As I welcome you to another Weekend Read, this is the Weekend Read where we start to take a look at some of this year’s seasonal gifts, which is always exciting and over the next few weeks, I have several seasonal products to launch. But before anything else, I want to thank you for the warmth of your response to the new products I wrote about last weekend, the Dry Eye Lidstick™, the Dark Circles Lidstick™ and Fat Cow Balm because, somehow, the world is a better place with these products in it.
Dry Eye Lidstick™ by Peep Club £30; Dark Circles Lidstick™ £35; Fat Cow Balm £38 for 90 grams

We will get to new products and seasonal gifting soon, but I want to begin by talking about the importance of liver health, which follows through from my words last weekend about the liver being the primary gland that manufactures and destroys cholesterol. Beyond that single function, the liver is possibly the hardest working organ in the body, and it is estimated to be responsible for over five hundred distinct processes which include filtering toxins from blood, producing the bile that allows us to digest fat, storing essential vitamins and glycogen for when the body needs energy and manufacturing the proteins that allow blood to clot properly.

The liver works quietly and relentlessly, and most of us don’t give it any thought until something goes wrong, and by the time the symptoms of poor liver function become obvious, the liver itself is often under considerable strain. Some of those symptoms include fatigue, brain fog, digestive discomfort and some compromised skin conditions, and although the liver has a remarkable capacity to regenerate, that capacity isn’t limitless, which is why we should support the liver properly and consistently.

In his article, Milk Thistle For Liver Detoxification, Shabir discusses the function of the liver together with the impact liver problems can have on our overall health, noting that it is estimated that over 50% of people over the age of fifty suffer from some form of liver disease. We have long believed that the natural cleansing of the liver should be undertaken periodically, perhaps seasonally, and as we head into the autumn months, we recommend taking a one month course of Milk Thistle Complex, which drops in price from £20 to £17, although of course it can safely be used on ongoing basis if required.
VH Editorial: Milk Thistle For Liver Detoxification; DoSe Milk Thistle Complex £17 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 14 September)

Conversely, there are several supplements that we believe should be taken on an ongoing basis, these are the supplements that support various health concerns and Superior Joints is one of those supplements. Offering foundational support, Superior Joints is one of those supplements, rather like Hyaluronic Acid, where you really do notice a difference if you stop taking it. That consistency matters because the key compound in Superior Joints, the clinically evaluated Natural Eggshell Membrane, works cumulatively, supporting joint comfort and taken once daily, it has been proven in studies to significantly reduce pain.

I am not sure how many times I have written my bias speech across the years, but given that we are in our third decade of being, I think I have written it rather often, but it’s always worth repeating, essentially because it matters. I have no bias, none whatsoever, until clinical evidence and researched studies determine which compounds and formulations are genuinely best-in-class, and there is no doubt in my mind that Superior Joints is best-in-class in its genre. And as I stand by that statement, I am dropping the price of Superior Joints from £30 to £26 in celebration of cutting-edge and pioneering research.
VH Editorial: Read This If You Suffer From Painful Joints; DoSe Superior Joints £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 14 September)

I really don’t need to search for reasons to write about Hyaluronic Acid, I could write about it every week and there are times when I do, but having just mentioned it, I will just say that I immediately know if I have forgotten to take HA because within a day, literally a day, my ankle starts clicking. It’s bizarre, or perhaps it’s not so bizarre and the other thing to say is that when I began writing about HA, decades ago, I wrote on more than one occasion that I took HA to help plump my skin, lest my face should drop south. It still appears to be attached to my neck. I’m thankful for that, so another celebration, as below.
VH Editorial: Benefits Of Hyaluronic Acid Supplements; DoSe Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength £35 for 45 Capsules (15 capsules free, worth £17.50) (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 14 September or whilst stock lasts)

Onwards with Plantar Fasciitis, which is a stabbing pain in the heel of the foot and it affects approximately one in ten people at some point in their lives. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue, rather like a ligament, which connects your heel to your toes and when this tissue becomes inflamed, each step taken can be extraordinarily painful. The plantar fascia also supports the arch of the foot, acting as a shock absorber and it helps stabilise the foot.

The risk factors for Plantar Fasciitis include being flat footed, carrying too much weight, which puts pressure on this tissue, undertaking high impact exercise, such as running and wearing poorly fitting, unsupportive shoes or trainers. For most, Plantar Fasciitis is a temporary condition which can be treated, although it can often take ten to twelve months to heal. In his article, linked below, Shabir offers guidance on treating Plantar Fasciitis, together with two product recommendations, Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex and Ancient Magnesium Oil Ultra Spray, which works locally to relax muscles and soft tissues, helping to calm the nerves that send signals of pain.
VH Editorial: Is Plantar Fasciitis Curable; DoSe Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex £27 for 60 Capsules; Ancient Magnesium Oil Ultra Spray £15.99 for 200 ml

Right, before I start writing about seasonal products, there are two things I have to do, the first of which is to launch a new brand and a new product. We seem to be in new product territory at the moment, but given our ongoing support for niche, independent brands, I am so thrilled to introduce you to a brand which was created just a few months ago, Mor & Meadow, a Cornwall-based research and design studio studying how life adapts to environmental pressure and translating this strategy into skincare systems.

The interesting thing here is that when we launched Icon Skincare, I wrote about a skincare world shaped by comparison, filters and algorithms and how striving for beauty perfection is based on thinking there is something wrong with us, with a continual need to fix something that is wrong. And now, quite unexpectedly, I find myself writing something rather similar about Mor & Meadow, who also believe that the beauty industry has become obsessed with the idea of skin as a problem to solve, rather than as a living system to support.

Two brands, no conversation between them, and yet somehow, the same conviction. Call it coincidence. I call it zeitgeist. Over time, the Mor & Meadow story will evolve with skincare built around the natural adaptation strategies of four ecosystems, Cornish, Desert, Alpine and Rainforest, but we begin in Cornwall with just one product, Cornish Bloom, a barrier strengthening facial mist to awaken tired, tight or dehydrated skin, inspired by Cornwall’s exposed coastline, where salt spray, biting winds and intense light shape how life adapts.

Cornish Bloom draws on the adaptive strategies of moisture retention, protection and resilience, and the formulation is powered by Tremella fuciformis (Snow Mushroom), Ulva lactuca (Sea Lettuce) and MossCellTec™ No. 1, an award-winning active derived from biotechnologically cultivated moss helping skin adapt to changing environmental conditions. Cornish Bloom is a fine morning facial mist, a leave-on aqueous treatment that layers effortlessly into any skincare regimen. It is truly beautiful. I’ve started using it as a body mist too, and somehow, it has become something of a ritual.
Cornish Bloom by Mor & Meadow £32 for 100 ml

Each year we join together with TEMPLESPA with the Repose campaign, an annual campaign of purpose, where the chosen product, Repose, becomes a purchase with purpose. We are both brands who believe in empowering people to live their lives to full potential, we have wellness in our hearts and each year money is raised for a charity which we believe shares our values and needs our support. For over forty years, Alzheimer’s Society has been a powerful force for change, improving the lives of people living with dementia and their loved ones, so once again Alzheimer’s Society is this year’s chosen charity.

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer and one in three people born today will develop the condition in their lifetime and the Alzheimer’s Society state that it is a crisis which cannot be ignored. Tragically, many remain undiagnosed and do not receive the support or care they need and deserve, and there is hope, but it can only ever be done through a huge collective effort. Crucially, the Alzheimer’s Society have been at the forefront of science and research, backing the world’s greatest minds and funding life-changing breakthroughs, so it is important to help support this ongoing research.

Turning to the product, Repose Relaxing Night Cream is a beautiful cream with a fragrant blend of Valerian, Chamomile, Frankincense, Lavender, Patchouli, Geranium and Clary Sage, all of which are renowned to help calm and relax our senses when we need to rest. This year the Repose campaign coincides with World Alzheimer’s Month and with every purchase of Repose (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, so together we are raising funds, raising support and raising hope.
Repose Duo by TEMPLESPA £50 (valid until midnight BST, 11 October)

And so, the seasonal products and there is truly no other place to start than with TEMPLESPA’s Advent Calendar, for so many reasons, but mostly because this is always the product that sells out before any other product, rarely making it past the beginning of October. As ever, and with each of the TEMPLESPA seasonal gifts, the packaging is sublime and this year’s Advent Calendar is entitled ‘A Journey For The Senses’ containing twelve full size products, seven limited edition products and six luxury travel size products.

I cannot list each of the products, the list is extensive, but they are each listed on the product page and include In The Beginning, Double Cream, Skin Truffle and Breath Of Life in full sizes. Limited edition products include the Siesta Forever mini candle, True Shine, a lip gloss exclusive, together with Golden Glow, an illuminating primer and there are travel sizes of Duvet, Quench and Work It Out. The Advent Calendar is £225, it has a value of £695, which equates to a saving of £470. I’ll update in a couple of weeks.
Advent Calendar: A Journey For The Senses by TEMPLESPA £225 (Limited Edition)

Actually, for ease, each of the new seasonal products today are from TEMPLESPA and for those who think I have shares in the company, I don’t, I just think that their seasonal gifts are exceptional, so please allow me to introduce you to Intensely Good Super Nourishing Hair & Scalp Mask. This rich, creamy mask wraps hair in nourishment, infusing it with a hydrating cocktail of Argan Oil, Pro-vitamin B5 and HA. A plant-based protein complex mimics the performance of keratin, giving hair greater elasticity and strength and it arrives with a Limited Edition Scalp Massager.
Intensely Good Super Nourishing Hair & Scalp Mask by TEMPLESPA £35

The entire Christmas Gift Collection from TEMPLESPA is called ‘Moments To Move Us’ and I love that because we all feel moved emotionally by giving or receiving a special gift, and the gift doesn’t always have to be a product, we can move people with words, with action, with thought. So, with that said, the next product is gorgeous, it’s Truffle Souffle Indulgent Body Melt and it melts on the skin to provide a rich, velvety softness, a richness infused with Black Truffles, Marshmallow and Champagne, together with vitamins E and B5, Jojoba oil and Hibiscus extract. It’s new and once again it is a Limited Edition product.
Truffle Souffle Indulgent Body Melt by TEMPLESPA £45 for 140-ml

I am going to leave it there for the moment, because there are two more things I need to share and both are brand discounts. So, we are offering a 20% discount across Better You for the entire month of September and a 20% discount across Ameliorate.  If you spend £15 or more on any of the Ameliorate products, we will automatically include their Transforming Exfoliating Body Mitt, which has a value of £10. This offer ends on 24 September and there is only one gift per customer. Links below.
Ameliorate Products; BetterYou Products

Before we head into the Saturday only treat, I just want to say that I can’t always include offers on the Weekend Read, I try to include as many as I can, but there are many offers which we just appear on the front of our site, so it is worth checking every now and again. So, the Saturday only treat and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Soul Spa Restorative Bath Crystals (35 grams)* by TEMPLESPA. Full product details linked below and just so that you know, Soul Spa Restorative Bath Crystals are included in TEMPLESPA’s Christmas Gift Collection.
Soul Spa Restorative Bath Crystals

Finally, I’m sharing this song because I think it’s beautiful, and somehow it fits.
Come Away With Me by Norah Jones; The VH Playlist

As ever, I wish you a restful weekend.

With love

Gill x