Hello on another Saturday morning and somehow we are at the end of May, and as we roll into June, the first five months of this year have been interesting, not least because we have launched three new DoSe formulations, one supplement, Collagen Tripeptide Complex and two skincare products, AHA/BHA Daily Toner and of course Triple Vitamin C 23% + Ferulic Acid which we launched last weekend.

I think it is a given that we only ever formulate new products if we believe them to be best-in-class, so I want to thank you for your amazing response last weekend when we launched Triple Vitamin C because keeping a tight curation of products is extraordinarily important to us.  Across the years, we have never changed our stance on this positioning, because aside from our own products, we will only ever list the brands and products which we believe really do make a difference, offering guidance and support through the minefield of products available.  It’s our raison d'être.

But back to it, and further to my words last weekend, I honestly believe that Triple Vitamin C will, in time, be recognised as an extraordinarily important launch, because it really is an extraordinary formulation, and I can write that because I didn’t formulate it, Shabir did.  Of course, I am still biased, but given that I said last weekend that I wrote similar words about Ergothioneine Serum, I stand by those words and I stand by these words, and that’s all I really want to say other than Triple Vitamin C and Ergothioneine can be used together, with Triple Vitamin C coming first, followed by Ergothioneine Serum, which drops in price from £26 to £23 across this weekend.
VH Editorial: Ergothioneine Serum And Its Benefits For Skin; DoSe Triple Vitamin C 23% + Ferulic Acid £20 for 30 ml; DoSe Ergothioneine Serum £23 for 30 ml (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 1 June)

I want to stay with vitamin C for the moment because the launch of Triple Vitamin C completes the trilogy of vitamin C skincare products and given that we have a choice, that choice is also dependent upon skin type.  It has long been established that those of us with sensitive skin can often react to the most active forms of vitamin C, and in fact I have been writing about this for several years addressing this issue with C-Deep Vitamin C Serum, which is formulated with Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, a highly stable vitamin C derivative, which suits all skin types, caveated by saying that we have always recognised that not every serum will be suitable for everybody.  
VH Editorial: Is Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate The Best Vitamin C Serum?

The third skincare product is Vitamin C Eye Cream which has been formulated with seven advanced active ingredients including Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Ergothioneine for optimal efficacy and it features a precise cooling tip which is totally brilliant for helping to soothe tired eyes.  There are two camps on eye products, Shabir is in the must-use camp and I’m quite ambivalent, but nevertheless I am rather taken with the cooling tip because it really does make a difference and with the summer months almost upon us, it serves a purpose in that it really helps to take down the puff in the heat.  One for the suitcase.

So, the vitamin C wrap.  C-Deep Vitamin C Serum drops in price from £22 to £19, Vitamin C Eye Cream also drops in price, from £29 to £25 and I am also dropping the price of Liposomal Vitamin C, which supports the topical products, from £35 to £30.  The role of vitamin C in skin health has been the subject of much research since its discovery in the 1930s and as such the supplementation of vitamin C is considered to be important for skin health, helping to maintain the levels of vitamin C in the epidermis, the outer layer of skin, where a vitamin C deficiency is often indicated by the fragility of skin, the largest organ of our body.
VH Editorial: The Benefits Of Vitamin C For Skin; DoSe C-Deep Vitamin C Serum £19 for 30 ml; DoSe Vitamin C Eye Cream £25 for 15 ml; DoSe Liposomal Vitamin C £30 for 240 ml (48 days’ supply) (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 1 June)

Reverting to my opening paragraph, I mentioned AHA/BHA Daily Toner and Collagen Tripeptide Complex, so taking AHA/BHA Daily Toner first, I just want to say a few things about the recent launch of this product.  There is no doubt that this is an excellent formulation if you like acids, I just don’t like acids and that’s precisely what I wrote when we launched the product and I know it raised several eyebrows, but straight talking has always been so incredibly important to me.  Notwithstanding that, Shabir loves an acid, and actually Lara does too, so the price of AHA/BHA Daily Toner drops from £20 to £17 as I move on, and I’m moving onto Collagen Tripeptide Complex.
DoSe AHA/BHA Daily Toner £17 for 100 ml (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 1 June)

And I’m back in my comfort zone as I maintain my stance of writing about Collagen Tripeptide Complex every week, well nearly every week, and I do so with purpose because I refuse to accept the ongoing status quo where the clinical evidence on collagen tripeptides is ignored, basically because I refuse to pay some vast sum of money for editorial coverage.  Given that most feature articles are now placed through commercial channels, I won’t be holding my breath waiting for somebody to actually write the truth about collagen supplementation, basically because if I held my breath that long, I would be dead.

Except I’m not dead, obviously, and because standing in the truth about collagen has now become a mission, in a long line of missions, I am linking three articles about collagen tripeptides below referencing the clinical evaluation which determines that collagen tripeptides out-perform collagen peptides, the industry norm.  And because taking the correct form of Hyaluronic Acid is a long-standing mission, spanning three decades, when you buy Collagen Tripeptide Complex we will automatically include Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (15 capsules) which is worth £17.50.  Note: I don’t have another three decades left in me, so may the truth be our legacy. 
VH Editorials: Does Your Collagen Contain Collagen Tripeptides; Is Collagen Vital For Bone Health; Collagen For Scars; DoSe Collagen Tripeptide Complex £45 for 90 Capsules + Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (15 capsules) Free (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 1 June)

Right, let’s talk about sugar, and I want to start this conversation by taking a look at sugar cravings.  Sugar is addictive and to some extent we are psychologically and biologically wired for sugar cravings, not least because sugar activates a part of the brain’s reward system releasing feel-good chemicals, such as serotonin and endorphins, which leave us wanting more sugar.  Some studies have indicated that stress is one of the factors for sugar cravings because stress results in the production of stress hormones which can cause the pancreas to release more insulin.

This extra insulin burns sugar for energy causing a depletion of sugar in the blood, which also results in the body wanting more sugar, which is perfectly normal, but a constant craving can lead to various health concerns such as weight gain, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.  Sugar cravings can be addressed with supplementation in order to maintain healthy sugar levels in the bloodstream, which not only help to control sugar cravings, but also help to lower sugar levels in the bloodstream because high levels of sugar are prone to damage the proteins in skin, such as the collagen network.

Berberine, often found as Berberine HCI, is a bioactive compound found in plants such as Barberry, Oregon grape and Goldenseal and this natural compound has been the subject of several studies outlining its potential to slightly lower glucose levels, comparable to certain medications.  With clinical evaluation determined, we recommend KetoLiving Sugar Control which also contains Chromium, Garcinia and Gymnema, working synergistically to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Helping to curb sugar cravings and enhancing metabolic activity to help weight management, KetoLiving Sugar Control drops in price from £31.95 to £28 across the weekend.
VH Editorial: How To Stop Sugar Cravings; KetoLiving Sugar Control £28 for 90 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 1 June)

The second part of this conversation relates to sugar detoxification and the question here is whether cutting sugar out of our diet really can change our health and a report in the British Medical Journal’s (BMJ) Open Heart, published in partnership with the British Cardiovascular Society, ran an editorial that hit sugar hard.  I am linking an article below from Benjamin Brown ND, a lecturer at BCNH College of Nutrition and Health and Technical Director at Viridian Nutrition, where he recommends Viridian Nutrition’s 7 Day Sugar Detox as the perfect starting point for those looking to cut back on their sugar consumption which he considers a major health priority.  We agree.
Can You ‘Detox’ Sugar by Benjamin Brown ND; 7 Day Sugar Detox by Viridian Nutrition £8.50 for 14 Capsules

Staying on subject, Shabir has written a dedicated article about sugar substitutes where he specifically references Palmyra Sugar, also known as Palmyra Jaggery or Palm Sugar.  Palmyra Tree Blossom Sugar is nutrient dense and is a great source of B vitamins and an 8 gram serving of Palmyra Blossom Sugar provides 90% of the of the recommended daily amount of vitamins B3 and B6, 68% of vitamin B2 and 51% of vitamin B12. In comparison to sugar, which has a Glycemic Index of 100, Palmyra Blossom Sugar has a Glycemic Index of 35, which is a rating for foods containing carbohydrates to show how quickly food affects your sugar levels after ingestion.

Sugar substitutes are becoming increasingly popular, most specifically for baking and you can use it as a direct substitute for recipes which include sugar, often using up to half the amount suggested, which is a healthier option.  SugarVida’s Organic Palmyra Tree Blossom Sugar has a deep, warm caramel flavour which is ethically and sustainably produced without cutting down any trees. Palm Sugar has been revered for centuries in Ayurvedic Medicine for its health benefits, so we end this section of the newsletter by offering a 20% discount on SugarVida’s Organic Palmyra Tree Blossom Sugar, which I will extend until midnight BST, Friday 6 June.
VH Editorial: Are Sugar Substitutes Healthy; Organic Palmyra Tree Blossom Sugar by SugarVida

One more health concern, and because there is a connection between bad breath and gut health, we are going to take a look at this common concern.  Bad breath is normally associated with gum disease, tooth decay, low saliva levels, as well as smoking and drinking, yet bad breath may indicate poor gut health and interestingly Hippocrates, a Greek physician, discovered a connection between breath odour and liver failure and although very basic in approach, it established that exhaled breath contains compounds from deep within the body and that any change in exhaled breath may alert us of a disease in the body.

There are several reasons why bad breath can indicate poor gut health and whilst it is perfectly normal to have some hydrogen sulphide in exhaled breath, sulphur is a gas which has a distinct odour and some bacteria in the gut breaks down sulphur compounds, releasing elevated levels of hydrogen sulphide.  If you believe that bad breath is linked to gut health, it might be appropriate to see a gastroenterologist to treat this disorder, but there are some supplements that offer effective treatment for halitosis, and one of those supplements is Digestive Enzyme Complex.

I have always recognised the importance of taking digestive enzymes and have taken them for the longest time, mostly because I am prone to bloating and we need digestive enzymes to break down food efficiently which would otherwise stagnate in the gut which so often leads to constipation, bloating and the build-up of gas and, on subject, bad breath. 

The other thing to say here is that many inflammatory bowel diseases improve considerably by supplementing with digestive enzymes since they also display anti-inflammatory benefits.  It is a given that our levels of digestive enzymes decline with age, but most specifically it is critically important to take protein digesting enzymes and Digestive Enzyme Complex contains three types of proteases, which are protein digesting enzymes.  Working effectively at different pH in the gut ensures that these enzymes are active throughout the digestive tract during different stages of digestion, so with that explained Digestive Enzyme Complex drops in price from £29 to £26.
VH Editorials: Bad Breath & The Gut Health Connection; Digestive Enzymes For Bloating, Gas Or Indigestion; DoSe Digestive Enzyme Complex £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 1 June)

Moving on, I would just like to congratulate Olverum on receiving a Royal Warrant recently, a prestigious honour recognising the brand’s longstanding commitment to quality and care.  The Olverum story began in 1931 where pharmacologist Edith Klein and her husband, Franz Otto, sought to recreate the world’s finest therapeutic oil, inspired by their spa experiences in Baden-Baden, developing a unique formulation of essential oils, naming it Olverum from the Latin oleum verum, meaning ‘true oil’.

The result was a magnificent blend of ten essential oils, including Fir Needle, Eucalyptus, Juniper Berry, Lavender and Rosemary, and this unique formula has remained largely unchanged for over nine decades and although its ownership changed in 2014, each of the Olverum products reflect the same uncompromising values.  In celebration of Olverum, if you buy any of the Olverum products, we will automatically include their Dry Body Oil (10 ml), which is absolutely sublime.  This is a limited edition offer and if it fails to go into your basket, that will mean that the offer is over and there is only one gift per customer in order to be equitable.
Olverum Products

Time for some new products, actually two new products to tell you about from Hope’s Relief, Derma-Wash and Derma-Soap.  Hope’s Relief is a brand which has been specifically formulated to address eczema-prone skin as well as supporting other compromised skin concerns such as psoriasis.  Both of these new products have been formulated with ceramides and oats which help to strengthen the skin’s defence, preventing further damage and with full details on the products pages, we are offering a 20% discount across each of the Hope’s Relief products which I will extend until midnight BST, Friday 6 June.
Derma-Wash by Hope’s Relief; Derma-Soap by Hope’s Relief; All Hope’s Relief Products

The next new product is from This Works and it is their In Transit Bronzing Serum, which are glow-boosting bronzing drops with natural caramel formulated to provide warmth, enhancing skin luminosity, in other words, sunshine in a bottle.  And this is where dosing serums happens all over again, because for a natural looking tan just mix a few drops into your moisturiser, or alternatively you can apply this serum directly to your skin.  In Transit Bronzing Serum is £38, but I’m dropping the price to £35 across the weekend.  Voila.
In Transit Bronzing Serum by This Works £35 for 30 ml

Finally, a reminder that the Dirtea, Better You and TEMPLESPA offers end tonight at midnight BST, so to recap we are offering a 20% discount across the Dirtea products, a 25% discount across the Better You products and each of TEMPLESPA’s skin therapy serums drop from £50 to £40.  Those serums are Let’s Concentrate Skin Brightening Serum, Clear To Me Clarifying Serum, Be Firm Skin Lifting Serum and Be Strong Skin Strengthening Serum.
Better You Products; Dirtea Products; Let’s Concentrate Skin Brightening Serum £40 for 30 ml; Clear To Me Clarifying Serum £40 for 30 ml; Be Firm Skin Lifting Serum £40 for 30 ml; Be Strong Skin Strengthening Serum £40 for 30 ml

And into the Saturday only treat we go, so with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include a single Spacemask (original)* with your order.  Having written about the magnificence of Olverum’s Bath Oil, it seems rather fitting to gift a Spacemask to soothe and relax your eyes as you languish in a long, therapeutic bath, or alternatively you can wear the mask to help you drift off to sleep when you get into bed.  Love Spacemasks, always have, so the product link is below for further information.
Spacemasks

Some words.  More words.  We each have a legacy, defined by purpose and being, so I just want to take this moment to talk about Chef’s Table, the Emmy-nominated documentary series on Netflix.  With seven separate series, each of the 56 episodes documents the stories of some of the most renowned chefs in the world, which are deeply personal and searingly honest.  It is an exploration of overcoming adversity, and it’s not just about the food, it’s about how each individual is driven by the purpose and interpretation of their being.

These are the stories which are inspirational, some of which will stay with you for the longest time because not only are they profoundly emotional, they allow an acceptance of the truth, an individual truth, disregarding the status quo.  And that sings to me, it really does, because disregarding the status quo is our story too, actually it’s each of our stories because we dance on this platform together, and the words of this song are far-reaching and evocative of legacy.
Run by Leona Lewis; The VH Playlist

No more words, just thank you for allowing the dance.

With love

Gill x