With more us of at home in these uncertain times, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy a slower, calmer pace of life. The Liz Earle experts have shared their self-care routines to inspire you, so you can create a gorgeous ritual at home. From new skincare launches to some fantastic facial massage tips, there’s so much to discover to help change up your everyday approach to self-care.
Caroline Archer – my go-to skincare pick-me-up
My skin is always throwing something unexpected at me – so this current period is actually a great time to focus on boosting my normal skincare routine, with a new Liz Earle superhero that is so easy to slot in.
On breakout days, I reach for my Balancing Botanical Drops to help boost my morning regime. I usually opt for these at least once a week, or more if it’s around the time of the month when I tend to find my skin gets peri-menopausal jawline bumps. It’s so easy to use – a couple of drops in the palm of my hand, massaged into the target area (where the breakouts are and/or my oily T-zone). The drops vanish almost instantly into the skin, but leave it looking cleaner and more balanced.
I also love the gel texture option of our new generation Skin Repair Moisturiser. This sinks in quickly after the drops (sometimes I mix the drops into the moisturiser for speed), and my skin gets just the right combination of hydration with a light, fresh feel. I hate the feeling of any product on my skin, so this combination not only works for my complexion, but it really works for me, in that my skin doesn’t feel overloaded. So, on those tricky days, these two saviours (used after cleansing and toning) help my skin look and feel refreshed, balanced and less shiny.
Over time, I’ve noticed my skin tone is better (open pores are less visible, skin appearance is more matte, and blemishes are kept in check). I’d recommend this routine a couple of times of week, when skin plays up with breakouts or oiliness.
Sarah Carr – daily mantras and positivity
Self-care and skincare have become my daily mantras to remain positive while staying at home. Creating simple routines are helping me manage emotions, skin, work and my energetic little boy!
Here are my go-to ways of living for these challenging times…
Walking – whatever the weather, we get outside for a walk. This daily ritual has become one the most important parts of my day. I’m noticing things that I have never seen before, even though I’m walking the same routes! Getting vitamin D and my circulation going are brilliant for staying as positive as I can, especially when we are at home for the rest of the day.
Relax – I’m doing my best to go to bed early, have a bath, read and hang out online with family and friends.
Skincare – I’m making the most of the time at home. Skincare and self-care go hand in hand. I’ve been ensuring that I do my normal cleanse, tone and moisturise routine every AM and PM. Having a little more time is perfect to treat my skin – for me it is all about face masks and the new Botanical Drops. You don’t have to save face masks for the bath, or restrict yourself by having to lie down and drop everything when applying a treatment – I’ve been putting on the Balancing Gel Mask and am absolutely amazed at what I can achieve in five minutes! My skin is glowing even if I’m putting a load of laundry on.
If I’ve been feeling overwhelmed, I often take myself to the bathroom at lunch when my little boy Wilf is asleep. A mini facial with some breathing techniques, facial massage with Cleanse & Polish and the gorgeous Brightening formula of the Botanical Drops have cheered me up and kept my skin looking fresh and radiant.
Food – meals are the highlight of the day and my way to create a daily routine. I’m currently working through cookery books and my mum’s recipes, ensuring we are nourishing from the inside while learning to cook and create with limited ingredients! I usually eat lunch on the go but I’m really enjoying sitting down to eat lunch, when Wilf goes down for a nap.
Creating a positive outlook and habits are a big focus for me. The points above will definitely be a part of life moving forward.
Karen Bevan-Brown – my essential evening ritual
I think more than ever, skincare has become a gentle distraction over these last few months, and I have absolutely loved hearing from clients and customers about how much they have enjoyed re-setting their simple, twice-daily skincare routine – and how this has also had such a positive effect on how it’s made them feel!
A mini at-home facial ritual is great for targeting specific skin goals, and it’s so enjoyable. In busier times, this is something that can fall to the bottom of our to-do lists, so it’s a great opportunity to prioritise this right now. A solid evening ritual can help you prepare for sleep and clear your mind, and give you a well-deserved boost of tranquility and inner connection.
The first step is creating the perfect environment to do your ritual and for me, using soft lighting is a must – I’ve loved filling the bathroom with candles and/or fairy lights, which instantly give that shoulder-drop effect, and gentler lighting is a great start to relaxing the face and eyes after perhaps lots of daytime social screen interaction.
I adore herbal teas and a yummy chamomile tea is always with me as part of this little ritual in the bathroom. Chamomile is known to aid a restful night’s sleep and calm the mind. I’ve been really monitoring my water intake too during the day, by keeping myself well hydrated. This one thing alone can have such a positive effect on our skin, in terms of its clarity and plumpness – so it’s an easy win for supporting general skin health.
I absolutely love the benefits of facial massage, and while I’m missing being able to treat my clients, I have done so much in the way of facial massage on my own skin – and I’m so addicted to the results! Whether you’re in need of a brightening effect with a mini skin workout, tension relief, or more of a skin-soothing treat with lighter techniques, you can also create a bespoke regime from the comfort of your own home. I’ve been incorporating facial massage as part of my double cleanse sequence and currently love doing this with the beautiful Rose & Lavender Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser in the evening, to help soothe, hydrate and calm.
Now to the next step; I’ve made a little batch of Instant Boost Skin Tonic ice cubes in the freezer and really loving using one during this stage of my skin treatment for the cold therapy benefits. I’ll wrap it in a clean and damp cotton cloth and then perform very light sweeps from the centre of my face outwards, and down my neck, in line with the lymphatic channels. It’s great for soothing puffiness, taking down high colour and generally soothing my sensitivity.
I’ve then been doing a separate eye treatment to help combat the effects of stress and fatigue that our eyes so kindly give away in their appearance! I use Eyebright, the soothing herbal liquid for eyes, drizzled onto washable cotton pads, folded into half-moons and used as a compress under the eyes, and then the same on the upper orbital area.
This provides a beautiful layer of hydration, before using the wonderful Superskin Eye Cream as a massage medium and performing lots of massage all around the eyes, keeping to the orbital bone area, to restore the skin’s appearance, smooth the appearance of lines and give a brighter feel for the area.
To give my skin the ready-for-bed finale, I have really loved the combination of our new Calming Botanical Drops – literally just one to two drops first all over my cleansed and toned skin – and then a thin layer of Cica Restore Skin Paste on top, before hitting the pillow. This combination soothes my sensitive skin, leaving it looking much more rested, comfortable and even in tone by the morning.
We hope you’ve taken some inspiration from the Liz Earle experts, and feel free to get in touch with us on our Instagram @qvcbeauty with all the details on your self-care routine!
