Ever since I was sent some wonderful products by Viridian (more on the other bits later), I've been wanting to do a post on supplementation, or more specifically, my optimal supplementation routine (when I'm being good and remembering). If you saw my beauty goals post, you would remember that in 2015, I wanted to get better at taking my supplements. Well, we're not quite there yet, but I thought that making another supplement-centric post might help me on my journey. My supplement 'collection' if you will is split in to three categories which I feel, are most important for my own specific needs. Remember, I'm not a doctor and this is what works for me. It might not necessary work for anyone else. We have the 'general' supplement, the skin-doctor, and the bone-helper.
Now, before we begin, I would like to point out that I am very much an advocate of getting your vital bits and pieces from food & water intake alone. However, sometimes this is not possible e.g. illness, travel, three-day Netflix marathon. These are the times when I refer back to a good general supplement that just ensures that I can get through the days without falling asleep or getting ill. I know, it sounds bad but the truth is, you really can't get all your nutrients from beans on toast. At the minute I'm using the Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw One for Women. Three things drew me to this brand: it's completely raw, made from vegan food sources; you only have to take one a day; and you don't have to keep them in the fridge. Really, they're perfect for when you're feeling especially lazy. Price-wise they're not too bad either and I picked up this sizeable 75-capsule container for around £25 off Amazon. They do smell a little funky, but you really can't beat raw food supplements. This brand contains everything that you'll need for the daily grind including at least the rec. daily value of all major vitamins, and lots of lovely minerals such as zinc, iron and selenium.
An additional 'bone-helper' isn't really a must for everyone, but if you're like me and unfortunately still on hormonal birth control (more specifically the depo shot), I would really suggest investing in a good source of calcium. Even more so, if you can sometimes be a particularly lazy vegan like myself. Getting a supplement including the addition of magnesium and zinc would be extra-great as calcium needs these guys to help it be effectively absorbed. I try to take two caplets every single day, and have done so ever since I uncovered some slightly worrying research about the long-term effects of Depo Provera. I won't go in to too much detail, but I am looking to come off of it pretty soon. Personally, I use just a generic H&B own brand supplement and I find that this works pretty well (I hope).
Finally, we have the shining star of this post. The Viridian Clear Skin Complex*. I'd heard a lot about these supplements from fellow bloggers and frankly I was both excited and intrigued when I was given the chance to try them. At first I was definitely skeptical and struggled to see any real difference. But, I really noticed the change when I briefly stopped taking them for a week or so. Unfortunately, I'm still struggling to take them regularly but I feel strongly enough about them that I'm considering purchasing another bottle to really put them to the test with regular dosages. I really like Viridian as a company because all their supplements are available with vegetarian capsules and their packaging is wonderfully eco-friendly. In fact, you can return an empty supplement bottle to any Viridian retailer for recycling and receive a 25p refund. Further to that, every bottle sold helps generate funds for a selection of charities. That really is dedication to the cause! The Clear Skin Complex contains 100% active vegan ingredients that are also gluten-free, salt-free and without added sugar, yeast, preservatives or artificial colourings. The only downside that I can see to these supplements is that they are rather pricey. A 60-capsule bottle to last you roughly a month will set you back around £20. However, I really do feel that they bring results and I'm looking forward to showing you some more of their great products in the future. You can find out more details about their full range on their website.