Avon Products, Inc. has announced its acquisition of Liz Earle Beauty Co. Limited, a fast-growing, privately-held brand of naturally active skin care products sold primarily through direct-to-consumer channels. The UK brand will become part of Avon’s global skin care portfolio, broadening Avon’s position in anti-aging skin care with Liz Earle’s expertise in botanical ingredients and natural positioning.

Avon said that the acquisition was consistent with its previously stated intention to explore opportunities that would complement its core beauty direct-selling business. Avon also stated that Liz Earle Naturally Active Skin care will continue to be managed independently as a stand-alone brand under the leadership of co-founders Liz Earle and Kim Buckland, and will maintain its headquarters in Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK.

Andrea Jung, Avon’s chairman and chief executive officer, said, “We are delighted to welcome Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare to Avon, and we see this new partnership as a perfect fit for both companies. Liz Earle’s tightly edited range of award-winning, naturally active skincare products is highly complementary to Avon’s anti-aging skincare and broader beauty portfolio. It also represents a long-term opportunity to develop a stand-alone Liz Earle direct-selling Representative channel.”

The existing Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare (LENAS) product range offers head-to-toe skin care solutions with products that deliver results with integrity and efficacy to the beauty-savvy customer. Since its conception, the brand has evolved into a full-service beauty line formulated to treat all skin types holistically with naturally active ingredients. LENAS has the answer to every modern beauty need and provides total skin care for the face and body for all ages and skin types.

“We are very excited to be aligning with an iconic global beauty brand like Avon,” said Liz Earle, co-founder. “We believe that the Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare philosophy and extraordinary brand loyalty we have built in the U.K., when combined with Avon’s presence in more than 100 markets around the world, offers an outstanding opportunity for global expansion for our company.”

“Joining forces with Avon is a dream come true for us,” said co-founder Kim Buckland. “Just as Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare has its own ‘Precious Recipe’ which lies at the heart of all we do, Avon has a long-established reputation for its high levels of customer service, its great workplace environment, and its contributions to the well-being of society.”

Liz Earle co-founded the company 15 years ago after an extensive career as a beauty and wellness expert in print and broadcast journalism. This experience led her to develop skin care formulations to treat her own sensitive, eczema-prone skin. Her at-home skin care remedies evolved into Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare when she teamed up with her great friend and business partner, beauty industry marketing expert Kim Buckland. In addition to developing LENAS, Earle has written and published over 30 books covering a wide range of beauty, health and lifestyle issues. Her most recent publication, Skin Secrets, launched in the UK in 2009.

The transaction will be structured as an all-cash acquisition of 100% of the company, and Avon said that it will not have a material impact on earnings per share. Financial terms were not disclosed.