Nature's Gate: Beauty From Nature

Have you ever seen the movie, "The Blue Lagoon" & wondered what kind of plants were on that island to make the characters look like that?! I mean, I know they were just actors, but it still makes you wonder just a little bit, right? (Tell me I'm not the only one here...) The founders of Nature's Gate wondered too (not because of the movie though) & are now dedicated to developing personal care products that combine botanical, herbal & floral treatments with modern ingredients & techniques.

Thanks to the kind folks from Nature's Gate, I was able to try four of their amazing products.

Glow Lotion

This lotion has completely changed the way I felt about self tanning lotions! I hadn't specified which skin tone would better suite me (I'm more of a light tone) & received a 16oz. Glow Lotion for medium skin tones. You would think that the outcome would be awful, but actually it worked out perfectly!

Dihydroxyacetone is a natural ingredient derived from sugar cane & is responsible for giving your skin that sun-kissed glow. When I applied my Glow Lotion, I noticed a slight warming sensation that I loved! Moments later I could tell that it was actually moisturizing my skin too. There was no need for a secondary lotion (something I remembered doing with other self tanning lotions in the past). I guess that has something to do with the vegetable glycerin, apricot kernel oil & Shea butter (to name a few ingredients).

The color took about 24 hours to show up. And after a few days, I had the perfect system going. As long as I had the time (let's face it, some days I'm lucky to even change out of my PJ's) to allow the lotion to dry, which is about 5-7 min., I'd apply it to a central point & work outwards. So for example, I'd apply it to my calves & work it out to the tops of my feet. I noticed less streaking this way. Actually, I didn't have any streaking this way. And since I wasn't able to apply my Glow Lotion daily, but had it for a darker tone - it seemed to last longer for me. See, I told you it worked out perfectly!

Vitamin E Oil

After I had my last child, I had some stretch marks stick around. I had made it through two previous pregnancies without any, so I'll admit that it was a bit discouraging. But at the same time, they weren't that bad at all considering the amount of swelling I had. But of course I tried several different creams to try & get rid of them. None of them worked (one actually burned). So I figured why not try Vitamin E Oil (even if it is almost 2 years later).

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Roll-On Vitamin E Oil by Nature's Gate is perfect! It easily rolls on, never once over doing it. (I know you've used a roll-on product before that had a loose seal of some sorts & glopped on.) It actually rolls on so smoothly that I didn't even rub it in. I probably should have, but I opted to just let it dry for a few min. The next morning I could still feel a bit on my skin, but my skin also felt supple. And after about a week, I noticed a change in my stretch marks. Now I'm using it on my 7 year old's nasty looking scars from a summer full of stitches! (It might take a while on those.)

Borage Serum

Part of Nature's Gate Facial Care Collection, Borage Serum is enriched with an exclusive blend of 7 Beautiful Skin Botanicals (white tea, aloe, olive, argan, flaxseed, blackberry & acerola) & obviously borage which is also commonly known as the starflower. Borage seed oil is abundant in essential fatty acids. Add a few more plant based ingredients (such as carob seed extract) & the result is a freshness you can see & feel.

The first thing I noticed about the Borage Serum is the consistency. It looks like a watered down lotion, but when you go to apply it, it almost instantly has a feel more like water. For that reason alone, this is best applied directly to your face instead of rubbing into your fingertips first (which I always do with everything 0 except this). It seemed like almost instantly the Borage Serum was fully absorbed into my skin & I went about my routine of applying moisturizer & makeup. But what wasn't routine was the freshness & youthfulness I could feel...& see. I may look young for my age as it is, but being in my 30's, it's important for me to take the proactive approach to aging.

Avocado Night Cream

I have to say, I absolutely love the scent of this night cream! Which makes it more like a treat to put on before bed. Especially since I tend to shy away from night creams because the scents are just too overpowering for me. 

With many of the same ingredients as the Borage Serum (including the 7 Beautiful Skin Botanicals), the Avocado Night Cream brings a freshness to your face overnight. With natural peptides from Maca (Peruvian Ginseng), you also get an even skin tone. So although I don't wake up with a radiant glow (I think of the one that comes with pregnancy), I do wake up feeling ready to start my day. I could even just get up & go!

"All of our products reflect our ongoing efforts to preserve the earth's natural resources & develop sustainable sources of clean water, Through our partnership with WaterAid, Nature's Gate helps improve access to safe water & sanitation in the world's poorest communities."

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Nature's Gate products are available at health & natural food stores across the U.S. & Canada or by visiting www.natures-gate.com.

**Disclaimer: I received these products to try from Nature's Gate & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.