OUR GORGE I VENTURES
More than Skin Deep Aster Raine’s founder creates skincare products with a mission story by RUTH BERKOWITZ | photos by PALOMA AYALA
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atima Morgan recalls examining her skin in the mirror one day several years ago with dismay. It was becoming increasingly blotchy, and her ordinary routine of applying baby lotion to her face no longer worked. “I had hyperpigmentation,” she tells me as we talk in her Hood River home. Morgan, who moved to the Gorge in the summer of 2017, perused skincare blogs and sampled several expensive products before finally landing on a facial serum that helped even out her skin tone. Unfortunately, the magic remedy cost more than $100 a bottle, which her budget couldn’t sustain.
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Morgan dreamed about an alternative to this pricey selfcare routine. A savvy entrepreneur, she tossed and turned at night pondering how she could make her own product and perhaps even market it to others. She had owned a beauty salon in Angola where she lived before coming to the U.S., so creating her own skincare line was a tangible dream. After some research and groundwork, Morgan connected with a reputable cosmetic chemist who worked with Whole Foods to manufacture products with a minimalist approach. They experimented with natural ingredients, including special anti-aging peptides, antioxidants and Vitamin C. After less than a year, Morgan had three items ready for market: a facial oil, a brightening mist, and a cleanser.
SUMMER 2022 II THE GORGE MAGAZINE
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