FutureYou Super Vitamin D with K2+

RRP: £19 for a 28-day supply

--What does the promo say?--
"Super Vitamin D with K2+ combines 25µg (micrograms) of vitamin D with 180 µg of vitamin K2 in the form of menaquinone-7 (MK-7).

The body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, hence why it is regularly referred to as the sunshine vitamin.

Vitamin D contributes to musculoskeletal health. It allows calcium and phosphorus to be absorbed normally, contributes to the maintenance of normal bones, and plays a role in the maintenance of normal teeth. It also contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system, maintenance of normal muscle function and contributes to normal blood calcium levels.

Vitamin K2 works together with vitamin D3 to mobilise calcium from the blood vessels into the bones, maintaining bone health. Vitamin K2 is found in particularly high concentrations in fermented foods. These include sauerkraut, hard cheese and natto, a traditional Japanese dish made with fermented soybeans.

The vitamin K2 included in Super Vitamin D with K2+ has been the subject of 19 research studies, highlighting the importance of vitamin K2 in bone and cardiovascular health."

--Packaging--

The yoga pose on the outer cardboard box evokes both relaxation and strength, and as such, good health. 

The capsules come in traditional plastic and foil blister packaging, and the foil is clearly labelled with days of the week to help you remember to take the capsules regularly.

--Usage--

Take one capsule per day, swallowing it whole with liquid. I usually take mine at the start of the day with breakfast.

--Appearance--

The capsules are an off-white colour, leaving no visible residue in the mouth.

--Scent--

Nothing discernible.

--Texture and consistency--

The capsule coating is thin and smooth enough so as to not be difficult to swallow, while not melting too quickly in the mouth.

--Effects--

While most of the benefits of vitamin K2 are not immediately visible (such as its positive impact on heart health and bone density), it's also starting to be hailed as a beauty supplement due to its healing properties. As a result, my habitually acneic skin definitely seemed clearer while I took this supplement, with the vitamin healing existing spots more quickly and preventing new ones from appearing. Skin also seemed less red and more 'glowing' - so I was definitely impressed by my 28-day supply (sent to me by FutureYou - thank you!).

It's also posited that K2 has anti-ageing properties, although of course the irony is that if this is working in this way, then nothing will happen - so in the short term, I won't be able to tell if it's really doing this.

--Value for money--

At 67p a day, it's up to you if you think this is worth it. For me, it is. The cost also goes down when you subscribe and save (£15 a month, or 53p a day) - arguably a small price to pay for both the internal and external benefits of vitamin K2.

www.futureyouhealth.com

FutureYou Vitamin Supplements

Products tested: Co-Enzyme Q10+; Vitamin B Complex+; Vitamin D+; Vitamin K2+; Cranberry+
RRP: from £9 for 28 tablets (1 month's supply)

--What does the promo say?--
"Our range of natural health supplements are scientifically proven to deliver more of what your body needs.  We carry out research to create the highest quality supplements with proven absorption and clinical benefit.

The Company has close ties with Cambridge University and Addenbrooke's Hospital (Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust).

FutureYou's product development is supported by a high-profile medical board including, among others, Professor Alf Lindberg, former head of R&D at Wyeth and Aventis and former member of the Nobel Committee and Secretary of the Medical Prize; Dr Nicholas Shenker, a consultant rheumatologist and expert in chronic pain syndromes at Addenbrooke's Hospital; Mr Peter Kirkpatrick BSc MBCHB MSc FRCS, a leading Cambridge University vascular neurosurgeon and Michael Heinrich, Head of University College London's centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy."

Individual product descriptions can be read at www.futureyouhealth.com .

--Packaging--

All of the vitamins come in compact boxes containing 28 tablets each, in standard foil and plastic casings, making them practical for travel. The tablets are each individually labelled with days of the week on the foil that houses them, making you more likely to remember to take them each day. The images on the boxes clearly illustrate the capsules' content and/or their benefits, using relaxing ideas that evoke both relaxation and good health.

--Usage instructions--

Take one pill per day in all cases.

--Appearance--

The fact of the pills coming in different colours is something that can be useful if you are taking more than one type (as you can see from the above, I was taking 5 during my one-month trial, thanks to the kindness of FutureYou's PR department). However, some might find the Day-Glo colours a bit disturbing in some cases: the Vitamin B Complex+, for example, is bright blue. However, they leave no visible residue in the mouth.

--Scent and taste--

None detectable.

--Texture and consistency--

Only mildly plasticky on the tongue - but as you swallow them whole with water, this metric is less relevant.

--Effects--

Addressing each of the supplements in turn:

• The Co-Enzyme Q10+ has anti-ageing benefits, acting as a strong antioxidant. Your ability to produce this enzyme decreases with age - so to fight the free radicals that cause visible signs of ageing, this is a pretty good one to be putting into your body. Long-term, Q10 (also known as ubiquinone) has also been proved to combat Parkinson's disease, certain forms of cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure, leading to health as well as beauty benefits. The paradox of anti-ageing products is that if they're working, then nothing should happen. However, I did receive one compliment on my skin while using this product, which is encouraging. The Vitamin K2+ is also important for anti-ageing.

• As well as the anti-ageing benefits outlined above, the Cranberry+ capsules have naturally moisturising qualities (by boosting collagen production thanks to a perfect balance of fatty acids: omega 3, 6 and 9), as well as containing enzymes that control excess sebum production. The high levels of vitamins A and C can promote healthy hair, increasing lustrousness and growth. All this could explain why I also received a compliment on my hair during this trial, as well as noticing a visible clearing of my acne.
• The Vitamin B Complex+ contains a range of B vitamins which bring a whole host of benefits, including those mentioned above. Vitamin B7, biotin, also strengthens hair and nails. I mainly noticed a strenghthening of the nails during the trial period, with them growing more quickly than usual and seeming less weak overall. B12 also helps with this. In addition, B-vitamins reduce skin redness, which is something that I noticed occurring during the trial.
• Finally, while I was testing the capsules, I got about my third cold in 6 weeks. This I attribute to a perfect storm of going from being at home with my baby for 6 months to returning to work in a school environment (where approximately 1 million children have touched *everything* before you), undertaking a course of sleep restriction therapy, going on a calorie-restricted diet, and my little boy bringing home all kinds of awful from the crèche. So what impressed me was that I got over this third cold MUCH more quickly than the previous two. While this could be down to a number of factors, I also can't ignore that I was taking the Vitamin D+; vitamin D is well-known to help fight disease. It also repairs skin damage faster, and as I'm a person who bruises easily, and whose bruises usually take a long time to fade, I noticed, too, that one recent one cleared up much more quickly than usual.

--Value for money--

The one-time purchase prices are as follows:

Co-Enzyme Q10+, £12 (28 days' supply; 42p per day)

Cranberry+, £14 (56 days' supply; 25p per day)

Vitamin B Complex+, £9 (84 days' supply; 10p per day)

Vitamin D+, £12.50 (84 days' supply; 14p per day)

Vitamin K2+, £19 (28 days' supply; 67p per day)

As you can see, prices vary wildly. Value-wise, I'd be inclined to go for the K2+ myself if purchasing these again with my own money, as it covers many of the same benefits as the Co-Enzyme Q10+ and the Cranberry+ , as well as providing a host of health advantages, for less money overall. I would also consider the B and D packages at times where I noticed weakness that I needed to repair quickly, or times where I thought I might be more vulnerable (such as going into winter).

However, there are ways to save on whichever FutureYou vitamins interest you, either via their Subscribe & Save method, which gives you a discount for signing up for regular deliveries long-term, or by buying one of their bundles. (The Women's Health bundle, for example, costs £44 on a one-time basis and £35 on the subscribe & save package, whereas buying all of the supplements it contains individually would cost you a total of £62.50.) What I would really love to see is a beauty or anti-ageing bundle that would include maximum value for all the vitamins I trialled. FutureYou are doing great work producing high-quality supplements that I would definitely recommend.

Salcura Skin Therapy Spray

RRP: £2.99 for 15ml travel size; other sizes from £9.99

--What does the promo say?--

"Cooling, soothing and calming solution for individuals with hypersensitive skin or babies, children or infants with skin problems like skin rashes, dry skin or eczema. The safer natural alternative to treating your baby or your sensitive skin.



Gentle Skin Therapy Spray is a 100% safe and natural topical spray that helps to support, soothe and heal hypersensitive skin or baby skin that is prone to eczema, nappy rash, cradle cap, skin rashes and irritations, and dry skin. It is very effective at killing bacteria and fungus and also stops skin itching.

 Intensive is a 100% safe and natural topical spray formulated to provide skin with minerals, oils and vitamins that will repair, strengthen and support skin in its own natural healing process.

Like all Salcura products, it is free from steroids, paraffin, alcohol, parabens, lanolin, anti-biotics and any other harmful chemicals."

--Packaging--

I was sent these tiny sprays from Salcura after participating in one of their Facebook publicity campaigns. The packaging design is similar across the Gentle (intended for baby or sensitive skin) and Intensive versions, but the bold green and blue make differentiation easy. The spray action is effective, targeted and easy to use - if, for instance, you had dry skin or eczema just on your scalp, you would have no problems spraying it directly onto your parting without messing with your hair. The only bad thing was that one of the spray pumps came unscrewed and so leaked into my travel toiletry bag :(  Not that the smell of lavender isn't nice, but yknow. I'd have rather kept and used it.

--Usage--

The Salcura website recommends use of the spray "2 – 3 times a day. Simply shake the bottle and spray onto the skin from about 2 – 3 inches away. You can leave the liquid on the skin and let it absorb or you can gently massage it in. You can apply the spray as many times a day as needed depending on the severity of the eczema, psoriasis, dry or itchy skin." All very easy. If you are using the product on your face, it's easier to spray onto a cotton pad and then to wipe the cotton pad over the skin as you would with an ordinary toner.

--Appearance--

A completely clear liquid that is invisible once sprayed on.

--Scent--

The dominant smell in both sprays is lavender, although perhaps as you would expect, the scent is less strong in the Gentle version.

--Texture and consistency--

Surprisingly, given the amount of different essential oils contained in this product, it is completely non-oily or greasy so shouldn't bother anyone in this regard, even if you are using it directly on the face.

--Effects on the skin--

Even though I don't suffer from eczema or psoriasis (acne is sadly the name of my game), I was amazed by the degree to which the instinct to touch my face reduced. Definitely an anti-itch product! It was also cooling, soothing, and seemed to calm redness significantly - and even though I wasn't using a cleanser at this time (due to wanting to test the sprays and Salcura's moisturiser, Zeoderm, on their own), I was very impressed, too, with the smoothness and cleanliness of my skin, excess oil being blasted into the stratosphere.

--Value for money--

It's great that Salcura allows you to try these products before you buy at the reasonable price of £2.99 - they should do this for their other spray, Antiac, as well. Once you have decided on the right product for you, I think a starting price of £9.99 is very reasonable, and naturally the value for money increases as you go up in size. I was impressed enough with these two sprays to buy Antiac, Salcura's spray for acne sufferers, and am hoping I haven't just taken yet another punt on a so-called saviour product for nothing.