Discover the magic of Superskin

After the riotous success of our 2 fabulous new footcare additions - reassuringly back in stock after an overwhelmingly popular launch (even I couldn’t get a highly-prized tube of the wonderful Foot Repair Moisturiser (UK & IE) at one point) I should probably preface our next news with a popularity warning… I’m really delighted to announce the launch of not one but two fabulous new Superskin additions, both totally targeted to visibly improve the appearance of ageing skin. As regular readers will know, Kim and I first developed Superskin for our own (ageing!) skins, using the finest and most potent botanicals we could get our hands on for skin plumping and an age-defying, youthful appearance. Since its launch, Superskin Moisturiser has rocketed to the top of our own bestsellers list, together with its cherished counterpart, Superskin Concentrate. We’re such fans of these two powerful facial skin smoothers that we turned our attention to creating 2 brand new formulas to help other specific areas of our skins that so often show signs of ageing: eyes, lips and the bust area.

Superskin Eye & Lip Treatment (UK & IE) contains a new ingredient for us, organic pear seed extract, which we’ve found really does help reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Interestingly, I’ve noticed that this rich-yet-light cream hydrates and plumps the skin around my eyes, whilst also seeming to ‘lift’ and tighten – a strange but true combination. If you have more mature skin do try it for yourself and see. Kim and I have both noticed visible improvements to the fine lines around our eyes and lips – and even across the forehead and any other area that needs a little filling in! I especially love the fact it does double-duty and works well as more than just an eye cream alone.

The second new addition to our Superskin family is Superskin Bust Treatment (UK & IE), especially developed to help improve the skin around the bust and upper chest area. You may have seen the photos in our current newsletter from the trip to Africa that our Botanical Research Manager, Jennifer, and I made to Malawi in search of the magical ‘sausage tree’ – otherwise known as Kigelia africana. We have combined this unusual ingredient, renowned for its skin-tightening properties, together with mangosteen, quince, white lupin and chlorella extracts – a fabulous cocktail of botanicals each with properties to help improve skin elasticity, firmness and tone. While we were in Malawi we also heard about new research into Kigelia africana showing its potential to improve areas of sun damage and hyperpigmentation. I was so impressed by this that I’ve started to use a little extra Superskin Bust Treatment on my upper chest and backs of my hands where I’m starting to notice brown ‘age spots’ form. Aside from the welcome skin-tightening effects, using a daily bust treatment has also made me more aware of skin changes in this area and I’ve found it a useful way to be more aware of any lumps, bumps and skin changes – a useful breast cancer awareness tip for all women.

As if these weren’t enough, there is even more excitement still to come with the divine Superskin Body Cream, an all-over ultra-moisturising skin treat which will be hitting our shelves later this summer (just in time to help keep parched summer skin extra-soft). Do watch out for this as I predict Superskin Body Cream being another runaway success (I for one will be stockpiling it). I’ll bring you preview news of this just as soon as it’s ready for you.

Liz Earle high altitude team…

Earlier this year our CEO challenged 3 of us to do a tandem skydive to help raise money for the UKSA (check out their website at www.uksa.org/).  Well, we accepted the challenge with enthusiastic apprehension safe in the knowledge that the intended jump was months away!  Then eek… suddenly the day had arrived and very early on the morning of Saturday 6th June we met up at Netheravon Army Airfield in Salisbury. 

After being checked in and undergoing a short briefing session, unfortunately we then had to spend 7 ‘nail biting’ hours due to bad weather conditions waiting for the wind to die down and visibility to improve before we got our ‘call to action’.  As you can imagine we spent these in a state of agitation with many many trips to the loo and a considerable quantity of rescue remedy being consumed! 

At last we got the ‘green light’ so kitted out and paired with an instructor we set off in a very small plane to a height of 13,000 ft – at which point we whipped out our Aftersun Gels (containing high altitude lavender) and started wrapping to the astonishment of the rest of the crew…  Sarah took this even further and jumped still clutching her Aftersun.  Suddenly the door opened and one by one we were sitting on the edge of the plane with our legs dangling in the wind and before we could really think about it we were freefalling at 120 miles per hour -  45 seconds and 7,000 ft later our parachutes deployed and we slowly came down to earth!

We all had the most amazing and exhilarating experience not only by helping to raise over £1500 for charity but stepping well and truly out of our comfort zones.

Would we do it again?  You bet!

To see the jumps check out www.watchmyskydive.com (type in / and our names below)

Sarah Ferrari-Badjie (Customer Centre Manager)
“The next day I stepped out of my house feeling 10ft taller and afraid of nothing”.

Michael Marshall-Clarke ( Head of Creative)
“Words cannot describe the euphoria and sense of freedom you feel as you plummet earthwards...I’ve never felt so alive!!”

Tracy  Hastain (Customer & Brand Relationship Manager)
“Elation and amazement that I actually went through with it and how brilliant it’s made me feel”.

Men, grooming & cars

For those of you men out there who own a car, you are likely to understand the importance of treating it with respect: cleaning it, feeding it with the correct fuel, and polishing it daily to protect its delicate exterior. So why is it that when it comes to skin grooming, so many men will refuse to use anything other than soap? Guys, it is very simple... your skin is the largest organ on the body and without the correct care and attention it could eventually end up looking like an old banger rather than a pristine supercar!

What’s wrong with a bit of soap and water?
With my wedding only 3 months away, I have been busy caring not only for my skin, but also my fiancé’s. It wasn’t an easy job convincing a police officer that he should swap his 1-minute soap and water routine for an extra 4 minutes in front of the mirror every day (in his opinion, not very macho!). But once I’d explained how a skincare routine can really affect the functions of the skin and how shaving and alkaline-based soaps can aggravate, he agreed to replace his bar of soap with our Liz Earle for Men Cleanse & Polish. As soon as he noticed the difference it made to his skin, he couldn’t wait to try the rest of our Men’s range and was very impressed with the results. He no longer has redness (caused by shaving) and his skin looks healthier and even younger!  He is constantly admiring his ‘new face’ and has now set about trying to convert his fellow officers! 

Skin Maintenance 
Liz describes cleansing as ‘the cornerstone of skincare’ and I totally agree.  Before shaving, a good cleanse will lift off dirt and grime, make shaving less irritating and clear your skin of nasty bacteria. When shaving, don’t forget to use a clean razor (old, rusted razors must be binned!) and shave in the direction your beard grows. Our Sensitive Shave Cream has been formulated to help you achieve a closer, smoother shave, whilst soothing and calming the skin. For a really close shave my top tip would be to soak a towelling cloth in hot water first and then press this against the face. Leaving on the skin for just over 30 seconds can expand the hairs by up to a third and make them much easier to cut. To reduce painful in-growing hairs, exfoliate with our Face Scrub after shaving. Finally always apply After-Shaving Moisturiser; it contains a herb extract called self-heal to help soothe small razor cuts and razor burn quickly, plus seals in moisture to help make your skin appear smoother, softer and younger-looking. 

Once you have got the hang of your skin grooming routine, don’t forget your eye area (women always notice this).  Apply a pea-sized amount of Daily Eye Repair along the eye bone socket every morning over your moisturiser.

So guys, if my blog has inspired you to re-think your grooming regime and you want to find out more about Liz Earle For Men why not join us on 19th June at our London flagship store for our men’s skincare event. Alternatively we have great skincare advisors who are always on hand to answer any grooming questions you may have and all you have to do is email them on naturallyactive.co.uk or call 01983 813913 and they’ll be happy to offer you practical advice.

Happy grooming!
Jo

Celebrating our Sloane in Bloom award

We did it! Our beautiful woodland display for Sloane in Bloom scooped first prize, and we couldn’t be more thrilled or proud of our team. It has been an absolute pleasure to share our little corner of botanical Britain with you and I have been delighted by the events and conversations that it has inspired. Thank you so much to everyone who supported us during the week by coming to see us.

I am now about to embark on the task of dismantling our display. As sustainability is so important to me, I am pleased that the 14 trees we have used will be going on to a happy life with Trees for Cities, a wonderful independent charity working with local communities on tree-planting and landscaping projects. Their aim is to tackle global warming, create social cohesion and beautify cities through tree planting, community education and training initiatives in urban areas of greatest need. Throughout their work they place special emphasis on the involvement of local people, especially the younger generations and those from ethnic minority backgrounds. Trees for Cities are going to use our hazel coppices for planting in a fruit and nut planting scheme in London where the local community will be encouraged to harvest and eat the nuts. The rest of the plants are making the journey back to our home on the Isle of Wight where they will be the foundation planting of a botanical ingredient scheme… I’ll keep you posted on the development of this.

In the meantime, as I slather Foot Repair Moisturiser on my feet and put them up for a well-deserved rest, I’m already thinking about what we could do next year…

Sloane in Bloom

Hello! I’m Jennifer, the Botanical Research Manager here at Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare. For those of you for whom Anna Macleod is a familiar face, I am picking up the reins from Anna who is spending some time growing children and not plants. My first blog comes to you as we are preparing for this week’s Sloane in Bloom and I am thrilled to be able to share our inspiration and preparation for the big event.

Blogs don’t give away accents, so you can’t tell that I don’t come from these islands, but from the southeast of the US, South Carolina, where I worked with a noted American plantswoman before packing my life into a few bags to pursue my passion for plants. I was offered the chance to study and work at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – THE centre of the botanical plant world - and spent four years immersed in plants and all things botanical before striking out on my own as a horticultural and environmental consultant…the job that brought me to Liz Earle.

I have also been lucky enough to work behind the scenes at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show, including designing and building two courtyard gardens for which I won silver medals. Sloane in Bloom is a large-scale floral fashion show, in support of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which takes place in the Sloane shopping area and last year, Liz Earle’s display took second place - a big achievement for our first entry. So with my experience, it was only natural that I would get involved with this year’s entry from the start.

One of the things that thrills me about being part of the Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare team is the passion everyone has for botanical ingredients. Sloane in Bloom gives us the chance to share with you our appreciation in another context – the garden. The fantastic thing about our display is that it is born totally out of our passion for the botanical ingredients we use in our skincare. From its inception to planting, the garden has been a collaborative and passionate effort, and has given me the opportunity to work with our talented creative team.

For those of you who haven’t had a chance to visit us at Duke of York Square, our store has huge windows that flood the shop with light. We knew from the start that whatever we did, we wanted to bring it into the shop and incorporate some of the fantastic botanical ingredients that we use in our range. Michael, our Head of Creative, was inspired by a display that he’d seen on a recent trip to America whilst I was inspired by the bluebells and wood anemones that grow in the New Forest, near my house. So, between these two pieces of inspiration, we came up with our beautiful British woodland.

This year we are using wonderful mature hazel coppices, grown by one of my favourite suppliers from my days as a horticultural consultant, Barcham Trees. These trees were grown from seed at their site in Ely, Cambridgeshire, and as young saplings cut down to encourage them to send up lots of stems. Corylus avellana, the hazel, is a British native and we use the oil from its nuts in two of my favourite products, Superskin Concentrate and the gardener’s saviour, Superbalm. Even my product-phobic husband is addicted to Superbalm, using it to help mend cracked fingers and dry lips!

To weave a little woodland magic, we are spreading an undulating carpet of botanicals from the pavement up beneath the trees and right through our windows into the store. I spent a happy afternoon last week choosing the lavender, rosemary, chamomile and peppermint plants that will form the fragrant woodland floor beneath the hazels’ canopy. These treasured botanical ingredients sit at the core of our range: rosemary and chamomile extracts in our Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser; peppermint and rosemary are part of a blend of essential oils that make our new Foot Repair Moisturiser and Foot Scrub so special.

After weeks of anticipation and painstaking planning, we start building the garden today. I’ve packed my bag, and next to Cleanse & Polish, Sunshade SPF25 (I’m a redhead, so I can’t be too careful), my gardener’s hat, favourite pair of gloves and trusty secateurs, I’ve added our latest additions, Foot Scrub and Foot Repair Moisturiser, just in case I can convince someone to reward my hard working feet!

Our little corner of British woodland will be in Duke of York Square from Tuesday 19th May through to Monday 25th May. Come on down for a cup of peppermint or chamomile tea and a browse in our botanical garden of delights!

Footnotes

I really didn’t think I could get quite so worked up over footcare, but I have to say I am hugely excited by the launch today of our two new treats for feet. Our brand new Foot Repair Moisturiser (UK, IE) and Foot Scrub (UK, IE) are at last hitting the shelves in our own stores and by mail order. (They’ll be in our counters at selected John Lewis stores on 23rd May and on QVC during our June shows – and if you’re reading this in the United States, don’t worry, we’re shipping them just as fast as we can to reach the shores of Miami and Santa Monica on 1st June).

So what is all the fuss about? Well, as regular readers will know, we never launch something new unless we’re totally 110% happy – which can mean many years of development time and a genuine commitment to creating the very best, safest and most effective formulations possible. In this case, we have two new treats to achieve pedicure-perfect feet in just a couple of simple, pampering steps - guaranteed to leave you walking on air – all in good time for summer.

Step One is our Foot Scrub, devised to buff and smooth away hard skin on heels and soles, instantly revealing baby-soft skin beneath. Easy to use in a footbath, basin, bath or shower, we’ve chosen hard-working natural pumice particles combined with avocado oil, peppermint and rosemary essential oils, all blended together to create an intensely skin-smoothing, ultra-refreshing combination. Natural pumice comes from volcanic lava and is created when an active volcano spews lava which then mixes with water as it falls. The rapid cooling and depressurisation creates the internal bubbles, which make rock pumice so lightweight that it floats on water. This also gives pumice a useful exfoliating quality and in the past I’ve picked up pumice stones from the shores of Lake Naivasha, near our home in Kenya, where it literally litters the lake edges. Used on its own though, pumice can be drying, which is why the addition of skin-softening avocado oil especially helps to counteract this after the dead skin has been buffed away.

Following this, Step Two is a lavish application of our Foot Repair Moisturiser, rich in some of my all-time favourite naturally active ingredients. These include pure shea butter which we source from an African women’s co-operative in Ghana and skin smoothing wheatgerm oil (rich in d-alpha tocopherol, the natural form of Vitamin E) to intensively moisturise even hippo-hard skins. Best of all, it sinks in fast so won’t leave tacky footprints or have you sliding out of your sandals. Peppermint, rosemary and seven other wonderful aromatic essential oils combine to create the freshest of scents - it really is an addictive and highly refreshing aroma, unlike anything we’ve previously blended. We’ve also included a nature-identical ingredient called Farnesol to keep odour-causing bacteria at bay, leaving feet sweet-smelling and fresh (I have tucked a tube inside my teenager’s trainers – subtle hint…). After just one application of Foot Repair Moisturiser the difference to feet really is quite amazing. Give it a go and see what all the fuss is about! We have an online step-by-step pedicure guide with great advice from our Treatment Rooms Manager, Jo Givens, who is based at our London flagship store and Treatment Rooms. Do take a look at this for some top tips on achieving - and maintaining - gorgeous looking, supremely comfortable feet this summer. And if you’re heading off to a salon for a professional pedicure, don’t forget to take this dynamic duo with you. I’m also passing this pampering pair onto several friends who have taken part in many marathons, walks and fun-runs recently, as I figure their efforts definitely deserve a little extra reward.

Welcome to Liz Earle Treatments

Let me introduce myself - my name is Jo, and I am the Treatments Manager at our London flagship store. I am excited to write my first blog for you, as I have so much to tell you about our blissful treatments…

I have worked around the world as a professional therapist for over 16 years. I started as a make-up artist, however I quickly got interested in skincare and how amazing products, combined with the power of touch, can really give you a feeling of wellbeing. Having studied nationally and internationally, my passion is now to share my knowledge with everyone, including our therapists. I feel that you can never stop learning and my thirst for knowledge has increased over the years, especially since I joined Liz Earle!

My job is wonderful... I have worked with many ranges over the years, and as a professional therapist, I believe that Liz Earle is the ‘Holy Grail’ of skincare and delivers outstanding results. The therapist team and I get to ‘play’ with the Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare range on a daily basis, so that we can impart our in-depth knowledge to you during treatments to bring out the best in your skin whatever your age, skin type or skin concern.

One of my favourite treatments is the Liz Earle Signature Facial. Lasting a luxurious hour and a half and totally bespoke to your skincare needs, it incorporates a full consultation, cleansing and exfoliation, optional ozone steaming to soften pores, and optional extraction (removal of blackheads), followed by high-frequency to calm any redness. Vacuum suction follows - soothing glass cups almost dance over your skin, to reveal a deeply cleansed, calmer and more plumped complexion.  The facial then proceeds with the real ‘hands-on’ magic - a personalised face, neck and shoulder massage to de-stress, followed by a mask and homecare advice. I would highly recommend it for healthier looking, glowing skin - I am having it monthly in the lead-up to my wedding.

However, if you can’t spare any time for a treatment, don’t worry, there are things that you can do at home – exfoliation, for example, is a quick and simple home treatment and ideal for preparing your skin for summer. Your skin renews itself every 28-45 days, so removing those dead cells will encourage brighter skin and boost cell renewal. Exfoliating 2-3 times a week with our Gentle Face Exfoliator will really help to brighten the skin, with those delicate jojoba beads sloughing away those pesky dead cells. If your skin is sensitive like mine, try mixing 1 pump of your Cleanse & Polish with your exfoliator for a gentler treatment. And remember for ‘post-facial’ looking skin always exfoliate before you apply a face mask.

I hope to meet you in our Treatment Rooms soon…

Get Up and Glow!

At last, spring is finally with us – it almost seemed to creep up on us all this year, didn’t it?! Wonderful to see the stunning blossoms on our garden trees, and the blooms in our local park – such a special time of abundance and life. It never ceases to excite and amaze me…  I love spring as it’s also such a great chance to start afresh – like a second way to do New Year’s Resolutions, I always think. It’s also the traditional time when many of us put the excesses of Easter chocolate behind us, and start thinking about those skimpy summer dresses and bare arms! If you’re brave, you might have even got your flip-flops out (don’t forget to massage Superbalm into your toenails, to condition and add a healthy sheen!).  Personally, spring for me is about regaining that ‘get up and glow’ feeling. I love running in the mornings, bright and early before anyone else is up. Regular exercise does wonders for the skin, I find – stimulating the circulation and helping to clear toxins. Do any of you find the same? Do let us know about any changes that you notice if you’re starting your summer outdoor exercise regime again.

For those of you looking to re-energise, this is the time to indulge in our Energising Body range. If, like my husband, you’re a night owl and you struggle in the mornings, try a warm invigorating shower with Energising Body Wash. The uplifting and energising blend of this skin-friendly wash – with pure essential oils of eucalyptus, peppermint and rosemary - really hits the spot! We don’t use any sodium lauryl or laureth sulphate, so you can reach for this with confidence that all the family can enjoy this kind wash to clean and revive. Don’t just take my word for it - Marie Claire magazine’s virtual little sister (marieclaire.co.uk) recently chose this as one of their top 10 products IN THE WORLD! Quite an accolade, but not far from the truth, from what you tell us. In fact, we are thrilled that this energising wonder was also nominated for the prestigious Marie Claire Prix d’Excellence Awards this year. This special awards ceremony honours some of the best beauty products in the world. This year was the 22nd awards and the panel comprises some of the world’s leading international journalists, who can literally test and request anything and everything. So exciting that this natural foamer is reaching such glittering heights – especially given the international aspect of these awards. For an independent British beauty company, we’re totally delighted.

Now, back to the bathroom!… Super-clever Energising Body Scrub also foams lightly and is a speedy way to exfoliate your skin in the shower (and we all know that self-tan and body cream are both better absorbed on soft, exfoliated skin). For those of you exercising like me, or wanting help to get back into shape, try Energising Hip and Thigh Gel on those more stubborn areas such as the bottom, hips and thighs to help tone and firm – many of you swear by this on the tops of the arms too (great tip, thank you for sharing this one).

Finally, a non-product related tip… After a blissful facial with Jo last week (Jo’s our ‘wonder-touch’ Treatment Rooms Manager), she reminded me of the benefit to the whole body of body-brushing – a top-to-toe tingling sensation, and a fab way to stimulate the lymphatics. Click here (UK, US) to read our downloadable fact sheet about the multi-benefits of this simple routine.

Happy energising! And do let us know your top tips too please.

YOU magazine reader event

One of the favourite parts of my job as Customer & Brand Relationship Manager is attending events and getting to meet so many wonderful people.  Tuesday night was no exception – as I attended a very exciting YOU reader event that was held at our London flagship store. 

As part of the launch of Liz's new book 'Skin Secrets' the Mail on Sunday helped us celebrate by inviting YOU readers to join Liz and the team to an exclusive champagne evening complete with complimentary hand and arm massages, a talk from Liz, personal skincare consultations and goodie bags. 

With a full house and the added excitement of beauty guru Sarah Stacey (co-author of the 'Beauty Bible') introducing Liz – the event was buzzing.  As the champagne flowed and 'beauty boost bars' (Liz’s own recipe) were consumed – Liz personally signed books and chatted with everyone, I got to talk to people who had been using the range for years (some since it was launched in the pink packaging), and there was one lovely lady who was celebrating her 40th birthday who said the highlight of her special day was meeting Liz. 

We want to hold so many more events – so please, if you would like to join us, just let me know by emailing me here.  I’d also love you to tell me what kind of events you would like us to hold.

Finally, if you haven’t managed to get hold of Liz's book - why not join us in Waterstone's at Bluewater on Thursday 16th April where Liz will be signing books between 5.30pm - 7pm.  It would be great to see you.

The secret is out!

Today is highlighted in red ink in my diary as it’s the publication of my new book, Skin Secrets. This hardback, fully illustrated book has been a real labour of love for me over the last year or more and I have devoted more time to its creation than any other I’ve previously published. As you may have seen from some of the preview snippets, it’s much more than just a simple beauty book as I’ve tried to encompass most of what I know about everything that affects our skin – from the science and genetics of it all, to skincare ingredients, problem solvers and solutions, busting beauty myths, ideas on the best skin ‘superfoods’, supplements and more – as well as my own ‘secret’ strategies for unwinding facial tension, getting the most from exercise and ways to balance a busy life with a happy wellbeing. Publishing this book has been a very personal journey for me, as I’ve drawn on my own experiences of coping with my younger children’s eczema; guiding my teenagers through the maze of sensible skincare advice as well as advising friends and family on issues from pregnancy to menopause and beyond.  I don’t know if any author is ever completely satisfied with a book as you always get the feeling you could have done more, but I do think that this work gets very close to being my definitive guide! The wonderful publishers at Kyle Cathie generously gave space for lovely pictures on every page and we had a lot of fun putting these together from exclusive photo shoots around the world, as well as opening up the family album closer to home. Personally, I also love the beautiful botanical watercolours, specially commissioned just for the book.

There are lots of activities surrounding the book launch that you might like to hear about, starting this weekend with special TV shows on QVC The Shopping Channel, beginning tomorrow evening (Friday) with a two-hour special and then continuing throughout Saturday with three separate shows: lunchtime, tea-time and evening. I’ll be joined by special guest models throughout the shows (watch out for some familiar – as well as some new - faces). I’m also really pleased to be joined by my eldest daughter, Lily, for a very special on-air debut at 9pm on Saturday night. Do tune in to join us or even send a friendly text to the studio, which I’m sure would help to calm her nerves! You may also like to take a look at The Mail on Sunday’s You Magazine this weekend – and also again on Sunday 22nd March – as the magazine will be running an exclusive feature. I’m also going to be busy with lots of local radio interviews throughout Friday and also next week – I’ll ask the team to make sure we post details on Facebook in advance so as many as possible will have the opportunity to tune-in and join me.