Hello, it’s Saturday morning and before anything else, some words following through from last Saturday’s Weekend Read because I want to take a moment to talk about the importance of sharing our platform with like-minded people. Across the years, I have often written that we dance on our platform together, essentially because the platform belongs to each of us, but it also belongs to the brands and the people behind the brands we support on our site.

It becomes, in effect, a tightly curated circle of trust, but that was always the vision, and we uphold that vision in an increasingly difficult industry where genuine relationships have become the exception rather than the rule. I know I am tremendously vocal on this subject, I also know that not every product will work for everybody, but there is a huge difference between listing faceless brands and products, which are barely distinguishable from each other, and standing behind the brands and products we would use, or take, ourselves, without hesitation.

And so Ipsum. I wrote rather a lot of words about Janet Hayward, the founder of Ipsum last weekend, so a few more. In conversation, Janet told me that if nobody wanted to use her products, she would still make them for herself, a profound statement, but a statement which explains everything about her ethos, the small batches, the patience and the refusal to compromise simply to grow the brand, which deeply resonates with our own ethos.

The Ipsum Best Skin Eye Oil Balm is an interesting product, not only because the ingredients literally melt into the skin leaving a well-hydrated result, but it’s also great if you wear contact lenses or glasses because it doesn’t travel in the eye or slide down the face. As such, and rather like Camera Ready from Icon Skincare, make-up artists like it as it also acts as a primer to create a lovely smooth canvas.

Containing cooling and soothing ingredients to reduce puffiness, this wonderful eye balm also works to help reduce under eye dark circles using Australian Banksia extract to help strengthen capillaries, reducing the pigmentation that causes dark circles together with Macadamia Seed oils for deep nourishment. Bakuchiol is also included to refine and smooth the texture of skin, while Squalane soothes and hydrates. I have long written that eye products can multi-task to help smooth and refine the texture of the upper lip too, but as multi-tasking products go, the Ipsum Best Skin Eye Oil Balm can also be used as an eye mask treatment, which appeals to me rather a lot.
Ipsum Best Skin Eye Oil Balm £38 for 15 grams

Onwards, and Magnesium. Magnesium because I have, in recent weeks, been writing about various bathing rituals and Magnesium is so often linked to the calm and stillness of ritualistic bathing. Being involved in over three hundred enzymatic reactions in the body, Magnesium supports everything from muscle relaxation and nervous system function to sleep quality and our response to stress, which is why ritualistic bathing and Magnesium have always felt like natural companions.

As is so often the case with elemental minerals, ancient wisdom predates the science and Magnesium’s own story begins not in a laboratory, but on a farm. In 1618, a farmer in Epsom noticed that his cows refused to drink from a particular well, put off by its bitter taste, yet he also noticed that the same water seemed to heal their scratches and rashes. Word of these healing properties spread, and long before anyone understood why, Epsom Salts (MgSO₄), became a household name.

In 1755, Joseph Black, a Scottish chemist, was the first to recognise Magnesium as a distinct chemical element, but it wasn’t until 1808 that Sir Humphry Davy achieved the actual elemental isolation of Magnesium via electrolysis. This moment is often cited as the formal scientific discovery, but its role in human physiology only became properly understood in the twentieth century and it remains an active area of research.

Modern Magnesium research bodies were formalised as recently as 1971, with the first International Symposium on Magnesium taking place in Vittel, France. Organised by Dr Jean Durlach, it was the first time researchers from around the world formally gathered specifically to discuss Magnesium’s role in human disease and deficiency and out of this symposium came the creation of the International Society for the Development of Research on Magnesium (SDRM), which went on to establish a dedicated journal, Magnesium Research, and formalise Magnesium as its own distinct field of clinical study going forward.

Dr Jean Durlach went on to become a leading pioneer in clinical Magnesium research and today the numerous benefits of Magnesium are well established for several health concerns including low energy and fatigue, hormonal imbalances, sleep deprivation, cramps and spasms, headaches and anxiety. In all of this there are several different forms of Magnesium and while each individual magnesium compound has specific benefits, we recommend Magnesium Complex, an advanced supplement containing eight forms of Magnesium, providing full-spectrum support from this crucial mineral.

Ancient wisdom, modern science, Magnesium Complex honours both, so as I drop the price of Magnesium Complex from £22 to £19, we also acknowledge Magnesium supplementation as an essential, foundational part of our health and wellbeing. But back to the beginning, and ritualistic bathing and this is where I urge you to throw a handful of Magnesium Flakes into your bath, together with your chosen bathing product, because this is where ritualistic bathing becomes ritualistic, therapeutic bathing, easing and relaxing aching muscles and joints, preparing ourselves for restful sleep.
VH Editorials: Magnesium Supplements: Benefits, Deficiencies & Side Effects; Can You Take Magnesium For Sleep; DoSe Magnesium Complex £19 for 60 Capsules; Magnesium Oil Original Flakes by Better You £8.95 for 1 kg (drops from £10.95) (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 11 October)

Right, let’s talk about immunity and having written recently about protecting our immune system with two key supplements, Daily Immunity and Liddell’s Cold & Flu, it is not inconceivable that at some point many of us may catch a cold. The average duration of a cold is between five and ten days, but this is dependent on the strength of our immune system and how quickly it can respond. The common cold is a group of upper respiratory concerns caused by viruses, which is why antibiotics should not be prescribed, since they do not work to clear viruses, and there are more than two hundred types of viruses which may cause a common cold.
DoSe Daily Immunity £29 for 60 Capsules; Cold & Flu by Liddell Laboratories £20 for 30 ml

The symptoms of a common cold include a runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, nasal congestion, sore throat, lethargy, a mild cough and itching of the throat. Typically, the worst symptoms of a cold can last for three days, but congestion can last considerably longer, so here we recommend Horseradish & Garlic Complex, which has been formulated with Horseradish extract, Garlic, buffered vitamin C and Zinc, each well established for the role they play in helping to reduce the duration of a cold.

Horseradish contains volatile oils which enhance circulation, aiding digestion and reducing nasal congestion, while Garlic helps support the immune system and is known for its antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Using a dose of three capsules daily, Horseradish & Garlic Complex will help support recovery from a cold, which is why we believe it is a medicine cabinet essential. As such, the price of Horseradish & Garlic Complex drops from £29.20 to £26 across the weekend, but we would also recommend Viridian’s Organic Elderberry Throat Spray, which drops in price from £20.80 to £18, to help relieve the symptoms specifically associated with throat infections.
VH Editorial: Getting Rid Of A Cold Quickly; Horseradish & Garlic Complex by Viridian Nutrition £26 for 90 Capsules; Organic Elderberry Throat Spray by Viridian Nutrition £18 for 50 ml (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 11 October)

As we head into the winter months, the colder weather can wreak havoc with our skin, leaving it dry, flaky and at times visibly inflamed. Much of this is attributable to the breakdown of ceramides, the tiny lipids that sit between skin cells rather like mortar between bricks, holding the whole structure together, keeping it supple, and preventing moisture from escaping. We lose ceramides through cleansing, through cold weather, through inflammation and free radical damage, but the body’s ability to replace them depends heavily on the fatty acids we take in through our diet, with omega-7 among them.

Sea Buckthorn Oil is extraordinarily rich in omega-7 and it plays an important role in mucous membrane health throughout the body and it is precisely this role that has made it the subject of a growing body of clinical research, not only for dry skin, but for dryness wherever the body relies on a healthy mucous membrane. Dry eyes and vaginal dryness, particularly during and after menopause, have been the subject of numerous studies and taking an inside-out approach to skin health, we also recommend Sea Buckthorn Oil for eczema-prone skin.

I often write about how one single supplement can address several different health concerns and Omega-7 Sea Buckthorn Oil is one such supplement. For ease, I am linking four separate articles below, Menopause and Vaginal Dryness, Tackling Dry Eyes Syndrome, Managing Sjogren’s Syndrome, which is classified as an autoimmune disorder, and Cracked Corners of Mouth, a very common condition, medically referred to as angular cheilitis. So, with a side mention for Lysine Lip Balm, which is rather miraculous for dry, chapped lips and cold sores, Sibu Omega-7 Sea Buckthorn Oil drops in price from £22.95 to £20 for the interim.
VH Editorials: Menopause And Vaginal Dryness; Tackling Dry Eyes Syndrome; Managing Sjogren’s Syndrome; Cracked Corners Of Mouth; Sibu Omega-7 Sea Buckthorn Oil £20 for 60 Softgels; Lysine Lip Balm by Good Health Naturally £5.95 for 5 grams

A moment. A DoSe skincare moment, mostly because each of the DoSe skincare products have been quietly sitting in the background as we threw the spotlight on Icon Skincare and now Ipsum. I think it is important to say that through all of this, the skincare products we have grown to love, such as Ergothioneine Serum, can of course be integrated into any skincare regimen.

The other thing to say is that each DoSe skincare product has been the subject of pharmaceutical rigour and botanical wisdom. As a qualified pharmacist who specialised in pharmacognosy, the study of plants for their health benefits, Shabir applies the highest level of scrutiny to our own formulations, so in full understanding of Janet Hayward’s stance, if nobody else wanted Ergothioneine Serum, for example, I would have it made for myself. Actually, I don’t think that’s the case, but notwithstanding that, I am throwing a 15% discount across each of the DoSe skincare products. With a wave to Ergothioneine Serum.
VH Editorial: Ergothioneine Serum And Its Benefits For Skin; Ergothioneine Serum; DoSe Skincare Products (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 October)

To the end and the first thing to say here is that the Repose campaign ends at midnight BST tomorrow, Sunday 11 October. Together with TEMPLESPA, we launched the Repose campaign last month in support of our chosen charity, the Alzheimer’s Society, who are at the forefront of science and research, funding life-changing breakthroughs. So, with every purchase of Repose Relaxing Night Cream (50 ml), we will send you another jar of Repose (50 ml) which is absolutely free and has a value of £50. For every Repose duo sold, a donation of £6 will be given to the Alzheimer’s Society. As we raise funds, support and hope, we thank you for your support.
Repose Duo by TEMPLESPA £50 (valid until midnight BST, Sunday 11 October)

Staying with TEMPLESPA, but this time with more of their seasonal gifts and I’ll begin with a candle, a dual-layered aromatic candle. The aptly named ‘Seasons Of Change’ is expertly crafted with two alternating layers of wax that combine two scents in one candle. The aromatic journey begins with a cocooning essential oil blend, Siesta Forever, which blends smoothly into the warm, joyful aromatics of The Good Life, a sparkling Mediterranean blend of Bergamot, Lemon and Sweet Orange, complemented by the softness of Jasmine and Violet.
Seasons Of Change by TEMPLESPA £35 for 200 grams

Two more from TEMPLESPA beginning with Supercharge Refreshing Grooming Essentials, a reviving duo which is designed to refresh and recharge energy levels. The two products in this set are Seize The Day, The Power Shower Gel (100 ml) and Cool Calm & Collected Cologne (50 ml). Seize The Day is blended with Rosemary Leaf Oil, used for its clear, refreshing herbal scent and Menthol, imparting a cool and fresh tingly feeling to the skin. Cool Calm & Collected is dubbed by TEMPLESPA as the ‘cool, thinking cologne’ and blended with Bergamot Fruit Oil, it releases sweet, zesty and uplifting notes.

Finally, Smooth It Out is a gentle but effective shower scrub enriched with activated charcoal, which binds to dirt, excess oil and impurities on the skin, helping to deeply cleanse, while the Exfoliating Mitt, which is included in this seasonal offering, buffs away dead skin cells. One last thing to say before we head into the Saturday only treat because although I am linking each separate seasonal gift as I write about them, I still have quite a few to write about, mostly because the launches are staggered, so for ease, once again, you can explore all available seasonal gifts from the link below.
Supercharge Refreshing Grooming Essentials by TEMPLESPA £25; Smooth It Out Exfoliating Shower Scrub & Mitt by TEMPLESPA £25; Seasonal Gifts

And so, the Saturday only treat, and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you a Fulvic treat and as these gifts are computer generated, I cannot be specific, but we will include a travel size of one of our Fulvic products*. It most definitely won’t be Fulvic Foot Cream, because we won’t have travel sizes of Fulvic Foot Cream until sometime next year, but on subject, I want to thank you for supporting the Fulvic Foot Cream launch, which I’m linking below and with one final fling, it drops in price from £18 to £16 across the weekend.
Fulvic Foot Cream £16 for 100 ml (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 October)

Like-minded people, like-minded brands. This song. Dedicated.
Thank You by Dido; The VH Playlist

Have a wonderful weekend.

With love

Gill x