She’s one of the most glamorous women in the world, but just how does Victoria Beckham do it? As she launches her very own makeup line, the designer shares her health and beauty mantras with Jennifer Dickinson.
Fuel Your Body...
“I don’t think you realize how important [a healthy lifestyle is] until you get older. You realize how vital it is to wear sunscreen; to drink lots of water; to cleanse, tone, moisturize; take vitamins; make sure you’re eating the right food. I eat lots of good fats, in avocados, nuts, seeds, salmon... I see a dermatologist in La, called Dr Harold Lancer, who is incredible. I’ve known him for years – he sorted my skin out. I used to have really problematic skin and he said to me, ‘You have to eat salmon every single day.’ I said, ‘Really, every day?’ And he said, ‘Yes; breakfast, lunch or dinner, you have to eat it every single day.’ I’ve also started seeing [nutritionist] Amelia Freer. I’ve learned so much about food; you’ve got to eat the right things, eat the right healthy fats. I usually get up about 6am, do a bit of a workout, get the kids up, get them changed, give them breakfast, get them to school, then do a bit more working out before I go to the office. And to do all of that, I’ve got to fuel my body correctly.”
Build On Your Passions
“I am someone who really enjoys makeup; I’ve worn makeup for a long, long time and collected it for many years. At my first meeting with Estée Lauder, at my house in La, I had an entire dining-room table full of products I’ve collected over the years – colors that I have made up, things that have been discontinued – and I went through everything. I told them about things I liked, things I didn’t like, and what I couldn’t find in my makeup bag, because I truly believe there is a lot of product that every woman needs that actually isn’t available, whether it’s the right pigments in an eyeshadow or the perfect nude lip. I think Estée Lauder were really quite surprised at how much I knew about the subject.”
Sharing Is Caring
“There are two types of women out there: there’s the kind of woman who finds something nice and likes to keep it to herself, and then there’s the other type, which is me, who wants to share. I have worked with the best makeup artists, hairdressers and stylists, and I’ve learned so much. I haven’t always got it right, but when I’ve got it wrong, I’ve actually learned an enormous amount from that, too. And I want to share everything I know. A tip I heard from working with makeup artists is that if you line your waterline with a light color, it can really open up your eyes and make you look young, fresh and well rested, so we designed a great vanilla eye pencil that does it perfectly.”
Appreciate Beautiful Things
“When I was younger, my mum’s friend Frances used to wear very expensive perfumes, and when she was finished with the bottles, she’d give them to me. They had nothing in them, but I used to put them all out on my dressing table because I loved the way they looked. I’ve always loved beauty products; whether it’s rummaging around in my mum’s makeup bag, or going to The Body Shop with my sister on a Saturday afternoon. And now I get sent so many things, which I love. I’m in my element when I get sent products to try. I’m very girly!”
Treat Your Face
“The best facial I’ve ever had was by Sarah Chapman. I love using her moisturizer, especially on planes, and her Overnight Facial – my skin really drinks it up. I also love Estée Lauder’s new Powerfoil masks and La Mer’s Eye Concentrate and Renewal Oil.”
Don’t Be Camera-shy
“Underneath my makeup I use Morning Aura Illuminating Crème from my new range. It’s a primer that also acts as a moisturizer and gives you a really fresh glow. Sometimes I put it on top of my makeup as well – I put my foundation on, then I take the product in my hands and pat it over my face for a dewy, youthful look. I’d be getting on a plane from London, then 11 hours later, getting up, walking out of the airport terminal and being bombarded by so many paparazzi, so I wanted something that I could put on to make me look fresh. That was my starting point, actually; when I began working with Estée Lauder, I said I really want to create a product that does exactly that. And the thing is, everybody is in that position now, because everyone has a camera phone. Even if you’re not being chased by paparazzi, there will be someone doing selfies, so everybody has to be camera-ready all the time. Whoever you are, everybody has to be ready now!”
Wake Up To Makeup
“Makeup is like clothes; it can really give you confidence. Though it’s nice to look like you haven’t made too much of an effort sometimes, I still think it’s good to look pulled together and make the best of what you have. Most of the time, when people claim to have just woken up [looking effortlessly beautiful], they’ve actually spent more time on themselves than someone who looks overly done.”
Empower Yourself
“I think you have to [empower] yourself, rather than rely on other people to do that. It’s great to get a compliment from your husband, or your kids, or another woman, but you also have to make yourself feel good, and that’s why I think makeup is so great, because it can do that for you. I’m really proud of everything I’ve achieved, but I haven’t done it on my own – I have great people around me; I have a family that really supports me. I couldn’t do any of this if it wasn’t for David; he is such a supportive husband and someone who inspires me so much. His work ethic is incredible, and he is the most fantastic husband and devoted father.”
You Should Feel Beautiful
“I want to reach as many women as I can around the world. It doesn’t matter who she is, how old she is, where she’s from; I want to make her feel like the best version of herself – that’s why I design clothes. So when Estée Lauder asked me to work on this capsule with them, I was really, really excited, because I love to collaborate with the best. And you don’t get any better than Estée Lauder. She wanted to make every woman feel beautiful, and that’s what I want to do, too.”
