It’s Saturday 10 May and as I welcome you to another Weekend Read we are going to take a look at some new product launches, one of which is the latest skincare product to launch on the DoSe branding, but before we do any of that, I want to talk about immunity and core supplementation.  Three decades in and as a general rule of thumb we always recommended taking immunity supplementation from the first day of autumn to the first day of spring, however it has become abundantly clear in the recent past that we need to protect our immune system throughout the year, not just in the colder months.

I am writing about this today because I want to address the increasing number of viral infections which are floating around at the moment, but it is not only about the viral infections per se, it is the length of time it is taking to recover, which can take several weeks.  What is even more concerning is that incidences of pneumonia are also increasing, evidenced by the emails we are receiving, so I think all I want to do here is to stress the importance of taking Daily Immunity throughout the year, and as I do that, I am dropping the price of Daily Immunity from £29 to £26 across the weekend.
VH Editorial: A Daily Supplement That Supercharges Your Immunity; DoSe Daily Immunity £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 May)

So as Daily Immunity becomes a core supplement to be taken throughout the year, it joins several other supplements which we believe to be core and although taking supplementation is a considered choice, surely that considered choice must be dependent upon efficacy, with efficacy defined by the integrity of key active ingredients and the clinical evaluation of those key actives.

In many ways the quote I shared from Albert Camus last weekend defines purpose because we must always go too far to find the truth and the absolute truth of that statement is that once the truth has been established we cannot, and will not, deviate from that established truth.  So today, I am going to take three of our core supplements where clinical evaluation most definitely supersedes marketing initiatives and I think it is more than obvious that I am going to begin this conversation with Collagen Tripeptide Complex.  I’m on a roll.

And I’m on a roll because if sole purpose translates into financial sole purpose we are all lost because the lack of research and due diligence in the reporting of products has far-reaching implications.  And yes, I am having a podium moment, but I don’t actually care because I am failing to understand how anybody can label a supplement as being best-in-class when five minutes of dedicated research will determine otherwise.  And then the deception deepens, as these best-in-class formulations have paid-for awards bequeathed upon them, but the truth is that they are far from being best-in-class.

My words are referencing an article I recently read about collagen supplementation, and of course it is not only about collagen supplementation, but on subject if I have to write about how collagen tripeptides far exceed the efficacy of collagen peptides each week, then that’s what I’ll do.  I absolutely promise you that I’m not having a hissy fit because we weren’t included, I’m having a hissy fit because I know the territory only too well and I detest skewed consumer reporting.

Translated, I stand my ground and as I do so, I want to thank you for the emails we have received about Collagen Tripeptide Complex because these are the things that really matter.  What also really matters is that we continue to be objective in our reporting and objective in our purpose so, notwithstanding the fact that I threw a 15% discount across the site last weekend, I am holding that discount across three products this weekend, the first of which is obviously Collagen Tripeptide Complex which drops from £45 to £38.25.  And here we are making a difference by platforming an evolving difference.     
VH Editorial: Does Your Collagen Supplement Contain Collagen Tripeptides; DoSe Collagen Tripeptide Complex £38.25 (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 May)

So, two more products to talk about, the first of which is NAD+ Generator, essentially because I am utterly bored of reading reports about NMN being the most advanced compound for longevity, because it is not.  RiaGev®, the active ingredient in NAD+ Generator far exceeds the efficacy of NMN, the clinical evaluation of which is discussed and referenced in Shabir’s article linked below.  Once again I stand my ground and on the subject of longevity, it really is all about healthy ageing, not trying to look thirty years younger than we are, which would be somewhat absurd in my humble opinion, so here NAD+ Generator drops from £32 to £27.20.
VH Editorial: Are NAD Supplements Beneficial; DoSe NAD+ Generator £27.20 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 May)

And finally Fulvic Elixir, and Fulvic Elixir because many of you may remember my words from last year when I wrote that I nearly choked on my coffee after reading several articles stating that fermented supplementation had become an important new ‘trend’, and as such this form of supplementation was integral to our health and wellbeing.  Fulvic is a fermented ingredient and I think it is probably best if I just say that Fulvic has been a core supplement for almost twenty years, so leaving it there Fulvic Elixir drops from £30 to £25, which is slightly over 15%, and with an amen to this section of the newsletter, we move on.  
VH Editorial: Fulvic Acid: The Elixir Of Life; Fulvic Elixir £25 for 480 ml (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 May) 

And as we move on, we arrive at a new product launch and so please allow me to introduce you to our latest skincare product, DoSe AHA/BHA Daily Toner.  I can’t pretend to love acids for the sake of a product launch and I have been very vocal on this subject for many years, so although I am not changing my stance, I recognise that I am in the minority, so let me just caveat my words by saying that I still believe that excessive use of harsh acids is detrimental to the health of our skin and they are better tolerated if used as stand-alone products.

By stand-alone, I mean that I don’t think it is necessary, or preferable, to use a series of products in any singular skincare regimen where the predominant ingredients are acids, because there has to be a balance, so with that said, let’s take a look.  AHA/BHA Daily Toner is a clarifying formulation designed to remove dead skin cells and it is powered by Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) to help boost cell turnover and unclog pores, targeting blemishes, improving the natural process of cell turnover.

Most specifically the key ingredients include Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid, both of which are AHAs, and Salicylic Acid a gentle BHA which plays a role in helping to even out skin tone.  The formulation also includes Niacinamide and Sodium PCA to provide moisture, together with Ergothioneine to help protect against oxidative stress and pollution.  At this point let me just say that it is debatable whether Shabir will ever formulate a skincare product without including Ergothioneine, because we both believe that Ergothioneine is crucial for skin health, with numerous studies indicating it has the widest range of benefits of any single skincare ingredient or technology.

But back to AHA/BHA Daily Toner, and although full directions for use are set out on the product page, this is just to say that this formulation does not contain drying alcohols and if you are using the toner in the morning, always follow through with a broad-spectrum SPF.  So the wrap, and it looks like this.  DoSe AHA/BHA Toner is £20, but we are launching at £17 across this weekend and because it sits in between Daily Cleanser and Daily Moisturiser, I am dropping the price of both of those products in line with last weekend’s discount, so Daily Cleanser becomes £14.45 from £17 and Daily Moisturiser becomes £12.75 from £15.
DoSe AHA/BHA Daily Toner £17 for 100 ml; Dose Daily Cleanser £14.45 for 100 ml; DoSe Daily Moisturiser for 50 ml £12.75 (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 11 May) 

Right, because we are in new product territory, the next new product I want to tell you about is from Neom because they have just launched an upgraded version of the Neom Pod Mini diffuser and it is upgraded because it now features car and home modes with customised mist and time settings.  Including an option to illuminate a warm, white light ring at its base for ambient diffusing moments, it uses cold diffusion technology converting essential oils into microfine vapour without using heat or water, so it continues to be waterless and wireless.

The Neom Diffuser Pod Mini+ works at the touch of a button and it is perfect for small spaces and being travel-friendly it operates on a rechargeable battery, so you can take it away with you.  This upgraded model features a brushed aluminium cover, available in black or white and it offers tailored mist intensity and time settings, seven misting strengths and time settings ranging between one and six hours.  The thought of misting through the night is rather wonderful and although you can use any essential oils, Neom do a fabulous range of Essential Oil Blends (10 ml) to complement the Diffuser Pod Mini+ which are linked below for ease with a 15% discount across them. 
Neom Diffuser Pod Mini+ Black £60 (dropping from £69); Neom Diffuser Pod Mini+ White £60 (dropping from £69); Essential Oil Blends (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 11 May) 

Onwards to another new product, this time from Aromatherapy Associates and it is a rather special launch because the Heritage Collection celebrates the 40^th anniversary of Aromatherapy Associates and as such this collection includes four iconic products.  Those products are Deep Relax Sleep Mist (50 ml), De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil (55 ml), De-Stress Muscle Gel (150 ml) and Revive Body Oil (100 ml).  The Heritage Collection is a limited edition and I’m not sure exactly how limited it is, but with a product value of £197, the Heritage Collection is available at £75, which I am further dropping to £70, so I guess limited may well become just that, limited.
The Heritage Collection by Aromatherapy Associates £70 (whilst stock lasts)

With three new products launched, I am going to follow through with three offers with each of these offers applicable throughout the month, so the first of those offers comes from Better You where we are throwing a 25% discount across their range of products, and the second offer is from Dirtea where there is a 20% discount across each of their products and that includes the recently launched Gummies.  Just to be neat, both of these offers will end at midnight BST, Saturday 31 May.
Better You Products; Dirtea Products

The third offer comes from Temple Spa and here each of their skin therapy serums drop from £50 to £40, so with a saving of £10 on each specific serum, those serums are Let’s Concentrate, Clear To Me, Be Firm and Be Strong, but that’s not all from Temple Spa, because they also have a new product in their range.  That new product is Body Defence SPF 30, a hydrating body sunscreen providing broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection.  It offers long-lasting hydration in a lightweight, non-greasy formulation which absorbs quickly into skin, providing daily sun care with a fragrant mix of floral, fruity and earthy notes, which include Jasmine, Blackcurrant and Iris.
Let’s Concentrate Skin Brightening Serum £40 for 30 ml; Clear To Me Clarifying Serum £40 for 30 ml; Be Firm Skin Lifting Serum £40 for 30 ml; Be Strong Skin Strengthening Serum £40 for 30 ml; Body Defence SPF 30 £35 for 180 ml; All by Temple Spa 

Let’s talk. I think it is more than obvious that I have rather a lot to say about the health and beauty industry, but I have always believed in the importance of transparency, whatever that looks like.  I have lost count of the number of times I have written about bias, but it really is important to reiterate that our independence allows us to remain unbiased in our reporting in order that we may recognise and support the brands and products which in turn support our health and wellbeing.

It is here that our unbiased approach becomes biased because we will only ever endorse and recommend those products which we believe to be best-in-class, so specifically referencing the DoSe products, it was a considered choice to formulate products which superseded all else in their specific genres.  We have deliberately kept our curation extraordinarily tight, but notwithstanding that it allows us to recognise and support the pioneering spirit of niche brands, together with their products, which in and of themselves so often supersede all else.

Aligning with the words I have just written, I want to mention three specific products which we believe to be best-in-class in their genre, the first of which addresses cold sores, a condition caused by the infection of the herpes simplex virus.  Nearly all of us have this virus in our bodies and it normally remains dormant where it resides in the sensory nerve cells near the site of infection and numerous studies have indicated that Lysine speeds the recovery from, and can prevent recurrences of cold sores.  Lysine Lip Balm is an outstanding formulation for cold sores and its anti-viral properties also block the uptake of arginine, an amino acid that promotes viral growth.
VH Editorial: The Prevention And Treatment Of Cold Sores; Lysine Lip Balm by Good Health Naturally £5.95 for 5 grams 

I often write about Omega 7 Sea Buckthorn Oil because this supplement is outstanding in its ability to alleviate dry skin conditions, including vaginal dryness and dry eyes.  Both of these health concerns are extraordinarily common, but it is also recommended for helping to manage Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system attacks its own cells believing them to be invaders such as bacteria and viruses.  So as I link three relevant articles below, I am dropping the price of Omega 7 Sea Buckthorn Oil from £22.95 to £19 across the weekend.
VH Editorials: Overcoming Menopausal Vaginal Dryness; Tackling Dry Eyes Syndrome; Managing Sjogren’s Syndrome; Omega 7 Sea Buckthorn Oil by Sibu £19 for 60 Softgels

And finally, the Moskinto Ich-Relief Patch because this is such an innovative product and it was one of our bestselling seasonal products last year.  The Moskinto Patch instantly soothes insect bites in under twenty minutes, thanks to the patent-pending grid-shaped design.  It is free of medicines and chemicals and will relieve the itch and swelling of mosquitoes and other insect bites safely and effectively.  The Moskinto Patch is suitable for adults and children and being waterproof, you can use the patches while swimming or showering.  
Moskinto Itch Relief Patch £6.95 for 24 Plasters 

And into the Saturday only treat, so with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Neom’s Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath Foam (50 ml)* from their Scent To Sleep range of products.  Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath Foam is formulated with English Lavender, Sweet Basil and Jasmine, blended to help unwind and prepare for sleep.  Product details linked below.
Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath Foam

And finally, I know it isn’t the First of May, but I have always loved this song and the words seem to resonate with some of my words today.  That’s all.
First Of May by The Bee Gees; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x