A couple of months ago I wrote about these guys. I promised I’d go back and check them out more, and I did. So here’s what I found: I believe that I’ve discovered one of the best all-natural product/skincare lines out there.
Davies Gate was founded in 1992. At that time, they had just one item, a vegetable oil based, herb-scented soap. Today the company has grown into a leading maker of hundreds of wonderful, high-quality personal care and home fragrance products. Their products are available throughout the world, at exclusive, high-end, specialty retailers.
What makes DG so special is the fact that they’re committed to creating innovative products that combine pure ingredients, extraordinary fragrances and beautiful design. As their website says, these products will inspire you to take a moment each day to indulge in a personal ritual that cleanses your body, relaxes your mind and renews your spirit. That’s more than just a slogan with DG, it’s a way of life.
Soapy-foamy time Lavender isn’t just a lovely fragrance, it can bring great calm to you and your skin. This Lavender Triple Milled Soap is a fusion of Spanish and English versions with notes of rosemary and sweet basil. And since its lather is rich in shea butter and almond oil, it won’t dry out your skin. That’s not all. The wrapping is so damn gorgeous. I think it makes a perfect gift to bring to a dinner party. After all how many bottles of merlot can you get? (Well maybe that’s a bad analogy!)
By revitalizing the body, you awaken the spirit.
Now and again I crave a hot bath. It’s usually a Friday night and I’m looking forward to doing nothing but steeping myself in a warm pool of DG’s Lemon Thyme Foam. It smells so amazing. Aloe Vera, sesame oil, the delicate scent of lemon and garden aromas of jasmine and juniper. Ahhh! If only I could be transported from the bath to the bed without having to get up!
GardenMade Mineral Salts Sampler
If you have the luxury of having a bathtub in your apartment, take advantage of it. Here’s how. Use DG’s GardenMade Salts Sampler. It softens and prepares bath water with sea salt that’s laden with trace minerals, including nutrient rich spirulina and Vitamin E. Then get in, and drench away all your worries.
Or if you love bubbles, try the DG Sesame Seed Bath Foam. Combining certified organic sesame seed oil and Aloe Vera, this foam provides great hydration and barrier protection. And with certified organic extracts of cardamom, wheat grass, fennel, hops, coriander, barley, flax, oat, lemongrass and soybean, it smells heavenly.
Whole Wheat Lotion
Dry skin? Here’s one of the best body lotions I’ve ever used. After your shower, don’t over dry yourself with a towel. Leaves your skin dewy and then apply this hydrating formula which is rich in Wheat Germ oil and a high content anti-oxidant vitamin E. Also has hydrolyzed wheat protein which smoothes and replenishes skin. No perfumes or frills here. Just pure hydration. And it absorbs in so quickly you can get dressed without worrying about staining your clothes. I noticed a real difference after the first application.
If you like this one, go to their site to the “Seeds and Grain” section. There are some wonderful wheaty concoctions, like the Fennel Face Exfoliatior, the Flax Seed Soap, the Rye Water Toner, and another fav of mine, the Poppy Seed Scrub an all-over body scrub made of poppy seeds and lemongrass oil.
After your bath, try the GardenMade Talc-Free Powder. This wand is filled with a luxurious talc-free body powder that’s extra fine and silky smooth. It soothes your skin, but I guarantee you’ll be tempted to dust your bed for extra fragrant sheets and to sprinkle into shoes, wastebaskets and unmentionables to keep them dry and freshly scented. Bring the natural scent of wild green fields in to your over-crowded, 5th floor studio.
Into citrussy scents? Then DG has the prefect line for you. One of their biggest sellers, the Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel is a gentle formulation that is non-drying and perfect for daily cleansing. It’ll wake up your senses in the morning and since it protects and maintains your skins natural moisture balance with Vitamin A & E combined with soothing certified organic botanical extracts, you’ll also feel revitalized. You’ll love the fact that the tanginess of the sweet pink grapefruit is softened with a hint of vanilla. So you get the perfect balance of citrus and sweetness – which will keep you refreshed and rejuvenated to tackle those mean streets!
Another delicious scrub you’ll love in the shower is the DG Pink Grapefruit Warm Milk & Sugar Body Scrub. Made of Granulated Sugar, Sea Salts, White Clay and pure Milk Protein, it contains a moisturizing certified organic blend of Soybean and Sunflower Oils and other plant extracts to unveil smooth and soft skin.
And if you want to give your skin a special treat, slather on the Lime Body Polish. This gentle body polish smoothes and polishes all those extra dry areas with finely ground volcanic pumice floating in a rich, creamy base. And with its zesty floral fragrance, you’ll feel refreshed for the day even after those heated moments in the subway.
Davies Babies. Designed by a mother for mothers with their hands full.
Boo Boo Stick
People are always wondering what to buy for christening or baby presents. Here’s something all mothers should have. The DG Boo Boo Stick! For all your babies bumps and bruises. Made from Tea Tree oil, Aloe Vera and other plant extracts, it’s a all-natural magical stick that gives your baby “a soft kiss” to help their tears go away. It’s so damn cute you’ll want to use it on those bigger babies too! A great gift is their Baby Gift Set, with a Baby Balm, All Over Baby Wash, a soft cleaning sponge and of course a rubber ducky. The entire Davies Gate Baby Collection is simple, cute and 100% real – in ingredients and functionality.
The people behind DG I’m still not convinced this husband-wife duo are just creators of an incredible all-natural product/skincare line. I wouldn’t be surprised to discover they’ve opened a small creative shop, DG + Partners. (Need a copywriter? Hmmm, probably not by the looks of it!). As I mentioned in the last article, their products, packaging and philosophy are so brilliantly simple and meaningful, you begin to feel you know them already.
Ellen, the Creative Director, (see they do have an agency!), creates all the designs, ingredients and blends for the fragrances. Each line is presented as a “collection”. And the theme of each collection is interpreted throughout the design, the fragrances and the formulas. Her inspiration comes from the herbs and flowers that grow so abundantly in her Southern Californian home.
And the cool thing about DG? You can’t get these beautiful, rare products in Sephora! No, no. You have to go their heavenly haven, http://www.daviesgate.com and order. Something as extraordinary as this line shouldn’t be lumped in with all the others on shelves. Because just like the inspiration behind them, they deserve a fresher, more meaningful environment where they can grow and flourish on their own.
