Each product contains rice, algae and green tea superfoods to nourish the skin (iStock/The Independent)
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Beauty editors and obsessives alike have been waiting patiently for the launch of Tatcha skincare here in the UK. And finally, the day has arrived! After years of the brand catching our eye across the pond, always being raved about on US social media shelfies or expert reviews, we get to try it for ourselves. So, when the beauty news hit that it was coming to Blighty, we had to be one of the first to put it to the test.
Fusing modern skincare innovation with traditional Japanese beauty rituals, a look into founder Vicky Tsai’s skincare journey explains the philosophy behind the brand. Suffering from long-term dermatitis, a decade of working in corporate America had taken its toll on her body, mind and skin, but a trip to Japan had a transforming effect.
Healing both her skin and soul with a combination of Japanese skincare traditions and well-being practices, her travels were life changing, and Vicky went on to study the natural ingredients from plants grown in the country’s nutrient-rich soils and seas, as well as learning the timeless well-being rituals including that of Geishas (traditional and professional entertainers), going on to marry them both into Tatcha skincare.
Inside every Tatcha formula, you’ll find the brand’s signature “Hadasei-3 complex” – a trio of rice, algae and green tea superfoods that make up the core of the Japanese diet, which is widely acknowledged as the healthiest in the world. The Japanese believe what is good for our body is good for our skin, so applied topically this powerhouse is said to protect, hydrate and nourish the skin.
In homage to traditional Japanese beauty rituals, Tatcha has incorporated these ingredients into a modern four-step ritual that takes a less is more approach to skincare. You’ll find the “classic” ritual is suited to all skin types – it’s the one based on the very formulas that healed the founder’s skin – but there’s also a “clarifying” ritual for combination to oily skin types, and a replenishing collection for combination to dry types.
We put the classic four-step Tatcha ritual on trial for two weeks. Exclusively sticking to these products only in our AM and PM routine, to get a real test of how they work together and for the skin. We looked at how the products made our skin feel and look, considering its immediate and ongoing effects. Here’s how we got on.
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Taking the lead in this two-in-one cleanser is camellia oil, which Geisha have been traditionally using in their beauty routines for centuries to remove their performance make-up. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids this intensely nourishing natural skincare ingredient is a Japanese beauty secret that other luxury skincare brands have cottoned onto. You may recognise the botanical oil as the star behind Chanel’s no1 collection launched earlier this year.
A must-have for the summer skincare routine, cleansing oils make light work of breaking down SPF formulations and stubborn long-lasting make-up. Coupling both a light texture with a luxe feel, this cleansing oil is up there with the very best. It melts away our tester’s waterproof eyeliner and mascara in seconds, simply applied with dry hands and a gentle massage of one or two pumps. Rinse with water and watch it emulsify into a milk that doesn’t leave any greasy residue behind – just beautifully clean, soft and supple skin.
The second step in the Tatcha ritual is a gentle exfoliating water-activated powder that leaves skin ultra-smooth and silky-soft – so much so you’ll want to keep touching your skin. Inspired by the humble tradition of using bran-rich water left over after preparing rice to soften hands. It uses the vitamin-packed Japanese rice bran that has been ground down to a super fine physical but non-abrasive exfoliant. Teamed with papaya enzyme that removes dulling, dead skin cells on the skin’s top layer, as well as silk proteins to boost moisture levels, and you’ve got a skin-brightener safe to use daily.
Half a teaspoon is all you need mixed with a little water in the palm of your hands to create a foam-like texture. Massage over skin for around 15 seconds (as recommended) to reveal an instantly more radiant complexion.
While skincare essences can vary in use depending on the skincare brand, think of this one as a concentrated serum-alternative that acts as a primer for moisturiser. Made with 100 per cent of the brand’s hadasei-3 complex: a trio of fermented rice, algae and green tea that works on two levels. Firstly, it releases lactic acid to gentle exfoliate and resurface the skin, and secondly, it provides an extra layer of hydration.
Like serums with highly concentrated actives that penetrate deeper into the skin, this is a pricey additional step in a skincare routine, but one that’s worth every penny. It has a water-like texture that you simply press into the complexion with palms – no cotton wool needed.
Promising to enhance the skincare on top, we found our dull, dry skin felt smoother and looked brighter when using, and noticed it missing when we took it out of our routine for comparison. Mature, dry or dehydrated skin types will really see the difference from this additional step.
Living up to its name, this gel-cream has a luxuriously cool and weightless texture just like the fabric. Yet, it still manages to drench the complexion in rich moisture, leaving behind a veil of silky soft skin too. The hadasei-3 complex of nourishing superfoods strengthen and nourish the skin barrier and are teamed with silk proteins that promise and deliver on a super hydrating day cream that feels just like a second skin.
Like a glass of water for thirsty skin, our dry complexion drinks up this formula in seconds. The more we used it the softer our skin became, but it’s the transformation from dull, lacklustre skin to one that’s got a more youthful radiance in just two weeks that we were most impressed with.
The long wait for Tatcha skincare to reach our shores has been worth it, as this Tatcha skincare ritual has somehow managed to exceed our expectations with all four steps leaving skin feeling super hydrated and radiant – with better and better results the more we used it. It’s luxury skincare at its finest, but with luxury prices to match, so if all four products are out of reach you’ll still see benefits with just one of the US-bestsellers. Try the weightless silk cream for the summer months ahead or the rice polish that leaves you with an unbelievably smooth and silky complexion – we can’t decide between the two.
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