8 March: The Weekend Read, International Women’s Day and the first anniversary of DoSe skincare, except I wrote about that last weekend, so I just want to take a moment here to acknowledge the importance of the pioneering research which allows, and recognises, the cutting-edge solutions which support our health and wellbeing.

I was rather emotional last weekend, not only because of the words I had written, but because DoSe, as a brand, really is a culmination of every statement I have ever made, not only about the formulations, but also about our independent standing in the health and beauty industry, so let’s talk.

I am not here to pay lip service to the health and beauty industry, that has never been my role, to do so would be somewhat subservient to type, and I cannot, and will not, be that person when ‘type’ is so often defined by marketing manipulation. It is no secret that sectors of the health and beauty industry have attempted to undermine the work we do, but shame on them and shame on those who attempt to undermine any of us, in whatever context, because it actually strengthens our resolve to crush the false narrative with the truth, and we are warriors of the truth and for the truth.

In his book, The Road Less Travelled, M. Scott Peck stated ‘Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this, we transcend it’. However difficult it is to transcend difficulties, and it can be enormously difficult, the wisdom of transcendence is absolute and once you are able to transcend, that way of being becomes an absolute in and of itself, and it is that very transcendence that allows us to become independent in voice and being.

And so it is, we really are on a road less travelled, but I would far rather be on our road than any other road, and I want to support that statement by announcing that I am throwing a 15% discount across each of the DoSe supplements this weekend, primarily because I believe in balance and we offered a 15% discount across DoSe skincare last weekend, but also because it further acknowledges the loyalty and support of, and for, specifically curated and clinically evidenced formulations which really do make such a positive difference to our health and wellbeing.
DoSe Supplementation (15% discount across the weekend, offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 9 March)

Notwithstanding the above, I would like to throw the focus on two of the DoSe supplements because in-depth explanations matter, so I am going to begin by talking about Milk Thistle Complex. Milk Thistle is a weed-like plant that grows wild in Europe, North America and Australia and in the 17th Century Nicholas Culpepper recorded that milk thistle for liver support opened ‘obstructions’ of the liver and spleen. By the 19th Century, German physicians were using Milk Thistle tincture for many disorders, so it is unsurprising that the German Commission on safety and efficacy of herbs fully endorses Milk Thistle seeds and extracts as a supportive treatment for liver disorders. 

As such, Milk Thistle is the most widely recommended herb to support the liver, for liver detoxification as well as for liver cleansing. The liver is critical to the optimal function of all processes carried out within our body and it is involved in the digestive process and in the assimilation of nutrients. Equally important, the liver detoxifies metabolic waste products, but it also works tirelessly to help maintain healthy glucose and cholesterol levels and it breaks down fats in our digestive system converting food, using the enzymes it produces, into forms that allow the assimilation of nutrients.

It is well established that the liver is one of our most abused organs and fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, liver failure and other liver disorders are becoming increasingly common, arising as a result of liver damage. It is currently estimated that more than 50% of people over the age of fifty suffer from some form of liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the most common liver concerns, a term used for a wide range of liver conditions, but it is also interesting to note that in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the liver is the seat of anger and emotional imbalance, so here Milk Thistle serves to support our emotional wellbeing.

Staying with TCM, the liver relates to the season of spring and to new beginnings, so it seems rather appropriate to talk about liver cleansing at this time, with a recommendation that we should cleanse our liver two or three times a year at the very least. Milk Thistle Complex has been formulated with a trio of well-established liver cleansing herbs including Artichoke and Dandelion, yet unlike most Milk Thistle supplementation it contains a therapeutic strength of Milk Thistle extract combined with Milk Thistle seeds, incorporating the active compound, silybin, which is a potent antioxidant with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. And that is that.
VH Editorial: How To Heal Your Liver; DoSe Milk Thistle Complex

The next supplement I want to talk about is Digestive Enzyme Complex, which is such an important supplement because studies have indicated that the body’s natural digestive enzyme production starts to decline by the time you reach twenty, with further indications that digestive enzyme production decreases by an average of 12% with every ten years of age. This doesn’t bode well for those of us who suffer from bloating, occasional constipation, reflux and abdominal discomfort, most especially because hydrochloric acid production in the stomach also declines with age and this is crucial for activating the stomach’s digestive enzymes.

Enzymes are necessary for all functions carried out in our bodies and they act as catalysts, working to speed up the processes they are involved in. Every organ, tissue and cells have their own specific enzymes designed to carry out appropriate processes and in addition to playing an important role in digestion, digestive enzymes also help to reduce inflammation in the body. I think it is important to say here that protein digesting enzymes can help prevent tissue damage, inflammation and swelling because it is well established that chronic inflammation is linked to several diseases, including heart disease.

In any given formulation, there has to be a point of difference in order for it to be classified as best-in-class in its genre and Digestive Enzyme Complex differs from most because it contains three different types of proteases, which are protein digesting enzymes. Protein is the hardest food to digest and often protein-rich foods are not broken down sufficiently leading to symptoms of heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion. The three proteases in Digestive Enzyme Complex work effectively at different pH levels in the gut so they are active throughout the digestive tract during different stages of digestion and that is the point of difference, a crucial point of difference.
VH Editorial: Digestive Enzymes For Bloating, Gas Or Indigestion; DoSe Digestive Enzyme Complex 

We have always recognised and supported exceptional products, outside of our own branding, and Tear Support With MaquiBright is one such product. Tear Support is a natural formulation to help enhance tear production and alleviate the symptoms of dry eyes, supporting eye health in the form of oral supplementation. There are many factors which cause eye discomfort and these include environmental factors, excessive computer use (that’s me) and it should also be said that the wearing of contact lenses can affect healthy eye lubrication and comfort.

Tear Support has been formulated with standardised Maqui Berry extracts containing compounds called delphinidins, which support natural defences against chemical and light stimulation, as well as UV light. In one study, healthy volunteers taking 60 mg of this extract daily experienced a 45% increase in tear production and that strength is used in this formulation at a dosage of one capsule per day, preferably taken in the morning. So, with Shabir’s lowdown on dry eyes linked below, I am dropping the price of Tear Support from £20 to £17.
VH Editorial: Symptoms Of Dry Eyes; Tear Support With MaquiBright by Life Extension £17 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 9 March)

On subject, a short story about my eyes and an allergic reaction to make-up. I have really sensitive skin, I often write about it, but make-up doesn’t really affect me, except I had a really horrid reaction to an eye pencil, and I’m not naming it because I don’t do stuff like that, mostly because there is always somebody who will react to something and I was that somebody. So, short and sweet, Hypochlorous Eyelid Spray, which has been formulated to maintain optimal eye hygiene, rescued my eyes, and for that I give thanks, rather a lot of thanks actually. And given that it helps to clear bacterial infections, an in-depth on blepharitis is linked below.
VH Editorial: Treatment For Blepharitis; Hypochlorous Eyelid Spray by The Eye Doctor £10 for 100 ml 

One more paragraph about the health of our eyes and I think many of you will remember the article Sarah Stacey wrote about lash serums, mostly because it was a hard-hitting investigation into the dangers of lash serums. I make no apology for linking it once again, I will probably do this ad infinitum because it is so incredibly important, so as I share that article, we stand by our recommendation for Natucain’s Lash Serum, as per Sarah’s article, and as we offer a 20% discount across the entire range, that does of course include the Brow Serum and their Hair Activator Growth Serum too.
The Natural Eyelash Growth Enhancer That’s Safe And Really Works by Sarah Stacey; Natucain Products (offer ends at midnight GMT, Friday 14 March, which is actually Sarah’s birthday, how neat – Happy Birthday Sarah xx)

I’m on a roll with exceptional products, and OatSoak have several exceptional products, not least OatSoak Dissolvable Oats for the bath, which feeds the skin quite magnificently. So, now another new product from OatSoak and it is their Scalp Oil which has been specifically formulated to help give relief to itchy scalps, but it also offers relief for scalps prone to eczema and psoriasis. Packed with ceramides, OatSoak Scalp Oil acts as a barrier between the skin and harsh environmental aggressors, but it also helps to enhance the functionality of hair follicles, which is of course so incredibly important for optimal scalp health. Scalp Drops drop.
Scalp Oil by OatSoak £9.99 for 50 ml; OatSoak Products

Onwards with some news, updates and a promise, and the promise first. A few weeks ago, I received an email singing the praises of Fulvic Body Lotion, which of course made me smile, mostly because our legs are about to emerge as we head into warmer weather, but in this instance a customer, who had been wearing surgical stockings for some time, asked if I could do an offer on Fulvic Body because it helped to heal the dry, scaly skin on her legs. I know all about surgical stockings, I wore them last year and they are hateful, but Fulvic Body healed my legs too, so because I will always keep a promise, Fulvic Body Lotion drops from £20 to £15.
Fulvic Body Lotion £15 for 200 ml (offer ends at midnight GMT, Friday 14 March)

In the realms of the remarkable, Fulvic Body Lotion really is remarkable because its two breakthrough skincare technologies deliver intense hydration to dry and ageing skin and given that we are now talking about intense hydration, a few words about the two Lanolips Lip Oils we launched last weekend. I have been wearing them for several weeks and I have become rather fixated with them, so if you missed the launch last weekend, you can read all about them here, and although the offer really didn’t last that long, these lip oils really do last longer than most, and I’ve taken to wearing both colours at once. It just makes me happy. Raspberry first.
Lanolips Hyaluronic Lip Oil Raspberry £10.99 for 6 ml; Lanolips Hyaluronic Lip Oil Honey £10.99 for 6 ml

Updating from two weeks ago, 22 February to be precise, I wrote that we were offering a 20% discount across all the Skin Food products from Weleda and that offer would remain in place for one month. So, for clarity this offer still stands and it will end at midnight GMT, Saturday 22 March, and staying with offers, a note from last weekend where Windows Of The Soul by Temple Spa dropped in price from £35 to £25 and this offer will end at midnight BST, Monday 31 March. And with that said, let’s head into the Saturday only treat.
Skin Food Products by Weleda; Windows Of The Soul by Temple Spa £25 for 15 ml

And here it is, the Saturday only treat, so with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Intensive Hydrating Hand Cream (45 ml)* by Margaret Dabbs, mostly because I have just written about intensely hydrating products, so I thought I would add another one, just to be neat. Product details linked below.
Intensive Hydrating Hand Cream

Finally, the road may well be less travelled, but it will always lead us home.
The Long And Winding Road by The Beatles; The VH Playlist

Wishing you a restful weekend.

With love

Gill x