October, and before anything else, I would like to say thank you for your ongoing support and loyalty, together with the kind sentiments so many of you expressed after the last Weekend Read.  Above all else, the strong sense of belonging serves to uphold us through the many challenges of life.  Of course these challenges vary on an individual basis, but no matter what, there is a very real need to come together with a compassionate understanding of life in order that we may gain the strength and courage to do the very best we can, in any given moment.

And with those words written, I want to go straight in and say that I am so grateful that we are able to talk about so many differing issues.  I’m big on gratitude, I always have been, because whatever is going on in the world, or in our lives, there really are so many things to be grateful for.  In her book, Tapping In, Poppy Delbridge suggests that we should each have a gratitude jar, and I love that idea.  It’s really simple, all you need to do is to make a list of all the things that are worth celebrating or appreciating and write those thoughts down on individual slips of paper and place them in a glass jar.  This is your gratitude jar.

It really doesn’t matter how many slips of paper you put into your jar, and it can be as simplistic as being grateful for your morning coffee, which appeals to me somewhat.  On from that, whenever you feel negative emotions coming over you, pick out a piece of paper from your jar and recall the memory written on that note.  Hold that thought and if you so wish you can tap across your heart and chest, or you can follow the Rapid Tapping points as per Poppy’s video, which I linked on the last Weekend Read.  This is what is known as creative transformation, which I fully endorse.

In a sense, the theme of this newsletter is one of gratitude, and that includes being grateful for the supplements that continue to make such a positive difference.  On one of the slips of paper in my own gratitude jar, I have written the words ‘Hyaluronic Acid’, because I am truly grateful that this supplement has supported the integrity of my skin for over two decades, and it also helps to prevent my joints from creaking, which has become even more relevant since Shabir increased the therapeutic dosage earlier this year.

Of course HA doesn’t stand alone as being the one and only supplement to help support the integrity of our skin and although I still maintain that HA is the most crucial supplement in its genre, there are other supplements which have been heavily researched, such as Skin Restoring Ceramides.  The barrier of our skin is held together by ceramides and lipids and their role is to prevent moisture loss and free radical damage.  It follows that a loss of moisture will leave the surface of our skin dry and free radical damage can lead to inflammation, which affects collagen and elastin production.  So it would make sense to replace those lost ceramides with supplementation.

There is no need for me to do the in-depth on either supplement because I am linking two of Shabir’s article below, both of which take a look at the extensive research and studies attributable. In the case of HA, Shabir explains how it can also be beneficial for our eyes and our gums.  So as I leave you to read those articles, HA and Skin Restoring Ceramides become as one, with a price drop.  Together they have a value of £60, but that drops to £40 across the weekend, which is of course a saving of £20.  And not to be left out, Shabir has also written about Astaxanthin with Phospholipids, so I’ll do a price drop on that supplement too, as it falls from £14 to £12.
VH Editorial: Beauty Supplements To Boost Your Skin; Benefits Of Hyaluronic Acid Supplements; Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (30 Capsules) + Skin Restoring Ceramides (30 Liquid Capsules) £40; Astaxanthin With Phospholipids by Life Extension £12 for 30 Softgels (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 2 October)

I would just like to caveat the above by saying that I cannot split HA and Skin Restoring Ceramides, they come as one and I think we are mostly as one in our understanding about skincare.  My views on skincare have never changed, and will never change, as I honestly believe that supplementation plays an integral role in supporting the health of our skin.  This is not to diminish the importance of topical skincare because it is essential that we look after the needs of our skin with the products that really do work for us, and we are each different in that respect.  It has always been that way, and it will always be that way.  And I’m about to have a moment.

I honestly don’t know whether to laugh or cry as the latest ‘beauty bandwagon’ unfolds in front of our very eyes.  And it’s menopausal skincare.  I don’t really know what to say, so I will just say that having looked at several formulations, each of them are a regurgitation of existing ingredients, and that would include HA, so to my mind this is just a further commercialism of the menopause which, in its most insidious form, is preying on vulnerability.

I really don’t want to write much more except to say that I actually can’t stop laughing.  And I know this is really naughty, but I am prepared to take out my best Bic biro and write the words ‘For Menopausal Women’ on the Fulvic Face Cream tube.  So let me know if you want a tube of this stuff with the additional wording, and it will be my total pleasure to add those words. I absolutely know that I did a Fulvic Face Cream treat not that long ago, but my sense of fun is overriding everything here as I drop the price of Fulvic Face Cream down from £30 to £25, with or without the additional wording.
Fulvic Face Cream £25 for 60 ml

Having written those words, I have almost shot myself in my own foot because I am now going to feel bad whenever I write about anything to do with the menopause.  And yet, there are still those products that really do help with menopausal symptoms, such as Sage Complex.  It is our bestselling supplement in this genre, so before I move on, I am linking you to Shabir’s article below, which is one of five articles you will find on the Sage Complex product page, and because there is nothing flippant about mood swings, vaginal dryness and hot flushes, I am dropping the price of Sage Complex from £26 to £22 until next Friday, 7 October. 
VH Editorial: Hormone Mimicking Supplements; Sage Complex £22 for 90 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Friday 7 October)

It is a given that many supplements will benefit several health concerns, and as I have written above this is certainly true of HA.  So having said that HA is beneficial for eye health, I would just like to take this one step further as we take a look at eye health, with an emphasis on eye floaters and flashes.  At some point in our lives, we will probably experience the symptoms of eye floaters and flashes.  These are tiny spots that float around in our vision and these spots are called floaters that drift in the field of vision.  Floaters have a tendency to sink to the bottom of the eyeball, and although they are generally harmless they can be annoying. 

Floaters are associated with the ageing process, so if you do suffer then Shabir recommends Nutrof Total, which he writes about in his article linked below.  According to the AREDS study (Age Related Eye Disorder Study), very specific antioxidants such as Selenium and Lutein help to protect our vision and other eye disorders, and the AREDS 2 study, which is ongoing, also recommends the inclusion of good strengths of Omega 3 essential fats obtained from fish.  Nutrof Total combines all these nutrients, and whether you are suffering from floaters, or simply wish to protect your vision, this would be our recommendation.
VH Editorial: Eye Floaters and Flashes; Nutrof Total £14.99 for 30 Capsules (Caution: If the size, number and frequency of floaters increases dramatically, or you experience sudden flashes in your vision, please consult an Opthalmologist).

On a roll with the benefits of HA, it would be remiss of me not to write about gum health, and I think most of you will know where I am going here.  Clinisept+ remains our bestselling mouthwash, and as it doesn’t contain Chlorhexidine, alcohol or peroxide, it is a far better product than most traditional mouthwashes.  Unlike most other products, Clinisept+ is not subject to antimicrobial resistance and will therefore effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria in the mouth.  I think in the world of mouthwashes, Clinisept+ more or less stands alone, and with that statement I am taking the price of Clinisept+ down from £6.49 to £5, across the weekend.
Clinisept+ £5 for 400 ml (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 2 October – whilst stock lasts)

I often write about Cleavers, a supplement which is an excellent diuretic, but can also be used to help alleviate inflammatory skin concerns such as Psoriasis and Eczema.  Cleavers is also used as a detoxifying agent as it is thought it has the ability to move, drain and filter cellular waste out of the body. Helping to stimulate specialised white blood cells that engulf bacteria and viruses, it follows that Cleavers will help support immune health.

Whenever I talk about Cleavers, I always say that you don’t need to take this supplement on an ongoing basis, but we do recommend taking it three or four times a year, just for a month.  And now would seem to be the optimum time to take one course to support immunity.  Last week I wrote about Daily Immunity and Triple Flu Defense+, so Cleavers can be taken as an adjunct to Daily Immunity, and as such I am dropping the price of Cleavers down from £18.15 to £15.50 and not to be left out, I will do the same as I did last week and drop the price of Daily Immunity from £27 to £22, just in case you missed it.  With a salute to Triple Flu Defense+.
Cleavers by Viridian Nutrition £15.50 for 90 Capsules; Daily Immunity £22 for 60 Capsules (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 2 October); Triple Flu Defense+ 2022-2023 by Dr Nenninger £28 for 30 ml

Right, let’s move on and I need to say that I will eat my hat (metaphorically speaking) if the following product goes onto a wait list, but you never know.  It is from Aromatherapy Associates and it’s their Ultimate Wellbeing Hamper, which has been carefully curated with products from their home, body and bath collections.  It goes without saying that this hamper includes some of their most epic products, such as Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil and The Atomiser, but for details of each of the products included, please go to the product page.  The Ultimate Wellbeing Hamper is £350, with a product value of £504.  I’ll report back on my hat status.  I love hats.
Ultimate Wellbeing Hamper by Aromatherapy Associates £350

On the subject of wait lists, if we have to talk about them, many of you will remember when we were indulging ourselves in nostalgic products a few weeks ago.  At that time I wrote about some of the 4711 Eau De Cologne products, and my head did the inevitable thump when several of their products went out of stock, all at the same time.  Thankfully, most of those products are now back in stock, with the exception of the Watch Bottle, which of course was the most-wanted product, and I really don’t know when it will be back in stock.  Some time never, I’m thinking, as there are ongoing manufacturing issues. 

However, what I can tell you is that after a long absence, the soothing 4711 Cooling Stick is now back in stock.  The Cooling Stick is a concentrated cologne stick designed to revive the senses, and I will just whisper gently that it can be used to great effect in heated moments.  But more, because there is another 4711 product I want to tell you about, and it’s a boxed set containing the Original 4711 Eau De Cologne (50 ml) and the Eau de Cologne Shower Gel (50 ml).  It has a retail price of £11.99, but I’m dropping that to £10 whilst stock lasts, and I’m saying that because we have taken all the available UK stock and there won’t be any more for quite a while.  So I’m told.
4711 Eau De Cologne Cooling Stick £5.65 for 20 ml; The Original 4711 Eau De Cologne and Shower Gel Set £10

It is at this time of year that all the Christmas gifts come out to play, with many of them being seasonal favourites, such as Restitude and Peacetime Restoring Bath Salts, both from Temple Spa.  Restitude contains a generous amount of soothing Mediterranean essential oils, blended with the warmth of ginger. This creamy bubble bath will offer a moment of relaxation and is best used before going to bed.  The Peacetime Restoring Bath Salts are infused with Eucalyptus, Rosemary. Grapefruit and Bergamot, blended with Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium salts and Arnica to help ease overworked limbs. 
Restitude Relaxing & Comforting Bath Luxe by Temple Spa £20 for 300 ml; Peacetime Restoring Bath Salts by Temple Spa £25 for 500 grams

A very quick line to say that I can’t possibly write about each of the Christmas gifts which are becoming available, so for ease I am going to link you to the Christmas gift section on our site, so you can peruse at your leisure.  By no means is this a definitive list, I mean we are only at the beginning of October, but I do know that some of you like to plan ahead, so this will give you an opportunity to do so.  And in further news, Temple Spa’s Advent Calendar did sell out, but it is now back in stock.  Thankfully.
Christmas Gifts

Let’s do a treat, but I will just say that this is a limited edition treat and I’m not sure how long it will last.  So here it comes, I think that you all know that I adore the Beat The Blues products from Ilapothecary, so with any Beat The Blues product I will automatically send you Ilapothecary’s Express Lip Balm (15 grams), which is worth £16.  This Lip Balm combines Murumuru and Boswellia to soften and soothe, with Rosehip offering a replenishing source of antioxidants.  Formulated specifically for dry lips, if this Lip Balm fails to go into your basket, then you will know that the offer is over.  Amen.
ilapothecary

And here comes another treat.  Most of you know that we launched Color Wow in the UK for and on behalf of John Frieda and Gail Federici, and I will never forget launching Root Cover Up because it was the first product of type, and although it has been much copied since, it still remains best-in-class in my humble opinion.  The wait list after launch was excruciating, as wait lists are, but then we went back into wait list territory when we launched Dream Coat, another first in that it barred water from frizzing up your hair and messing with your style.  So the treat, with every Colour Wow product bought, we will automatically include the travel size Dream Coat (50 ml), whilst stock lasts.  Full product details listed below.
Color Wow; Dream Coat Supernatural Sealant by Color Wow £27 for 200 ml

One more thing before we do the Saturday only treat.  On the 27 August, which coincidentally was the same day I wrote about 4711, I wrote about Aurelia’s Rested & Radiant Eye Collection.  At that time I also wrote that if you wanted this collection you would have to be really quick as they could all be gone within a blink of an eye.  And that’s exactly what happened, they sold out within an hour of the Weekend Read being released, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it then, but I can do something about it now.

Just to recap, the Rested & Radiant Eye Collection is a four-piece eye-care set and it includes Aurelia’s Conditioning Eye & Lash Cleanser (15 ml), Brightening Eye Serum (7 ml), three reusable Bamboo Cotton Pads, which you can use over and over again, together with their Sculpting Rose Quartz Gua Sha Tool, which in and of itself has a value of £20.  I think the reason it went bonkers is because I dropped the price from £60 to £30, so I am going to do the same again and as I do so I will send up a prayer asking for this offer to last more than an hour.  It remains to be seen what happens.
Rested & Radiant Eye Collection by Aurelia London £30 (whilst stock lasts)

So into the Saturday only treat we go and with every order placed for £30 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include a Biobelle Botanical Facial Mask.  There are two masks available, Light Up Botanical Facial Mask and Cutie Pie Botanical Facial Mask, but because these gifts are computer generated, I can’t tell you which you will receive and I am sorry, but we are unable to honour individual requests.  All that is left is for me to link the product details below.
Biobelle

As we come to the end of another Weekend Read, I would just like to say that when I begin writing the WR, I don’t always know the song that I will share with you.  Yet somehow as I write certain words, a song will pop into my head and I carry on writing, as I sing or listen to the chosen music.  And as I was writing about gratitude and the gratitude jar at the top of this newsletter, I started to sing ‘thank you for the days’, written by the genius that is Ray Davies.  The words say it all.  Words heal.  And so does music.

So I would like to share that song with you today, together with Waterloo Sunset, which is the first song on the video.  I have always loved Waterloo Sunset, it sends shivers down my spine, but do play the video until the very end if you can, because just when you think ‘Days’ is over, it actually isn’t.  I will leave you with both of these songs and my final words are for Poppy.  Her name is written on one of the slips of paper in my gratitude jar, for and on behalf of all who tap.  Thank you Poppy.  And to quote Nelson Mandela:  ‘There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return’.  
Waterloo Sunset + Days by Ray Davies; The VH Playlist

Warmest love.

Gill x

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Prices and products advertised at times of sending and publishing are subject to change and availability. 

*Free gifts will only be granted if the items purchased are physical products and your total basket value exceeds the required amount noted.  Saturday only treats are subject to change should the specified gift run out prior to your purchase and are only included in orders placed between 7.45am (GMT) and Midnight (GMT) on the Saturday the Weekend Read is sent.  VH Addicts membership is a digital product and therefore will be excluded from the basket value.  Some gifts are blocked from international shipping due to local limitations imposed based on the country destination.  If this is the case, we will replace the gift with one that is able to be shipped to your destination.