October, and following through from last weekend when I wrote about some of our bestselling products, we are going to continue that exploration today with a product that has retained its bestselling status since its launch.  The concept of a next-generation formulation for hair, skin and nails was, at that time, revolutionary in a sense because there was little innovation or advancement in a genre which had become rather dull, if not boring in its predictability of ingredients chosen to formulate supplementation for our hair, skin and nails.

I often write that we each have a choice but given that choice we choose to support those choices with the clinically evaluated compounds that, in turn, support any given health concern, and so Ionicell.  There is no doubt in my mind that Ionicell makes a difference, a rather profound difference to our hair, skin and nails, but then Ionicell has been formulated with Ioniplex^®, an extraordinarily powerful Fulvic ionic mineral containing up to 65 essential macro and trace minerals which has long-reaching beneficial effects, given time.

Ionicell is transformational, and in many ways this is where clinical evidence meets anecdotal evidence because in order for a product to retain its status as a bestselling product, it has to deliver on promise.  Although we are each different, most of us notice a difference in the strength and health of our nails before recognising the difference it makes to our skin and hair, often retrospectively.

So, as clinical evidence meets anecdotal evidence, I am linking the White Paper on Ioniplex^® below and I will also refer you to the reviews on the Ionicell product page, which are of course independently verified reviews.  Having taken Ionicell since launch, I completely understand, and concur, with so many of the reviews because I wouldn’t want to live without Ionicell and thankfully I don’t have to, so with an invitation to celebrate Ionicell as a transformational, innovative formulation, I am dropping the price from £24 to £21 across the weekend.
Ioniplex^® White Paper; DoSe Ionicell £21 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 5 October)

I think it is more than obvious that I don’t take every supplement I write about, but I do take Digestive Enzyme Complex, and I have taken digestive enzymes for several years, mostly because I am susceptible to bloating, but also because our levels of digestive enzymes decrease with age.  I believe that digestive enzymes are crucial for digestive health and with studies indicating that our natural digestive enzyme production starts to decline from the age of twenty, another factor to take into consideration is that hydrochloric acid production in the stomach also declines with age which, in turn, is crucial for activating the stomach’s digestive enzymes.

It is a given that the depletion of digestive enzymes can result in digestive concerns, such as bloating, constipation and gas, but a lack of digestive enzymes can also result in nutrition depletion, with several studies showing that digestive enzyme supplementation can significantly increase nutrient absorption.  Upholding our ethos of only ever recommending products which we believe to best-in-class in any given genre, Digestive Enzyme Complex stands out in the crowd and its main point of difference is that it contains three different types of proteases, which are protein digesting enzymes.

Protein-rich foods are the hardest to digest and if protein-rich foods are not broken down sufficiently, this can often lead to symptoms of heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion.  Digestive Enzyme Complex has been formulated with Protease 3.0, Protease 4.5 and Protease 6.0, which work effectively at different pH levels in the gut so they are active throughout the different stages of digestion.  As I drop the price of Digestive Enzyme Complex from £29 to £26, I am also linking two of Shabir’s articles below, both offering in-depth information about the role of digestive enzymes.
VH Editorial: Digestive Enzymes For Bloating, Gas Or Indigestion; Bad Breath And The Gut Health Connection; DoSe Digestive Enzyme Complex £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 5 October)

Following through, and on the subject of constipation, most of my friends suffer from constipation, it’s a thing and it becomes an even bigger thing when we are travelling.  Don’t ask me why, there is no scientific evidence to support this and it is usually attributable to many differing factors, including stress, but nevertheless I always recommend Digestive Enzyme Complex, not just for travelling, but as a must-take supplement full stop.  And in and of itself, rather succinctly, that has become a ‘What’s The Solution’ question and answer.

On from that, there are quite a few supplements which we recommend using just two or three times a year, and one of those supplements is Super Cleanse For Colon.  Super Cleanse For Colon helps stimulate colon cleansing and formulated with fourteen powerful cleansing and nutritive herbs, it has been created to ‘jump-start’ sluggish bowel movements. We consider colon cleansing to be important for optimal health, and Super Cleanse For Colon can of course be taken as an adjunct to Digestive Enzyme Complex, or as a stand-alone periodically, and it drops in price from £25 to £22, across the weekend.
Super Cleanse For Colon by Nature’s Secret £22 for 100 Tablets (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 5 October)

I have always believed that it’s important to talk about the health concerns which are tremendously common, yet somewhat embarrassing in nature, so we are now going to talk about bladder control issues because it has widespread ramifications, yet statistics show that less than 50% of women and 25% of men who suffer from an overactive bladder ever seek medical help.  Further to this, two large studies indicate that one in six adults report some signs of an overactive bladder, with one in three having episodes of urge incontinence.

Most people associate this concern as part of the ageing process, but that is not always the case, however three separate studies on ageing women demonstrated the effectiveness of water soluble pumpkin seed extract to help alleviate urinary incontinence.  Pumpkin seeds have an interesting history and as early as 1578, a European herbal encyclopaedia mentions the use of pumpkin seeds to treat urinary problems and in Germany, pumpkin seed extract is officially approved for the treatment of irritable bladder.

However, and as I often write, not all supplements are created equally and most formulations tend to use pumpkin seed oil, yet ongoing studies show that it is the water soluble fraction of pumpkin seeds which deliver impressive results.  Interestingly, water soluble pumpkin seeds exert a tissue building effect on the pelvic floor muscles through several mechanisms, and as Shabir takes a look at some of these mechanisms in his article linked below and with a note to say that results from human studies show that maximum benefits occur after six to eight weeks of continual use, I am dropping the price of Water-Soluble Pumpkin Seed Extract from £20 to £17.
VH Editorial: Treating An Overactive Bladder; Water-Soluble Pumpkin Seed Extract by Life Extension £17 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 5 October)

Skin Health

I have news, well quite big news actually because Ameliorate, the UK’s first dermatological skincare brand clinically proven to help treat rough, dry, bumpy skin, has a brand new look, so we are going to take a look at that new look.  Born in search of a solution for Keratosis Pilaris, this is a slightly emotional moment for me because we launched Ameliorate for and on behalf of Annette Luck in 2012, who suffered from Keratosis Pilaris, and Shabir wrote the first-ever article about Ameliorate and Keratosis Pilaris, linked below, which had widespread acknowledgement and recognition at that time.  That was another era.

Since that time, Ameliorate has achieved global recognition and although Ameliorate was sold in 2018, the brand continues to deliver result-led products, including the award-winning Transforming Body Lotion, the first product to launch, which remains Ameliorate’s hero product.  Formerly known as Skin Smoothing Body Lotion (a touch of nostalgia here), Transforming Body Lotion is powered by the unique LaH6 Skin Hydration Complex, a blend of lactic acid and five hydrating ingredients that exfoliates, moisturises and protects skin.

Taking a ‘less is more’ approach and streamlining the range from 84 (how did that ever happen) to 28 carefully selected products, the Ameliorate products are now organised into three easily identifiable colour-coded categories, Transforming, Clarifying and Soothing.  And of course there are some new products, including Clarifying Body Lotion, Illuminating Glow Transforming Body Lotion and Transforming Body Wash, so as I invite you to explore each of the Ameliorate products, we are offering a 10% discount on each of the Ameliorate products and we will also automatically include Ameliorate’s Exfoliating Body Mitt, which is worth £10, with every order placed for £15 and above, whilst stock lasts.  Only one gift per customer.
VH Editorial: Treatment Of Keratosis Pilaris – Chicken Skin; Ameliorate Products (offer ends at 4 pm, Friday 10 October)

As so many of you know, I have always taken a ‘less is more’ approach to skincare and when we launched DoSe, I stated that we would keep our curation of products extraordinarily tight with each formulation carefully created to offer the very best in active skincare ingredients.  With a strong focus on potent and clinically evaluated ingredients, it remains critical that we uphold brand philosophy and ingredient integrity to support the health of our skin, and after writing about our three bestselling skincare products last weekend, we are going to take a look at two more products from the range, the first of which is Super Bakuchiol Serum.

Bakuchiol has been hailed in recent years as a natural retinol alternative essentially because it is plant-derived, from the seeds of the Psoralea Corylifolia plant, and as such it is non-irritating and effective in its role as an anti-ageing skincare ingredient with numerous benefits.  Providing antioxidant protection, Sytenol^® A, a patented Bakuchiol Oil, has been the subject of various clinical studies.  Representing the ‘gold standard’ in Bakuchiol formulations it has been shown to increase cell turnover, without the dryness or increased sun sensitivity associated with retinol use and Super Bakuchiol Serum has been formulated using Sytenol^® A.

The point of difference, and there is always a point of difference, is that most Bakuchiol products use generic Bakuchiol, yet the clinical evidence on Sytenol^® A is cited as an absolute, despite the fact that generic Bakuchiol lacks scientific backing and often contains irritating impurities.  I think I want to leave it there, so just to say that Super Bakuchiol Serum drops from £18 to £15 across the weekend and because I am on a roll, I am also dropping the price of Hyaluronic Acid Serum from £15 to £12 as we complete this section of the Weekend Read.
VH Editorial: Bakuchiol: A Natural Alternative To Retinol; DoSe Super Bakuchiol Serum £15 for 30 ml; DoSe Hyaluronic Acid Serum £12 for 30 ml (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 5 October)

Repose

Each October we join together with TEMPLESPA with the Repose campaign, an annual campaign of purpose, where the chosen product, Repose, becomes a purchase with purpose. We are both brands who believe in empowering people to live their lives to full potential, we have wellness in our hearts and each year money is raised for a charity which we believe shares our values and needs our support. For over forty years, Alzheimer’s Society has been a powerful force for change, improving the lives of people living with dementia and their loved ones, so once again Alzheimer’s Society is this year’s chosen charity.

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer and one in three people born today will develop the condition in their lifetime and the Alzheimer’s Society state that it is a crisis which cannot be ignored. Tragically, many remain undiagnosed and do not receive the support or care they need and deserve, but there is hope. Last year the Repose campaign donated £135k to the Alzheimer’s Society, but achieving this can only done through a huge collective effort, and crucially the Alzheimer’s Society have been at the forefront of science and research, backing the world’s greatest minds and funding life-changing breakthroughs.

Turning to the product, Repose Relaxing Night Cream is a beautiful cream with a fragrant blend of Valerian, Chamomile, Frankincense, Lavender, Patchouli, Geranium and Clary Sage, all of which are renowned to help calm and relax our senses when we need to rest. This year, the packaging of Repose reflects the Forget Me Not appeal launched by the Alzheimer’s Society in June, and with every purchase of Repose (50 ml), we will send you another jar of Repose (50 ml), which is absolutely free and has a value of £48. For every Repose duo sold, a donation of £6 will be given to the Alzheimer’s Society, so together we are raising funds, raising support and raising hope.
Repose Duo by TEMPLESPA £48 (valid for the month of October)

Seasonal Gifts

This weekend we are taking a look at stocking fillers beginning with ‘The Stocking Filler’ from Weleda where the iconic Skin Food Original (10 ml) is paired with Skin Food Lip Balm. The Stocking Filler is £10 and TEMPLESPA’s Spa Mini Break, which includes four wonderful product is £12; This Works Sleep Club is £15 and finally the Pure Nail Strengthening Treatment Christmas Tree Bauble Marylebone, from Margaret Dabbs. And into the Saturday only treat we go.
Seasonal Gifts; The Stocking Filler by Weleda £10; Spa Mini Break by TEMPLESPA £12; Sleep Club by This Works £15; Pure Nail Strengthening Treatment Christmas Tree Bauble Marylebone £16

And here is the Saturday only treat, so with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Fulvic Shampoo (60 ml)*, essentially because I opened the Weekend Read talking about the efficacy of Ioniplex^®, so we close on the same note. Fulvic Shampoo is loaded with Ioniplex^®, and with the product details linked below, we head into the final section of this newsletter, Going Back.
Fulvic Shampoo

Going Back

We are taking a look at the early 70s this weekend where the rise of the singer-songwriter era saw a significant shift in music demonstrated by introspective, autobiographical music with a focus on personal expression.  On 1 February 1970, James Taylor’s ‘Sweet Baby James’ was released, an album produced by Peter Asher (Peter & Gordon) who also produced and managed the musical career of Linda Ronstadt.  ‘Sweet Baby James’ was the first single to be released from the album, the second being ‘Fire and Rain’, written about a childhood friend, Suzanne Schnerr, who died by suicide, as well as referencing Taylor’s struggle to overcome drug addiction and depression.
Sweet Baby James by James Taylor; Fire and Rain by James Taylor

The American singer-songwriter, Melanie released ‘Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma’ in 1970, which was also covered by The New Seekers, one of three songs Melanie wrote for them, the other two being ‘Beautiful People’ and ‘The Nickel Song’.  Melanie was one of three solo female artists who performed at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, alongside Joan Baez and Janis Joplin.  Her most successful songs include ‘Brand New Key’ and ‘Lay Down’, inspired by her performance at Woodstock where the audience lit candles during her set, yet her cover of ‘Ruby Tuesday’ is often considered to be one of her most famous recordings.
Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma by Melanie; Ruby Tuesday by Melanie

Tapestry, the second studio album by Carole King, was released on 10 February 1971.  A ground-breaking album, it stayed on the American album charts for over six years, selling over 24 million copies worldwide, and it was the largest-selling album ever, until 29 March 1980 when Dark Side Of The Moon marked its 303^rd week on the album charts.  Tapestry won two Grammys in 1971 for Album of the Year and Best Vocal Performance, and the album included ‘You’ve Got A Friend’, also covered by James Taylor, and ‘So Far Away’.
Tapestry by Carole King; So Far Away by Carole King (with James Taylor)

Finally, I am more than tempted to do a deep-dive into the singer-songwriter genre, but perhaps it’s best if I continue this next weekend, essentially because there are so many amazing artists deserving of recognition, yet I can’t end this section without writing about Carly Simon.  Her third album, ‘No Secrets’ was released on 28 November 1972 and is often cited as a landmark of the singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s.  The album included the tracks ‘You’re So Vain’ and ‘The Right Thing To Do’ and featured appearances from her-then husband, James Taylor, and Mick Jagger, who provided the uncredited backing vocals on ‘You’re So Vain’.
The VH Playlist; You’re So Vain by Carly Simon; The Right Thing To Do by Carly Simon

With amazing music in our souls and much love in our hearts, I wish each of you a wonderful weekend.

Gill x