Liz Earle has built up a highly respected brand of Naturally Active Skincare. Founded in 1995, this Great British brand boasts their passion for the products they create, claiming they really work on every skin type by harnessing the potent powers of the finest quality naturally active ingredients they use. As she publishes her latest book - Liz Earle Skin Secrets, we questioned Liz about this passion for her products and the active steps the company are taking to become more sustainable.
1) Although you source the highest quality, naturally active, sustainable ingredients from sources that support local ecosystems, do you feel the brand is compromised by not having an organic certification?
Our Company philosophy is to source the best ingredients. This means that we take each ingredient individually and investigate sources to make sure we are using the best that’s available. We take many factors into account (such as the country where it is grown, availability and sustainability) and these allow us to determine the best source for us. When it comes to skincare ingredients, organic certification is a statement about how something is grown and processed, it is not necessarily a statement about the quality of the ingredient. We try, wherever possible, to work with smaller growers and sometimes they are not part of an organic certification scheme. Certification can be a costly and complex process, and can present a barrier to trading for some of the communities that would benefit the most. Or, in the case of aloe vera, certification has been given by one body, but another body may not recognise that certification scheme. To us what is important is knowing first hand that the grower is working according to organic principles; a certificate is just the recognition of this.
2) Your ‘Green Journey’ is ongoing, how would you encourage other businesses to follow your lead into sustainable working practices?
Being a botanically-based beauty company we’re working to improve our environmental impact in everything we do. We know we’re not perfect, but we are making steady progress on our journey to becoming a greener business. It’s about making small steps rather than trying to fix everything at once. Growing as a business shouldn’t get in the way of sustainability, in fact it can open up new opportunities for improvement so I definitely encourage other businesses to follow our lead.
You can read all about the steps we’re taking to become a more eco-friendly business, from sustainable sourcing to developing the woodland on our island home, on our green news page which features regular updates from our in-house Environmental Advisor, Geoff Day: http://greennews.lizearle.com/
3) Would you say that reducing your carbon footprint at home and at work reduces your financial outgoings?
Definitely – in both cases your carbon output is directly related to your resource usage so any reduction will reduce costs. At home simple steps like reducing your heating thermostat by one or two degrees will have a positive benefit. If there is an initial cost outlay this can often be recovered quickly.
4) Keeping honey bees to support bee populations must be very interesting – do you use the beeswax/propalis in your formulations?
At the moment we don’t take any honey or propolis from our bees – we keep them as if they were in the wild with as little intervention as possible. The wax and propolis could be used if we had sufficient quantities but at the moment we are just enjoying them for their own sake, and for the benefits they provide in pollination. Bees really are the most amazing creatures!
We do however use propolis and beeswax in our range. Our Cleanse & Polish and Men’s Cleanse & Polish contain beeswax, as does Superbalm, the Pink Lip Shimmer, Gentle Face Exfoliator and Men’s Face Scrub. The beeswax used in Naturally Active Skincare comes from the honeycombs in which bees store their pollen. It has skin protecting properties and helps to relieve chapped skin. Our Deep Cleansing Mask contains propolis, a mixture of resins from the bark and buds of trees collected by bees to protect their hives, as it has skin protecting properties and leaves skin feeling soothed.
5) You use Nordic Walking as a way of exercising – does this require any special training?
I absolutely love Nordic Walking. It uses poles to give an upper-body work out as well as intensifying the aerobic bit of walking. I believe that getting out in the fresh air is a great tonic and the best start to the day. If you are interested in learning the techniques, you can find classes or instructors near you on the Nordicwalking.co.uk website: www.nordicwalking.co.uk/find
Although it can be hard to motivate yourself during the early spring months, exercise is every bit as important for your skin as good food and skincare. It increases blood flow which delivers nutrients and oxygen supplies to the skin. The benefits – pink cheeks, sparkling eyes and a radiant glow – are instantly visible and the good news is you don’t need to spend hours in the gym. A brisk walk in the fresh air will help to clear your mind and leave you with healthy, glowing skin. I try to walk every morning as I find this is the best time of day to exercise before things start to crowd and complicate the day.
Also, I'm such a fan of Nordic Walking and its benefits, that I have included it in my March Letter which is online on our website: http://uk.lizearle.com/letterfromliz0311
6) I’m sure you always get asked this one - Which is your favourite beauty product?
I definitely couldn’t be without our Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. The cornerstone of effective skincare is cleansing. Cleansing is integral to achieve a clear complexion by getting rid of daily grime and impurities to keep your skin clean and prevent blemishes. The ultimate in concentrated yet gentle cleansing power our iconic beauty staple Cleanse & Polish works on every age and skin type – taking the guesswork out of choosing a skin type specific cleanser. This luxuriously creamy, plant-based cleanser is removed with the pure cotton muslin cloth provided to help gently exfoliate to reveal clean, soft and radiant skin. Cleanse & Polish is rich in naturally active ingredients including purifying eucalyptus and skin softening cocoa butter which work in synergy with your skin. If you try just one thing, choose this.
