Introducing Andrea…

Hi there, I’m Andrea and I’m the Customer Care Manager here at Liz Earle. I work in the Customer Centre, so I may have spoken to you on the telephone, in our weekly chat room or maybe at one of our events.

Based at our Green House offices on the Isle of Wight, our Customer Centre is responsible for taking your phone orders and answering all of your web and email queries. Every member of our team is expertly trained, so you can rest assured that whether you have a particular skincare concern, need help finding the perfect Christmas gift, or are simply calling to place an order, there will always be a friendly voice at the end of the line to help you. Just call us on 01983 813 913, we look forward to chatting to you!

Every Christmas, my family and I begin our celebrations with a special Christmas Eve lunch, where we heave a sigh of relief that all the shopping is done and wind our way home early evening full of festive spirit where my husband and daughter ban everyone else from the kitchen and bake mince pies together – luckily they clear up after themselves too!

My perfect gift this year would be a Signature Facial voucher. As my daughter is getting married in March, I will be having regular facials in the run-up to the wedding to ensure that my skin is radiant and in tiptop condition for my important role as mother of the bride! I’d love to hear what you’re hoping for this Christmas, so do leave me a comment in the box below.

Step-by-step home pedicure

After spending winter encased in boots and socks, it’s important to give feet and legs some loving care before slipping into your sandals. This easy-to-follow home pedicure will transform dull feet, soften any dry areas and is also a fabulous pampering treat.

Step 1 - buff and soak

• Start by body brushing your lower legs, working upwards from your ankles, to boost circulation.
• Fill a bowl with warm water and add a generous amount of Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash (UK, IE & US) or Energising Body Wash (UK, IE & US) and soak your feet, taking a few deep breaths to de-stress. Towel pat dry.

Step 2 - exfoliate

• Spritz feet and lower legs with Foot Spritzer (UK & IE) before exfoliation.
• Massage Foot Scrub (UK, IE & US) onto feet and legs, concentrating on dry areas such as heels, toes and balls of your feet. For best results, I recommend buffing hard skin with a large foot file beforehand. Rinse or shower off and pat skin dry.

Step 3 - care and condition

• Spray feet again with Liz Earle Foot Spritzer to cool and invigorate.
• Using a cotton bud, apply a pea-sized amount of Superbalm (UK, IE & US) to cuticles, nails and any dry skin areas. Massage into the base of the nails to get the circulation flowing.
• If your legs are tired and puffy, massage some Energising Hip and Thigh Gel (UK, IE & US) to boost circulation.
• Then massage in a generous amount (3-4 pumps per foot and lower leg) of Foot Repair Moisturiser (UK, IE & US) to your feet and lower legs to deeply moisturise and leave them feeling soft and supple.

Step 4 - massage

If you have time, why not complete your pedicure with this relaxing 5-minute foot massage. For best results, sit comfortably on your bed with legs stretched out in front of you, making sure your back is supported with a pillow.

• Using the flat of your hand, massage the sole of the foot in a downwards motion on the inner curve of your foot (from your big toe to the inner heel). This is great for reducing tension in the back.
• Use your 2 thumbs to do large 'zig zag' moves across the soles of your feet. Stretch out tension by flexing your feet towards you and holding for 5 seconds. Release and stretch the other way and hold for 5 seconds.
• Massage your toes individually to relieve tension in your head and decongest sinuses.
• Finish by pressing on your solar plexus reflexology point for 5-10 seconds to 'wake up' your whole system!

A Country Christmas

I love everything about Christmas from the clear, crisp winter days to the exotic spices baked into biscuits to the decorations and family gathering. And yet Christmas is a relatively new holiday for me: I’m Jewish, and didn’t celebrate Christmas until I met my husband. Just as we have blended families, we now combine holidays in a wonderful mix that is all our own.

Every Christmas I make my own wreath, and this year I’m taking inspiration from Energising Hip and Thigh Gel and Energising Body Scrub, using pine and butcher’s broom to form the body of the wreath, with bluey grey accents from rosemary, olive and eucalyptus leaves from my garden. This autumn, ivy has been in flower all through the woods around my New Forest home. So, the clusters of dark blue ivy berries will be the perfect foil for the colour of whole dried oranges.  And, of course, I’ll be finishing my masterpiece with a Signature blue bow! Our Christmas tree comes from a plantation on our doorstep, and if my husband has his way, will arrive the week before Christmas with our first guests. Decorating it is a family affair, complete with homemade eggnog to ensure that it isn’t too perfect.

I’m like a little kid on Christmas morning, wide awake by 5 and impatient with the rest of the household as they snooze the day away. I can’t wait to see their faces when they unwrap the treasures I’ve collected for them (including plenty of Liz Earle in a vain attempt to safeguard my own stash). This year, along with the traditional sugar mice, clementines, candy canes and chocolate oranges, the stockings in our house will be replete with travel sizes of our new Foot Scrub (UK, IE & US) and Foot Repair (UK, IE & US). When the kids were little, they’d wake us in the early hours to plunder their stockings and piles of gifts beneath the tree. Now it takes the lure of pancakes and coffee to coax them downstairs…and never before 7.

Hanukkah, the festival of lights, is the Jewish holiday closest to Christmas, and everyone loves latkes, the potato pancakes associated with the eight nights of celebrating. Just the smell takes me back to the warmth and noise of my grandmother’s kitchen.  I grew up in a house where food was the most important part of every holiday, each with its specific dishes, and my approach to Christmas is the same. As well as the traditional turkey, I’ll be making fresh cranberry and orange zest sauce, a recipe passed down from my mother who makes it every Thanksgiving. It’s a great way to get all the benefits from eating the super-tart berries fresh.

Once Christmas dinner is in the oven, we put on wellies, scarves and Superbalm (UK, IE & US) for the mile meander down to the village pub, dogs, children and guests in tow. Cheeks red with cold and holiday cheer, we make our way back to dinner and the obligatory snooze on the sofa. Nothing makes me happier than a houseful of people I love napping in harmony.

I’d love to hear what you’re up to this Christmas, so if you have any special recipes or traditions leave me a comment in the box below.

Step-by-step home facial guide

With many of you wanting to give yourself a home facial, I've put together a step-by-step guide for the perfect pampering treat...

1. Cleanse
Massage Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (UK, IE & US) into your skin in small circular movements. Work down the neck, up onto the forehead and outwards across the face. Remove with a warm, damp muslin cloth to gently exfoliate. If you've been wearing make-up during the day, you might like to do a ‘double cleanse', repeating the process above.

2. Exfoliate
The next step is to remove any dead skin cells in preparation for your mask by exfoliating. Massage one pump of our Gentle Face Exfoliator (UK, IE & US) over your face (avoiding the eye area), neck and décolleté. Using the whole length of your fingers, massage outwards in circular motions for around 3- 5 minutes.

3. Steam
After cleansing and exfoliating, steam* the skin to open the pores and deeply cleanse. Fill a large bowl with 2 parts hot water and 1 part cold (making sure the bowl is on a stable table). Add 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to the water to clear sinuses. Hold your face over the bowl of water (for safety a minimum distance of approximately the length of your elbow to hand) for 5 minutes and take deep breaths.

* Steaming is not recommended for any rosacea sufferers or people with very high colour on the cheeks.

4. Mask
Apply a generous layer of your favourite mask and relax. If you need some help choosing a mask, then see our guide below…

• If you have dry or dehydrated skin, try our Intensive Nourishing Treatment (UK, IE & US), packed with powerful botanicals to leave your skin softer, smoother and hydrated. Sensitive or irritated skin will also benefit from using this.
• If you have oily or combination skin, use our Deep Cleansing Mask (UK, IE & US). This highly concentrated clay and botanical mask draws out impurities and absorbs excess oil leaving skin looking clean and clear.
• If you want to boost radiance, then try our Brightening Treatment Mask (UK, IE & US). This quick-fix mask leaves skin radiant and revitalised.
• Or, why not combine masks? If you have combination skin, try using Deep Cleansing Mask on your t-zone and Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask on any dry areas.

5. Tone
Follow your mask with our Instant Boost Skin Tonic (UK, IE & US). Soak onto a cotton pad and gently sweep over the skin to refresh, revive and brighten. For an extra cooling treat, pop it in the fridge before you begin your routine.

6. Moisturise
After toning, use your daily moisturiser (approximately the size of a 5 pence piece) and dot over your forehead, cheeks, chin, neck and décolleté before massaging in using the flat of your hands. Massage downwards from your neck onto the décolleté, then massage upwards over your forehead and continue outwards across your face until all your moisturiser has been worked in (take care not to go too close to your eyes). Always use a separate eye cream, as the skin is thinner around the eye area. Simply apply and massage up to your eye socket bone and no higher.

7. Massage
Warm your favourite face oil (Superskin Concentrate (UK, IE & US) is my favourite, 2-3 drops is sufficient) between your hands. Cup your hands over your nose and face (not touching skin) and take a deep breath in. To de-stress, hold your hands over your face for 3 deep breaths and inhale.

1. Massage the oil onto your skin with upward and outward movements using firm pressure.


2. With flat fingertips pointing upwards, sweep hands from the middle of your forehead up towards the hairline and outwards towards the temples. Finish with a sweep under the eyes (along the bone) and repeat the move (a full circle) around the forehead and eyes 3 times. This will relieve tension in the head and reduce puffiness around the eyes. With alternate hands stroke upwards along the third eye (middle of the eyebrows upwards along the forehead) 6 times. This induces relaxation and will drain blocked sinuses.


3. Finally, move onto your jaw line: sweep your right hand (palms flat to your skin) downwards from the top of your neck (left side first) outwards across your décolleté to your shoulder. Repeat this move with your left hand on the right side. Repeat 3 times on each side - this will improve circulation and help to boost your skin.

Winter-proof your skin

As temperatures plummet and the central heating goes on, skin can become dry and dehydrated. Here are my top tips for helping your skin look radiant and healthy this season...

Feed your skin from within

In addition to a good skincare routine, good food gives us the building blocks for great skin, so feeding your skin from within is essential. Great skin-feeders include fruit, vegetables, mixed nuts and seeds which are all a great source of energy and nutrients and absolutely bursting with protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. I also try to include skin-friendly vitamin E-rich foods in my diet, such as avocado, which work to optimise moisture levels and improve the skin’s appearance.

Radiance booster

Winter’s flat light often makes our skin appear dull and grey. Combined with central heating indoors and harsh weather outdoors, it’s no wonder our skin can look drawn and lacklustre. For an instant boost, try mixing your Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (UK, IE & US) with our Brightening Treatment Mask (UK, IE & US) to really pep-up sluggish skin. With aloe vera and camphor, this combination works in under 2 minutes to give skin a real radiance – fast!

Heavenly hands

As hands can age quickly, it’s important to protect them from the elements by always wearing gloves. We all tend to wash our hands more this season to avoid winter bugs, but this constant exposure to warm water and detergents can leave skin dry. So after using our gentle, non-drying Orange Flower Hand Wash (UK, IE & US), apply Hand Repair (UK, IE & US) to nourish hands and condition nails. For an ultra-rich moisturising treat, why not combine Hand Repair with 2 drops of Superskin Concentrate (UK, IE & US)?

Discover more winter skincare tips in the blog from Jo Givens, Treatments Manager at our London Store and Treatment Rooms.