Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare blog

Jennifer Hirsch, our In-house Botanist, and Claire Mant, our Formulations Expert, share their stories about the creation of our new Botanical Shine Treatment.

Why and how did you start creating Botanical Shine Treatment?
Claire: After receiving numerous customer requests, our Marketing team provided me with a brief and work commenced! We wanted to create a treatment that would help people with frizzy, very dry, coarse and/or unmanageable hair get smooth, satin locks. The brief asked us to make sure it was colour safe, just like the other products in our Naturally Active Haircare range, and that it would leave hair smooth, frizz-free, tamed and manageable. As soon as I saw the brief, I knew just where I would start.

When we were developing our Botanical Shine Conditioners, I initially formulated a contender for people with dry hair, which our tests suggested would be better suited to those with very dry hair. Jennifer, however, with her very thick, coarse and frizzy hair loved it! With the addition of some extra lovely botanical actives, I knew I could create a treatment that would make Jennifer’s locks (and those of people with similar hair), soft, smooth and manageable.

Jennifer: As a team, we’re always looking for companies that take the same responsible approach to sourcing botanical ingredients as we do. So when it comes to finding a new botanical active, we have a carefully edited stable of suppliers to choose from. Caring passionately about ingredients can lead to healthy debates – as we each champion favourite contenders for inclusion.  By the time we’ve fought the corner for an ingredient, we know where its strengths lie, and whether it will live up to the expectations of a botanical ingredient in a Liz Earle product.

Claire: Working together for three years, I know when a story is going to meet Jennifer’s high standards for traceability and sustainability, and she knows when the science that supports the activity of an ingredient is going to be of a high enough calibre to hold up under my scrutiny!

Jennifer: Frequently, we find ourselves proposing the same ingredients to each other – a pretty good sign of quality. Then once we’ve settled on our actives, I get down to researching them and leave Claire to work her magic…

Jennifer, this is a project particularly close to your heart, isn’t it?
Jennifer: I have, or should say HAD, manic, curly hair that defies conditioning. Of course, the grass is always greener on the other side and I’ve coveted sleek locks since I was old enough to recognise the difference. I have been on the quest for a satin smooth barnet, and not the Crystal Tipps look I used to sport, for as long as I can remember.

Claire: So you can see, with a head of hair like that sat at the desk opposite me, I was quick to experiment with our next haircare product, Botanical Shine Treatment.  Jennifer was my guinea pig and went home and tried and tested each formulation that I thought was a contender with varying results. One day, she came back in with the words ‘I love it! If we don’t launch this, you’ll have to make it specifically for me!’

What’s special about the ingredients in Botanical Shine Treatment?
Jennifer: Decades of seaweed research sit behind our red algae extract, and there is science that confirms its ability to help build an effective barrier against dryness, flattening the cuticles so that each hair is sleeker and softer. We also take advantage of nature’s caring skills, using a cotton extract from the rarest of the cultivated cottons to help enhance the hair’s natural barrier. Just as cotton sugars work on the fibres of each cotton seed, our extract works to improve smoothness for frizz-free hair. With sumac wax, geisha have taken advantage of its hair-taming properties for centuries. It helps increase combability, manageability and improves the condition of frizzy, coarse or very dry hair.

Claire: Just to make sure that all the actives we had included were pulling their weight – specifically the cotton extract and the red algae extract – I made three different versions of the treatment to test; one containing both, one with cotton extract and one with red algae extract.

Jennifer: So I went home and methodically divided my hair into three and used each treatment in an identical way on each. I arrived on the island the next day sporting my unusual hairstyle under a hat, and Claire had the proof she needed that both cotton extract and red algae extract were critical to achieving the performance.

Claire: And Jennifer had a fantastic hairstyle. We should have taken a photo… I may have to work harder to convince her to try future developments!

Because it’s called a treatment, does that make it any more fussy?
Claire:  Not at all, you just use it in place of your standard conditioner. All this can be done in the shower.

Jennifer: I only wash my hair about once a week, and use this instead of conditioner when I do. I apply it for 10 minutes but, if I want that extra pampering or boost, I apply it for up to 30 minutes.

Claire, as one of the lucky few to be blessed with ‘normal’ hair, you can still use this treatment too, can’t you? Did you intend to create it for more than one hair type? And what does it offer you?
Claire: I can still use this treatment and do so every couple of weeks just to give my hair a little more TLC.  I avoid my roots and just apply from mid-lengths to ends, leaving it on for around 2 minutes, and my hair is left feeling soft and smooth.  The brief was to develop a treatment for people who had very dry, unmanageable and coarse hair, but most people love to give their hair a little boost and pamper, so we wanted it to be suitable for those with dry and normal hair or those whose hair had been subject to more aggressive conditions such as colouring, chlorine, etc. With a lot of experimenting and testing, we realised that using the treatment for different periods of time on different hair types gave the same benefits.

Ian Denson, our Hair Expert & Stylist, has been hairdressing for 28 years, principally for John Frieda where he became one of the owners of the company, opening and running salons in London, New York, Los Angeles and Barbados, and has been a freelance hairdresser and consultant since 2003. He has worked extensively on fashion shows and shoots around the world and with celebrities from the TV, film and fashion industries including Helena Christensen and Julia Roberts.

Here, Ian introduces our brand new Botanical Shine Treatment, providing his own personal advice on how to best use it to reap the benefits and sharing with us the results his clients are already seeing.

So Ian, can you tell us a little about the need for Botanical Shine Treatment?

Our hair is often subjected to daily stress, including heat styling, chemical processes and the unpredictable British weather – especially so at this time of year. So I’m frequently asked how to restore shine and vitality to frizzy, coarse or very dry hair. Our new, ultra high-performance Botanical Shine Treatment deeply hydrates, leaving hair smooth, frizz-free and more manageable, with ultimate shine.

What makes Botanical Shine Treatment unique?
Botanical Shine Treatment is unlike other intensive conditioning treatments that I have used. Never before have I found a treatment that delivers such incredible shine and manageability to hair in such a short space of time. The product is incredibly light and silky in texture, which makes it very easy to distribute over the hair’s surface, and doesn’t weigh hair down or leave any dull residue.

Can everyone use Botanical Shine Treatment?
Botanical Shine Treatment is particularly great for those with two particular hair types. It’s a high-performance treatment designed primarily for very dry, coarse or frizzy hair (hair that’s often quite thick), but it’s also ideal for normal to dry hair. As most people will, at some point, experience dry hair, this is especially helpful as a weekly conditioning treat.

If your hair is very fine or oily, the performance of this product may be too intense, although it could be used sparingly on the ends of particularly over-processed fine hair.

How will it make a noticeable difference to my hair (a) immediately and (b) over time?
You will notice the difference in your hair after the first treatment. My clients have said their hair felt softer and smoother almost immediately, and that these effects are increased with repeated use. Overall, volume and frizz will be reduced significantly and hair will feel much smoother to the touch and far more manageable.

Is Botanical Shine Treatment suitable for colour-treated hair?
Botanical Shine Treatment is perfect for hair that has been coloured or chemically treated. The breakdown in the hair’s cuticle, caused by chemical processes, leaves hair looking dull. By smoothing the hair’s cuticles, Botanical Shine Treatment helps hair reflect light and so adds shine.  Shiny hair that reflects light automatically looks richer and more vibrant in colour, whether blonde, brunette or red.

I’ve got really dry hair… How will the results differ if I use this as my regular conditioner or if I use it as a treatment?
Even when Botanical Shine Treatment is used as a replacement for your regular conditioner and left on the hair for 10 minutes, it will produce noticeable benefits. For maximum effect on very dry or frizzy hair, apply the treatment weekly in a warm and damp environment (for example, when you’re in the bath) and leave on for up to 30 minutes.  This sort of environment opens up the hair cuticles and so allows the treatment to penetrate further into your hair, rather than just sit on the surface.

Tip: After application but before rinsing, wrap the hair in a warm towel to open up the hair’s cuticles and aid absorption.

How do I use Botanical Shine Treatment if my hair is normal, very dry or frizzy, or if I have short hair?
To use Botanical Shine Treatment effectively, think about your hair in three different parts; roots, mid-lengths and ends. You may not need to apply Botanical Shine Treatment to all three areas.

• If you have coarse, frizzy hair, apply from the roots right through to the ends and leave on for 10-30 minutes.
• If you consider your hair normal but with dryness resulting from colour or chemical processing, you will only need to apply to the mid-lengths and ends and leave on for 2-10 minutes.
• If your hair is short, but you wish to achieve volume, do not apply to the roots.
• If your hair is short and thick, apply all over.

You only need to use enough Botanical Shine Treatment to coat each strand – an amount the size of a 50p piece will probably be enough. Start with this and add more if needed to achieve required coverage – any excess will only go to waste.

Winter has arrived; the days are drawing in and there’s certainly a chill in the air. The central heating has been switched on, and whenever you venture outside, the damp and windy weather conditions are really taking their toll on your hair.

So, just as you reassess your skincare routine at this time of year, it’s also a good time to re-evaluate your haircare, to ensure it stays gorgeously glossy and healthy-looking, and to help protect it from the elements.

Get the best from your shampoo
Choosing a shampoo can be baffling. I’ve been in hairdressing for nearly 30 years and I still think this! I really do feel for my mystified clients when they tell me how they can sometimes spend ages in front of hundreds of different coloured bottles, trying to decipher which one is going to give them the hair of their dreams.

We had this in mind when we created Botanical Shine Shampoo, which is why we decided on just ONE shampoo for all hair types and colours. Our award-winning shampoo smells absolutely devine and is made with a blend of West African shea butter, natural source vitamin E, shine-boosting apple and orange extracts and without sodium lauryl and sodium laureth sulphate which means it’s ideal for all the family.

Occasionally I get customers telling me the shampoo hasn’t immediately worked well on their hair. After asking them a few quick questions, I realise they’re not using the product in the correct way: they’re either using too much product or not applying it with the correct technique. So to make sure you’re getting the best results from our Botanical Shine Shampoo, here is a quick and easy guide to best use.

• To start, make sure your hair is thoroughly wet. It needs to be completely drenched in water.
• Next, squeeze a ten pence piece-sized amount of shampoo into your palm. As our products are concentrated, it’s important to remember that a little goes a long way. But do experiment with the amount of shampoo that works best for your hair.
• Mix the shampoo with water and rub your hands together to create lather.
• Then massage the shampoo into your roots. Use one hand starting at the area above your forehead working downwards and the other above the nape of neck massaging upwards. When shampooing hair, make sure you focus on your roots much more than the rest of your hair, as this is where the shampoo is needed the most.
• If you need to create more lather, simply add more water rather than shampoo.
• Finally, rinse hair thoroughly.

And don’t forget the conditioner
For most hair types, conditioner should mainly be used on the ends of your hair. Take a look at my Choosing the right conditioner guide to make sure you’re selecting the correct formula for your hair type.

Our conditioners are very concentrated, so if your hair is fine or oily I would recommend using the Botanical Shine Conditioner for fine or oily hair. Although you may want to get a treat-size version of our Botanical Shine Conditioner for normal hair to use occasionally – for when your hair is particularly parched from a lot of colouring, or after a lot of swimming in the sea or chlorinated water.

And finally, get ready to transform your hair with a new addition to our award-winning haircare range. Simply enter your details here, and we’ll make sure you’re the first to hear about our latest arrival. All I’m saying for now is: it’s your time to shine. Other than that my lips are sealed.

During my hairdressing career, I have been fortunate enough to have had many varied and exciting opportunities.  I’ve known both Liz and Kim for a long time and, I’ve watched and admired the way that they have built their company with full focus on their customers, sourcing the finest ingredients, and offering straightforward advice and affordable botanical solutions to skincare.  My wife has been a fan of the Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare range for years and, like many of you, eagerly awaited the launch of their haircare range.

One shampoo for everyone
When Liz and Kim first approached me with their concept for haircare, I wasn’t surprised to find that they had once again come up with something truly original that could benefit everyone.  In the same way that Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser suits all skin types, their Botanical Shine Shampoo would suit and work on all hair types, including coloured and damaged hair.

So choosing the right shampoo is easy.  All that is left for you to decide is which conditioner will be best for your individual needs.

Choosing and using the right conditioner
It is vital to choose the correct conditioner for your hair type and to use it in the right areas.  Think of your hair as three separate parts – the roots, the mid-lengths and the ends – as each part might need slightly different treatment.

All the Botanical Shine Conditioners are very high-performance, colour-safe and packed full of botanical ingredients, so a little goes a long way and you only need to use a small amount of conditioner. Apply just enough to coat the surface of the hair – any more will be a waste, as the hair can only absorb a certain amount of hydration.

Don’t assume that your hair type will always remain the same.  Regular use of the Botanical Shine range can change hair texture, and as your hair becomes more manageable, you may want to alter your choice of conditioner. If in doubt, always choose the less intense option.

Fine hair: if your hair is long enough to catch back in a ponytail and your ponytail is only as thick as a finger, your hair is probably fine. Generally people with fine hair suffer from a lack of volume and have hair that is often oily at the roots and flyaway at the ends.  Avoid using water that is too hot or over-stimulating your scalp when shampooing, as both can increase the amount of natural oil you produce.

Recommendation: apply Botanical Shine Conditioner for fine or oily hair to the ends of the hair only. If your hair is feeling particularly parched, for example after a summer holiday, apply to mid-lengths too, but not the roots.

Normal hair: normal hair is neither dry nor greasy. It needs regular care to maintain and enhance its healthy lustre.  Normal hair can sometimes become dry on the ends due to weather conditions, changes in your environment such as central heating, medication or regular swimming.

Recommendation: use Botanical Shine Conditioner for normal hair after shampooing on mid-lengths and ends.

Oily hair: the people most likely to complain of oily hair will either have fine or normal hair.  It is vitally important that the scalp is not over-stimulated during shampooing as this can exacerbate the problem.  Also, very hot water can make the scalp produce more oil, so wash with cooler water.

Recommendation: apply Botanical Shine Conditioner for fine or oily hair to the ends of the hair only to hydrate without making the hair look limp.

Dry or damaged hair: many people with dry hair or damaged hair find that it is parched, brittle and lacks shine.  While shampooing, use warm water and vigorous massage to help the scalp increase natural moisture levels.

Recommendation: apply Botanical Shine Conditioner for dry or damaged hair from the roots through to ends to help reduce volume by adding hydration.

Grey hair: this hair type is often considered to be parched and dry.  It is generally coarser than non-grey hair.

Recommendation: apply Botanical Shine Conditioner for dry or damaged hair to mid-lengths and to ends, although if you consider your hair to be thick and dry from the roots to the ends, apply this conditioner to the roots as well.