Weekend Read 29 June 2024

Weekend Read 29 June 2024

And somehow we are at the end of June, a month where I wrote many words about summer health concerns, together with our recommended summer products, and through most of the month it either rained or the sky took on a dismal hue of grey, but never mind, the sun has finally decided to shine and, no matter what, we have sunshine in our hearts, our sharing hearts. I often write about sharing because it is core to our being, but it is also core to an understanding of life itself, enabling an interaction of thought, support and purpose between us, which is so incredibly important, most especially because we platform health and wellbeing.

I am going to caveat my following words by saying that VH is a business, we all know that and we all understand that, but the biggest reward for us is the acknowledgement of efficacy, in other words when we know that a product, any given product, has achieved its objective and has truly made a difference to so many of you.  The acknowledgement and respect must of course be shared with those who constantly challenge the status quo, enabling us to translate the research, studies and clinicals into the cutting-edge and pioneering formulations we create, endorse and embrace.

So, here we go and in tribute to making a difference, Superior Joints has received ongoing recognition and acclaim because it has been formulated with clinically proven ingredients, ingredients which help ease the pain and stiffness associated with joint pain, osteoarthritis and arthritis.  Superseding all that has gone before, including Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplementation, the focus here is on the efficacy of Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM) which has been the subject of many notable studies.

NEM is the thin membrane that is found just beneath the eggshell and it contains a host of compounds including proteins, glycosaminoglycans, hyaluronic acid, rare amino acids, collagen and elastin, each of which play a significant role in joint health.  Many of the benefits of NEM are thought to be the result of its nutrients being able to boost the production of critical joint molecules, which is supported by the results of one study where joint stiffness was substantially improved at thirty day and sixty day intervals, with the study also showing that analgesic use had dropped considerably after supplementing with NEM for thirty days.

I just want to take a moment here to explain the importance of adopting clinical advancement, specifically referencing Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplementation.  Glucosamine is controversial and it is controversial because trials involving its use showed mixed results, varying from no better than a placebo effect, to a significant improvement in some with joint pain and function.  These were the findings of the largest study to date, Glucosamine/Chondroitin Intervention Study (GAIT) which involved 1600 people with osteoarthritis of the knee.

The first phase of this study found that only a small subset of patients experienced significant pain relief when taking this form of supplementation, the second phase results found that neither Glucosamine nor Chondroitin slowed down joint damage and in the next two year phase, Glucosamine and Chondroitin were found to be only as effective as a prescribed pain killer for joint pain.  So, once again, in the translation of evidenced studies, we continue to support and formulate next-generation supplementation in order to serve purpose.

Superior Joints, as it stands, is a pioneering and cutting-edge formulation, a formulation where NEM is joined by Hyaluronic Acid, Turmeric, Tart Cherries, Ginger, Copper and Vitamin C, the latter of which contributes to normal collagen formation for the function of bones and cartilage.  Often taken alongside Hyaluronic Acid supplementation, Superior Joints is one of our bestselling supplements, it helps prevent the further degradation of joints and it also helps protect the joint tissues against free radical damage.  Celebrating state-of-the-art supplementation once more, Superior Joints drops in price from £30 to £27, across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Read This If You Suffer From Painful Joints; DoSe Superior Joints £27 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 30 June); DoSe Hyaluronic Acid £35 for 30 Capsules

Shabir takes Superior Joints religiously and somewhere in the deep recesses of my brain, I am convinced that he reads clinicals in his sleep, as it were, to ensure that we are up to date with the very latest research.  I don’t take Superior Joints, but I appreciate and understand that joint health is critical and at some point I might start taking it as a preventative measure, which would, I suppose, seem sensible, knowing what I know.

Anyway, what I also know is that Ionicell plays an important role in the health of our hair, skin and nails, a role which once again has been determined by clinical evaluation where it has been proven that Ioniplex®, a Fulvic ionic mineral, helps to generate collagen and re-hydrate cells.  Ionicell will, in the fullness of time, carry the DoSe branding, but all I really want to say here is that over time my nails have been transformed, my hair has been transformed and I owe it all to Ionicell and the transformative qualities and benefits of Fulvic Acid.  Demonstrating efficacy once again, Ionicell drops in price from £22 to £19, also across the weekend.
Ionicell £19 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 30 June)

Following through, if there is one downside to taking Ionicell and using Fulvic products, it’s that my nails and hair grow really fast, which means I am forever tripping off to get my hair cut, but I’ll take that.  There is no doubt that my nails and my hair are far stronger than they used to be, but I have been taking and using Fulvic for almost twenty years and referencing haircare specifically, I have been using Fulvic shampoo for almost twenty years too, with the only interruption being when I have tested other shampoos, which I don’t think I want to write about. So, I won’t do that, but what I will do is drop the price of Fulvic Shampoo from £25 to £20.
Fulvic Shampoo £20 for 240 ml (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 30 June)

At the beginning of this newsletter, I wrote about the importance of our sharing platform and one of the most important aspects of that sharing is that we are very aware of some of the most common health concerns, and eye issues concern many of us. I will begin by talking about blepharitis, which is a long-term inflammatory condition affecting the eyelids and the skin surrounding the eyes, which can cause great discomfort.  There are two types of blepharitis, anterior blepharitis, which affects the outer edge of the eyelids, and posterior blepharitis which affects the inner edge of the eyelids where the eyelid comes into contact with the eyeball.

Leaving Shabir to explain the causes of blepharitis in his article linked below, I will continue by telling you about a new product for the treatment of blepharitis, and that product is Hypochlorous Eye Lid Spray.  Many of you may be familiar with hypochlorous solutions, notably because a hypochlorous solution is used in Clinisept+ Mouthwash to eradicate bacteria whilst calming inflamed gum tissue, and the same is true for the treatment of blepharitis, with the hypochlorous solution helping to clear bacterial infection.  It will also help to unblock tear glands, whilst also calming the redness of the skin around the eyes and it does this extraordinarily well.
VH Editorial: Treatment For Blepharitis; Hypochlorous Eye Lid Spray by The Eye Doctor £10 for 100 ml; Clinisept+ Mouthwash £7.95 for 400 ml

Staying with eye health, dry eye syndrome is another common concern, so another new product from The Eye Doctor, which addresses that concern.  Advanced Comfort Eyelid Oil is a clinically tested formulation for dry and irritated eyes, also serving as a preventative measure for the sensitive eye area which protects the delicate eye area from dryness, flaking and redness. Delivering intense moisture, it has been formulated and enriched with natural ingredients, including omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids to support skin health.  Extracts of Aloe Vera and Calendula are also included to soothe and calm irritated skin.  This could be love.
Advanced Comfort Eyelid Oil by The Eye Doctor £15 for 10 ml

Before I end this section, I have just written about two topical products to support eye health, so a few words about a supplement which enhances tear production and helps to alleviate the symptoms of dry eyes. That supplement is Tear Support With MaquiBright, a unique formulation which supports eye health from the inside out for systemic, continuous comfort using standardised Maqui Berry extract compounds, called delphinidins. Delphinidins support natural defences against chemical and light stimulation, as well as UV light.

Referencing one study, healthy volunteers taking 60 mg of this extract daily experienced a 45% increase in tear production, and just to conclude, Maqui Berry extracts are far more concentrated in beneficial antioxidants than the fruit itself so, with all of that said, I am dropping the price of Tear Support With MaquiBright from £20 to £17. 
Tear Support With MaquiBright by Life Extension £17 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 30 June)

Let’s have a few moments and I will begin by acknowledging Derma E, a skincare brand we have supported through the decades.  As such, Derma E has its own unique following and their three bestselling products, as it currently stands, are Vitamin C Bright Eyes Hydro Gel Patches, Crepey Skin Repair Treatment and Acne Deep Pore Cleansing Wash, in no particular order. So, in acknowledgement of your acknowledgement, when you buy any Derma E product we will automatically include their Vitamin C Concentrated Serum (15 ml) as a gift and, with clarification, that is one gift per product, as opposed to one gift per customer, whilst stock lasts.
Derma E Products

The next moment is all about Ross J Barr’s Calm Patches, which have helped and supported so many of us in helping to alleviate stress and tension. This moment is a transparent moment because there are times when we find ourselves sitting on high stock levels, short-dated stock levels and, in this particular instance, we have a number of Calm Patches which are dated August 2024, so I am dropping the price of those Calm Patches from £15 to £8, while stock levels last.  And £8 because there are eight weeks left before they expire.  It just feels neat.
Calm Patches by Ross J. Barr £8 for 10 Patches (whilst stock lasts)

Last weekend I wrote about Lixirskin’s Universal Oil referencing it as a statement product, which aligned with my thoughts about simple solutions in an industry which was, and is, deliberately designed to market complex solutions.  There are moments when a product captures a moment, and Universal Oil definitely captured a moment because it flipped onto a wait list last Saturday, demonstrating the importance and relevance of simple, multi-tasking products. 

A simple solution deserves simple messaging, so I am extending the Limited Edition offer on Universal Oil across this weekend, ending at midnight BST tomorrow, Sunday 30 June.  And if you didn’t read last weekend’s newsletter, we dropped the price of Universal Oil from £39 to £20, and the easiest thing to do is to refer you to my words from last weekend here.  And for those of you who did read my words and ordered Universal Oil, well you might just want to go again whilst you can, and if it flips onto a wait list this weekend, I promise to honour all orders placed within the timescale of this offer.
Universal Oil by Lixirskin £20 for 100 ml

Right let’s talk about two new products from Tan Organic, the first of which is their Facial Self-Tanning Oil, which is a luxurious, quick-absorbing self-tanning oil which is lightweight and easy to apply.  It is formulated using natural and organic ingredients and leaving no greasy residue, it will leave your skin looking and feeling hydrated with a natural sun-kissed glow for up to seven days.  The second new product is their Self Tan Eco Towel, each pack contains two biodegradable towels which have been infused with an organic dry oil formula that will also moisturise your skin, providing a healthy bronze glow which should last between seven and ten days.
Facial Tanning Oil by Tan Organic £27 for 50 ml (drops in price from £29.99); Self Tan Eco Towel by Tan Organic £5.99 for Two x 10 ml Towels

Onwards, and Green People have formulated a shower gel, an Aloe Vera shower gel.  Daily Aloe Shower Gel is a natural and gentle body wash which is perfect for daily use in the shower or the bath and with nothing to add, except to say that Aloe Vera sings summer to me, I am dropping the price of Daily Aloe Shower Gel from £17 to £14, whilst stocks last.  And that is that.
Daily Aloe Shower Gel by Green People £14 for 200 ml

A note here to say that this month’s TEMPLESPA offer will end at midnight BST tomorrow, Sunday 30 June, because it is of course the last day of the month and the offer looks like this. Life Defence SPF 50 Protection Moisturiser and Life Defence SPF 30 Protecting Moisturiser both drop in price by £10, which means that instead of paying £44 for each of the products, they become £34 each.
Life Defence SPF 50 Protection Moisturiser by TEMPLESPA £34 for 50 ml; Life Defence SPF 30 Protecting Moisturiser by TEMPLESPA £34 for 50 ml

Nearly there, and by way of update, we have now sold out of Mrs White’s Unstung Hero in the aluminium bottle for this season.  I mentioned this last weekend, but we are still in stock of Unstung Hero in its glass bottle, so if you are travelling, you can of course decant the liquid into a travel-friendly container.  On another note, I recently escaped to the sun clutching Unstung Hero and I didn’t get bitten once, which was rather fortunate, or perhaps rather unfortunate because I am yet to test the Moskinto Patches, which Lara assures me are beyond brilliant if you do get bitten, confirmed also by a friend who was saved by the patch after being badly bitten.  Result.
Mrs White’s Unstung Hero Mosquito Repellent £20 for 250 ml; Moskinto Itch-Relief Patch £6.95 for 24 Plasters

And it’s time for the final fling, and having written above about the efficacy of Ionicell, a few more words to say here and it’s all about our nails.  Actually, it’s about the essential nail file, essential for me because my nails grow so quickly, I am forever filing them down.  And if a nail file is also essential for you, there is no better nail file, in my humble opinion, than the Crystal Nail File from Margaret Dabbs, so this final fling is written in recognition of the brilliance of that Crystal Nail File and it becomes a fling because I am dropping the price of the Crystal Nail File from £16 to £6, whilst stock lasts.  Buy one, gift one.  Perhaps.
Crystal Nail File by Margaret Dabbs £6 (whilst stock lasts)

Into the Saturday only treat we go and with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you Fulvic Conditioner (60 ml)*.  Having written about Fulvic Shampoo, I wanted to balance that offer, but there is something here about sharing the products which I use myself, so with full product details listed below, I hope you enjoy using it.
Fulvic Conditioner

Let’s walk on sunshine.
Walking On Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves; The VH Playlist

Wishing each of you a restful weekend.

With love

Gill x