The timeless beauty of Raquel at 66

At 66, Raquel Welch's smooth skin could rival a woman 20 years her junior.

She attributes her unlined complexion to sunscreen and not using soap - avoiding mention of the occasional appointment at the plastic surgeon's.

Fellow Sixties siren Brigitte Bardot, on the other hand, owes her looks to years of St Tropez sunbathing and a desire not to hide the fact she is 72.

"Raquel Welch is a naturally beautiful woman, but her face bears hallmarks of cosmetic treatment," said Erik Scholten of London's Hurlingham Clinic.

"I am sure she has looked after herself, and great skin and bone structure have obviously helped her maintain her looks. But the smoothness of her forehead in this picture is indicative of Botox."

Scroll down for more ...

He added: "She also looks to have had a neck lift, as her neck is unusually taut for someone in their late 60s. She has not had surgery on her eyes, as they are wrinkled, and this helps make her more natural-looking."

Brigitte Bardot, however, easily wins the natural contest. She is barely recognisable as the pouting blonde of her heyday.

Welch made her name in the 1966 movie One Million Years BC, which turned her into an international sex symbol.

Her latest role is as a "beauty icon", producing a make-up range for the Mac cosmetic company.