Victoria Beckham Admits She Never Smiled in Photos Because She Was ‘So Uncomfortable’ With Her Skin

Victoria Beckham is opening up about her choice to appear stern in her pictures over the years, rather than joyful. It was because she was self-conscious about her skin.

The fashion designer and former pop star, who became synonymous with her stoic expression during public appearances, has long been open about her insecurities stemming from problematic, acne-prone skin. In a recent interview with The Telegraph, she attributed her stern expressions to the same issue, saying she was always “uncomfortable” when taking photos, as she didn’t feel happy enough to break into a smile.

During the conversation, Beckham, who received the outlet’s inaugural Beauty Brand of the Year award, revealed how she sought advice from skincare experts and followed a clean diet to keep her skin clear. Reflecting on being self-conscious about her looks, Victoria remarked, “Probably I did look stern in a lot of pictures, but I was so uncomfortable.”

It wasn’t just her public appearances that were impacted by her insecurities; her food habits suffered too. Victoria has a famously limited diet, with husband David Beckham previously revealing that she’s eaten the same meal—grilled fish and steamed vegetables—every day for 25 years.

Explaining her decision to eat a very specific diet, Victoria told the aforementioned outlet, “It was because of my skin that I became very careful about what I ate.” She reportedly had to cut out meat and wheat, among other things.

These days, though, Victoria is much more comfortable in her skin, she said. Alongside offering a smile to the shutterbugs on the red carpets, she said she even goes out to these events without glam makeup.

“If you told me a few years ago I’d step onto a red carpet to pick up an award wearing only a bit of concealer and no foundation, I’d have thought you were mad, but that’s what I did last week,” she told The Telegraph.

The mother of five noted that she’s found getting older to be genuinely liberating, as maturity taught her she no longer has to dedicate time to scrolling through the comments section of her social media to see what people have to say about her.

Victoria’s comments come after she looked chic in a backless white dress during a recent dinner with Mytheresa to celebrate the launch of their collaborative collection on Thursday.