Frequently Asked Questions
Please click on the heading below which relates to the topic you'd like to find out more about...
We also have fact sheets about Acne Rosacea, Acne Vulgaris, Eczema, Dry Skin Body Brushing and Young Skin. See our facts sheets.
Patch Testing
All the products in the Naturally Active Skincare range are formulated to be extremely gentle and are used by many people with sensitive skin. However, as a common sense precaution, we recommend a patch test is carried out prior to first application.
Skincare Essentials
I'm new to the range, which products should I start with?
The key to healthy skin is our simple 3-step cleanse, tone and moisturise trio used every day, morning and evening.
Step 1: Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
Our creamy cleanser quickly melts away make-up and daily grime, while the pure Muslin Cloth gently sloughs away dead skin cells.
Step 2: Instant Boost Skin Tonic
This gentle alcohol-free floral-scented toner soothes, calms and refreshes skin in preparation for moisturising.
Step 3: Skin Repair Moisturiser
With just the right level of nourishment to leave every skin type hydrated and protected, the only choice to make is which variety of Skin Repair Moisturiser to use. In three formulations:
- Dry/sensitive,
- Normal/combination or
- Skin Repair Light for combination/oily skin.
Muslin Cloths
Why do I need to use the Muslin Cloth?
The muslin cloth acts as a gentle exfoliator to help slough away dead skin cells that can make complexions appear dull. Exfoliation is an important part of any skincare routine, but some skin scrubs can be too harsh for sensitive skins. Our Muslin Cloth is so gentle that you can use it twice a day, every day. We recommend you use the pure Muslin Cloth to remove Cleanse & Polish, Brightening Treatment and Intensive Nourishing Treatment. It's kind to the skin and saves time too!
How do I wash the Muslin Cloth?
Muslin Cloths can be laundered with your normal white wash. If you have very sensitive skin and find detergent residue irritates, try washing the cloths in soap flakes or boiling them in plain water.
Skin Repair Moisturiser
How do I choose which Skin Repair to use?
Our Skin Repair Moisturiser is available in three different formulations, simply use the one that best matches your skin type. Choose dry/sensitive, normal/combination or Skin Repair Light for combination/oily skin.
Each Skin Repair has the same core formulation and is equally suitable for sensitive skin – the dry/sensitive formulation is simply the richest of the three. If you aren't sure of your skin type, a good way to judge is to ask yourself the following simple questions: Does your skin feel tight at any time during the day? If yes, choose the dry/sensitive formula. Does your skin tend to be shiny throughout the day? If yes, choose Skin Repair Light. If your skin is neither of these then opt for the normal/combination formulation. The normal/combination option is also a good choice if you have a moderately shiny T-zone across the forehead, nose and chin.
You can also mix and match which Skin Repair you use depending on your skin's needs. Some of our customers use a richer cream at night, or during the Winter months, and others like the lighter formulation of Skin Repair Light during the summer.
I have oily skin, do I still need to moisturise?
All skin, however oily, needs nurturing with vitamins and essential fatty acids twice a day, morning and night to ensure that it's in the best possible condition. The best formulation for oilier skin types is Skin Repair Light. This light and gentle moisturiser is non-greasy and absorbs easily into the skin.
Should I moisturise before or after applying treatments and masks?
To get the best out of our special treatments we recommend that you begin by cleansing skin, then apply your chosen treatment (Brightening Treatment, Deep Cleansing Mask, Gentle Face Exfoliator or Intensive Nourishing Treatment) following the directions on the product, next use Instant Boost Skin Tonic to remove any last traces of the product and refresh skin. Finally apply your chosen Skin Repair Moisturiser to leave skin nourished and radiant.
Does Skin Repair contain SPF?
Our Skin Repair Moisturiser doesn't contain SPF, this is so it can be used during the day and at night (as skin doesn't need SPF at night). If you would like to protect your skin with SPF during the day, we recommend you moisturise with Skin Repair, before applying Mineral Sun Cream SPF20. Please remember that to provide skin with a constant level of protection, sun products should ideally be re-applied every couple of hours.
Should I moisturise before or after applying sunscreen?
We would recommend that you cleanse and tone skin first, then apply your chosen Skin Repair Moisturiser, to ensure that skin gets the nourishment and botanical nutrients it needs to stay healthy. We would advise that after applying Skin Repair you wait a few moments for it to be fully absorbed into the upper levels of the skin before applying our Mineral Sun Cream SPF20. Don't forget it is important to apply an adequate layer of sun cream onto skin to ensure you are protected from the sun's rays and remember you'll need to re-apply every couple of hours for lasting protection.
Sun Care
What's your position on sunscreens?
Sunscreens are unnecessary in a lot of skincare products, including cleansers, toners, night-time moisturisers and treatments such as face masks. We made the decision, early on, not to include an SPF in our daily moisturiser, Skin Repair. This is mainly because we knew - from the experts that we worked with - that many people with sensitive skin find that using an SPF in their moisturiser daily can actually increase their sensitivity over time – this is particularly the case with chemical sunscreens, such as benzophenones and cinnamates, which can be potential irritants.
According to photo-biology experts, including Prof Brian Diffey, sunscreens are not an absolute necessity during the daytime in our British winter, (or months in which the temperature is low/cool), as we tend to spend much of the time indoors. We recommend you use a common sense approach - if you spend a lot of time outdoors, you may like to use a sunscreen (although we do need vitamin D that the sun can give us) and certainly if you are skiing we recommend always using a higher SPF as the sun's rays can be stronger at high altitudes and are reflected back from the snow.
During warmer months and in warmer climes it is important to protect skin from the sun's rays. Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare only uses premium quality, broad-spectrum, non-chemical sunscreens to provide the maximum UV protection with minimum risk of skin sensitivity.
There are several good reasons why we do not use any chemical sunscreens (such as benzophenones, homosalate, benzene derivatives or cinnamates). Firstly, they can trigger allergic reactions in those with sensitive skins. Secondly, some studies indicate that they may actually encourage free-radical activity - potentially damaging skin cells and accelerating skin ageing. By contrast, non-chemical sunscreens reflect UV rays away from the skin and do not allow them to be absorbed.
Our non-chemical sunscreens include broad-spectrum naturally derived mineral filters such as Titanium dioxide and Zinc oxide. You will find both these in our Sun Shade sun protection range - ideal for daily protection for all the family. And you will also find Titanium dioxide as a non-chemical sunscreen in our Daily Eye Repair.
Eye Care
Which products can help to improve dehydration and the appearance of fine lines around my eyes?
As the skin around the eye area is so delicate it is more prone to dryness. Daily Eye Repair and Smoothing Line Serum have both been developed to care for the fragile eye zone and beyond. Each morning apply Daily Eye Repair, it contains borage oil, natural-source vitamin E and echinacea to help smooth fine lines. Then at night use Smoothing Line Serum, an ultra-light, oil-free serum to visibly firm and smooth, leaving skin nourished and supple.
For an intensive overnight eye treat, dab a tiny amount of Superskin Concentrate around fine lines to help restore and soften skin.
What is the difference between Daily Eye Repair and Smoothing Line Serum?
Daily Eye Repair and Smoothing Line Serum have both been developed to gently care for the delicate eye area and other wrinkle-prone places. The main difference between the products is when you use them:
Daily Eye Repair contains SPF10 which helps to protect the delicate eye zone from the sun's rays and therefore should be applied during the day after Skin Repair Moisturiser. It also contains light-reflective particles which help to brighten the eye area and reduce the appearance of dark shadows. You can also use Daily Eye Repair at the sides of the mouth and nose, to help soften facial lines.
Smoothing Line Serum is our dedicated night-time treatment for eyes and beyond. It doesn't contain an SPF, so is ideal to use at night, after applying Skin Repair Moisturiser. It is formulated to help strengthen, smooth and plump fine lines around the eyes. You can also use Smoothing Line Serum on the forehead, around the lips, neck and décolletage. It even makes an excellent firming bust serum.
Why are Brightening Treatment, Deep Cleansing Mask and Gentle Face Exfoliator unsuitable for people with sensitive skin?
Many of our customers with very sensitive skin do use our treatments and love the results. We simply advise caution when using these treatments on skin that is extremely sensitive. In particular, those with rosacea or red, irritated areas of skin should avoid using these products. If you do decide to try one of these treatments, we would suggest (as with all our products) that you carry out a patch test first. If you experience any problems when using one of these products please e-mail our Customer Care Team or call them on 01983 813999.
Pregnancy
I'm pregnant and worried about using essential oils. Should I stop using the products?
Most of our skincare products are safe to use during pregnancy, however we would suggest that you seek advice from your GP, midwife or a qualified aromatherapist before using the products in our range which have higher levels of pure essential oils. These products are; Energising Hip and Thigh Gel, Energising Body Scrub, Energising Body Wash, Foot Scrub, Foot Repair Moisturiser, Superskin Concentrate, Superskin Bust Treatment, Superskin Body Cream, Superbalm, Spot-On, Sheer Gold Shimmer, Liz Earle Botanical Essence No.1 and our Vital Oils Bath Oils.
Many of our products are beneficial for use after pregnancy and breast feeding including Superskin Bust Treatment, which helps to visibly plump and smooth skin around the bust and décolletage and Energising Hip and Thigh Gel, which helps to tone slack skin.
Which products would be most beneficial to use during pregnancy?
We're always receiving positive feedback from our customers who have used Nourishing Botanical Body Cream during their pregnancy. We recommend applying the cream after bathing or showering, it absorbs quickly and is rich in natural-source vitamin E and skin nourishers to help prevent stretch marks.
Young Skin
My teenage daughter is starting to develop spots. Which products do you recommend?
Daily cleansing with Cleanse & Polish is an important first step. Even for oily skins, cream-based cleansers are best as they dissolve the skin's own sebum and gently remove any excess to prevent spots and blackheads forming. Cleanse & Polish contains purifying eucalyptus and rosemary oil, chamomile to help calm skin and hops to help tone and soothe.
Even teenagers need to lightly moisturise - use a small amount of Skin Repair Light in the morning and at night. The light, gentle lotion is non-greasy and absorbs easily into the skin.
Spot-On is a powerful treatment for the causes of spots and blemishes and can be applied directly to spots to aid healing and help inhibit spot-causing bacteria. No teenager should be without it!
View our fact sheets about Young Skin and Acne.
About our products
What is an antioxidant?
Modern day living, cigarette smoke, car exhaust emissions and the sun's rays can all produce free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules that contribute to the ageing process by destroying the collagen and elastin fibres that support the skin. Antioxidants help protect the body from free-radical damage. We can maintain our own supplies of antioxidant nutrients by eating a diet rich in vitamins A (in the form of beta-carotene), C and E. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the best source of beta-carotene and vitamin C, especially dark green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli and brightly coloured fruits such as oranges, mangoes and strawberries. Vitamin E is more difficult to find naturally in large quantities but you can increase your intake of some vegetable oils (such as Soy oil or Argan oil) and consider taking a natural-source vitamin E supplement. You'll find antioxidants in many of our products including, Instant Boost Skin Tonic, Superskin Moisturiser, Skin Repair Moisturiser, Daily Eye Repair, Smoothing Line Serum, Superbalm, Superskin Concentrate, Spot-On, Nourishing Botanical Body Cream, Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash, Hand Repair, our Sun Shade range, Sheer Gold Shimmer and Lip Shimmers.
What is the shelf life of our products ?
All products have a shelf life of at least three years if unopened. When opened and used correctly (assuming lids are replaced properly) the shelf life is at least six months. Where the shelf life is limited then you will find the PAO symbol on these packs.
See more information about the labelling on our products.
We aim to use packaging that helps to keep the products as sterile as possible, for example the twist up lids on Eyebright and Instant Boost Skin Tonic. Also, Cleanse & Polish, Brightening Treatment, Daily Eye Repair, Smoothing Line Serum and Energising Hip and Thigh Gel use an airless pump system so no air can get back into the product once the pump starts dispensing.
Are your products suitable for people with nut allergies?
The Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare range contains a wide range of botanical and other natural ingredients including nut derivatives (such as shea butter) coconut derivatives, almond derivatives, horse chestnut extract, hazelnut oil, argan oil and apricot kernel oil. If you have a nut allergy we would recommend that you contact our Customer Care team on 01983 813999 to discuss which of our products would be suitable for you, dependent on your allergy. If you are allergic to almonds, you may be pleased to know that we have recently removed the ingredient 'almond milk' from our Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser formulation. To ensure that the Cleanse & Polish you buy is this new 'almond milk-free' formulation please see below:How to ensure your Cleanse & Polish is free from almond milk
If you order over the phone through our Customer Centre, please inform your advisor that you have an almond allergy and they will ensure that the Cleanse & Polish you receive is the new formulation. Alternatively, if you prefer to order through our website, please ensure that you write 'Almond allergy – new formulation Cleanse & Polish' into the notes section when you place your order. We would advise that you avoid purchasing Cleanse & Polish from eBay, as unfortunately we can't guarantee that you will be sent the new formulation.Are your products tested on animals?
We don't test either products or ingredients on animals, instead we only test on human volunteers and the Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare range has been approved by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV). We comply with the Humane Cosmetics Standard and display the BUAV rabbit logo on all of our products. None of our ingredients are of animal origin (except beeswax, propolis and manuka honey).
All products are suitable for vegetarians.
Why do you use preservatives in your range?
Safe, effective products are our priority and many of our formulations are preservative free. However, we do use preservatives when absolutely essential for product safety. Where natural preservatives are not available, we use relatively low concentrations of the highest grade, broad-spectrum preservatives.
Do you use parabens in your products?
Parabens occur naturally in many fruits and are used as preservatives in some of our products, but only in very small quantities. We use food-grade parabens where we have not found a suitable natural alternative that is 100% safe for our customers. If you would prefer to use preservative-free products, we do have products in the range (such as Superbalm, Superskin Concentrate, Spot-On, Lip Shimmers, Vital Oils for the Bath and Vital Oils Body Sprays) that do not contain any preservatives at all, as the formulations are oil-based and are not susceptible to micro bacterial contamination.
Approximately how many applications are in the products which use the pump dispenser?
- Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (100ml)
- 66
- Brightening Treatment (50ml)
- 33
- Energising Hip and Thigh Gel (200ml)
- 120
- Gentle Face Exfoliator (70ml)
- 46
- Hand Repair in a Pump (100ml)
- 66
- Skin Repair Light
- 200
- Smoothing Line Serum (10ml)
- 65
- Superskin Concentrate (28ml)
- 140