Hey beauty besties! If you‘re like me, you‘re always on the hunt for the holy grail products that will take your skin to the next level. That‘s why I‘m SO excited to finally share my complete Tatcha skincare review with you. For the past few months, I‘ve been religiously using Tatcha products morning and night, and let me tell you, the hype is REAL.
In this ultimate guide, I‘m going to dish on everything you need to know about Tatcha – the story behind the brand, the products that are total game-changers, the amazing Japanese ingredients that set Tatcha apart, and so much more. I‘ll also share real reviews from other Tatcha obsessees and give you the scoop on where to score the best deals. By the end, you‘ll be ready to snag a haul and get your glow on with me! Let‘s dive in.
What Is Tatcha?
If you haven‘t heard of Tatcha yet, you‘re about to be mind-blown. Tatcha is a luxury skincare brand that is based on the timeless beauty secrets of geishas. Yes, those stunning Japanese entertainers with porcelain skin and perfect red lips!
The brand was founded in 2009 by Victoria Tsai, who suffered from acute dermatitis and was desperate to heal her skin. She traveled to Kyoto, Japan and discovered a world of pure, minimalist skincare passed down through generations. Inspired to share these treasures with the world, she created Tatcha to marry these ancient traditions with cutting-edge science.
The name "Tatcha" itself has such a beautiful meaning – it comes from the Japanese word "tachibana" which is a rare and revered flower known for its beauty and resilience. From the start, Victoria centered the brand around the Hadasei-3 complex – a proprietary blend of green tea, Okinawa red algae, and Japanese rice bran. Every single Tatcha product contains this superstar trio to flood your skin with anti-aging superfoods.
What I especially adore about Tatcha is their commitment to giving back. Through their Beautiful Faces, Beautiful Futures program in partnership with Room to Read, every Tatcha purchase supports girls‘ education in Asia and Africa. They‘ve funded over 3 million days of school to date! Talk about shopping with purpose.
The Green and Glowing: Tatcha‘s Skincare Superstars
Okay, now for the products themselves! Tatcha has been taking over Sephora, Youtube, and Instagram for good reason – these formulas are luxe, gentle, and so effective. While I‘m completely smitten with the whole line, there are a few bestsellers that have reached truly iconic status:
The Dewy Skin Cream
This rich cream is like a glass of water for your skin. It‘s packed with Japanese purple rice, an ingredient prized by geishas for centuries, to hydrate deeply and plump away fine lines. I‘m obsessed with the pillowy texture and dewy finish. It‘s pricey at $68 but a little goes a long way – one jar lasts me about 3 months!
The Deep Cleanse
Step aside, you drying face washes. Tatcha‘s Deep Cleanse uses amino acids to cleanse without stripping your skin‘s moisture barrier. The star is Japanese luffa fruit, a natural exfoliant that gently buffs away dead skin and minimizes the look of pores. My skin always feels baby soft after I use this. It‘s a steal at $38 for the jumbo size.
The Rice Polish
This water-activated exfoliant is Tatcha‘s OG product and bestseller. The OG comes in 4 formulas for different skin types. I love the Classic version which smells like a zen spa and leaves my skin insanely smooth. It‘s won a ton of awards and 1 is sold every 7 seconds. I can see why Victoria calls it "pure polished skin in a jar"!
The Essence
If you haven‘t added an essence to your routine yet, this is your sign. Tatcha‘s Essence is like a drink of water for your skin, with double-fermented Hadasei-3 complex and hyaluronic acid to instantly plump and hydrate. I love the weightless texture and soothing scent. After just a few weeks of using this, my skin‘s tone and texture have never looked better. A total necessity.
The Silk Canvas
As a makeup junkie, I NEED a good primer, and this one is magic. Silk extracts and pink and gold pearls create the most divine blurring base that makes my foundation look airbrushed. It has the prettiest balm texture that melts into skin without feeling greasy. And it helps my makeup last alllll day without creasing or fading. Absolutely genius.
The Japanese Skincare Secrets Behind Tatcha
Now let‘s talk about what really sets Tatcha apart from other skincare brands – their incredible Japanese ingredients. Tatcha takes superfoods that Japanese women have used for centuries and amplifies them with modern science. The result? Gentle but insanely effective formulas you can‘t get enough of. Let‘s meet the stars:
Green Tea
Geishas relied on green tea for its soothing properties, and Tatcha uses the purest and most potent variety – Uji green tea – that‘s rich in antioxidants to combat aging and calm skin. The Dewy Skin Cream has hydrolyzed green tea to reduce the look of fine lines.
Okinawa Red Algae
Algae is a staple in the Japanese diet, and for good reason – it‘s packed with amino acids and nutrients to keep skin resilient. Tatcha uses a blend of akoya pearl and Okinawa red algae to boost moisture retention and prevent dullness and dehydration. You‘ll find it in The Water Cream.
Japanese Purple Rice
A longtime beauty secret of Japanese nobles, purple rice is loaded with anthocyanin antioxidants to support skin‘s brightness and elasticity. The Rice Polish uses finely-ground purple rice to absorb excess oil and soften texture. It‘s a rice wash for your face!
Hadasei-3
Tatcha‘s proprietary complex is composed of Uji green tea, Okinawa mozuku algae, and Akita rice that are double-fermented to amplify their benefits. Together, they fight aging, boost radiance, and restore skin‘s youthful texture. This anti-aging dream team is in every single product. So luxe.
The proof of Tatcha‘s ingredient magic is in the results. In a clinical study, 100% of women showed dramatic improvement in skin‘s texture, clarity, and resilience after just 4 weeks of using the Essence. Another study found that The Water Cream delivers 212% increase in skin hydration. And in a poll, 98% of women said their skin looked clearer and felt balanced after one week of The Deep Cleanse.
No wonder Tatcha has earned a devout following, including celebrities like Meghan Markle, Kim Kardashian, and Drew Barrymore. The before and afters speak for themselves.
How to Tatcha: Your Perfect Skincare Routine
If you‘re ready to dive into Tatcha head first, I got you. Here‘s how to build your Tatcha skincare wardrobe for juicy, glowing skin morning and night:
The Core Quartet
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One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil: This silky oil melts away even stubborn makeup while nourishing with camellia and rice bran oil. Massage onto dry skin, wet hands to emulsify, then rinse clean. I never start my routine without it!
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The Rice Wash or The Deep Cleanse: Follow with one of these water-based cleansers to deep clean pores and purify skin. The Deep Cleanse is best for oily skin while The Rice Wash is great for normal to dry types.
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The Essence: After cleansing, soak a cotton pad with The Essence and gently sweep it over your face for an instant plumping drink. It softens skin and helps your treatments absorb better. Magical.
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The Silk Cream or The Dewy Skin Cream: The Silk Cream is lightweight but super hydrating, perfect for combo to normal skin. For an extra glow, The Dewy Skin Cream is a rich, comforting blanket that‘s amazing for dry to very dry skin.
The Radiance Boosters
- The Rice Polish: Use this creamy exfoliant 2-3x a week after cleansing to buff away dullness. It‘s so gentle, you can even use it on sensitive skin.
- The Violet-C Radiance Mask: For a quick glow up before a big event, smooth on this creamy mask that contains 2 types of Vitamin C to brighten and even tone in just one use.
- The Luminous Dewy Skin Mist: A few spritzes of this silky mist is like a hydration hug. I use it as a toner, to refresh throughout the day, and to revive makeup.
The Problem Solvers
- The Water Cream: For my oily-skinned babes, this oil-free gel cream is your BFF. It balances and clarifies with ingredients like wild rose and leopard lily while hydrating with a burst of water.
- The Indigo Cream: This buttery night treatment is a miracle for sensitive, reactive skin. Indigo extract and Hadasei-3 soothe irritation and rebuild skin‘s resilience while you sleep.
- The Pearl: These shimmery eye illuminating treatments instantly wake up tired eyes with real pearl extract and niacinamide. Dab a rice grain sized amount on with the cooling applicator. Bye bye, dark circles!
Of course, Tatcha is at its most powerful when you use the products together. That‘s why I love their skincare sets that take the guesswork out of building a regimen. I started my journey with The Starter Ritual which comes with minis of the Rice Polish, Camellia Cleansing Oil, Dewy Skin Cream, and Silk Canvas primer. Such a great way to sample the bestsellers before committing!
Why Tatcha Is Worth The Splurge
I know Tatcha has a "treat yourself" price point, but after using it consistently, I‘m a firm believe that it‘s 100% worth the hype and cost. The formulas feel and smell incredible, like a slice of Kyoto in your hands, and my skin has completely transformed since I started using Tatcha.
My complexion is brighter, more even, and so much smoother and bouncier than before. I‘ve seen a reduction in fine lines, breakouts, and redness. And the glow, ladies. THE GLOW. Countless people have pulled me aside to ask what I‘m using on my skin.
What I love most is that Tatcha products last forever, so you really get your money‘s worth. A little goes a long way! I‘m still working through my first Essence and Rice Polish after 5 months of daily use. Considering that drugstore cleansers last me a month tops, I‘m actually saving money in the long run with Tatcha.
Plus, Tatcha‘s commitment to clean, non-irritating ingredients gives me such peace of mind. I‘m not rubbing sketchy chemicals on my face in the name of good skin. Everything is dermatologist-tested, non-comedogenic, cruelty-free, and free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, and phthalates. Skincare you can feel virtuous about.
The Proof is In The Reviews
But you don‘t have to just take my word for it. The Tatcha love is universal. Their products have tens of thousands of five-star reviews across Sephora, Influenster, and their own site. The Dewy Skin Cream has over 1,500 glowing reviews on Tatcha‘s site with an average 4.8 rating.
"This is heaven in a jar! Makes your skin look so healthy and glowy. Pores?! What pores? Not giving Botox up anytime soon but I definitely don‘t need as much when using this!" – Brooke G.
"My skin has never looked or felt better in my life. I have now fully switched all my skincare to Tatcha. You can literally feel a difference in one use. Your skin will feel like its glowing from the inside out." – Brittany T.
"Since starting to use these products the compliments from random strangers on "how perfect" my skin is have been never ending! Every product smells amazing, feels luxurious, and leaves your skin in a new league of its own!" – Kimberly G.
Beauty editors and skinfluencers agree. The Silk Canvas is an Allure Best of Beauty Winner and Glamour Beauty Award Winner. The Rice Polish won a Cosmopolitan Beauty Award. The Essence has over 261k "loves" on Sephora. And Tatcha‘s entire line won WWD Beauty Inc.‘s Prestige Brand of the Year in 2018. Nothing but W‘s.
FAQ
Before I sign off, I wanted to answer some of the most common questions I get about Tatcha:
Is Tatcha clean and cruelty-free?
Yes! Tatcha is Clean at Sephora certified, meaning they‘ve vetted the formulas to be free of sketchy ingredients like parabens, formaldehydes, and phthalates. They‘re also Leaping Bunny certified, aka they don‘t test on animals at any stage of production. Love that for us.
Which Tatcha products are best for my skin type?
Tatcha has options for every skin type. If you‘re dry, The Rice Wash, The Essence, and The Dewy Skin Cream will be your saviors. For oily skin, try The Deep Cleanse, The Water Cream, and The Liquid Silk Canvas. Sensitive? The Rice Wash, The Essence, and The Indigo Cream are super soothing.
Where can I buy Tatcha?
The full Tatcha collection is available on Tatcha.com, Sephora.com, and in Sephora stores. You can also find select products at QVC, Violet Grey, and Beautylish.
Does Tatcha have sales or discounts?
Occasionally! Tatcha offers discounts to first-time customers and has sitewide sales a few times a year, usually around holidays. Following them on Instagram and subscribing to their emails is a great way to stay in the know about promos.
The Bottom Line
Babes, if you‘re still reading this, you are in for the most luxurious, effective skincare of your life. Tatcha is hands down one of my smartest beauty investments and a total game changer for my skin. The products are pure magic – gentle, gorgeous, and rooted in centuries of Japanese wisdom and modern science.
If you‘re ready to treat yourself (and your skin), I can‘t recommend Tatcha enough. Start with one of their bestsellers like The Dewy Skin Cream or Rice Polish, or go all in on a curated set. Your skin will thank you, and you‘ll get so many compliments on your new glow.
Trust me, once you go Tatcha, you‘ll never go back. Happy glowing!
Xoxo,
Your Resident Beauty Addict
