As I welcome you to another Weekend Read, I am going to begin with the launch of a new product.  I have lost count of the number of brands and products we have launched over the years, perhaps one day I will count them, but there are always those products which really do stand out in the crowd and this product is one of them.  It is a product that can be used by each and every one of us, albeit for several different reasons, and it is one of those first-of-its-kind pioneering products which I believe is destined to become heroic.  And we love clever heroic products.

So, please allow me to introduce you to the Eye Rescue Lidstick from Peep Club, which has been in development for three years.  And, now it is here, I will tell you that the Lidstick has been researched extensively and developed by Optometrists offering 360° care for the delicate eye skin area.  Designed to be used overnight, it uses an advanced blend of Oat Ceramides to support the skin barrier, Evening Primrose Oil to improve the appearance of fine lines, Kakadu Plum to visibly brighten the eye area and Borage Oil to calm and soften. 

Offering protection against both inflammation and bacteria, the Eye Rescue Lidstick has been formulated to simultaneously address the most important eye concerns from both a beauty and eyecare perspective. Every eye could benefit from using the Lidstick, but it will be especially impactful to those with dry or sensitive eyes, or blepharitis.  Blepharitis is the inflammation of the eyelids and it can have a number of causes, but it primarily occurs where there is bacterial overgrowth around the eyelids, the most common symptoms of which are sore eyelids and itchy eyes.

It is interesting to note that whilst our eyelids and eyelashes have a perfect balance of bacteria, just like our skin microbiome, this balance can easily be disrupted by differing lifestyle scenarios, which include central heating, excessive screen-use, alcohol, caffeine and certain medications.  Additionally, our skincare and makeup routines can often strip and disrupt this harmony and as a result our eyelids are highly vulnerable to inflammation and bacterial infection.  Manuka Oil and Manuka Honey are used in this formulation to help support and protect the skin around our eyes from these pathogens.

Turning to aesthetics, the Lidstick incorporates ingredients that help to diminish fine lines around the eyes, the crepiness of the eyelids and dark circles under the eyes.  I am not saying that these will disappear totally, but dull or dark under-eye skin is an important and common ocular concern and Kakadu Plum, as mentioned above, is an ingredient which is known to help brighten pigmented skin as it is a concentrated natural source of Vitamin C.  Staying with aesthetics, the Lidstick can also be used as a makeup primer and it can add a certain dewiness or glaze to your lids or brow bone for a fresh makeup look, which I am liking rather a lot.

The other thing to mention here is that the Lidstick will help keep lashes and brows clean and healthy, so whilst the Lidstick should not be used on lashes or too close to the lash line and it doesn’t have any specific ingredients that help to promote hair growth, one of the key reasons for sparse eye lashes is that the eyelids themselves are inflamed and disrupted. By restoring balance to our eyelids, our lashes are given the opportunity to grow healthy and strong.  Now, there’s a thing.  And it’s quite a big thing for many of us.

The Lidstick can be used alone, after cleaning the eye area, or it can be used with the Heated Eye Wand PRO, which gives it the perfect slip.  So many of you have the Heated Eye Wand, but for those who don’t, the Heated Eye Wand is clinically proven to improve dry eyes after just one use.  Working to restore and rejuvenate the eye area in a matter of minutes, the Heated Eye Wand PRO brings together four modes to address not only dry eyes themselves by helping to relieve blocked oil glands, but it also helps to recondition the delicate skin around the eyes. In its gentle massage mode, it promotes lymphatic drainage of excess fluid in the eye area to help reduce the appearance of eye bags.

So, before the Eye Rescue Lidstick takes over the entire newsletter, which really wouldn’t bother me, let me tell you that the price of the Lidstick is £15, but because I have also written about the Heated Eye Wand PRO, we may as well do a celebration, which goes like this.  If you buy the Heated Eye Wand PRO and the Lidstick, we will drop the price of the two products by £10 and we are calling it the Starter Dry Eye Kit. Each of the Peep Club products lead the way with innovative solutions for the health and wellbeing of our eyes, so my thanks to Nicola and Natasha for helping to make a difference to so many of us.  You are totally epic, as are your products. 
Eye Rescue Lidstick by Peep Club £15 for 2.2 grams; Starter Dry Eye Kit (Heated Eye Wand Pro + Eye Rescue Lidstick) £80; Starter Dry Eye Kit (Heated Eye Wand PRO Nickel Free + Eye Rescue Lidstick) £80

Staying with epic products, there is something incredibly moving about the products which really do make a positive difference to our health and wellbeing.  It is what we strive for, it is what really matters and of course I wrote about two of those products last weekend, HA and NAD+ Generator. Our guiding principle is one of education in order that we may empower each of you with informed choices, based upon research, studies and clinicals.  In a world saturated with conflicting information, it is important to remain diligent in our curation of pioneering products, and certainly HA and NAD+ Generator conform on all levels of integrity, trust and efficacy.
Hyaluronic Acid High Strength Capsules £35 for 30 Capsules; NAD+ Generator £32 for 30 Capsules

Bound by a shared belief in the transformative power of health, beauty and wellbeing, Superior Hair is most definitely an epic product and because hair loss is such an emotive subject, I remain incredibly moved by many of the stories we have received over the years about its efficacy.  With that said, I always find it difficult to write about hair loss essentially because it can take several months to notice even the slightest difference.  It also needs to be said that the efficacy of any form of haircare supplementation can be affected by the topical hair products used, which is why scalp health is so incredibly important.

I have been writing about the importance of scalp health for more years than I care to remember.  I based the entire Fulvic haircare campaign upon the importance of scalp health and I still stand by every word I have written on that subject.  My trust and belief in each of our Fulvic products is absolute, so we are going to celebrate Superior Hair, but we must celebrate Fulvic too, so with every Superior Hair purchased across the weekend, I will include the travel size of Fulvic Shampoo (60 ml), together with the travel size of Fulvic Conditioner (60 ml), which can also be used as a hair mask.  It’s what I do.  Often.
Superior Hair £32 for 90 Capsules + Fulvic Shampoo 60 ml and Fulvic Conditioner 60 ml Free (one gift per customer) (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 12 November)   

Right, diverticular disease.  Diverticular disease affects nearly ten percent of the population over the age of 40 and nearly 50 percent over 60 years of age, which is quite staggering really.  In most cases Diverticular disease is free from recognisable symptoms, with the exception of chronic constipation, which seems to be a common symptom.  Other symptoms can include the onset of intermittent griping lower abdominal pain, which is often accompanied by a fever. 

Diverticulitis can require medical treatment, which often involves the use of antibiotics, but in many instances the advice given is to rest and to introduce fibre into your diet. The main causal factor for diverticulitis is thought to be a lack of fibre, which leads to constipation.  The stagnant food causes the release of toxins which can inflame the walls of the intestines and this inflammation makes the walls of the intestines more susceptible to infection.  Complete Fibre Cleanse is a supplement that contains a blend of soluble and insoluble fibres, which will help soothe the inflamed gut, so let’s drop the price of Complete Fibre Cleanse from £24 to £21.

It should also be noted that there is often an imbalance between the good and the bad bacteria in diverticular disease with the bad bacteria overgrowing, a term referred to as dysbiosis, which Shabir details in his article, linked below. You will also read that Shabir recommends Symprove for this condition, which is a water-based multi-strain probiotic supplement containing four unique strains of activated bacteria.  Symprove has been the subject of several independent trials and with studies ongoing, it has also been shown to help relieve the symptoms of IBS in 60% of sufferers within twelve weeks. We believe it is equally effective at helping to improve the symptoms of diverticulitis.
VH Editorial: What Is Diverticular Disease; Complete Fibre Cleanse £21 for 168 grams; Symprove Daily Essential Original £75 for 4 x 500 ml; Symprove Daily Essential Mango & Passionfruit £75 for 4 x 500 ml; Symprove Daily Essential Strawberry & Raspberry £75 for 4 x 500 ml

An ingredient focus.  Shatavari is one of the main Ayurvedic rejuvenating tonics for women.  Also known as wild asparagus or Asparagus racemosus, Shatavari belongs to a group of herbs which are collectively called adaptogens because they bring the body back into balance. The Sanskrit name Shatavari translates to ‘curer of a hundred diseases’ as well as ‘one hundred spouses’, donating its ability to enhance fertility and vigour.  Shatavari can be used through the various stages of a woman’s life cycle, which Shabir explores in his article linked below as he recommends Organic Shatavari and I drop the price of Organic Shatavari from £19.99 to £17.99.  For the interim. 
VH Editorial: From Puberty To Menopause; Organic Shatavari by Ayurvedic Wellness £17.99 for 120 Capsules

Notwithstanding the expression on my face as I was writing about one hundred spouses, I think it best if I don’t comment further, so I’ll change the subject before I get myself into trouble.  So, let’s play safe and talk about cold sores, which are caused by the infection of the herpes simplex virus.  The very best way to help prevent and treat cold sores is by taking L-Lysine.  Numerous studies have indicated that lysine for cold sores can help to speed the recovery from and prevent recurrences of cold sores.  Lysine has anti-viral properties and it also blocks the uptake of arginine, an amino acid that promotes viral growth.

That’s the supplement and Lysine Lip Balm is the topical product we always recommend for cold sores, it is also our bestselling lip balm.  It has been formulated using coconut oil and lysine, coconut oil because it contains an active ingredient called lauric acid, which is converted by the body into monolaurin, a powerful anti-viral chemical   which helps speed the healing process and also addresses dry chapped lips.  Extraordinarily well.
VH Editorial: Prevention & Treatment Of Cold Sores; L-Lysine HCI by Lamberts Healthcare £14.95 for 120 Tablets; Lysine Lip Balm by Good Health Naturally £5.95 for 5 grams 

I just want to step outside of products for the moment to say that some 200,000 people in the UK live with stoma bags.  It is often hidden and somehow shameful, so in her article Sarah salutes the brave and beautiful Beyond The Stoma Collective, with aims to inspire and celebrate those who live with stoma bags.  I have always believed that we must always do the very best we can in order to raise awareness, often where it is needed the most.  So please do take a moment to read this article and please share it with others, because they can share too.  Another campaign, a stoma-positive campaign dedicated to acceptance and understanding.  For all.
Beyond The Stoma by Sarah Stacey

Before we go any further, I would like to take another moment, a moment to acknowledge and recognise the niche brands we support.  In supporting niche brands, we are making a stand for independence and we are also supporting the research and development which is so crucial for their ongoing success.  Each of these brands have, in their own way, been subjected to adversity from those who believe they can dominate the market place.  By staying close, we are able to stay strong and carry on, because after all is said and done, each of these brands are a part of us.  A very special part of us, which we must always protect.  And we will.

With that said, Curlie Ellie is a niche brand, a niche brand that has formulated products for curly, kinky and frizzy hair.  Each of the Curly Ellie products are also suitable for delicate and sensitive scalps, which is really important because scalp health must always be a consideration with haircare products.  There are six products in the range, including a Detangling Spray and an Intensive Treatment Mask, which is rather wonderful for all hair types.  So, this is what we are going to do; if you buy any Curlie Ellie product, we will automatically include Curly Ellie’s Nourishing Conditioner (50 ml), which contains Camelina, which is helpful for those who are prone to psoriasis and eczema.
Curly Ellie Products (gift available whilst stock lasts)

Soapsmith is also a niche brand, and I absolutely know that I wrote about Soapsmith two weeks ago, but I am going to do it again because each of their products are really special, their bath soaks are amazing and I have a huge soft spot for their founder, Sam Jameson.  Back in the day, and it really was a very long time ago, Sam and I sat together for hours talking about her soaps and I was totally in awe of her concept, most especially because I really, really love soap.  Both Sam and I know that we must always honour the support we are given, so once again with any Soapsmith product bought, you will receive a gift.  And this time the gift is Hackney Soap (50 grams).
Soapsmith Products (this is a limited offer, there is only one gift per customer and if the gift fails to go into your basket, that will mean the offer is over)

Finally, let’s talk about Squalane and I want to talk about Squalane because it is such an amazing skincare ingredient.  Squalane is a light oil called an emollient, which is a type of compound that is rather akin to our skin’s own oil called sebum.  Sebum helps to prevent moisture loss, and in the world of chemistry it is labelled as a hydrocarbon and Squalane is a skin-friendly hydrocarbon.  There is much to say about Squalane, but let me just say that Squalane can be dosed into skincare to help address dry skin and it can also be dosed into body lotions.  There is a reason why I am writing this, which is about to become rather clear.
VH Editorial: What Is Squalane; 100% Pure Squalane Oil by Garden of Wisdom for VH £12 for 30 ml

And so the Saturday only treat and this week with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Fulvic Body Lotion (60 ml).  After we launched Fulvic Face Cream, we knew we needed to follow through with a body lotion, so with the product details listed below, let me just say that I wouldn’t want to live without Fulvic Body Lotion and whether you dose it with Squalane Oil or otherwise, this is the body lotion that incorporates two breakthrough skincare technologies that delivers intense hydration to dry, dull and ageing skin.  It stands out in the crowd.  A very crowded crowd. 
Fulvic Body Lotion

There really isn’t much more to say other than to tell you that the song this week is dedicated to the launch of the Eye Rescue Lidstick and each of the Peep Club products.  It is such an obvious song, so forgive me for being so incredibly obvious, but it’s a good fit.  As are the words.
I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x

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