Last weekend I wrote that I have many stories to tell about the health and beauty industry, and in the fullness of time, those stories will be told.  There is an appropriate moment for all things in life and with guidance and support we are able to overcome our difficulties, whatever they may be, and we do that together.  And that’s the thing here, doing things together, which was much evidenced in so many of your emails last weekend, for which I thank you.  We serve each other and we feed each other with our innermost thoughts and feelings, which fundamentally dictates direction and purpose.  An overwhelming sense of purpose.

Purpose unites us, it always has, it always will.  Purpose creates meaning and although we come from all different walks of life, we use purpose to determine our decisions which can often be life changing.  We each have a purpose and that is something we must never forget because purpose is undoubtedly our strength, so let me just say this; nobody has the right to undermine our purpose, no matter what and let us never forget that any attempts to do so affect the natural balance of life, so an adjustment has to be made.  And that balance is called karma.  In which I trust.

Having said that, I totally respect that you may not always agree with my thoughts, but I have a responsibility to conform to purpose which, paradoxically, is not to conform to the tenets of others, namely the health and beauty industry.  And in and of itself, that is a celebration, a celebration of independence which I have always upheld together with recommending and creating the products that allow us to stand outside of the mass.  Our raison d'être.

So, let’s talk about the creation of products and of course I am referring here to the supplements Shabir has formulated, which are based upon ongoing research and clinicals.  Striving for excellence, we believe that each of these products are currently best-in-class and quite honestly there would be no point in formulating any of them if that was not the case.  Mediocrity really doesn’t sit well with me and if we are to lead by example, let these products be an example of a driven campaign for efficacy and determination of outcome, that outcome being our optimum health and wellbeing.

As so many of you know, we have released four new formulations this year, namely Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex, Magnesium Complex, Daily Multivitamins One-A-Day and Sleep Tight Plus.  We have tweaked a few other supplements, such as Superior Joints and Sage Complex, based upon evidenced research and clinicals, but we are not finished yet.  In the coming weeks, we will be launching two new formulations, both of which will, I believe, blow everything else out of the water in their given genres.  Both are in production so it’s only a matter of time before I can write about them, but it is far more than just writing about them.  Far, far more.

I absolutely know that both of these products will make a positive difference to your health and wellbeing given time.  What I also know is that we must always celebrate and recognise achievement and efficacy whenever, and wherever, we can.  So, let’s do that right now because in this moment, and ahead of all else, I am going to drop the price of each of our own supplements by 10% to celebrate, enable and share that difference.  They are not re-branded yet, but they will be as soon as it is possible.  Jumping through the hoops right now.  And there are many hoops.
The VH Supplements (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 30 July)

Co-Enzyme Q10.  Co-Enzyme Q10 is required by every single cell within our bodies.  One of the most important benefits of Co-Enzyme Q10 is its ability to enhance energy production, but it is also a very powerful antioxidant, which helps to neutralise free radicals.  Much is written about free radical damage, so by way of an explanation, free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are known to damage the tissues and possibly genetic material within the cells.  Co-Enzyme Q10 is often recommended for heart conditions, such as high blood pressure, because it helps protect the heart against free radical damage.

Co-Enzyme Q10 is an interesting nutrient in that there are many cited studies on its benefits, which include supporting the immune system and aiding weight loss by helping to improve metabolism.  Also of notable interest is that our lungs are very active organs and as such they require vast amounts of Co-Enzyme Q10 to function properly and indeed, users of Co-Enzyme Q10 supplementation often find that their breathing improves significantly.  Studies have also shown this nutrient helps support mental alertness, such studies showing a 56% increase in cellular energy production by the brain when supplementing with Co-Enzyme Q10.

As you would expect, Shabir has done the lowdown on Co-Enzyme Q10 and I will link his article below.  One more really important thing to say here is that Statins are very widely prescribed for lowering cholesterol and they work by reducing the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver.  Unfortunately, they also reduce the production of Co-Enzyme Q10, so please read Shabir’s words about this, whilst I take the price down of Super Ubiquinol Co-Enzyme Q10 with Enhanced Mitochondrial Support from £45 to £42.
VH Editorial: Choosing The Right Co-Enzyme Q10; Super Ubiquinol Co-Enzyme Q10 with Enhanced Mitochondrial Support by Life Extension £42 for 60 Softgels (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 30 July)

We have always believed that when writing about any health product or health concern, we need to offer insights and knowledge to enable us to understand the root cause of any given concern and any given product to help support that concern.  As such, many of our health product pages list articles to serve that purpose.  In some instances, several articles are listed which leads me to link another article, The Science Of Staying Younger, which also cites the benefits of Co-Enzyme Q10, together with the benefits of Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex and Magnesium Complex, which I have mentioned above.

The article also refers to Astaxanthin which is also a potent anti-inflammatory nutrient.  Shabir is a huge advocate of Astaxanthin, he always has been, so I will leave you to read his words about it, but I am dropping the price of Astaxanthin with Phospholipids from £14 to £12.  And with that done, let’s move on.
VH Editorial: The Science Of Staying Younger; Astaxanthin with Phospholipids by Life Extension £12 for 30 Softgels (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 30 July)

Earlier this year we launched a range of medicinal mushroom teas.  The brand was DIRTEA and although the use of medicinal mushrooms dates back thousands of years, there has been a resurgence of interest in mushrooms over the recent past due to their wide variety of benefits, which have been extensively researched by scientists.  That research is ongoing, but perhaps the most researched of all mushrooms is Lion’s Mane, which we were talking about more than twenty years ago.  What goes round, comes round.  Cyclically.

Be that as it may, in the here and now, Lion’s Mane remains the bestselling product in the DIRTEA range and I have news.  That news is that Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder, along with Reishi, Cordyceps and Chaga, is now available in a pouch, a rather big pouch.  Containing 240 grams (120 servings), the Lion’s Mane pouch has a value of £159.96, but the intro price is £119.99 if you buy it in this format, which makes sense if you use it daily, or regularly.  Anyway, the Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder Pouch is listed below, together with each of the other products in the range, all of which carry a price drop. 
VH Editorial: The Unique Benefits Of Medicinal Mushrooms; Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder Pouch by DIRTEA £119.99 for 240 grams (120 servings); All DIRTEA Products

Brand launches are never easy, I’ve often written that, and one of these days I will list all the brands that we have launched, some of which are amongst the biggest brands in the world. There is much history and I’m not going to do that now, but what I will do is talk to you about iS Clinical, and most specifically Sheald Recovery Balm, which is such an epic product.  It always has been because it was the first wound-healing product that could be used on open wounds, and in and of itself that made history.  So much history, that we had thousands of people on a wait list and I didn’t know what to do, so I wrote endless emails apologising.

Of course, all came good in the end, as these things do, and the product has gone from strength to strength with many surgeons endorsing its efficacy for wound healing after surgery, and I know that many of you will also endorse that.  To my mind there is still nothing that can touch Sheald Recovery Balm and its ability to help reduce scarring, open cuts, abrasions and aggravated skin.  So, another celebration, a Sheald Recovery Balm celebration where if you buy Sheald Recovery Balm (60 grams), we will automatically include Sheald Recovery Balm (15 grams) which is worth £35.  This is a limited edition offer and as such there is only one gift per customer.  Thank you.
VH Editorial: The Treatment Of Scars; Sheald Recovery Balm by iS Clinical £70 for 60 grams + Sheald Recovery Balm 15 grams Worth £35 Free (whilst stock lasts)

As one thing leads to another, Lara takes Sheald Recovery Balm with her wherever she goes, but that aside she has found another product she loves and it is a Sleep Mask, a Drowsy Sleep Mask.  And although I don’t use sleep masks, the Drowsy Silk Mask is a rather beautiful, padded silk eye pillow.  Drowsy say it is sexy, squishy and seriously silky and I might have to start wearing it at night because its double-padded wrap-around design gives total face coverage, which is incredibly appealing because it feels like I am wearing a duvet.  They actually say that on the box, but I will endorse it because it’s true. 

I have written about eye masks before, this isn’t a first, but it is the first time that I have literally fallen in love with such a thing.  I suppose most people wear an eye mask to block out the light, but it does so much more and it literally hugs your face without leaving horrid strap marks, which is not a good look.  So, once again I will offer you more words from the brand which are ‘welcome to the deep sleep club’ and I think it is one club that I may wish to join.  I invite you to do the same and in so doing I am dropping to a launch price of £58 from £69 across the weekend.
Silk Sleep Eye Mask – Midnight Blue by Drowsy £58; Silk Sleep Eye Mask – Damask Rose by Drowsy £58 (One Size) (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 30 July)

Several months ago, I wrote about a new product launch from Margaret Dabbs.  That product was Pure Overnight Hand Mask, a vegan-friendly hand treatment that will help reduce the visible signs of lines and wrinkles on our hands giving immediate relief to dry, dehydrated skin.  At that time, we were gifting Margaret’s Luxury Treatment Gloves which are the perfect companion for the hand mask and it all went a bit wild.  So, let’s do it again and whilst stocks last, when you buy Pure Overnight Hand Mask, we will automatically include the Luxury Treatment Gloves which are worth £10.  Once again, only one gift per customer.
Pure Overnight Hand Mask by Margaret Dabbs London £30 for 35 ml + Luxury Treatment Gloves Free Worth £10 (whilst stocks last)

Last weekend I wrote about a few products which were new in that I hadn’t written about them before, but not new as such, so let’s continue that today.  Weleda launched three new products several weeks ago and I totally forgot to write about them, so I’ll do it now.  Those three products are in the Skin Food range and the first is Skin Food Nourishing Cleansing Balm, which is an oil-based formula with nutrient-rich organic sunflower oil and botanical extracts of Viola tricolour, organic Calendula and Chamomile.  Gently cleansing while maintaining the skin’s moisture levels, this drops in price from £12.95 to £11.50.
Skin Food Nourishing Cleansing Balm by Weleda £11.50 for 75 ml

The second product is Skin Food Nourishing Day Cream, a nutrient-rich cream formulated to intensively nourish, hydrate and restore dry skin and the third product is Skin Food Nourishing Night Cream which is loaded with antioxidant-rich plant actives.  Those actives are blended with botanical extracts of Pansy, Calendula and Chamomile together with Squalane and Sacha Inchi oil.  And with that covered, both of these products drop in price from £14.95 to £13.50.  For the interim.  Actually, all three products drop in price for the interim.  Staying neat.
Skin Food Nourishing Day Cream by Weleda £13.50 for 40 ml; Skin Food Nourishing Night Cream by Weleda £13.50 for 40 ml

And let's stay neat with a reminder that this month’s Temple Spa offer will finish at midnight BST, Monday 31 July.  That offer is their Life Defence SPF 50 High Protection Moisturiser Twin Pack, which means that you can buy the Life Defence Twin Pack for £50, which is a saving of £34 as it has a product value of £84.  That was easy, even I could work that one out.
Life Defence SPF 50 High Protection Moisturiser Twin Pack by Temple Spa £50 (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 31 July)

Finally, on Wednesday Shabir did another 'live' with Trinny where they were talking about gut health amongst several other health concerns.  I have linked that discussion below, together with the products they were discussing, so you may wish to stay in bed a little longer to watch both of them talk openly, if only to look at Shabir's face at a certain moment.  Classic Trinny. 
Trinny & Shabir Live: Stuck In A Rut With Your Gut; Trinny & Shabir Live: Products

Into the Saturday only treat we go.  We did a mask last Saturday and I’ve written about two different masks today, the Silk Sleep Eye Mask by Drowsy and Pure Overnight Hand Mask by Margaret Dabbs, so let’s do another mask.  With every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Aurelia London’s Refine & Polish Exfoliation Mask (20 ml)*.  This mask has a double-action formula which can be used as an exfoliator or as a five-minute enzyme mask.  Full product details below.
Refine & Polish Exfoliation Mask by Aurelia London

As we come to the end of another Weekend Read, this song and these four words.  You Give Me Purpose.
Purpose by Justin Bieber; The VH Playlist

Wishing each of you a restful weekend.

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.