We Tried £623 Of Victoria Beckham Beauty & These Products Blew Us Away

It doesn’t happen often, but once in a blue moon, a beauty brand will enter our radar (and desks) that manages to convert us savvy beauty editors into full-on fangirls. I could probably count on one hand the number of them which have unanimously impressed the team of Refinery29 beauty editors, so much so that we can’t help but gush about them in our morning meetings. And if the title of this article wasn’t a dead giveaway, today we’re here to review one of those rare shining stars: Victoria Beckham Beauty.

Naysayers would be quick to write it off as yet another celebrity makeup brand, but I maintain that I would be just as impressed by the products even if they weren’t backed by a famous face. My colleagues and I regularly quip about the fact that we didn’t want to love it as much as we do, partially owing to how expensive the brand is. But we simply can’t help it. The products are phenomenal and there’s not much else like it on the market these days. Ahead, the team has a go at testing out some of the brand’s most iconic beauty products, from its signature kajal liners to Posh lipsticks, and more.

“I really love this blush stick. It’s creamy, blendable and pigmented. One swipe on each cheek adds a flush of colour, and you can definitely build this up as much as you want to achieve a more bold pop. However, I’ll be honest — and not just because David told us to — it’s a bit expensive. There are comparable formulas that perform just as well. That said, if you are all about the posh life and are happy to pay for it, then by all means, go ahead.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“Holy smokes. That’s what I have to say about this eyeliner. Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Satin Kajal is incredibly creamy and glides on beautifully. It’s got a smudger tip on one end to create a lived-in smoky effect, but the product is blendable enough that you can also use a brush to buff it out. I felt like the sexiest, most badass version of myself with this eyeliner on, and it is so easy to apply. The pigment is there, and it doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes, even when applied to the waterline. I hoard eyeliners like it’s my job, and this is easily one of the best ones I’ve tried. I tested out two shades: Olive, a deep green, and one of the Jewel formulas, Night Flash, which was a glitter-infused black. Both lasted incredibly well and I’d definitely recommend them for anyone who’s looking for a product to achieve a five-minute smoky eye.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“I was especially excited to try this after my colleagues overwhelmingly waxed poetic about it, but I truthfully wasn’t obsessed with Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Concealer Pen. (I know, I’m sorry!) I don’t doubt that it’s genuinely good for your skin — it has a decadent, serum-like texture that feels divine — but this just wasn’t it in terms of coverage. For the price (this was the most expensive product from the brand that I tried), I expected this to conceal, but it offered the amount of coverage you’d get from a lightweight skin tint.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“Eyeshadow palettes have sort of fallen out of fashion these days, but I still think there’s a place for them in our glam routines. In addition to being travel-friendly, they offer endless combinations and looks using just one product — and that’s what I really like about Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Smoky Eye Brick. I got the shade Signature, which replicates Victoria’s iconic smoky eye. Matte shadows can be dry and chalky, but not these. They’re silky and easy to blend, and there’s a surprisingly ample amount of product in the pan. I used the beige shade all over the lid and added some of the chocolate shade in the crease. I lined with the darkest shade and added a tiny bit of pink in the center for a bit of warmth. The result was a subtle yet defined lid look that could easily be turned up for a date by adding more of the darker shades. Also, the vintage-inspired tortoiseshell compact is absolutely gorgeous and feels so chic.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

"Don’t let the size fool you. I’ve been using this brow gel in Crystal Clear every single day for a couple of months and there’s still so much left inside. And thank goodness because it really is excellent. On initial application, the formula feels quite wet, but combined with the teeny tiny plastic teeth, it makes light work of combing each and every hair into place. What’s more, it dries nice and quickly without a trace of residue. No white flakes here! It does make my wiry hairs feel a little hard to the touch, but you wouldn’t guess by looking at them, and my brows don’t budge an inch. No, really. It’s like brow lamination in a tube.” — Jacqueline Kilikita, Beauty Director

“I have a lot of brow, so I tend to be quite picky when it comes to tinted gels; too much pigment takes me from zero to Groucho Marx very quickly, and not enough doesn’t lend the definition I’m looking for. The right gel also has to provide moderate yet flexible (read: not crunchy) hold, and keep my bushy arches in place. I’m pleased to report that Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Featherfix is nearly perfect, and I’m convinced that the comb-like applicator is the secret to its performance. I’ve never seen one like it (many brow gel applicators are a teeny, tapered version of a mascara wand), and was really impressed at how it was able to evenly distribute product and allow me to shape my brows to my liking. My lone complaint is that I wish it had a bit more pigment in it — I got the medium brunette shade and feel like I’d still want to fill in gaps with pencil. That said, I still love the feathery, laminated-like look it bestows, and think it’s a really innovative addition to my brow routine.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“These are, without a doubt, my favourite product I’ve tried from Victoria Beckham Beauty. These solo shadows are so pigmented and shimmery, I wouldn’t be surprised if you told me that Victoria herself crushed some of her own diamonds to add to these. They are ethereal, dazzling things of beauty, and best of all, you can apply them with clean fingers and go. In my opinion, they are perfect alone (or with a dusting of mascara) and come in a variety of beautiful shades ranging from emerald green to smoky taupe. I will say that the formula is on the soft side, and a little goes a long way; if you’re worried about fallout, I’d recommend doing your eye makeup before complexion in case you need to do some cleanup after application. If you love glittery eyeshadow, these are worth the investment — you won’t be disappointed.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“This is one of the more underrated products in the Victoria Beckham Beauty oeuvre. I have the shade Amour (a warm rosy nude) and it lends the prettiest stain of colour. The finish is not glossy, but also not matte, and has a diffused, soft focus finish that makes your lips look like you’ve just had a cheeky snog. The gel-like texture absorbs instantly and offers light hydration to the lips without greasiness. At £37, it’s quite pricy, but I’ve truly not tried anything else like it.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“I love that Victoria is really playing to her strengths with her brand: Sultry eyes, nude lips and flawless skin. Posh Lipstick is a perfect example. The shade assortment heavily favours neutral tones of beige, pale pinks and browns, with a few flashes of red for good measure. (It’s giving elevated, it’s giving curated.) These feel similar to the Posh Balm, but with the payoff you’d want from a true lipstick. The texture is buttery and hydrating and the colours are really beautiful, vibrant and wearable. I also love the smaller bullet since it allows you to be precise with your application and it’s compact enough to fit in a small purse for touch-ups. Again, she is pricey (a running theme), but these truly do feel like a high-end lipstick, on par with any luxury house.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“I tell everyone who’ll listen about how excellent this lip balm is: I’ve been through all four shades this year, it’s that good. My favourite of the bunch, though, has to be Cassis, which bathes lips in a subtle blackberry glaze. Thanks to nourishing murumuru seed butter, it moisturises on a deeper level than most tinted lip balms I’ve tried, and somehow, it makes my lips look three times as plump. I can just slick this on, brush my brows up a little and head out the door. It makes me look — and feel — put together.” — Jacqueline Kilikita, Beauty Director

“This might be the most luxurious lip balm I’ve ever tried. I know packaging isn’t everything, but this tube is simply, stunning. (Or shall we say, posh?) It’s got a bit of weight to it and the balm itself is silky and moisturising. It’s not too heavy and doesn’t have too much of a glossy sheen, which I actually like. My hack is to use this to prep my lips before using lipstick or a lip pencil since it absorbs quickly and layers well under other lip products. I can’t wait to try some of the tinted options.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“I applied this right over a thin layer of clear Posh Balm, and it went on like a dream. It's creamy, pigmented and weightless. I tried the shade No.2, which has become a strong contender for my wedding day lip pencil: It’s very transfer-resistant and long-wearing, and the shade itself is a beautiful, luminous rosy nude. It’s expensive for a lip pencil, but for the colour payoff and even application, I’d say it’s worth every penny.” – Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“The minute I smelled Rêverie, I knew it would become a staple in my fragrance rotation. Considering the current obsession with gourmand — scents that are sweet and moreish — this is bang on trend. It’s rich and treacly (that’ll be the vanilla and tonka bean) but never overly saccharine thanks to a handful of earthy tobacco and a squeeze of tart plum. This is what I wear when I want to feel quietly powerful, especially because the staying power is second to none. It really is beautiful and arguably my favourite among Beckham’s four fragrances. That said, San Isidro Drive (with warm saffron, lush rose and all-encompassing amber) is a close second. My partner wears this, too, and it smells incredible on him, always earning him countless compliments.” — Jacqueline kilikita, Beauty Director

“On days when my skin looks a little lacklustre but I don’t have the patience for makeup, I reach for the Golden version of this moisturiser. Skincare genius Augustinus Bader is the mastermind behind the star ingredient, TFC8, which is made up of amino acids — the building blocks of proteins, which repair and strengthen skin damaged by things like sun exposure and pollution. That explains why my skin looks so much smoother and more radiant when I use it consistently. I love that it lends a subtle glint and it warms up my light olive skin in a way that looks natural, not obviously bronzed. So much so, I just pop on a little brow gel, curl my lashes and go. I can’t get over the luxe packaging, either.” — Jacqueline kilikita, Beauty Director