She’s celebrating her 50th birthday today, and Victoria Beckham has, by all accounts, never looked better. But whether she’s adopting her famous red-carpet point pose or poking fun at her husband David on Instagram, the Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer and beauty brand founder has a rigorous routine that she follows to remain luminous, both on camera and off.
The skin
A luminous complexion like VB’s comes courtesy of a whole host of factors, from a healthy, collagen-rich diet to a balanced exercise routine, but she also swears by her facials with Australian aesthetician, Melanie Grant. With studios in Los Angeles, London, Sydney and Melbourne, Grant is one of the world’s leading facialists, and incorporates a number of different therapies within each of her treatments. Her Camera Ready Facial combines deep cleansing, exfoliation and diamond microdermabrasion with an antioxidant peel, circulation-boosting firm French massage and LED light therapy, for even-toned, hydrated skin.
Beckham and Grant are such good friends that they recently collaborated on a two-part cleansing ritual, which Victoria uses regularly at home, alongside her own home LED mask.
Victoria Beckham Beauty The Daily Cleansing Protocol
£100
Victoria Beckham Beauty
The hair
Hairstylist Ken Paves is the man behind Beckham’s long, brunette locks. In recent years, they’ve settled on a thick, lustrous look, with natural, slightly undone waves. Her hair always looks polished and healthy – especially with the English toffee highlights she’s added in recently, which add subtle depth and dimension.
The workout routine
It’s no secret that Victoria and David often work out together under the watchful eye of their personal trainer Bobby Rich, who has been working with them for years. While relatable snaps of VB posted on Instagram show her lying theatrically on the floor post-workout, Rich told Vogue that both she and her husband are the definition of diligent when it comes to their respective exercise routines. “[Working out] is just part of her lifestyle… it’s something she wants and has to do and it sets her up for the day,” he said, explaining that they unfailingly train together five days a week, either virtually or in person.
In the last five years, Victoria has switched to training with weights – “she does a lot of dumbbell, barbell and bodyweight work”, alongside functional and compound movements – which has improved her muscle tone and strength. Weight training is also recognised as a great workout for women to try as they reach the perimenopause, when bone density and muscle mass naturally start to decrease. “The difference in Victoria’s muscle now is that it’s not necessarily bigger, but the quality of muscle and the health she has from having stronger joints, tendons and ligaments is marked,” Rich said.
The brows
VB’s desert island beauty product? Her brow pencil. “You know, David has never seen me without my brow,” she previously told Lisa Eldridge. “Honestly, he’d file for divorce, he would!” Channelling the golden rule of great brows, she treats them like “sisters, not twins”, to ensure a natural appearance and shape. “I aim for brows that don’t look too perfect or forced, but have a natural symmetry to them,” she said.
The make-up
Victoria often does her make-up herself, using her eponymous (and excellent) beauty brand, Victoria Beckham Beauty. In fact, her Instagram is full of demo videos, whether she’s showing her followers how to use eye-brightening white liner or the easy way to contour. Her signature look tends to incorporate fresh, radiant skin, sculpted cheekbones and a defined eye – some of our favourite Victoria Beckham Beauty picks include the Satin Kajal Liners for their smudgy, smoky brilliance, and the Bronzing Brick.
Victoria Beckham Beauty Matte Bronzing Brick
£56
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Satin Kajal Liner
£32
Victoria Beckham Beauty
The wellbeing escape
You don’t ascend to A-list status without attending a cutting-edge medical spa. For her part, VB has been known to frequent Villa Stéphanie in Baden-Baden, Germany – often for some post-fashion week R&R. As well as detox treatments and appointments with holistic naturopath Dr Harry Koenig (an expert in preventative medicine), she spends lots of time in nature while on her traditional “wellness week”.
The nutrition
Victoria has famously eaten the same meal every day for 25 years. Talking to The River Cafe’s founder, Ruthie Rogers, on her podcast Table 4, David revealed that his wife “only eats grilled fish, steamed vegetables; she will rarely deviate from that”. He went on: “The only time she’s probably ever shared something that’s been on my plate was actually when she was pregnant with Harper, and it was the most amazing thing…”