Victoria Beckham Shares the Secret to her Go-To “Quiet Contour”

Since her time as a Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham continues to prove that “Posh Spice” wasn’t just a persona that was forced onto her while in a girl band—the nickname really does suit her, as everything she does exudes elegance. She’s ventured into both beauty and fashion brands, and has remained the face of everything chic and luxurious—some may say that her style is the blueprint for the current “quiet luxury” trend, as you’ll never see her in something that doesn’t look bespoke.

What’s more, her beauty routine has always been in-tune with a “stealth wealth” vibe, as she doesn’t opt for anything too glittery or flashy, instead using the perfect blend of tones and textures to enhance her features, even when she’s creating dramatic looks. Her beauty brand, Victoria Beckham Beauty, has the same ethos, and she just launched the perfect product for creating the subtle-yet-sharp cheekbones she’s known for: Introducing the Victoria Beckham Beauty Contour Stylus ($38), which Beckham herself uses for what she likes to call a “quiet contour.”

“Our Contour Stylus is exactly what I have been searching for in a contour stick—a to-the-point, precise stylus that puts you in control of sculpting and defining your features,” Beckham tells Byrdie. “I contour every day, and over the years, I’ve learned how to use a lighter, neater hand to create what I like to call a ‘quiet contour,’ where I enhance my features and build structure in an unobvious way.”

Beckham explains that the Contour Stylus is her ideal tool for a quiet contour due to its shape. Unlike typical contour products that come in jumbo-sized tubes, the Contour Stylus is a thin pencil that looks more like an eyeshadow stick. “Our Contour Stylus was developed with the most important element of contouring in mind–the precise application, which allows one to create a more natural look,” Beckham says. “We designed the stylus to be intentionally slim for to-the-point application and natural shading, with a refined tip for super clean and controlled contouring.”

Victoria Beckham Beauty Contour Stylus $38.00

And the texture is a dream. The Contour Stylus contains squalane, linefill, and blue lotus wax to melt onto the skin for an easy blend, and to moisturize the skin and smooth texture throughout the day. Beckham says, “The creamy, buildable, and long-lasting formula applies seamlessly and blends in easily, making contouring simple enough for a contour aficionado or novice to incorporate into their routines.”

Furthermore, whereas traditional contour products may run the risk of being either too orange or muddy, the Contour Stylus comes in four shades—Travertine, Marble, Sandstone, and Granite—that all have neutral undertones to create a true shadow-like contour across all skin tones. “I’m very proud of the shade range we’ve achieved–I was obsessive about getting it right for all skin tones, from super fair to deep,” admits Beckham. “I often find contour products are too grey, and they look too obvious in the daylight. We wanted the formula to be most flattering in real life–not just on Instagram! The trick was keeping the tones neutral to be flattering and versatile with anyone’s undertones. It was challenging, but we got there.”

Beckham is notorious for her snatched jawline and button nose, and she sayscontouring with the Contour Stylus is one of her beauty secrets for this look. With a name as genius as “quiet contour,” we had to know exactly how the star uses the product day in and day out. She first frames her brows with the Victoria Beckham Beauty BabyBlade Microfine Brow Pencil ($34), and then brightens her eyes with the Victoria Beckham Beauty Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil ($28) before going in with contour.

Beckham’s tip is to use a light hand while contouring for a more natural look since you can always add more layers to intensify the Contour Stylus’s effects. “My ‘quiet contour’ application starts with my nose–I use the Contour Stylus in the shade Sandstone to sculpt and slim the bridge,” says Beckham. “It’s been falsely reported over the years that I’ve had certain work done to my nose, but it just goes to show how clever makeup tricks can create an almost optical illusion. Then, I start at the top of my forehead and draw a heart shape to come under my cheekbones for structure, and I also add a touch around my eye for definition.”

Beckham finishes, “It’s also perfect for touch-ups throughout the day–with its slim profile, it goes with me everywhere. I think of it as my pocket contour.”