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And it’s February, with all that it brings.  For me it brings a continued determination to stay as close as we are in order that we may overcome, as best we can, the ongoing fallout from the recent past.  Life has changed in so many different ways, yet through it all our core values are strengthened by an overwhelming need to make a stand for all that we believe in, across all aspects of life.  As ever, there has to be a balance and however optimistic I am, and I am, we have to continue addressing the issues that are of great relevance to the many of us who continue to struggle in a divisive and difficult world.

Our emotions are so often on the line, which tends to deplete our very being.  By applying common sense and logic onto any given situation, scars do not heal overnight and the recovery period must be treated with the respect and compassion that is required, if we are to mend.  To a large extent, such is our sensitivity, we are often triggered by the words and actions of others, which can send us reeling.  As so many of you know, campaigning is in my blood and just because I don’t write about it every week, please know that I have not, and will not, give up on my fight to address the issues of personal and corporate bullying.  I will not rest until the scales of justice have been balanced.

I think it is also worth saying here that my chosen campaigns are so often driven from experience.  In any campaign, there are those who are affected and those who are not, and that is certainly the case with my words about allergies and ingredients used in skincare.  I have always felt tremendously strongly about this and the launch of Oodee Allergen Neutral Skincare has opened up a serious conversation that needs to be had about the use of certain ingredients in skincare.  So I say this transparently to brands, please drop the words ‘suitable for sensitive skin’ from your marketing campaigns if said products are loaded with known fragrance allergens.  Because I believe it is misleading, and from the feedback I have received, so do many others.

And because Oodee is the first skincare brand in the world to call out food allergies, a personal story.  I am allergic to Kiwi Fruit, I’ve written that before, but several years ago I was in LA and I was having a facial.  The aesthetician knew about my fragrance allergies, but I hadn’t told her about my Kiwi allergy.  The rest is history.  She massaged a cream containing Kiwi into my skin and within an hour I was stretchered into Cedars Sinai with such a severe reaction, I could barely breathe. I did a four day stint there as they struggled to control and contain that reaction. 

At least I wore big sunglasses for my arrival at said hospital, because the paparazzi are always in attendance in case a major celebrity is admitted, LA being as it is.  I did a feeble little wave as I was wheeled in, but nobody took any notice.  Which I thought was rather tragic at the time.  Seriously, it was my fault for not highlighting this to her, but it was such a horrid experience, I will do all I can to focus on the concerns so many of us have with skincare.  And just to end this story, there is a supplement called KiwiZyme, which is a natural fibre to aid constipation.  Shabir rather likes this supplement, but please don’t ask me to test it for you.  I want to live.
3-Step Phenomenal Skin Edit by Oodee £105 (Halo Foaming Cleanser, Aurora Perfecting Serum; Nova Illuminating Moisturiser); Halo Foaming Cleanser £24 for 150 ml; Aurora Perfecting Serum £65 for 50 ml; Nova Illuminating Moisturiser £55 for 50 ml; KiwiZyme by Viridian Nutrition £22.70 for 30 Capsules

This does of course lead me onto our own skincare products because Shabir knows that his life wouldn’t be worth living if he added essential oils to any of our formulations.  That goes across the Garden of Wisdom products, and of course the Fulvic collection, so continuing with my Fulvic campaign, as promised, we have now reached Fulvic Face Cream, which Shabir specifically formulated for me, and for me to share with you.  As you would expect from Shabir, he loaded it with some really powerful ingredients, but of course the star ingredient is Ioniplex, the patented Fulvic ionic (and iconic) mineral complex, present in all our Fulvic formulations.

I have written so much about the properties of Fulvic over the years, but I think I would like to say here again that Fulvic has tremendous healing powers when used topically.  It is wound healing, it promotes healthy cell regeneration and is recommended for compromised skin conditions, such as acne and rosacea.  Calming the skin whenever needed, it plays an essential role in my skincare wardrobe, and has done since inception.  So onwards with the Fulvic mission as I hereby announce that with every Fulvic Face Cream purchased, we will automatically include the 240 ml size of Fulvic Acid Elixir, which is worth £15.  Skin health.  Body health.  Life health.
Fulvic Face Cream £30 for 60 ml including Fulvic Acid Elixir 240 ml (Offer ends midnight GMT, Sunday 6 February, or whilst stock lasts)

If I may, I would now like to throw the focus on depletion, as referred to in my opening paragraphs.  I am talking here about the depletion of energy, which is a constant, and ongoing, concern for so many of us.  And although I have referred you to Shabir’s article on enhancing energy several times, I would like to do it again because there is a difference between the terms tired, fatigue and exhaustion and I believe we need to understand that difference. 

It also gives me an opportunity to drop the prices of the three supplements mentioned in his article, so Sibergin drops from £16.99 to £14, Alive Once Daily Multivitamin Ultra Potency drops from £29 to £24 and Neubria Krill Oil drops from £29.99 to £25.  Alive Once Daily is Shabir’s favourite multivitamin, unless he has changed his mind as I’m writing this, but I don’t think he has.  And with that said, we move on.
VH Editorial: Enhancing Energy; Sibergin by HealthAid £14 for 30 Capsules; Alive Once Daily Multivitamin Ultra Potency £24 for 60 Tablets; Neubria Krill Oil £25 for 60 Capsules (Offers end midnight GMT, Sunday 6 February, or whilst stock lasts)

A couple of weeks ago, I told you that Trinny & Shabir were going to do a live session where they would be talking in-depth about collagen supplementation.  In case you missed it, I am linking the video below and it is relatively short in comparison to some of their other live sessions.  It is fifteen minutes in length and if you are reading this in bed, as so many of you do, perhaps you may wish to stay there a little longer.  If you can. 

I know I have said this many times before, but the Trinny & Shabir lives are not commercially led initiatives, they never have been and they never will be.  It is absolutely essential that we retain our independence, in every sense of the word, which from our side is always based on extensive research.  And from Trinny’s side it comes with her ongoing thirst for knowledge, which in turn has helped so many understand the importance of supplementation, most especially when the manufacturing of naturally-occurring compounds in our body, such as collagen and hyaluronic acid, deplete as we age.  As ever, we face the facts of life.  Thank you Trinny.
Trinny & Shabir Live: Supplements That Benefit Skin; Ultimate Collagen+ by Ingenious Beauty £60 for 90 Capsules; Ultimate Collagen+ 30 Day Pouch by Ingenious Beauty £55; Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength £35 for 30 Capsules

It has been rather a long time since I have written about PMS, so let’s bring it to the fore and we’ll do so by way of another article from Shabir where he takes a look at the symptoms of PMS, together with a natural remedy.  Premenstrual Syndrome is a concern that occurs in some women before the onset of the menstrual cycle.  It can range from between two to fourteen days and is indicated by a series of physical, emotional and psychological symptoms, which vary in intensity.

There are of course many supplements available to help with the symptoms of PMS, but Shabir particularly likes Viridian’s Magnesium, B6 & Saffron, which helps counter some of the most common symptoms of PMS.  And here’s another thing, if you read Shabir’s in-depth about this supplement, you may well think that its attributes are suitable for so many of us, irrespective of whether or not we have PMS. Those days are long gone for many of us, but actually, it can significantly help with stress, anxiety and mood swings. So with a round of applause for another exceptional product from Viridian, I am dropping the price of Magnesium, B6 & Saffron from £25.25 to £22.
VH Editorial: Symptoms Of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS);  Magnesium, B6 & Saffron by Viridian Nutrition £22 for 60 Vegetarian Capsules (Offer ends midnight GMT, Sunday 6 February)

At the end of the above-mentioned article, Shabir made a comment about trying to cut out excessive refined sugar.  So although I don’t like depravation in any way, shape or form, I think it could be sensible to undertake a short seven day sugar detox every so often.  Viridian’s Seven Day Sugar Detox Kit contains their Chromium & Cinnamon Complex and a step-by-step guide, which is useful for supporting endeavours in this regard.  And let’s stay real, there are those who take these things to the limit, I don’t, but all I’m saying here is that an awareness about our refined sugar intake is up for consideration.  That’s all.
The Seven Day Sugar Detox Plan by Viridian Nutrition £7.50

I have a new product launch to tell you about.  And it’s another product from YourZooki, so please allow me to introduce you to Hair Zooki, which has been specifically formulated to deliver hair nutrients directly into your system.  Those nutrients include Biotin, Selenium and Zinc and each have their role to play in hair health.  We would recommend this product as an adjunct to Superior Hair, our bestselling hair supplement which is dedicated to supporting the hormonal changes in our body, which can so often lead to thinning hair and hair loss. 

Whenever I write about hair supplementation, I always have to include a caveat stating that it can take up to six months, and sometimes longer, for there to be any noticeable change regarding thinning hair and hair loss.  Of course topical products may help to shorten the process slightly, such as our Fulvic haircare range, but I’ve already written enough about Fulvic today, so all that remains is for me to drop the price of Superior Hair from £30 to £27 and Hair Zooki from £33.99 to £27.  Across the weekend. 
Superior Hair £27 for 90 Capsules; Hair Zooki by YourZooki £27 for 14 x 15 ml Sachets (Offers end midnight GMT, Sunday 6 February)

An announcement.  We have listed Temple Spa on our site for more years than I probably care to remember and it has been my absolute pleasure to work alongside their amazing team as we roll out new products and initiatives together.  Each month we will endeavour to bring you something special and for the month of February we are reducing the price of one of Temple Spa’s bestselling products, In The Beginning Deep Cleansing Melt.  All I really need to do here is refer you to the product page and its reviews, but this is a classic product and it has stood the test of time, which to me, speaks volumes.

So the details.  The price of In The Beginning drops from £32 to £25, a saving of £7, but that’s not all because alongside In The Beginning we are offering you an opportunity to try Temple Spa’s Take It Off.  Take It Off are 100% cotton muslin cleansing cloths and can be used not only for the removal of In The Beginning, but for all forms of cleansers.  There are two muslin cleansing cloths in each packet and they really do help to clean your skin deeper.  Good with me.
In The Beginning Deep Cleansing Melt by Temple Spa £25 for 75 grams; Take It Off by Temple Spa £5 for Two Muslin Cloths

Let’s do another beauty treat, but this will certainly not last the entire month of February, in fact I think we will be lucky if it lasts until the end of the day.  So in this very limited edition offer, if you buy LixirSkin’s Vitamin C Paste, we will automatically include the 30 ml size of Electrogel Cleanser.  Recommended to be used an evening cleanser, Electrogel Cleanser has a slight negative charge that helps draw out toxins, make-up and dirt from the skin.  And Vitamin C Paste is somewhat legendary.  It is a skin brightening paste, used as a daily cleansing mask, which is loaded with Vitamin C to help revive dull, lacklustre skin.  Basically, it’s pretty heroic.
Vitamin C Paste by LixirSkin £32 for 50 ml (Includes 30 ml Electrogel Cleanser, whilst stock lasts); Electrogel Cleanser by LixirSkin £25 for 100 ml)

Back to health we go, just for a moment as I tell you in full transparency that we found a stash of Sinol-D, which we didn’t know we had.  Sinol-D is a brilliant all-natural nasal spray decongestant spray and with daily usage, it helps relieve congestion, headaches and sinus pain and it’s a clinically proven homeopathic formulation that mostly works in seconds.  So far so good, except the expiry date on this particular batch is for the end of May 2022 and so if you use Sinol-D regularly, you may wish to take advantage of this as I reduce the price from £14.95 to £9, for the duration.  Thankfully we don’t have thousands.
Sinol-D All Natural Nasal Spray Decongestant £9 for 15 ml (whilst stock lasts)

Right, time for some feedback and so let’s talk about the two new oils from Aduna, Baobab Oil and Moringa Oil, which we launched last weekend.  It always fascinates me to watch the stats whenever we launch products side-by-side, so I hereby report that Moringa Oil beat Baobab Oil, although quite honestly the differential was not huge.  For those who have received these products, I hope you really enjoy using them because there are a myriad of ways to benefit from both of these oils, which would include massaging your chosen oil into your skin and then stepping into a bath or shower.  This has always been my preferred way of using bath and shower oils.  So I’m sharing.
Aduna Baobab Oil £14.99 for 100 ml; Aduna Moringa Oil £16.99 for 100 ml

One last thing before we do the Saturday only treat.  Last weekend I opened the Weekend Read with some words about iS Clinical which were so easy for me to write because of the deepest respect I have always held for this brand, spanning over twenty years.  And having done two skincare launches, NGS and Oodee, within a relatively short space of time, I think that is it from me on new skincare brands for the foreseeable future, unless I am completely blown away, which rarely happens.  I honestly believe that we have it covered with the skincare brands we list and support.

I have never felt the need to continually introduce skincare brands to you every other week of the year, and I seriously think it detracts from the tight curation of the products which we believe will make a difference to you.  Furthermore I think it is confusing and as with supplementation, discernment is key, and always will be.  So upholding my deepest respect for iS Clinical, I wrote at the top of this Weekend Read about emotional scarring, but when it comes to physical scarring, Sheald Recovery Balm is, I believe, exemplary for healing scars, both old and new.  Given time.
Sheald Recovery Balm by iS Clinical £60 for 60 grams; Sheald Recovery Balm Pocket Size by iS Clinical £26 for 15 grams

Well, I may have said above that I have written enough about Fulvic today, but that doesn’t stop me from announcing that the Saturday only treat is the 60 ml size of Fulvic Acid Shampoo*.  This will be automatically included with every order placed for £30 and above, excluding p&p, and if you haven’t tried this product, I hope you enjoy using it.  Full product details are listed below.  With nothing to add.
Fulvic Acid Shampoo £25 for 240 ml

Finally, I have been thinking a lot about the VH Playlist.  Since I have been writing weekly, which is almost two years, I have shared a song with you each Saturday in consolidation of all we were experiencing during the dark days of the pandemic.  I still feel strongly that music is a great healer, but I don’t want to diminish the importance of a period of time where our emotions were well and truly on the line and our stress levels peaked to such an extent, we could barely express how we felt.

So although, I will continue to acknowledge the struggle, the pain and the hurt that still endure, I want to contain the special moments we were able to share together.  I am still keeping the VH Playlist at the top of our site, because I know so many of you dip in and out of it whenever you feel the need.  And I’m not saying that I will never share music with you again, because I will whenever the need arises.  So for now, I will leave you with this song.  It is a song that I believe speaks of our collective strength as we fought such tremendous adversity together.  We did whatever we could.  Nobody ever said it would be easy.  But we did it our way.
My Way by Frank Sinatra; The VH Playlist

Love always.

Gill x

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Prices and products advertised at times of sending and publishing are subject to change and availability. 

*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.