Duke of Edinburgh Award Lunch

Today I was invited to lunch by Linda Bennett, of LK Bennett clothing store fame, at The Walbrook Club, a stylish City of London dining club run by the equally stylish Lady Hayat Palumbo. Linda and I met at a recent Harper's Bazaar magazine entrepreneur's breakfast and have since kept in touch - most recently with a series of joint in-store events (see www.lkbennett.com for more details). The lunch was hosted by HRH The Countess of Wessex, who was there in her capacity as Patron of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award charity. Linda introduced me to the Countess, and she went on to tell her that "the Liz Earle skincare range is completely fabulous!" and said how much she - and her mum! - love using it. A really nice personal endorsement.  I knew a little bit about the Duke of Edinburgh Award as my eldest has just completed her silver award, so I was aware of some of the rigours involved, which include orienteering, hiking, camping and survival skills as well as a significant amount of service within the community. What I hadn't appreciated is how fantastic this charity is at training and empowering disadvantaged young people all around Britain (and worldwide too). Two inspiring and brave young women spoke after the lunch about their own personal experiences. Both teenage single mothers, thrown out of school, developing serious drink and drug problems which led to spending much of their time on the streets. They talked about their life-changing experiences of completing their bronze and silver awards -accompanied by their offspring! Both girls did their first hike pushing their babies in buggies and struggling through ditches and over stiles, later completing their silver awards with their toddlers strapped to their backs. They spoke movingly about how the D of E, as its affectionately known, gave them a real sense of self-worth and achievement, as well as practical skills. Both girls are now off drink and drugs, lead other groups of single teenage mums on similar expeditions and have found it easier to re-integrate back into society as a result. I was very impressed by the work of this organisation and how it can transform the lives of so many young people in need. To find out more, log on to www.theaward.org.

On my way home I stopped in at our London store where our dynamic retail display duo Linda and Hayley were busy organising the first of our Christmas displays. Our stylish new boxes with their silk ribbons really do look spectacular - the quality is the best I've seen. I especially love the peachy bronze special boxed edition of our famous Cleanse & Polish, also tied with matching silk ribbon and tag. No Christmas stocking is going to be complete without one, but hurry, I have a feeling this is one special item that may well sell out early. I also love our brand new Vital Oils collections (UK), (USA) in chic white zip-up holders and will be stocking up on my personal favourite (Comfort) candles with matching bath oils - the perfect present to bring a little festive cheer for the season ahead.

Grassroots in Kenya

I am back in Kenya for a quick half-term break and to catch up with some friends involved in eco-tourism, organic faming and also to see one of the charity projects we support. Grassroots is a wonderful ‘umbrella’ organisation that has many small ground-level projects under its wings. Grassroots itself is a Christian humanitarian aid charity and that supports initiatives in many developing countries around the world, including Kenya. One of these is something called Watu Wa Maana, a street children’s shelter in Ruiru, about an hour’s drive East of Nairobi. This is a project we, as a company, have supported for a couple of years now – the first year we helped to fund a bathroom block and this year we’re providing funding to help enlarge their tin-shack kitchen. Watu Wa Maana means Very Important People in Swahili, and these words are written large above it’s makeshift building.  Like almost every African city, Nairobi is full of street children - kids who live and sleep on the streets, begging and scavenging for food and scraps. Sanitation and health issues are inevitably very poor and the children are easy prey for pimps, dealers and criminals. Not all the children are orphans (although many have lost one or both parents to HIV-AIDS), some are just kicked out of home as there is no room for them to live or food to eat. Fortunately for some of the childen in Ruiru, there is Watu Wa Maana.

I arranged to meet one of the main directors of the project, Wanjiru, at a local petrol station on the main highway out of Nairobi, so she could guide me into the maze of downtown Ruiru. I spotted her immediately – a smiling African lady sitting in her battered white Nissan car, and followed her off the main road and down a series of dusty tracks. Pulling in to what looked like a derelict building site, we were at once surrounded by hoards of laughing, shouting, noisy young children, most of whom were clutching plastic beakers of porridge. “We’ve arrived at tea time!” smiled Wanjiru, showing me the enormous cooking pot filled with grey gruel-like sludge. “Would you like a cup?” they asked? “you save it for the children” I tactfully declined. Five or six of the smaller boys and girls immediately latched onto me, tugging at my hands and pulling me into the centre, keen to show me around. Wanjiru explained that they currently care for 52 children, from the age of 4 to about 16. They sleep in the centre (two to a low single bed, two beds to a room) and have basic washing facilities (a cold shower or tap with a plastic bucket beneath). Meals are cooked in huge steel pots over an open fire and seemed to consist mostly of porridge and a Kenyan culinary classic called ugali and beans (a bit like spinach and pulses mixed into a stew). Many of the children were literally in rags, most had no shoes. It was like stepping back in time to a Victorian workhouse, or worse. I have to admit it was hard to fight back the tears as these cheerful, outgoing, bright and optimistic youngsters proudly showed us their home: You are not likely to have seen anything quite so basic being lived in by children. Wanjiru caught my watering eyes and squeezed my arm, saying “don’t worry, I used to cry all the time when I came here, but remember, these are the lucky ones”. And she’s right. The work done by this centre is extraordinary. From housing, clothing, medical care and food, these young children are getting basic humanitarian care. “All we do is love them” says Wanjiru. Actually, she does a lot more – including helping to raise sponsorship and funding for school placements (there is no such thing as a free education here). About a dozen of her children have funded school places, the rest are waiting.

Before I left, the children grouped together to sing for us – a very moving song all about happiness and hope. I was also taken to see the Grassroot’s goat (co-incidentally named Wanjiru!) who had just arrived as a donation, to provide goats milk for the kitchen. I have been involved with several ‘send a goat’ gift schemes over the years – for my fortieth birthday some years ago I asked my family and friends for forty goats for Africa – but this was the first time I’ve come nose to nose with a donated animal. It’s great to see the end result and visits like these are vital to get good information for us when deciding where to spend our annual charity budget. I then got a list of the things they are most in need of, which include a new cooker and pot for the extra mouths to feed, as well as on-going children’s education. Wanjiru also said she had just received a quote for replacing all their light fittings and bulbs with low energy ones (electricity is hugely expensive in Kenya). It just so happened that this amount was exactly what I had in my purse, so I was able to hand this over for an immediate result. Fantastic.

I drove away waving goodbyes out of the Land Cruiser window and promising to return, so I’ll write again after our next visit which will probably be just after Christmas. With a bit of luck I may even be able to take a few books and toys for some festive cheer next time.

For further information visit www.grassroots.org.uk. If our Christmas gift catalogue has inspired you to think about your present shopping, you may also like to visit the Great Alternative Gifts section on the Grassroots website, where you can buy a school desk (£10), a safe oil lamp (£3), two mosquito nets (£4) or, if you’re feeling really flush, a pregnant cow (£200). You might even find a goat called Wanjiru.

Christmas is coming!

Hurrah, it’s that time of the year again and we’ve launched our Christmas gifts (UK) , (USA)   and present ideas. I already have my eye on a few special treats – personally, though I adore Christmas, I always seem to end up spending ages wrapping. Why does it always take longer than you anticipated? And why do you always run out of sellotape, though you seem to have yards on the deceptive reel?! Well, I love the fact that our gifts are already prepared and ready to hand over as perfect presents – pretty, iridescent gift boxes and everything hand-wrapped in tissue, in our famous way. Perfect – and one thing struck off the Christmas ‘to do’ list. I love the build-up to Christmas and was amused to see the first Christmas adverts on tv last night – one for sofas delivered in time for Christmas. It suddenly always seems so exciting – for us though, the build-up has already begun many months ago, as our wrapping team have been working for weeks to get ready for the Christmas rush. It’s all go downstairs, in our fulfilment team – what a buzz to watch! Let us know what you think of our new Christmas gift – do post a message here, or on our bulletin board.

Change the clocks & check your skincare

This weekend, we change the clocks – can’t believe it’s that time of year already – and I’m very excited to think that, next time we change them in the spring, then our new baby will be with my husband and I. The colder weather has definitely now drawn in – putting on the central heating can really play havoc with your skin, so take time to look after your skin during the next few weeks. If you use Skin Repair ‘Light’ then you might find you need more nourishment, so move to ‘Normal’ during the day; for those who use ‘Normal’, you might want to try moving to ‘Dry’ – just a tip, and a good one to try if you feel that your skin does need more help as the seasons change. It’s also that time of year when we experience annoying train heating – freezing outside in the cold air, but boiling hot heating inside the carriages! Never mind, your skin needn’t suffer if you keep a close eye – the typical signs are if you notice dry or flaky patches on the skin, or if it feels tighter than normal after cleansing – these are typical signs that you need to use a more intensive moisturiser. Luckily, we now also have Superskin (UK) , (USA) to choose from – so there’s something for everyone this autumn.

John Lewis – the perfect partnership

This is the second week of our promotion in Union (our IOW shop) and our London shop of a complimentary mini Cleanse & Polish, plus the chance to win a year’s supply in our prize draw competition. In John Lewis, Oxford Street, we’ve also been given one of the key windows for two weeks, which is terribly exciting to see – I caught a bus down last week, and felt all tingly with excitement to see us in the window. Inside, we have a special stand where we can meet new customers and greet old friends, who have come to see us in this new home. The John Lewis team are very positive and we’re learning together about how to translate our high service levels in this new retail environment – the team are positive, and so helpful – a great partnership. Our next stores to launch are Cambridge and Edinburgh so looking forward to getting out and training the teams in these towns shortly.

Pregnancy – Some Special News

I hate to sound like one of the actors on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, but it’s amazing how your life and what you’re going through at any one time, has a huge affect on your skin. We are often quick to look solely at skincare, where it can actually be about much more – what you eat, how much you drink, where you live, whether you work inside or out, what supplements you take, whether or not you sleep well. For me, the past few months have been all about my skin – I’m actually 5 months’ pregnant. My husband and I have found it such a thrilling, amazing time – your body changes in so many ways -  but what I’ve actually found hardest to cope with (aside from morning sickness) is my changing skin needs.

I never had problem skin as a teenager, nor during my 20’s – I’m in my early 30’s now and, although I’m fair-skinned, I’ve not had much sun damage or issues generally. I’ve been really lucky – my grandmother had amazing skin and I’m sure that helps. But the first few months of pregnancy have really played havoc with my skin – I understand now what it’s like, at first hand, to suffer from a skin problem. It makes you feel self-conscious and uncomfortable – and I wanted to share some top tips with other people going through hormonal change - be it puberty, pregnancy or the menopause.

The key is to keep drinking water – on days when I felt sick and hormonal (nothing really prepares you for those early weeks, with surges of pregnancy hormones!), I drank gallons of water. It’s the one thing that helps to keep your skin clear as it helps flush out toxins and keep your skin hydrated. Sometimes I found even water was hard to swallow – but herbal teas can be just as good as there’s no caffeine. On the plus side, I’ve cut out caffeine and alcohol – personal choices, as I just don’t fancy them now – and I have to say that I sleep so deeply and feel refreshed when I wake now. I no longer wake dying for a cuppa, which I’m sure is good news in itself.

Every morning when I wake now, I try to imagine how different my life will be in a year’s time and I turn over, as I feel the baby stirring, and think about all the changes ahead, with eager anticipation…Then straight to the bathroom for a shower and Cleanse & Polish! This has been one of my most religious pregnancy routines – I have used C&P for over 10 years, but it’s been wonderful during the past few months to keep my skin clean but delicately balanced. Hormonal skin tends to produce spots around your jawline, and hairline – but I’ve found that regular Cleanse & Polish-ing has kept my skin regulated and more balanced. I’ve tried to never skip on my Skin Repair Light during the summer too – very important not to strip the skin of oil, even if you’re oily, as it disturbs the natural sebum balance. This has long been a favourite top tip of my colleague Andrea, our Customer Care Manager.

The other little trick is Deep Cleansing Mask (UK) , (USA) – use just on the problem areas or as an all over face treat, to quickly help deal with impurities and congestion. The clever domed head means you can apply this 5 minute mask topically just where you need it – super easy! Also, I carry Spot On around with me at all times – when I have a headache, I can now reach for this instead of a paracetamol and inhale deeply - and it’s great to dap onto any problem areas or potential tingles. And handbag-sized too so perfect for when I’m rushing out and about, in the London and on the island. I never thought that pregnancy would be so busy – it feels as if it’s one more appointment after another sometimes! Very exciting though…

News from the USA

Had a lovely, long chin-wag with my colleague Susan yesterday, who has just come back from a month in the US with our fulfilment team in California. She was bursting full of positive news from the west coast-based team, who are preparing for the holiday season ahead. Many Americans only get 2 weeks’ holiday allowance a year from work, so they really embrace this season. We’re receiving some great feedback on our newsletter – one chap specifically called last week to rave about the quality of the newsletter. This was the sole reason that he called, which is so rewarding for us – he works in Marketing in the US but had rarely seen such ‘high quality’ and ‘attention to detail’ (you will have to imagine my American accent, I’m afraid!) in publications. We have actually won awards in the UK for our newsletters, but really pleasing to hear that it’s appreciated overseas too. In fact, talking of the world, we now ship to over 77 countries from the UK – amazing! Fabulous that women (and guys) are spreading the good word to friends all over the world. As they say, the world is a smaller place these days!

How Toxic Are You? Our Responses to Your Comments

Liz's response to the recent programme on Channel 4 resulted in a surge of comments, we recently posted our responses to some of your concerns. This blog entry is in reply to another comment we have received since:

Am investigating what products to use as I have some serious skin allergies including one to propylene glycol.  According to my Dermatologist he is seeing more and more of this as these ingredients are becoming more widespread.  I for one will not be using your products and am amazed at your views.  I guess this won't be published as all the other messages are glowing!

Sally Childs| October 26, 2007 at 9:17 AM

Our Response: 

Propylene glycol is a food grade ingredient that has been used in personal care products for a number of years, mostly for its humectant properties; in fact, it is found in many medicines such as flu remedies and cough mixtures.  Here at Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare we use it in four of our products as a solubiliser for the natural extracts.  It can be found in small quantities because it dissolves a large amount of the naturally active ingredients from the plant. 

All our newer products do not contain propylene glycol and we are in the process of reformulating our existing products to remove this ingredient.  Our company policy is to source the best quality ingredients, and so we have replaced this in a number of products with glycerine (from vegetable sources) – we are looking to find a similar alternative in our remaining products.

We are sorry to hear that you have an allergy to propylene glycol however, we are all quite individual and can react differently to ingredients be they 'chemicals' or materials that are considered natural. This is exactly the same as people demonstrating intolerance or allergy to certain food stuffs such as shellfish or nuts.

Quality and service are at the heart of everything we do, so please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further assistance.

Seasons change, so does skin!

I’ve been using our new Superskin Moisturiser (UK) , (USA) , for a good few weeks now and I have to say that I’m really enjoying the results. Though I have a normal skin with a bit of an oily ‘t-zone’ at times, I just love the texture of this super nourisher. It sinks in quickly and feels incredibly soft – I’m using as my night time cream, and I think that the change of season really warrants using something new. The cold weather has really suddenly crept in – I went out for a walk in the park at lunchtime today and the leaves were really ‘turning’. This is one of my favourite times of the year, and is a good trigger to think about your skincare. One of our top therapists, Kelly, was reminding me earlier this week, that Superskin Moisturiser is great on many skin types as your skincare is also about changing needs (such as diet, climate and the seasons) – which makes total sense. I love the way that beauty therapists are so logical – whereas many of us just look at skincare head on, they tend to look at the skin in detail first, and then work out what products to use, so it’s far more day-to-day and current. Working alongside these skin experts is very stimulating – I just wish that I could persuade them to give me a facial every day!

How Toxic Are Your Kids?

I’ve just watched the Channel 4 programme, How Toxic Are Your Kids?, and was disappointed that such an important subject should be presented in such an irresponsible way. As a researcher, consumer and - most importantly, mother of four young children, I am deeply concerned about the modern day chemical overload we are exposing our children too. I would absolutely recommend avoiding mercury and PCB-filled fish, but still encourage my children to eat fish (especially white fish) several times a week. I try and avoid pesticide, fungicide and herbicide residues routinely sprayed onto conventionally grown fruit and vegetables by buying organic produce. But to cite these examples of obvious toxicity alongside minute amounts of safe toiletry ingredients such as parabens and linalool is absurd. Just to be clear, parabens are naturally occurring ingredients found mostly in fruits and it’s also used as a food preservative. The tiny amounts used in some skincare formulations (usually at levels of around 0.2%) are not going to cause us harm. Swallowing large amounts might, but not topical applications on the skin. Interestingly, in last week’s episode, one of the girls tested for traces of parabens in her blood, found her levels actually rose after a fortnight of giving up conventional toiletries. This is probably because the parabens in her bloodstream were coming from food or pharmaceuticals, not being absorbed from skincare.

As far as sodium lauryl sulphate is concerned, this is not an ingredient we use in Naturally Active Skincare, but not because it is toxic! Yes, it is the same ingredient used to de-grease car engines, but in a far, far lower concentration. We chose not to use it as it can be irritating to fragile and sensitive skins and we wanted our Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash (UK) , (USA) to be gentle enough to be used on a newborn baby. We worked extremely hard to develop a purely plant-based alternative that gives lots of lovely bubbles without drying the skin. I would never scare-monger or mislead by claiming sodium lauryl sulphate to be a toxic ingredient – although we see plenty of examples from those around us who do. Selling so-called ‘natural’ skincare by using scare tactics is not reputable. Keep in mind the simple fact that everything in life consists of chemicals – water, rose petals, little green apples… For anyone in the media to repeatedly talk about being ‘chemical free’ is nonsense and highlights a worryingly basic lack of knowledge for opinion-formers. Last week I wrote more on this subject, so take a look at my earlier postings if you’re interested as I don’t want this to turn into a rant! What I will do, though, is add my voice to the support of reducing our exposure to certain chemicals that can cause serious harm.

These include the phthalates mentioned on tonight’s show which are found in soft plastics. Incidentally, we were one of the first beauty companies to remove all PVC from our cosmetic bags many years ago. As well as avoiding PVC, we can also avoid cling film containing plasticisers as these can leach phalates into high-fat foods, such as meat and cheese. You’ll find phalate-free cling film in most supermarkets, or I use greaseproof paper or foil to wrap cheese and meat at home. I would also recommend avoiding inhaling propellant gases, such as those used in antiperspirants, hairsprays and synthetic air fresheners. All these formulations give me a headache (especially synthetic air fresheners which I ban at home and in the car!). To sum up, I worry far more about the substances we eat, drink and inhale into our bodies than the tiny traces we apply on the outer surface of our skin. Don’t get scared by the word ‘chemical’ either. Even natural essential oils consist of a complex chemical mixture and ingredients such as linalool (found in parfum and highlighted in tonight’s programme as a toxic chemical) are, in fact, naturally occurring chemical components of essential oils found in citrus fruits such as oranges. Every time you peel an orange or tangerine and breathe in the delicious aroma of zesty orange, you’re inhaling linalool into your system. Toxic? I don’t think so.