Another Saturday morning, and following through from my words last weekend about being happy, this is just to say that we must never forget that we own our own lives.  There is much to be said about the attitude we adopt for life, which is why there is something truly wonderful about non-conformity.  When we conform to the diktats of the mainstream it can so often mask who we really are and I have always believed we need to break free from that way of being in order to allow the freedom of creativity in all that we do and in all that we are.

I have never conformed, it would bore me rigid, and when a friend sent an email last weekend suggesting that we should grow old disgracefully, I totally agreed and immediately had a vision of us dancing and singing on a table together in our highest heels, somewhere far away from here.  There was a caveat and that caveat was that we would continue to put some great stuff into the world at the same time, which made me extremely happy.  And it made me happy because that friend is putting some amazing stuff out into the world which has helped so many of us, and soon there will be more, which will change everything again.  

Vogue call her ‘the go-to-tapper’, which she most definitely is, but she is also one of us and her powerful creativity really does change lives in a magical way. I am of course talking about Poppy Delbridge, and we share a rock-solid belief that we can achieve magical outcomes if we remain open to the art of creativity and purpose.  And as our souls touch with purpose, I will now move on and lead with a product which is a purchase with purpose.  The product is Repose by Temple Spa, but before I talk about the product, please allow me to talk about the purpose which we are so happy to share with Temple Spa.

We are both brands who believe in empowering people to live their lives to the full, we have wellness in our hearts and we like to make dreams come true.  Every year during the month of October money is raised for a charity that we believe shares our values and needs our support.  Dreams Come True is a national Children’s Charity who exist to deliver dreams to children who have it tough.  They are passionate about delivering moments of magic.  The children they support are living in the highest areas of deprivation in the country, and are living with a disability, a serious illness, or a life-limiting condition.  Now we’ll do the product.

Repose Relaxing Night Cream is a beautiful night cream which has been blended with a fragrant blend of Valerian, Chamomile, Frankincense, Lavender, Patchouli, Geranium and Clary Sage, which are all renowned to help calm, relax and settle your senses when you need to rest.  Also infused with hops to encourage restful sleep, natural plant extracts and antioxidants, with every purchase of Repose (50 ml), we will gift you another jar of Repose (50 ml) absolutely free, which has a value of £46, plus a donation of £6 will be given to Dreams Come True for every Repose Duo sold.  Raising funds.  Raising support.  Raising hope.  Together.
Repose Duo by Temple Spa £46

I’m not quite sure how to follow that, but I totally believe in magical outcomes and although I always need to manage expectations, I will never write about a product unless we feel that a positive difference can be made.  There are exceptions, of course there are, not everything will work for everybody and I am more than aware of that, but I will never stop believing that we can make a difference and I will never stop trusting the extensive research and development carried out by leading experts in the field.  We owe a depth of gratitude to these people, mostly because they help to change lives in a myriad of ways.

I have a very long list of products that have changed lives, but supplementation aside, there are those products that make such a profound difference, they totally reside in a class of their own.  Sheald Recovery Balm is one such product and I have no hesitation in stating that it was an enormous privilege to launch a product that has helped and supported so many people on a global basis.  Sheald Recovery Balm was the first product that could be used on open wounds, it radically helps to heal post-operative scars, with a strong focus on mastectomy scarring, and it is endorsed by some of the world’s leading surgeons.

To this day I don’t believe that anything comes close to the efficacy of Sheald, and I honestly don’t think anything ever will, so all I really want to say here is that it took many years of research before Sheald Recovery Balm was launched and it took over four years to research and develop Retinol+ Emulsion, which we launched last weekend.  The iS Clinical boys said that when they set out to create a new retinol-based product, they knew it had to be completely different from anything on the market by not only offering boosted performance in several areas, but it also had to effectively address skin concerns in a way that had not been seen before.  It does. 
Sheald Recovery Balm by iS Clinical £70 for 60 grams; Sheald Recovery Balm by iS Clinical £35 for 15 grams; Retinol+ Emulsion 0.3 by iS Clinical £125 for 30 grams

Right, time to talk about some of the supplements that support us and I am going to begin with Superior Joints because it supports us on so many different levels.  I have written this before, but on a metaphysical level it is often said that lower back pain aligns with a lack of support in life, which would make sense as our spine is our body’s central support structure, and if we don’t feel supported we so often crumble, physically and emotionally.

Superior Joints is a natural anti-inflammatory supplement containing Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM), which is known to rapidly alleviate pain.  NEM is joined by Turmeric and Ginger, not only for their anti-inflammatory properties, but for their circulatory benefits too.  Hyaluronic Acid can also be found in this formulation as it helps cushion the cartilage tissue found in-between bones.  We want to enable pain-free living wherever we can, and the reviews on Superior Joints certainly help to endorse such enablement, for which I thank you.  And with further acknowledgement of your support, I am dropping the price of Superior Joints down from £30 to £27.
VH Editorial: The Benefits Of Sleeping On Your Back; Superior Joints £27 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 8 October)

Staying with products and ingredients which are in a class of their own, Fulvic Acid most definitely falls into that category.  Almost two decades ago I wrote that Fulvic would probably be the most important ingredient in its genre for a very long time, and that still holds true today.  Powered by Ioniplex, an ionic mineral complex which provides cellular protection and promotes cellular energy, Fulvic Elixir is core to helping our bodies heal, renew and restore as it helps to combat nutrient deficiencies by enhancing the absorption of all vitamins and minerals.  It also helps increase metabolism, which in turn creates energy.

I have always believed that Fulvic Elixir should be taken as a base supplement and I also believe that it strongly supports our immune system.  Fulvic Elixir has the power of carrying 65 or more minerals and trace elements directly into our cells, and the importance of minerals is well documented.  Dr Linus Pauling, winner of two Nobel Prizes, stated the following: ‘you can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment, ultimately to a mineral deficiency’.  I use that quote often, because it supports all we know to be true about mineral supplementation.

Fulvic Elixir came first, but on from that we carried out further research and development on Fulvic’s unique properties.  We absolutely knew that Fulvic had wound-healing properties, so Fulvic Face Cream was created to support skin health and Shabir packed it with powerful antioxidants alongside the active ionic minerals.  Fulvic Face is now one of our bestselling skincare products, which really doesn’t surprise me, so let’s do a treat which goes like this.  When you buy Fulvic Elixir, we will automatically throw in the travel size of Fulvic Face Cream (30 ml), which has a value of £15.  This is a limited edition offer, so if Fulvic Face fails to go into your basket, the offer is over.  Amen. 
VH Editorial: Fulvic Acid – The Elixir Of Life; Fulvic Elixir £30 for 480 ml + Fulvic Face Cream 30 ml Free Worth £15 (whilst stock lasts)

I have news, and that news is about two of our supplements.  The first is that Shabir has tweaked Magnolia Rhodiola Complex and he has done so by adding Pantothenic Acid (B5) into the formulation.  Pantothenic Acid contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and together with each of the ingredients in this formulation, it serves to support the symptoms of stress, anxiety, tension, mood swings and low mood.  And it does it rather well, which is why it is so important to continually research ingredients because nothing is static in life and we must always follow the studies and clinicals which guide us, in order that we may guide you.
VH Editorial: How To Combat Stress Effectively; Magnolia Rhodiola Complex £28 for 60 Capsules

The second piece of news is that we have changed the name of Mega Probiotic ND to Mega Probio and bearing in mind I always refer to it as Mega P, it really doesn’t make any difference.  The formulation remains the same, it is still non-dairy and it still remains our bestselling product for optimal gut health.  The other thing to say here is that our latest consignment got held up, so we had a wait list for which I can only apologise.  It seems to go with the territory these days, but it is now back in stock and I’m taking the price of Mega Probio down from £22 to £20 across the weekend because I feel bad about the wait list.  I always feel bad about wait lists.
VH Editorial: What Can’t Probiotics Do; Mega Probio £20 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 8 October)

Having written above about the length of time it can take to bring a product to market, the same is true of the Period Patches, which we launched for and on behalf of Ross J. Barr last weekend.  It took over two years of research and testing before they could be released, and together with the Blood Support Formula, the testing was carried out on real women who had real problems with menstruation. 

Ross was tremendously excited about this launch, which is totally understandable bearing in mind that he specialises in gynaecological issues in clinic, with a special emphasis on infertility.  I was also excited because I knew that a solution had been created to help support the relief of cramps, aches and blood flow and if we are talking about blood flow, Blood Support Formula is a supplement to be taken daily to support the blood loss from your period.  We rock, we roll and somebody asked Ross when he was going to create a menopause patch.  A work in progress.  Perhaps.  Stay close.    
The Period Patch by Ross J. Barr £20 for Seven Patches; Blood Support Formula by Ross J. Barr £16 for 60 Capsules

Moving on, there is no doubt in my mind that medicinal mushroom supplementation is having a moment and you could say it is a cyclical moment because we were writing about the power of medicinal mushrooms a very long time ago.  We continue to endorse potent blends of these beneficial compounds, but I know that the pricing structure of some of these products means that they are out of reach for so many, and without taking anything away from the products I have been writing about, I knew we had to introduce a range of products which would address that issue, so I am about to do that very thing.

Crafted from organic, sustainably sourced mushrooms and inspired by nature, Grass & Co have formulated a series of potent medicinal mushroom blends.  Each blend has been formulated to elevate overall wellbeing, designed for purpose from an array of mushroom species.  There are five blends in the range, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Shiitake, Maitake and Chaga.  I am not going to write about each individual blend, you can read all about them on the product pages, but what I will do is to drop the price of each formulation for launch, which means they each drop from £24.50 to £16.  For the interim.
Focus (Lion’s Mane Mushroom) £16 for 60 Capsules; Biome (Chaga Mushroom) £16 for 60 Capsules; Power (Shiitake Mushroom) £16 for 60 Capsules; Relax (Maitake Mushroom) £16 for 60 Capsules; Dream (Reishi Mushroom) £16 for 60 Capsules

Let’s return to skincare, skincare serums actually.  As most of you know, I am a huge advocate of dosing moisturisers with serums for so many reasons, but primarily because it allows personalisation of skincare in a very simple way, which is the way I like it.  I have always believed that Hyaluronic Acid is far better when mixed into a moisturiser, rather than using it as a stand-alone, so here comes Hyaluronic Acid Serum, but it’s the oversized version, which means that you will receive 45 ml instead of 30 ml.  Best dosed into Fulvic Face Cream, if you have it, but then I am biased.  With good reason.  This is a limited edition offer.  I need to say that, so I have.
Hyaluronic Acid Serum by Garden of Wisdom for Victoria Health £12 for 45 ml; Fulvic Face Cream £30 for 60 ml

I love this part of the newsletter, basically because I am currently writing about seasonal treats. That makes me happy because it is another form of giving and if you are going to give something, let it be beautiful.  And I know I probably shouldn’t be writing about this next gift because it is expensive and I’ve already written about the Repose offer from Temple Spa, but I can’t help myself because Temple Spa’s Advent Calendar is truly amazing and I’ve known that it’s been amazing for more than three months, which is why I can’t wait any longer. Anyway, we are now in October, so let’s just do it because it is a limited edition and we all know what that means.

With all due respect to other advent calendars, this is the only advent calendar I want on our site this year, so please let me tell you about it.  It contains twenty-four of Temple Spa’s most loved products, including thirteen full-size products and four limited edition beauty products and I know I wrote about the artwork on the Temple Spa seasonal gifts last weekend, but this has to be one of the most beautiful advent calendars I have ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot.  I can’t write about each individual product, you will find the chosen products on the product page, so just to say that the Temple Spa Advent Calendar is £200, and it has a product value of £520.  Impressive.
Advent Calendar by Temple Spa £200

And for balance, two stocking fillers.  The first is from Aromatherapy Associates and it is the Tranquil Sleep Mini, which contains a 9 ml size of their bestselling product, Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil.  The second is the Lanolips 101 Ointment Limited Edition Bauble.  Containing the product hero, 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm (15 grams), this arrives in a limited edition bauble design.  101 is the iconic super hydrating salve for dry skin, chapped lips and hard cuticles.  It was called 101 because it is thought to have 101 different uses, but I’m certainly not going to write about all of them.  I’ll be here forever.  And a day. 
Tranquil Sleep Mini by Aromatherapy Associates £12; 101 Ointment Limited Edition Bauble by Lanolips £10.99

And that is the end of that, but before we go into the Saturday only treat, let me just say that we will do our very best to fulfil and honour all orders placed, even if they do roll into pre-order status.  I am reiterating this once again because most of the seasonal gifts are limited in volume, but I think we have gone early enough to cover all eventualities.  If we haven’t managed to do that, we will let you know.  I am drip feeding these seasonal gifts as I said I would, but if you can’t wait for me to write about each of them, you will find all of them on the link below.
Seasonal Gifts

And now it is time for the Saturday only treat and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Sea Magik’s Pink Salt Shampoo (50 grams), which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago.  It is a volumizing and clarifying spa treatment shampoo and it is blended with three organic seaweed extracts with pink Himalayan salt granules. Full product details are listed below.
Pink Salt Shampoo by Sea Magik

As we reach the end of another newsletter, I would just like to reference the Japanese Moai tradition once again, together with the documentary, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.  As you will have read last weekend, the documentary throws the focus on longevity and I totally related to the women of Ogliastra in Sardinia who were seen chopping up vegetables for their Minestrone soup, so I made a Minestrone soup because it is extraordinarily therapeutic to chop vegetables.  And I made Nigella’s Minestrone because I wanted to and because she is also one of us.  Food for the soul.  Let’s chop.
Nigella’s Minestrone

All that is left is for me to leave you with a song, a song which I dedicate to friendship and to the creative and inspirational people who endlessly weave their magic to help make this world a better place for each of us. One dream. One soul.
A Kind Of Magic by Queen; The VH Playlist

With love

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.