Skincare Guru Liz Earle

Liz Earle’s Naturally Active Skincare line can be found all over the country from John Lewis outlets to QVC, but the ethos of the company has, remarkably, remained unchanged since 1995 when Liz and her best friend went into business together and started a phenomenon.

The brand embraced then, as it does now, an effective simple approach to skincare based on naturally active ingredients whilst keeping an eye on environmental impact. Liz made some time in her busy schedule to have a chat about skincare, tea and cakes and the best London has to offer…

You took the slightly alternative route of initially working in advising and commenting on skincare and then developing a range – do you think this had a significant impact on your goals and expectations for the line?

‘My own journey in search of great skin began more than 30 years ago as a teenager with eczema. This combined with my life-long fascination for botanicals and natural remedies led to my early career as a magazine health and beauty editor. Despite having worked in the beauty industry for more than a decade, and having tried and tested almost all products on the market, I had yet to discover high quality skincare with active botanical ingredients that really worked for all types of skin, even my own sensitive skin.

‘It was my great friend Kim Buckland who suggested combining my research knowledge with her marketing and business skills to develop our own range. Together we worked to create a dependable collection of pampering and affordable botanical skincare treats with hard-working, yet gentle, formulations which deliver outstanding results no matter what your age or skin type.

‘Kim and I wanted to help women around the globe in their quest to achieve radiant, beautiful skin. We never expected that 16 years on we would be helping women in over 90 countries across the globe, and that one Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser would sell every 30 seconds – it truly has exceeded all of our hopes and expectations!’

You went into business with a close friend – what would you say to those who believe in the adage of friendship and business not mixing?

‘Co-founding the Naturally Active Skincare range with Kim definitely helped make our venture a more manageable one! The key for me was not only working with a close friend, but also with another mother who understood family life. If I needed time off to watch a school play or attend sports day Kim always understood – and vice versa!. In the early years we tried to organise our working lives to fit around our families.

‘We would often start work as soon as the children left for school and break mid-afternoon to collect them, cook supper, and help with their homework. Once the children were in bed we would restart our day and work late into the evening. For me, juggling a business and raising children has been made much easier with the support and understanding of my business partner, and now with our fantastic ever-increasing team.’

Your Duke of York Square store in London charmingly offers Friday afternoon tea and cake. Is this your way of bringing a homely touch into what can feel like a largely impersonal city?

‘We want our customers to enjoy their time in our tranquil store, so every Friday from 2pm they can enjoy a slice of cake and a cup of tea at our flagship London store just off King’s Road in Chelsea. We have taken the traditional English habit of stopping for tea and cake to create a window of time and an opportunity to catch up with colleagues and friends. This proved so popular at our offices that we now share it with our customers in store, and we encourage visitors to our store to browse at their luxury, and to chat with friends.’

What would your advice on skincare be to a typical London girl who wears makeup every day in order to keep their skin fresh and youthful without overloading on product?

‘The cornerstone of effective skincare is cleansing. The one product I can’t live without is our multi award-winning Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. The ultimate in concentrated, yet gentle, cleansing power our iconic beauty staple works on every age and skin type – taking the guesswork out of choosing a cleanser.

‘Due to daily grime and the hustle and bustle of London life, our Cleanse & Polish is perfect for the typical London girl as it removes environmental pollution, all traces of make up and impurities leaving skin clear, smooth and exceptionally clean. Not cleansing the skin twice daily is often the cause of unwanted spots and blackheads. The action of cleansing also helps to boost the circulation and stimulate cell renewal.

‘I would also recommend our new Sheer Skin Tint as it is rich and creamy like a foundation, yet so lightweight it glides effortlessly onto the skin, blending easily to enhance natural skin tones, leaving London girls with naturally even and radiant skin.’

‘My favourite place to go when I am in London is our Duke of York store for a relaxing Signature Facial. Time is the new luxury, and I try to take an hour and a half out of my diary regularly to enjoy a bespoke facial and pamper myself, this allows me personal time to relax, restoring my wellbeing and it’s a blissful way to ensure healthy glowing skin.

‘I love scented flowers and buy bunches of seasonal blooms as a treat for myself or as presents. My favourite hidden gem is Jane Packer in New Cavendish Street, where they not only have beautiful fragrant flowers, but also a selection of unusual vases and Jane’s brilliant books. They also have a good delivery service for when I’m out of town.’

Liz Earle
38-39 Duke of York Square
King’s Road
Chelsea
SW3 4LY

uk.lizearle.com