare Stephenson is the Senior Fashion and Beauty E-commerce Writer for Cosmopolitan, ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been an e-commerce writer since 2022, creating matter-of-fact reviews and shopping pages filled with her favourite products for every budget and need – whether that’s a glow-giving foundation, a high-tech LED face mask or the perfect wear-with-everything blazer.
Alongside writing, Clare loves to be in front of the camera creating shopping content, putting viral products to the test to see which ones are truly worth the hype. Through her work, she has interviewed leading dermatologists, makeup artists and industry experts to bring readers trusted advice and product recommendations.
Clare has contributed to titles across the Hearst UK portfolio, including Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping, Red and Prima. Prior to joining Hearst, she earned a BA in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University, focusing her studies on magazines and editorial. She later worked as an editorial assistant at Voir Fashion Magazine, covering events including Fashion Week and interviewing notable brand founders.
Outside of work? You can find Clare strolling through London’s Columbia Road Market, pouring her fourth coffee of the day or heading to a Pilates class.
Follow Clare on Instagram @clarefrancesstephenson.
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