And so, after the long winter months, March has finally arrived and I have news, celebratory news because it is the first birthday of DoSe skincare this month, and although the actual date is next weekend, I have brought it forward because I thought it would be a neat way to start the month. So, one year on and the story, the concept and the products continue to focus on the evolution of our health and wellbeing. This is where health and beauty merge and emerge as one and as we continue to turn the pages of our ongoing story, I would like to share this reflective moment together.

Dedicated to skin health, DoSe offers a series of solutions designed and formulated for the longevity and integrity of skin, the largest organ of our bodies. An infinite journey of discovery, we launched DoSe with twelve serums and oils and today we have seventeen products in the range, a considered curation founded upon the integrity of extensively researched active ingredients and pioneering delivery systems. 

I think it is important to say here that we will only ever formulate products for the health of our skin if they serve a dedicated purpose, a purpose determined by ongoing clinical evaluation which is core to our philosophy. Following through, Ergothioneine Serum demonstrates that core philosophy and although it is an ingredient which has gone relatively unnoticed, it has an array of studies indicating that it has one of the widest range of benefits of any single skincare ingredient or skincare technology currently available and as such it allows a breakthrough advancement for optimising skin health, with the acceptance and patience of time.

When we launched DoSe, I said that I believed that Ergothioneine Serum would become a legend in its own lifetime and I stand by those words, yet in a sense each of the DoSe products are legendary in their own right, not least Daily Cleanser which won the best cleanser award in The Telegraph Beauty Awards just three months after launch. And that was definitely a moment, most especially because I have been writing about the disingenuous practice of paid-for awards for many years, which actually makes my blood boil, but notwithstanding the boiling of my blood, we obviously didn’t ‘buy’ our award and we were so grateful for the recognition.

There are many forms of recognition, and in recognition of the warmth of your loyalty and support, we are offering a 15% discount across the DoSe skincare range this weekend, and this is where I become rather emotional because we couldn’t do any of this without each and every one of you. As a community we stand in our own truth, as friends we support each other in our safe space, often when we need it the most, and as a business we value and respect the choices you make, because you really do have a choice. And for that we are so grateful.
VH Editorial: Ergothioneine Serum And Its Benefits For Skin; DoSe Skincare (15% discount ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 2 March)

I cannot write about DoSe skincare without mentioning DoSe supplementation and in many ways the DoSe story began almost three decades ago with an exploration of difference, demonstrating the power and efficacy of scientifically-based natural ingredients in an integrated and elevated approach to health and wellbeing. The evolution of the DoSe branding is worth discussing because initially ‘DoSe’ was solely dedicated to our skincare products, based upon the concept of dosing serums and oils together, or alternatively using them to ‘dose’ a chosen moisturiser or SPF to achieve customised treatment products dependent upon the changing needs of our skin. 

For those who are not aware, the name ‘DoSe’ is based on Shabir’s initials, except his initials are twisted around and it felt like a neat fit, not least because Shabir has formulated each of the DoSe products, so it was, and is, an acknowledgement of his pharmaceutical background and expertise in natural medicine. Of course, we have always had our own range of supplements, but they weren’t specifically branded, they just had ‘VH’ on the label and given the concept of health and beauty merging and emerging as one, it became an evolutionary advancement in and of itself.

In all of this there were of course logistical changes to be made, not least the labelling to reflect uniformity of concept, we knew this would take time and we are nearly there with just two formulations left to complete the transition. At this point, the vision was very clear and all things being equal I wanted Hyaluronic Acid (HA) to be the first supplement to emerge on the DoSe branding, but vision and logistics don’t always align, in fact they rarely do, so accepting the status quo, other formulations came first and today it is of little relevance because HA remains our bestselling supplement and it has held that position for several years.

Demonstrating our commitment to clinically evaluated ingredients, the formulation has of course changed across the years and it now contains BioPerine®, a patented extract containing piperine which supercharges the formulation to improve absorption and the bioavailability of HA, and it increases that bioavailability by up to 2000%. I often write that bioavailability is key to efficacy and efficacy is key to the pioneering formulations which really do make a difference and because HA makes a huge difference to so many of us, with every HA purchased across the weekend, we will automatically include the travel size HA (15 capsules), which is worth £17.50.
VH Editorial: Benefits Of Hyaluronic Acid Supplements; DoSe Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength £35 for 30 Capsules + 15 Capsules Free (Worth £17.50) (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 2 March)

We will continue talking about DoSe supplementation by taking a look at Daily Energy, which is one of the two supplements yet to receive the DoSe branding, the other one is Mega Probio, but throwing the focus on Daily Energy, this supplement addresses a lack of energy associated with tiredness. The symptoms of tiredness include weakness of the muscles, heaviness, forgetfulness and impatience, which can often lead to irritability. Tiredness is extraordinarily common, but if you are constantly tired, even after resting, this may be indicative of adrenal stress.

The adrenal glands are mostly responsible for releasing hormones when under stress, and this can be physical stress or hormonal stress, the latter of which is often attributable to ageing and the decline of hormone production. In both instances, the adrenals over-produce cortisol, the stress hormone and whilst the adrenal glands are producing cortisol, they do not produce sufficient of the energising hormones and enzymes, which results in tiredness.

Daily Energy has been formulated with Siberian Ginseng to ensure the adrenals produce energising enzymes and hormones and it is joined by Maca root, Brazilian Ginseng and Ashwagandha, which all play a role in enhancing energy without stimulation, an important factor. So, it is caffeine free, it helps improve blood flow around the body speeding up oxygen supply to all of our organs, including the brain, for physical and mental energy and it also helps prevent the mid-afternoon slump. And one more thing, it drops in price from £24 to £21 across the weekend.
VH Editorials: Enhancing Energy; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Daily Energy £21 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 2 March) 

Having linked an article above about chronic fatigue syndrome, we are now going to talk about chronic stomach problems, which are extraordinarily common. If you suffer from heartburn regularly, have abdominal pain or have a very sensitive stomach, you may be suffering from gastritis, although I will caveat that by saying that stomach issues after eating may be a sign of food sensitivity, but persistent stomach problems are usually associated with some form of gastritis.

Gastritis is the inflammation of the lining of the stomach and there are many causes of gastritis which include stress, prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), excessive alcohol consumption and specific auto-immune diseases, but it is also evident that gastritis can develop after a chronic infection. With that noted, one of the most common causes of gastritis is an infection by the organism Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium species found in the stomach, which is considered to be one of the most common infections in the world and it is estimated that over 50% of the world’s population harbour Helicobacter pylori in their gut.

Scientists identified H pylori in 1982 and found it was present in patients with gastritis and gastric ulcers, conditions which were originally thought to be caused by stress and poor dietary habits, yet research identified a bacterial connection to this infection. H Pylori infections generally go unnoticed, but for some it can result in chronic inflammation of the lower stomach wall, leading to a whole array of stomach problems. Shabir takes an in-depth look at H pylori in his article linked, recommending Gastro-Ease to support and protect the delicate lining of the stomach wall, and here Gastro-Ease drops in price from £39 to £35 for the interim.
VH Editorial: A Natural Solution To Chronic Stomach Problems; Gastro-Ease by Life Extension £35 for 60 Capsules

Moving on, I think most of you know how much I love sharing new products with you, but of course I will only ever share products which I believe to be exceptional and these two new products from Lanolips are just that, exceptional. So please allow me to introduce you to Hyaluronic Lip Oil Honey and Hyaluronic Lip Oil Raspberry. Lanolips have declared that they are introducing a new standard of lip oils, and I fully concur with that statement because these lip oils are infused with the perfect blend of Lanolin and Hyaluronic Acid to quench and nourish your lips, delivering a non-sticky, glossy finish for long-lasting hydration.

This is as close as I get to writing about make-up, so with two shades available, Honey offers a golden glow with light-reflecting shimmer for a radiant finish and Raspberry is a fruity pink that adds a natural flush of colour to your lips. I am a bit of an expert on lip oils, as far as any of us are experts, because although I have tried several lip oils over the years, they do tend to be sticky but these are not sticky and they are not gloopy either. Featuring a plush jumbo applicator, they glide on effortlessly, but you would expect that from a brand which knows all about creating some of the very best lip products in the world. 

But I’m not quite finished because if you buy two of these products, and it could be one of each or two of the same shade, we will automatically include Lemonaid Lip Treatment which is worth £8.99. Lemonaid Lip Treatment serves as a gentle natural exfoliator that removes dry, dead skin and will leave your lips beautifully smooth and primed to receive the Hyaluronic Lip Oils. There is only one gift per customer and if Lemonaid fails to go into your basket, that will mean that the offer is over and it is a limited edition offer, which probably won’t last very long.
Lanolips Hyaluronic Lip Oil Honey £10.99 for 6 ml; Lanolips Hyaluronic Lip Oil Raspberry £10.99 for 6 ml 

On a roll, and another new product, this time from Weleda and it is their Lighter Legs Gel which has been specifically formulated to revitalise and nourish heavy and tired legs. This fast-absorbing, oil-free formulation contains valuable plant extracts, such as Arnica Montana, that are particularly known for their activating properties. Lighter Legs Gel should be applied to the legs and thighs with gentle circular movements and it offers relief at the end of the day, during pregnancy, after sports or after sitting and standing for a long time. Lighter Legs Gel launches at £13.50, but it becomes £10.80 across the weekend, or whilst stock lasts.
Lighter Legs Gel by Weleda £10.80 for 200 ml (whilst stock lasts) 

Staying with Weleda, some of their bestselling products include their shower creams and they have now been refreshed and are available in a larger 400 ml size. These include Refresh Shower Cream, Inspire Shower Cream, Relax Shower Cream, Energy Shower Gel, they are £12.50 each, full details on each of the product pages listed below and I think I know which one will become the bestseller, except the last time I wrote similar words, I was wrong, so perhaps I should just keep my hydrated Lanolips lips sealed. And that’s a wrap.
Refresh Shower Cream by Weleda £12.50 for 400 ml; Inspire Shower Cream by Weleda £12.50 for 400 ml; Relax Shower Cream by Weleda £12.50 for 400 ml; Energy Shower Gel by Weleda £12.50 for 400 ml 

A new month and a new offer from Temple Spa, so for the entire month of March Windows Of the Soul drops in price from £35 to £25, which is of course a £10 saving. Windows Of The Soul is a cooling eye gel formulated with soothing and moisturising ingredients, including Edelweiss, Milk Thistle and Echinacea to treat puffiness, dark circles and fine lines. It is one of Temple Spa’s bestselling products and this offer will end at midnight BST, Monday 31 March.
Windows Of The Soul by Temple Spa £25 for 15 ml 

So, into the Saturday only treat we go and with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Fulvic Body Lotion (60 ml), which has been formulated with two breakthrough skincare technologies which deliver intense hydration to dry skin. Essentially, I couldn’t write a celebratory newsletter without mentioning Fulvic, so it is now mentioned and full product details are listed below.
Fulvic Body Lotion 

No more words, just a song and a thank you for allowing us to share this very special moment with each of you.
Celebration by Kool & The Gang; The VH Playlist

Wishing you a restful weekend.

Warmest love 

Gill x