Good morning, and here we are, the last weekend in June and as we head into July, I think it’s important to talk about the products which define us, each of us, together with the purpose, which also defines us.  If there is one theme that has run through everything we do, it is the relentless pursuit of clinical credibility and in many ways the first six months of this year have been a consolidation and celebration of what already exists, deepening the loyalty and trust of proven formulations which support our health and wellbeing.

Our curation of products remains extraordinarily tight, deliberately so, and it is this tight curation that has established a choice to remain considered and certain, but it is also a genuine belief and recognition of compounds where the science is sound, the formulations are honest and the results are real.  In all of this there is zeitgeist, that indefinable sense of acknowledgement, an acknowledgement that we are ready for something different.  Zeitgeist cannot be forced, it can only be recognised, and I believe that Superior Joints is an exemplary example of recognising the zeitgeist. 

Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM®), was a scientific breakthrough, but what made it truly extraordinary was the clinical evidence behind it, a reduction in joint discomfort and improved flexibility in as little as ten days for some, with results which continue to build over time. NEM® is the thin layer that sits between the shell and the white of egg and it became a remarkable reservoir of naturally occurring collagen, elastin, glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid, working synergistically in a way that no synthetic formulation had quite managed to replicate. 

NEM® genuinely moved the needle on joint health because NEM® wasn’t just another compound in an over-crowded market, it represented a leap of trust and belief in the clinical evidence presented.  There are always those compounds which stand alone in their genre, and when formulating Superior Joints, it became apparent that the key active ingredient, NEM®, out-performed all else in its genre, yet Superior Joints also includes several other compounds including Manganese, HA, Tart Cherry extract, Ginger extract, Turmeric extract and vitamin C.

Each compound plays a crucial role, working synergistically, rather than in isolation, because joint health is rarely the consequence of a single deficiency and so it should never be addressed by a single ingredient.  It is this deliberate layering of complementary compounds that enhances and supports efficacy, and as such, Superior Joints remains one of our most enduring and best-loved formulations and it drops in price from £30 to £26 until midnight BST, Monday 29 June.
VH Editorial: Read This If You Suffer From Painful Joints; DoSe Superior Joints £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 29 June)

On theme, in 1969 a man named Hideo Nakayama founded what would become Sun Chlorella Corporation in Kyoto, Japan.  Having suffered ill health, he was not expected to live long, but he came across chlorella and stating that his recovery was nothing short of miraculous, he felt profoundly obliged to share his discovery, most definitely recognising the zeitgeist because the nutritional profile of Sun Chlorella is, quite simply, remarkable and in Japan it has been used as a daily wholefood supplement through the generations.

Chlorella is a single-celled freshwater green algae and it is one of the oldest organisms on earth, but it was notoriously difficult to use as a supplement because its cell wall is impenetrable, keeping its extraordinary nutritional content, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids and the remarkable Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF), which supports the body’s natural cellular repair process, locked inside, which made it largely inaccessible to the body.  What Sun Chlorella did, which set them apart, was to develop a patented process called DYNO®-Mill, which pulverises up to 90% of that cell wall, releasing the nutrients within a highly bioavailable form.

Sun Chlorella became available in the UK in 2005 and such was the efficacy of Sun Chlorella A, I wrote extensively about it at that time and although I haven’t written about it for the longest time, I am writing about it today because Sun Chlorella have just launched Sun Chlorella Powder.  The ingredient profile remains the same, Chlorophyll, CGF, active vitamin B12, vitamin D, where one serving meets the daily recommended value of vitamin D, and Iron. 

To celebrate this launch, I am throwing a 15% discount across each of the Sun Chlorella products for the interim and, just perhaps, we can also celebrate the pioneering research which makes such a difference to so many of us.  Behind every pioneering product there is a story, and with over half a century of rigorous science and an unwavering commitment to quality, the Sun Chlorella story is fundamentally based upon a founder who believed so deeply in what he had found, he built his entire life around sharing it.
Sun Chlorella A (300 Tablets); Sun Chlorella Powder (10 x 3 gram sachets); Sun Chlorella Powder (30 x 3 gram sachets)

I can relate to that philosophy in many ways, because to all intents and purposes, we have built our own lives around sharing the products we deeply believe in, and so IoniCell.  Launching in 2018, we recognised that IoniCell was a next-generation formulation in the hair, skin and nails genre.  The science was different and having established the efficacy of Fulvic Acid several years earlier, IoniCell displayed a profound ability to enhance beauty from within by utilising Ioniplex^®.  

Ioniplex^® is a Fulvic ionic mineral complex with two patents and over fifteen scientific studies, but it is not simply Fulvic Acid, it is a highly purified and extraordinarily bioavailable form of Fulvic Acid and that distinction matters enormously.  Ioniplex^® has been shown to deliver up to 65 essential, macro and trace minerals to the cells that require them, crossing cellular membranes with an efficiency that conventional supplements in this genre just cannot match.

Having long-reaching beneficial effects for hair, skin and nails, scientific studies have shown a 142% increase in nail growth, a 14% improvement in hair appearance, a 33% improvement in skin texture and a 30% increase in collagen stimulation, over time.  Of course, we are all different and given that these are scientific studies, results may vary dependent on age, diet and overall health, but the clinical data is hard to ignore, as is your anecdotal evidence, and so, with all of that said, IoniCell drops in price from £24 to £21 in recognition of your loyalty and support of this transformative formulation.
Ioniplex^® White Paper; DoSe IoniCell £21 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 29 June)

Eight years of IoniCell and just two years, well almost two years, of Digestive Enzyme Complex.  Launching in July 2024, I had been taking digestive enzymes for several years as they are one of my must-take supplements, but I began to question the efficacy of the supplement I was taking, so I asked Shabir to create a different formulation.  I tested Digestive Enzyme Complex for rather a long time before we launched it, because it had to match expectation, and it did.

Digestive Enzyme Complex is formulated with a broad-spectrum blend of enzymes, proteases, amylase, lipase, lactase and cellulase, designed to support the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, dairy and plant fibre respectively.  Digestion is not a single process, but a series of processes and most specifically Digestive Enzyme Complex contains three types of proteases which work optimally to ensure that proteins are broken down completely.  Proteins are exceptionally hard to digest and the inefficient breakdown of proteins can often lead to several digestive problems, including acid reflux, heartburn and indigestion.

Studies indicate that the body’s natural digestive enzyme production starts to decline from the age of twenty, but these studies further indicate that digestive enzyme production decreases by an average of 12% with every ten years of age.  Additionally, hydrochloric acid production in the stomach also declines with age and hydrochloric acid is crucial for activating the stomach’s digestive enzymes.  Often resulting in digestive concerns such as bloating and gas, a lack of digestive enzymes can also result in nutrient depletion, with several studies indicating that nutrient absorption is increased significantly when supplementing with digestive enzymes.

Just one more thing to say here, well two things actually, the first being that if you suffer constipation when travelling, Digestive Enzyme Complex will help resolve that issue, and I recommend taking it seven days prior to travel and for the duration of travel.  Often termed as ‘vacation constipation’, it seems to affect women far more than men, and there are several known triggers including fluctuations in female hormones and, most commonly, psychological inhibitions.  That’s the first thing and the second thing is that I am dropping the price of Digestive Enzyme Complex from £29 to £26.
VH Editorial: Digestive Enzymes For Bloating, Gas And Indigestion; DoSe Digestive Enzyme Complex £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 29 June)

Moving on, we are going to take a look at some seasonal health concerns beginning with sweaty feet because this is a very common concern which needs addressing because sweaty feet can often lead to foot odour and, for some, athlete’s foot.  There are some simple, yet obvious rules including keeping feet clean with an antibacterial soap, such as Dr Bronner’s Tea Tree Organic Soap Bar, ensuring that your feet are completely dry before wearing socks.
Tea Tree Organic Soap Bar by Dr Bronner’s £6.79

On the subject of socks, I am slightly deviating because Silversocks have been out of stock for the longest time, right through the winter months, but they have just come back into stock and while they keep feet warmer in winter, they also help keep feet cooler in the summer as the silver in Silversocks has thermodynamic properties, which regulates the temperature within shoes.  Additionally, the silver in Silversocks is anti-bacterial, helping to prevent infections and the X-Static Silver within the sock is permanent and irreversibly bonded, which means it will not wash off or diminish in effectiveness.  These socks are awesome, if socks can be awesome.
Silversocks (size 3-7) £12.50; Silversocks (size 6-11) £12.50

Two more solutions for sweaty feet, the first of which is Clinisept+ Podiatry, a spray which has been formulated with hypochlorous solution to cleanse and deodorise feet, providing exceptional microbial control without stinging or causing skin irritation. Endorsed by some of the UK’s leading podiatrists, it is an advanced formulation with antifungal and antimicrobial properties, calming skin and reducing the appearance of redness and inflammation, it is also recommended for those prone to athlete’s foot.  As so many of you know, the Clinisept+ products are exceptional, so in recognition of their excellence, I am throwing a 15% discount across each of their products.
VH Editorial: Athlete’s Foot Treatment; Clinisept+ Products (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 28 June)

The final solution and it would be somewhat remiss of me if I didn’t mention Margaret Dabbs, the queen of podiatry, as it were.  There is not a lot that Margaret doesn’t know about feet, so here we recommend her Pure Soothing Foot Powder, a silky powder which contains lemon myrtle, a powerful antibacterial and anti-fungal herb and tea tree oil, which prevents and treats infections.  Soothing Foot Powder should be applied liberally to dry feet, or alternatively you can shake the powder into shoes or trainers and it drops in price from £18 to £16 across the weekend.
Pure Soothing Foot Powder by Margaret Dabbs London £16 for 50 grams (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 28 June)

Let’s do some new products and we’ll begin with Neom’s Wellbeing Travel Edit, a curated set of three travel-ready products.  Super Shower Body Cleanser (50 ml) is infused with natural spearmint, rosemary and eucalyptus essential oils which delivers a refreshing boost to start the day.  Great Day Magnesium Body Butter (30 ml) is a rich, uplifting body butter blended with magnesium and shea butter to deeply nourish and soften skin, and the Calming Pen (12 ml) is an aromatherapy rollerball designed for instant moments of calm.  The Wellbeing Travel Edit launches at £30, but I’m going to drop that to £25 whilst stock lasts.
Wellbeing Travel Edit by Neom Wellbeing £25

Before I write a single word about the next product, which is Tan Organic’s Self Tan Mousse, I just want to say that I have not tested this product, and the reason I haven’t tested it is because I don’t like self-tan products, and actually I never have.  I can’t pretend to like something for the sake of writing glowing words, so no glowing words from me, but given that I think I am in the minority, I do believe that the Tan Organic products are best-in-class and their Self Tan Mousse is the world’s first eco-certified self-tan mousse. This ultra-hydrating mousse has been formulated for a flawless, buildable tan, blending effortlessly into skin for a streak-free finish.
Why Tan Organic Works by Louise O’Loughlin; Self-Tan Mousse by Tan Organic £34.95 for 120 ml

In his previous life, Shabir had a chain of pharmacies and although they no longer exist, he has fond memories of some of the brands he carried, one of which was the French botanical brand, Klorane.  In many ways Klorane could probably be described as a heritage brand, it was founded in 1966 by Pierre Fabre, a visionary pharmacist, and it was renowned for its ‘one plant, one statement’ philosophy.  We begin our curation with six products, including the bestselling Soothing Shampoo with Organic Peony and over time, we will add to this curation.
Klorane Products

Finally, I want to talk about the hot weather and Mrs White's Unstung Hero, because in the heat of the summer at home, I really recommend using Unstung Hero as a room spray.  A few sprizes around an open window or door, and mosquitoes think better about coming in at all.  But it's more than that, because if summer has a scent, I think I would choose Unstung Hero.  That's all.
Mrs White’s Unstung Hero Mosquito Repellent £20 for 250 ml (glass bottle); Mrs White’s Unstung Hero Mosquito Repellent £15 for 100 ml (aluminium bottle)

Right, into the Saturday only treat, and with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you Fulvic Shampoo (60 ml)* to partner with the Fulvic Conditioner we gifted last weekend.  It seems appropriate to gift this today having written about IoniCell and the power of ionic minerals, so with the product details linked below, we have almost come to the end of this Weekend Read.
Fulvic Shampoo

And as we do come to the end of another Weekend Read, I leave you with this song from The Beach Boys, basically because it was featured at the end of the film ‘Shampoo’, which seems relevant today.
Wouldn’t It Be Nice by The Beach Boys; The VH Playlist

Wishing each of you a restful weekend.

With love

Gill x