TATCHA Normal Skincare Routine review

         
          TATCHA is a luxury skincare line that has drawn inspiration from old East Asian beauty rituals. Founder Victoria Tsai brought together a two hundred year old book detailing the beauty rituals of geisha and modern skincare scientist to formulate an East-meets-West skincare routine. The ritual is based on a trifecta of antioxidant rich red algae extract, rice bran, and green tea extracts that form TATCHA's trademark HADASEI complex. TATCHA has recently featured in Vogue magazine, as well as other printed and online press.

           TATCHA products show an attention to detail that should be expected of a luxury skincare line. The skincare products are housed in off-white thick plastic containers that are reminiscent of porcelain. The Tatcha logo is embedded with a blue and gold enamel-like finish. The new containers are taped closed with a strip of blue and white geometrically patterned tape. Upon opening the bottles, I peeled the stickers off. Even the product boxes (seen above) have a beautiful wooden print. All the products I received were made in Japan. TATCHA also sent a beautiful pamphlet detailing the history and inspirations behind the brand (seen below).

          There are four steps to the TATCHA skincare routine: PURE, POLISHED, RADIANT, and SUPPLE. The first step,'Pure,' refers to the One-Step Camellia Cleansing Oil. It is followed by 'Polished', an exfoliant Rice Enzyme powder. 'Radiant' is the Tatcha Deep Brightening Serum. Finally, skin is moisturized with 'Supple', the Moisture Rich Silk Cream

         The TATCHA One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil contains a blend of camellia oil, rice bran oil, red algae, and green tea. It's a gentle cleanser that is meant to wash away makeup and other impurities. The scent is beautiful; it smells like sweet rice water with some floral hints. The Camellia cleansing oil is meant to be applied directly to a dry face for best effect, which is typical of cleansing oils. I found that it also works well when applied to a slightly damp face. One to two pumps is enough per use. The Cleansing oil has a watery non-oily texture that is easy to work over the face. It dissolves away makeup (except for stubborn waterproof mascara) and washes off easily with warm water. Only a slight oil residue is left on the face. Those with dry skin could stop here, however I like to use a cleanser afterwards since I have combination/clog prone skin.

          The TATCHA Rice Enzyme Powder  is the second step in the routine. This polishing step exfoliates and smooths the skin using a blend of rice and papaya enzymes, plus Tatcha's HADASEI-3 complex. Rice enzyme has long been used in East Asian cultures for beautifying skin. The TATCHA Rice Enzyme powder comes in three different blends (Gentle, Classic, and Deep) to account for different types of skin. I have the Classic version, which contains added pearl for skin conditioning. The TATCHA Rice Enzyme Polishing Powder was unique from other skin treatments I've tried. Half a teaspoon of powder is poured into wet hands. By mixing the powder with water, the treatment is activated and becomes a luxuriously creamy paste that can be massage onto the face. The texture is mostly milky, however I could feel a few larger particles and some micro-particles working on my skin. Again, there was a sweet rice scent. After washing the TATCHA Rice Enzyme Powder off, I did notice my skin was smoother and brighter.

          The TATCHA Deep Brightening Serum contains licorice, scutellaria, jujube, and TATCHA's HADASEI-3  Complex to add luminosity to the skin. Silk and Squalene aid in moisturization. Recently, brightening and lightening serums that have been used by Asian consumers for some time have become more popular in the U.S . The TATCHA Brightening serum has the same beautiful scent as the other TATCHA products. It goes on smoothly and sinks in quickly. A smooth residue is left at the surface. This product has received a lot of love from other beauty bloggers for its ability to even skin tone, however it wasn't a good fit for my sensitive skin. There was no obvious bad reaction. I noticed mild signs that my skin wasn't happy and stopped using this part of the routine. I have plans to test this on Mr. Lovey though; he has a lot of freckles and sun damage that could use erasing. I will update if I see results.

          Finally, the TATCHA Moisture Rich Silk Cream is a cream made with silk protein designed to form a barrier that protects the skin. Rice bran oil, red algae, and green tea works to prevent aging. Wild thyme, ginseng root, and royal jelly promote moisturization and balance. The cream certainly had a luxurious feel. It was silky to the touch and had a plush feeling when worn. It was moisturizing, without feeling oily. While the moisturizer does sink in, you will notice a moisturizing film if you touch your face, even hours later. I does a good job of protecting your face and locking in moisture. The cute fabric knot and golden spoon were delightful details on the packaging too.

          Overall, I enjoyed my Tatcha experience. The packaging was beautiful and the products were of appropriate quality. The light floral and sweet rice fragrance was a plus as well. My favorites were the TATCHA One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil for its light feel and the TATCHA Rice Enzyme Powder which was a unique and effective experience. TATCHA One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil ($48 for 5.1oz.), Classic Rice Enzyme Powder ($65 for 2.1oz.), Deep Brightening Serum ($150 for 1.0 oz.) and Moisture Rich Silk Cream ($150 for 1.7oz.) are available through Barney's or TATCHA's online shop. Thanks for reading! Have you tried the TATCHA products or passed by a counter? What do you think of the packaging? Do you use any Asian inspired skincare routines or product lines?

Love, Dovey.

Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.