Hello Saturday.  As we walk our way through January, I am determined to keep the light shining upon each of us and although the coming weeks are often considered to be some of the bleakest of the year, I have decided that we are going to ignore all of that by creating a circle of hope and optimism, in which we reside.  It’s a huge circle of course, but it is in this space that we continue the exploration of the things that really matter, together with the products that I believe help make a difference to each of us, whatever they may be.  So let’s talk about a few things.

Well, that was fun, I thought last weekend, as Fulvic Body Lotion flew out the door when I rolled out another Fulvic treat.  So let me just say that I am very clear about our Fulvic mission, and that clarity has spanned over the past twelve years, or perhaps it could be longer.  In an ideal world, I would want each and every one of you to experience the numerous benefits of Fulvic in some way, shape or form.  Except we don’t live in an ideal world, far from it actually, and I am very aware of the ongoing difficulties we are all experiencing.  I know I more or less say this every week, but I cannot, and will not, gloss over the reality of our lives.

Actually I would find that disrespectful, but I also think that so many things in life are misinterpreted.  So because there has to be transparency, this is what we are going to do.  With every Fulvic Acid Shampoo (240 ml) bought, we will automatically include a free full-size bottle of the Fulvic Acid Conditioner (240 ml), which is worth £25.  I am not doing this to gain market share, I have no interest in that as I have written before, and I am not doing this because we are overloaded with stock,  because we are not.  I am doing this because I love sharing and I believe in the immense power of Fulvic and its ability to support the health of your hair and scalp.   

Onwards and the Fulvic Acid Conditioner can also be used as a brilliant hair mask. I leave mine on for hours at a time, but it will do what it has to do in 15-20 minutes.  The final thing I have to say is that I launched all things Fulvic on a health platform as opposed to a beauty platform, and there is a big difference.  This is serious haircare, most especially if you are suffering from hair loss or thinning hair. I do not, and will not, play around with the integrity of haircare products when hair loss and scalp health are such emotive issues.  This is not a game.  
Fulvic Acid Shampoo + Fulvic Acid Conditioner £25 (Limited edition offer)

Let’s continue with health and I want to write about an important supplement which is now back in stock after a long absence.  I am talking about Clove Bud Complex, which has now re-emerged as Clove & Oregano Complex.  It is estimated that around 80% of both adults and children have parasites in their gut, and I know that information will make many of you squirm, but it is a fact and in medical terms an intestinal parasite is a life-form that can invade the gastrointestinal tract where they live alongside a host of good and bad bacteria, and fungi.

This is not one of my must-take-all-the-time supplements, such as probiotics, but I do think it is sensible to take as an adjunct to probiotics two or three times a year.  Personally I would just take a month’s supply each time, but it can also be used on an ongoing basis.  I am leaving the in-depth of intestinal parasites to Shabir as I have linked his article below, and all I will do is drop the price of Clove & Oregano Complex from £17.10 to £14 across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Most Of Us Have Intestinal Parasites; Clove & Oregano Complex by Viridian Nutrition £14 for 60 Capsules (Offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 23 January)

And so let’s talk about probiotics for a moment or two.  Mega Probiotic is of course our bestselling probiotic supplement and although Shabir may give it a tweak or two, as he did with HA capsules, at some point in the future, he hasn’t felt the need to do it yet, essentially because there is nothing to tweak.  Having said that, I am not blinkered to other outstanding formulations in any given category, so after writing about the brilliance of Ross J Barr’s Stomach Support last weekend, please allow me to introduce you to Stomach Support’s complementary product, Probiotic Formula.  Because we each have a choice.

Probiotic Formula is a powdered multi-strain probiotic and it has been formulated with eight friendly bacteria, alongside a beneficial prebiotic.  It is worth repeating here that the benefits of probiotics are numerous, but perhaps the two most important aspects of taking probiotics are that they help increase energy levels and help promote a more efficient digestive system, the latter of which is key.  Our digestive system is home to trillions of bacteria and when our gut microflora are out of balance, we feel the effects of diminished energy levels, sluggish digestion and dull skin.  And I’m not into ‘dull’ anything, let it be said.

Anyway, there we have it and the powder is easy to use as it just needs to be dissolved in lukewarm water for approximately one minute.  It is vanilla in taste, so you can either drink it neat or stir it into a smoothie, if you are into smoothies.  I don’t have anything to add to this, other than to say I am so sorry if you found yourself on a wait list last weekend after I wrote about Stomach Support.  I always seem to be apologising for wait lists, but the demand for Stomach Support was incredibly strong.  And with that said, I am taking the price of Probiotic Formula down from £42 to £39 across the weekend.  And I’m praying I have ordered correctly.  This time. 
Probiotic Formula by Ross J. Barr £39 for 100 grams (Offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 23 January); Stomach Support by Ross J. Barr £32 for 60 Capsules 

Having just mentioned HA Capsules, can I just say that I think the taking of HA supplementation has morphed itself into a VH directive.  By that I mean that so many of you have joined me after I wrote two weeks ago that I am not going to ache my way through life.  And honestly, I don’t think it’s an age thing because I really do believe that we should all take this from the age of 35, if you can, rather like another one of those VH directives, Sage Complex for the balancing of dancing hormones during peri-menopause, menopause and beyond.  And without another word, I am reducing the price of Sage Complex from £25 to £20.  Across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Sage Complex: The Hormone Mimicking Supplement; Sage Complex £20 for 90 Capsules (Offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 23 January); Hyaluronic Capsules High Strength £35 for 30 Capsules

I would like to talk about eye creams and eye serums.  And this is where Shabir and I disagree, but it’s a healthy disagreement, we just have differing views.  I don’t like eye creams or serums, I never have.  Trust me, I have tried to like them and I have written in the past that I was going to force myself to use Eye Contour Serum because Shabir formulated it and I wanted to support him.  Except I got bored using it after a few days and that has happened with every single eye product that lands in front of me.  I suppose there is something deep within my psyche that thinks they are an issue, but that aside I spend my life walking around with sunglasses on.

Conversely, if Shabir could only have one skincare product, it would be an eye cream or serum.  He is absolutely fastidious about using them and it was because of this that he formulated Eye Contour Serum, which is one of our bestselling products from the Garden of Wisdom range.  And so, in another one of those limited edition moments, we are offering you the overfilled version of Eye Contour Serum, which means you get 45 ml for the price of 30 ml.  I’m almost sure there are more people in Shabir’s camp than in mine.  But it is what it is.  And there has to be discernment in all things.  For each of us.
Eye Contour Serum by Garden of Wisdom for VH £18 for 45 ml

The brand is Ameliorate and I have another limited edition treat for you.  It’s quite simple actually.  If you buy any Ameliorate product, or products, to the value of £30 or above on one single order, you will automatically receive their Intensive Lip Treatment (15 ml), which is worth £16.  Loaded with more than twenty active ingredients, Intensive Lip Treatment helps relieve dryness and flaking by soothing the lips with long-lasting moisture.  Because this is a limited offer, there is only one gift per customer and if the product fails to go into your basket, this means that the offer is over.  I’m not even going to take a guess at how long this will last.
Ameliorate

There are no specific VH directives when it comes to skincare, and there never will be.  There are too many excellent products in this category, which are dependent upon many factors, including price points.  Over the years I have written many words about Derma E, so I am about to write a few more.  Derma E’s Ultra Hydrating Alkaline Gel Booster was specifically formulated for skin suffering from seasonal dehydration and/or very dry skin.  It is blended with Pro-Vitamin B5, Hyaluronic Acid and Alkaline Water, which helps restore the pH of skin.

That’s a brief description of the product, you will find more on the product page, so all that remains is for me to tell you that with every Ultra Hydrating Alkaline Gel Booster bought, we will automatically include Derma E’s Brightening and Hydrating Trio, which is worth £20.  So that’s pretty neat.  The product costs £20 and the gift is worth £20.  And just so you know, the Brightening & Hydrating Trio includes Derma E’s Hydrating Day Cream, Microdermabrasion Scrub and Vitamin C Intense Night Cream.  Because, once again, this is a limited offer, there is only one gift per customer.  The joy needs to be spread.  Equally.
Ultra Hydrating Alkaline Gel Booster by Derma E £20 for 30 ml

Back to health and I would like to throw the focus on the thyroid gland, which is one of the largest hormonal glands in the body.  It manufactures, stores and releases thyroid hormones into the bloodstream with the two main hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) regulating many functions of the body.  Any reduction in the levels of those hormones invariably has a detrimental impact on the functions carried out within our bodies.  I am going to refer you to Shabir’s article relating to having an underactive thyroid and in the same sentence I am dropping the price of Thyroid Complex from £22.95 to £19, a supplement to help support the health of the thyroid gland.
VH Editorial: How An Underactive Thyroid Affects You; Thyroid Complex by Viridian Nutrition £19 for 60 Capsules (Offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 23 January)

On Wednesday, Shabir joined Trinny as they did another one of their live sessions together.  The subject matter was Nurturing Our Mental Health and whilst they did of course talk about that, they also took a lot of questions from their audience about supplements in general.  On specific issues such as low mood, stress and sleep issues, they talked about the products that may perhaps help.  These included Magnolia Rhodiola Complex, Florassist Mood Improve and Daily Energy.  So, I am linking the live below, which also includes Shabir’s views on CBD,  together with the reasons why you won’t find CBD products on our site.  I smiled.
Trinny & Shabir Live: Nurturing Our Mental Health

I have a small piece of news that I would like to share with you.  It’s about Ultimate Collagen+ and on a previous live session, Trinny announced that this was the collagen supplement that she took, and I take it too.  So the news here is that Ingenious Beauty have just released this supplement in a pouch, so you can either refill your existing jar, or buy as a stand-alone product.  Personally I prefer to keep mine in the jar, and the brand would probably recommend that too, but whichever way, the refill pouch is £55, which is a saving of £5.  And before you ask, yes we are looking to do this with other supplementation.  Please bear with.  These things are never easy.
Ultimate Collagen+ by Ingenious Beauty £60 for 90 Capsules; Ultimate Collagen+ Pouch by Ingenious Beauty £55 for 90 Capsules

Let’s do some feedback and referring back to the ‘live’ with Trinny and Shabir, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as Shabir talked about the Sleep Patches.  As I’m writing this, it has been twelve days since we launched the Sleep Patches on the Weekend Read and in that time they have made an appearance on This Morning, been written about in Vogue and featured on Trinny Live.  I am told they may be making an appearance in The Telegraph today, which has just slightly tipped me over the edge because a wait list may well have hit in already.  Another huge consignment is on its way.  Pray they don’t get lost in transit.  Or customs.
Sleep Patches by Ross J. Barr £15 for Ten Patches

If I may, I would like to thank those of you who supported the launch of the two new products from Non Gender Specific last weekend, Everything Cream and Phytonutrient Concentrate.   I think it is very obvious when I love a skincare brand, but there are very few skincare brands I am able to use on my skin.  There is a slight cryptic clue in there, but for the moment my lips are sealed.  In an unrelated way, I will just tell you that I am desperate to launch Flooid for NGS, which is probably one of the most outstanding fragrances I have ever used.  And that’s a big statement.  I hope it’s soon because I’m running out.  And nothing else will suffice.  Seriously. 
Everything Cream by NGS £42 for 50 grams; Phytonutrient Concentrate by NGS £136 for 50 ml

One more piece of feedback from the last Weekend Read, where we launched three new products from Better You, with each being a variation of the original Magnesium Bath Flakes.  It wasn’t too difficult to work out which would be the bestselling Bath Flakes.  The Magnesium Relax Bath Flakes came first, followed by Magnesium Mind Bath Flakes, with Magnesium Revive Bath Flakes coming third.  I have to say that I gathered these stats before Shabir held up the Relax Bath Flakes on the above-mentioned video.  Anyway just to say that I’m keeping the launch price offer for another week, which would be £6.25 instead of £7.95. 
Magnesium Revive Bath Flakes by Better You £6.25 for 750 grams; Magnesium Relax Bath Flakes by Better You £6.25 for 750 grams; Magnesium Mind Bath Flakes by Better You £6.25 for 750 grams

Into the Saturday only treat we go and with every order placed for £30 and over, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Temple Spa’s Quench Rejuvenating Face Mask (7 ml)*.  Full product details below, but just to say that aside from Avocado and Apricot, ingredients also include Coneflower (Echinacea), which is included for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. 
Quench Rejuvenating Face Mask by Temple Spa £30 for 65 ml

I have just a few things to say here and the first thing to say is that I will be doing a really important launch and awareness campaign next week.  The reason I am telling you this now is because I have so much to say on the subject matter, it would be impossible for me to contain it within the Weekend Read.  I don’t believe I have ever launched a brand outside of the newsletter, so this will be a first as I will be sending out a specific launch email this coming Wednesday, 26 January, at 7.45 am.  One more thing to say here, it is a subject that is very close to my heart.

Finally, this may amuse you.  I had no idea whatsoever that over the past couple of weeks a questionnaire was tagged onto your order.  I only found out because I received an email from a customer about filling in said questionnaire and I honestly didn’t know what she was talking about.  The reason I wasn’t told, apparently,  was because I would have voted against it.  I respect your privacy and I have only just about got over the fact that we request reviews on products bought.  And now this.  The entire team think it’s hilarious that I’m the only one who didn’t know and I am only placated by the fact that the results of the survey will help make us better.

I will of course keep you updated on this, but I think it best if we leave it there and start singing.  With Bruce Springsteen.  It has been a while.  We all need someone to hold onto.
Human Touch by Bruce Springsteen; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x

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*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.