Victoria Beckham has admitted that the reason she always used to look so stern in pictures is because she was self-conscious about her skin.

Over the years, the fashion designer, 50, became synonymous for her steely pout, often failing to crack a smile at many a public event.

Victoria has long been open about her insecurity with her ‘problematic’ skin, having suffered with acne since her teens, and struggled soaring to fame in her twenties while having skin issues. 

And in a new interview with The Telegraph, Victoria reflected on feeling ‘so uncomfortable’ when taking photos as she didn’t feel happy within herself to break out into a smile.

During the chat, Victoria – who has received the publication’s inaugural Beauty Brand of the Year award – told how she sought advice from skincare experts, with the fashion designer now following a strict routine to ensure her skin stays clear.

As she reflected on being acutely self-conscious about her looks, Victoria remarked: ‘probably I did look stern in a lot of pictures, but I was so uncomfortable’.

And it wasn’t just her lack of public smiles that were a consequence of her skin problems, but her strict diet too.

Victoria has a famously limited diet, with husband David Beckham previously revealing that she’s eaten the same meal everyday for 25 years – grilled fish and steamed vegetables.

Explaining her decision to eat a very specific diet, Victoria added: ‘It was because of my skin that I became very careful about what I ate’, with the star cutting out meat and wheat among others.