Hello, here we are, the first Weekend Read of the year and as I wish each and every one of you a happy and healthy 2026, I have a few things to share with you this weekend, but before we do that I just want to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing loyalty and support.  It is more than obvious that we couldn’t do what we do without your support, for which I am so grateful.

I don’t know what this year will bring, none of us do, but what I do know is that we will continue to share the things which really matter, the products that make such a profound difference to our health and wellbeing and the ongoing research and development which determines the efficacy of ground-breaking and pioneering solutions.  And that is where I am going to begin, because Shabir has tweaked one of the DoSe skincare formulations, one of his favourite formulations, Multi-Peptide Anti-Ageing Serum.

I am convinced that Shabir formulated Multi-Peptide Anti-Ageing Serum for his own skin, much in the same way as he formulated Vitamin C Eye Cream for his eyes.  He has a thing about his eyes, I don’t, but notwithstanding that, Multi-Peptide Anti-Ageing Serum is now enriched with Watercress Extract (Nasturtium Officinale), a patented nutrient-rich botanical ingredient which targets the behavioural and biological consequences of stress, so let’s take a look.

As a mirror of our emotions, the tension of facial muscles and the secretion of stress mediators in the skin are often responsible for the premature appearance of expression wrinkles and a dull complexion. Watercress Extract has been shown to have a relaxing action by acting on the neuro-muscular junction and the effectiveness of this action is reflected by a ‘botox-like’ effect.  In studies, the first expression lines of young skin were shown to be smoothed after five days of treatment, and in the same time span, the wrinkles of mature skin appeared blurred with an effect comparable to that obtained with a retouched photo, enabling a soft focus effect.

I am going to caveat those words by saying that we are each different and although I am reporting on clinical results, I am not going to tell you that your skin is going to change dramatically within five days, but what I will say is that this is an extraordinarily potent and important ingredient and that results will become visible over time.  In many ways Watercress Extract is a natural alternative to injectables, a considered choice, and given that choice, I have always chosen cutting-edge supplementation and skincare over and above invasive treatments, but that is a long-held choice.

Many years ago, and perhaps it is nearly thirty years ago, an aesthetician told me that some of the most beautiful women she treated were the women who allowed themselves to age gracefully.  It is something I have never forgotten and in many ways it underpins and supports the words I write and the products we endorse and recommend. 

Every so often, an ingredient comes along which supersedes all that has gone before in its genre and Watercress Extract is that ingredient and we believe it is as important as Ergothioneine, albeit they have their own separate and individual roles to play in supporting the health of our skin.  In all honesty, I don’t think I will ever stop using Ergothioneine, it is a generational superstar of an ingredient, but we believe Watercress Extract sits in that rare genre too, and so I use both, sometimes together, sometimes separately.  And so an invitation to join me.  And Shabir.
DoSe Multi-Peptide Anti-Ageing Serum (30 ml); DoSe Ergothioneine Serum (30 ml)

It would seem appropriate to write about new formulations and new products today, so I am going to continue with a new launch from Ross J. Barr, who as many of you know, is an acclaimed acupuncturist, so please allow me to introduce you to the Focus Patch.  But first, the story.  Born from years of treating a generation that is simultaneously tired and wired, Ross drew on his expertise in Eastern medicine to help restore balance in an increasingly distracting world.

The Focus Patch was designed to help his time-poor clients cut through mental noise, supporting the ability to concentrate on a single task, so these words from Ross: ‘I’m seeing more patients than ever struggling with their attention span and the ability to do just one thing.  They tell me they want to be able to read a book or watch a film, but struggle to fully give themselves over to it, even though they know it will make them feel better.’

I certainly concur with those thoughts, evidenced from the emails we receive, and here, like each of the other patches in the range, the Focus Patch is about the activation of an acupuncture point, supported by a blend of herbs that help achieve quite, sustained clarity.  The result is being able to remain present, focus on the task in hand and find greater peace.  Finding greater peace, although subjective, is widely regarded as a fundamental aspect of wellbeing and happiness.  And that matters.
Focus Patches (Ten Patches) by Ross J. Barr

One more new launch, it comes from Margaret Dabbs and it’s all rather exciting because her bestselling Nail Strengthening Treat is now available in three shades, each inspired by her heritage London clinics.  I remember launching the Nail Strengthening Treatment, and I remember it because we could barely keep the product on our shelves and we had several wait lists, which was not surprising because Nail Strengthening Treatment is an advanced formulation for brittle nails, designed to aid nail recovery, promote healthy growth and strengthen weak and peeling nails.

In any other circumstance, I would not be writing about cosmetic colour, I leave that to others, but this felt different and it is different because this is where colour meets a result driven, clinical-grade formulation, so the three shades.  The Liberty is a deep Bordeaux, sophisticated and versatile, inspired by the first Liberty London clinic; The Belgravia is a rich rouge, bold, timeless and perhaps the ultimate hero shade from their newest Belgravia clinic.  And finally, The Kings Road is milky white, modern, it is a wearable neutral reflecting their Chelsea clinic and is perfect for everyday elegance.   And impact.
The Liberty; The Belgravia; The Kings Road 

Some words.  I have deliberately kept this Weekend Read short because all I really wanted to do today is to introduce you to the products I have just written about and to share a sitewide discount of 15%* with you, so as such none of the above products have prices attached to them because they each carry that discount.  This offer reflects the importance of sharing, the importance of staying close and the importance of helping to support your health and wellbeing with the cutting-edge and pioneering products which make such a difference to so many of us.

But it is more than that, it also reflects the words I wrote on 6 December about the importance of supporting independent brands, the brands who can’t afford to participate in events such as Black Friday, essentially because they wouldn’t survive.  As this is a sitewide discount, it allows us to support independent brands together, a commitment which we have upheld through the years and a commitment which we shall continue to uphold through the coming weeks and months.
Shop The Site

A few logistics, this offer will end at midnight GMT, Sunday 4 January and there are a few instances where this discount is non-applicable, but those are noted on the individual product pages, but before I leave you, there is just one more thing and that is the TEMPLESPA offer for January.  It seems somewhat appropriate ‘In The Beginning’ is the January offer, and many of you are huge fans of this deep cleansing melt which is formulated with Mediterranean ingredients, including Olive, Calendula and Basil, so until midnight GMT, Saturday 31 January, In The Beginning drops in price from £35 to £25, which is a saving of £10.
In The Beginning by TEMPLESPA £25 for 75 grams

Finally, as we begin this New Year, I wish you the very best of everything for 2026 and just one song to share this weekend, and that song is Don’t Stop Believin’, the first track on Journey’s seventh album, Escape, which was released on 17 July 1981.  The credited songwriters are lead singer, Steve Perry, keyboard player Jonathan Cain and guitarist, Neal Schon.  The song carries a strong message of never giving up, which I think most of us can relate to.  A theme.
Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey; The VH Playlist 

With love 

Gill x