T-House

For years, Tatcha has brought its expertise in Japanese skincare ingredients to faces all over the world. This guide will help you choose the Tatcha products that’ll most benefit your skin type. Some beauty founders have dreams of grandeur, but that wasn’t exactly the case for Vicky Tsai—she just wanted to make products that worked for her skin.So Tatcha was born: Not with a bang, but with a wish. Her career in finance kept her constantly on her feet, on her computer, or on a plane, until one day, she woke up to find her skin was reacting. “My entire face was covered with red, blistering, cracked, and scaling skin—not even my lips or eyelids were spared,” she wrote in her book Pure Skin. “I have always loved meeting new people, but during that time I withdrew from the world around me. This experience sent her on a journey that began on a layover in Japan, when a friend introduced Tsai to special blotting papers—a product of Japanese craftsmanship and heritage with a long history of use. Tsai was told all about how blotting papers, and other inventions made from Japanese botanicals, have been used in skincare formulations throughout Japanese history. Geisha performers who wore heavy white makeup would use blotting papers and the oil of the camellia flower, or tsubaki, to keep their skin luminous and healthy between performances. In Kyoto, Tsai learned how to mix rice powder and camellia oil to make an exfoliating treatment. She went home, and within four weeks of using these skincare formulations, her dermatitis cleared up. As soon as Tsai figured out a way to formulate with these cherished ingredients, Tatcha came to be. The brand was founded on the idea of providing efficacious skincare to all faces using Japanese botanicals in gentle but efficacious formulations. Of course, no two faces are the same, which is part of the reason why the brand’s collection has extended to accommodate all skin types: dry, normal, oily, sensitive, mature, or all of the above at one time or another.Whatever your skin type, there’s a Tatcha routine for you. Now let’s figure out what that is.What are the basics of skincare?Every face, regardless of its skin type, needs just a few basic products in order to support its health and function.The skin is the largest organ in the human body, responsible not only for keeping all of our other systems intact and protected from the outside world, but also for keeping bad stuff out. In fact, skin’s chief function is as a barrier. Ensuring the integrity of this barrier is the main goal of skincare.There are a few ways we do this. Most dermatologists recommend a very simple regimen. The American Academy of Dermatologists Association outlines a simple skincare routine beginning by washing the skin (to cleanse), followed by a moisturizer (to seal the skin barrier), and then a sunscreen to protect from overexposure to ultraviolet rays.Three products might be all you really need. But depending on the goals of your skin, you may also want to include other ingredients to balance skin’s oil and water content or just to add additional nourishment with powerful actives. Figuring out your unique skin type can help you get closer to the skincare routine that’s best for youWhat’s my skin type?Luckily, skin types are not too hard to parse out. The main ones describe your skin’s oil content, which can probably be observed in your mirror. When in doubt, a dermatologist can point you in the right direction. But if you’d like to first try to figure it out on your own, we at Tatcha recommend two simple tests.The bare-face method. All you need to do is wash your face gently, pat it dry, wait 30 minutes, and inspect your face for signs of oil. Then wait another 30 minutes and check again. If your skin remains matte and unoiled, you probably have drier skin; if it gets oily immediately, you probably have oily skin; and if the oil is only local to some areas, you’re likely to have combination skin.The blotting paper method. This one is a little easier, and only requires blotting paper. Take one sheet of paper, press it into your skin, and then hold it up to the light: The more translucent the paper is, the oilier you are; the more unaffected the paper is, the drier your skin is.These two steps cover the main normal, oily, and dry skin types, but there are two others. They’re less easily observable, and yet you’ll probably know if you have them. Sensitive skin, for example, is more reactive than other skin types, and likely to refer to those who are battling breakouts more often than not. Mature skin describes skin that is displaying some of the first signs of aging, from wrinkles to hyperpigmentation. What are the best Tatcha products for my skin type?Once you’ve figured out your skin type, building a routine becomes an easier task. You already know the standard building blocks of skincare, and now you can tailor those steps to the needs of your unique skin type. Heed some of these product recommendations based on how oily, dry, combination, or sensitive your skin is. For normal skinThe term “normal” is a bit of a misnomer here—skin that happens to be oily is just as normal an occurrence as skin that isn’t. But for the sake of the term, normal faces aren’t prone to an excess nor a dearth of face oil, but they also don’t often tend towards dryness. This skin type isn’t exempt from these conditions, but they occur less often.Normal skin needs what every skin type needs: A cleanser, a moisturizer, and of course, a sunscreen. Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation not only can damage the skin and cause premature aging, but it’s also the number one risk factor for skin cancer. The SPF 50 Silk Sunscreen is suited for all skin types: A zinc oxide filter reflects the sun’s rays, while niacinamide and hyaluronic acid work in tandem to hydrate skin. It’s not just clutch for normal skin types, but for all skin types. For oily skinWhen we talk about “oil” in the context of skin, we’re usually talking about sebum, the waxy and essential substance that our skin naturally produces. Sebum is secreted by glands that are tucked within hair follicles, according to the Cleveland Clinic; this sebum is made up of some of the stuff that fortifies our skin barrier. When the skin produces too much sebum, it can cause acne.The main goal of those with oily skin is simply to keep their oil levels in check, which is achievable using a variety of skincare products. Oily skin can benefit from an oil-controlling cleanser like Tatcha’s The Matcha Cleanse , a fragrance-free gel cleanser that purifies congested pores without stripping skin. But it can also benefit from updating your moisturizer to include ingredients that are shown to regulate skin’s oil content. Tatcha’s The Water Cream, for one example, is a gel formulated with oil-controlling floral extracts from wild rose and leopard lily. One plastic surgeon recommended the Water Cream to Allure magazine specifically for oily skin: “I love the transformation when you apply this hydrating, oil-free water cream.” For dry skinDry skin isn’t exactly what it sounds like. Remember how the main skin types have to do with skin’s oil content? Dry skin is an absence of oil, or sebum, but not necessarily an absence of water. More so than normal or oily skin, dry skin can feel uncomfortable at times, even painful. Symptoms of dry skin can include tightness, thickening, or cracking—usually, dry skin feels rough to the touch. Risk factors for dry skin range, and include intrinsics like age and biology, as well as extrinsics like weather or occupation. (A potter is probably likelier than a typist to have dry skin on their hands because of the materials they handle.)The goal of making dry skin less dry involves nourishing that ever-important skin barrier. Between cleansing and moisturizing, a face mist can help prime the skin for more moisture—Tatcha’s Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is a cult favorite infused with the brand’s signature skin complex. Other products that are lighter than creams in texture, like serums or essences, can be patted onto the skin for an extra burst of hydration.But a rich skin cream will benefit dry skin types most of all, especially if it’s loaded with ingredients that have been shown to replenish the skin’s barrier. The Dewy Skin Cream is ideal for dry skin, but good for anybody who wants a little moisture boost: A special blend of Okinawa algae and hyaluronic acid captures water to help restore skin’s natural moisture reservoir. For sensitive skinSensitive skin is a trickier skin type. Despite it’s prevalence—some studies suggest that half of a given population anywhere has sensitive skin, while lower rates have been observed in places where skin runs darker—it is more complicated than oily or dry skin.Sensitive skin is characterized by “epidermal dysfunction,” or a higher rate of skin reactions and breakouts when compared to other skin types. These sorts of reactions can range in their expressions, from dryness to redness to full-blown rashes. They’re usually not difficult to spot when they arrive, and frequently, they’re caused by reactions to potentially irritating stimuli, like the weather, or pollution, or sun exposure, or skincare products.Whereas adding products to one’s routine might be advantageous for another skin type, it can be riskier for the sensitive skinned, who may be more cautious about trying new things. If it helps, try thinking less about products and more about ingredients. There have been plenty of ingredients shown to calm down reactive skin—some of them, like Japanese indigo, are are medicinal botanicals that have long histories of use. (During the Edo period in Japan, Samurais wore a layer of indigo-dyed cotton beneath their armor to help heal injuries.) Indigo contains tryptanthrin, known to help flush away toxins and irritants, and indirubin, which supports the skin’s natural barrier function. Tatcha uses Japanese indigo and its powerful natural compounds for its sensitive skin formulations, like in the butter-soft Indigo Cleansing Balm and the soothing Indigo Calming Face Cream. It’s even earned acceptance from the National Eczema Association. For mature skinUnlike any other skin type, mature skin happens to every single one of us, and might be the one skin type that everybody has eventually. Towards your late 30s and early 40s, the signs of aging begin to appear. Skin loses volume and elasticity and wrinkles and age spots begin to emerge.In Japan, aging is viewed as a gift, rather than something to dread. The goal is not to look baby-young but to have healthy-looking skin at any age. Some of the most important aspects of promoting skin health could be categorized as everyday healthy living—not smoking, limiting stress, eating a nourishing diet. The impetus for wearing sunscreen only gets more powerful as you age and your risk of skin cancer increases.There are other considerations for mature skin, too. First, make sure you choose a cleanser that doesn’t tug on your skin or dry you out. (Tatcha’s two-in-one Camellia Cleansing Oil is a fabulous choice—its featherweight texture mimics the skin barrier, and moisturizes while it washes.) As our skin has difficulty holding on to nourishment as we age, it’s a wise idea to bolster your barrier with nourishing ingredients, like those distilled in the Ageless Enriching Renewal Cream. In addition to providing superior moisture, it also includes botanicals like peony flower and gardenia fruit extract that help address the loss of elasticity and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Mature faces might also enjoy incorporating products that bring these powerful ingredients to the areas of our skin that need it most or are sometimes neglected. Enter the Ageless Revitalizing Eye Cream and Neck Cream, both of which tout firming as a chief benefit to make up for elasticity lost to age. The skincare market is huge, with plenty of options for every single skin benefit you could think of. By identifying your skin type, you can narrow them down to the ones that work for you.

For holidays, birthdays, special days and ordinary ones—consider gifting a skincare set to someone in your life (and use this guide to choose the one they might like best). At first blush, the beauty lover seems like an easy person to check off your gifting list: The possibilities are nearly endless. But while there may be many options to choose from, not all of them make for perfect presents.Makeup can be tricky, unless you know exactly what the receiver wants. A hair product would be an unexpected gift, and for good reason—shampoo simply doesn’t make for an exciting unboxing. By contrast, masks or moisturizers are always in demand, but how do you choose the right moisturizer, for example? Where do you start?Allow us to suggest the skincare set. There is no better beauty gift than a Japanese skincare set, There is no better beauty gift than a skincare set, which can offer them them a chance to explore and discover what they like before committing. Sets allow for the giftee to try multiple products in one package, seamlessly swapping them in and out of their current regimen as needed. (Many items in a set also come perfectly sized for travel.)It also offers a rare opportunity to try a few items from one skincare range. Most companies formulate their different products to work in tandem with others in their collections, providing higher dosages of a particularly key ingredient, or ordering steps so that each application enhances the next one. Tatcha offers a range of sets suited to specific skin types, or that sample some of the brand’s bestsellers, or that simply showcase powerful Japanese botanicals.On the other hand if you give a full routine, you’re giving more than just a handful of lotions: You’re giving a ritual. That short but significant part of one’s day can become more than just about self-presentation; it can become about self-care. Here are a few suggestions, based on skin type. A skincare gift for dry skinThose who deal with dry skin on the regular tend to crave creamy, hydrating skincare products. The Plump & Dewy Skin Trio packs hydration into a three-step skincare routine that begins with a gentle cream cleanse and ends with a rich moisturizer with a serum that plumps in between steps. These three products are Tatcha dry skin bestsellers, comprising a variety of classic ingredients like squalane and hyaluronic acid paired with the brand’s signature active complex. A good starter skincare routine—or gift for anyone in need of dew. A skincare gift for oily or combination skinFor friends on the other side of the skin spectrum, the Clarified & Balanced Trio assembles a simple starter pack for oily or combination skin. Whereas dry skin describes a lack of sebum production, oily faces have too much of it, and often benefit from products designed to tweak skin’s natural water and sebum reserves into balance. This oil-friendly routine swaps out a serum for The Texture Tonic, which earns its name from a suite of fruit-extracted alpha hydroxy acids that even out and smooth skin. A skincare gift for mature skinSome have oily skin, combination skin, or dry skin, but everybody develops mature skin, and it’s important to follow a skincare routine designed for aging skin. Due to our natural biology, our skin loses its ability to retain water, nourishment, and structure as life bears on. Collagen, elastin, and other proteins that maintain our skin’s integrity aren’t as readily replaced as they once were. Supercharged skincare designed with mature skin in mind helps fill in the gap. The Ritual for Firm Skin contains four steps starting with a luxe oil cleanser, followed by Tatcha’s Hadasei-3 proprietary concentrate of Japanese superfoods with essential amino acids, a wrinkle-smoothing serum, and a rich-yet-weightless gel cream to seal it all in. A skincare gift for skincare loversEverybody has them in their friend group, if they look hard enough—the skincare obsessive. They won’t be impressed by a run-of-the-mill moisturizer. Instead, show them something truly impressive: A range of multi-tasking treatment serums. Enter the Serum Discovery Trio, a sampling of some of Tatcha’s most potent skincare technology: A botanically powered antioxidant serum that gently resurfaces the skin, a brightening powerhouse serum, and their latest addition The Silk Serum, which uses silk extract, plus upcycled cranberry extract and sea fennel forretinol-liker skin-smoothing. A skincare gift for a groupMeet the Hydration Obento. The latter word is a cheeky reference to Japanese box lunches, but this particular obento isn’t edible. Rather than karaage or katsu, this box contains Tatcha’s bestselling moisturizers crafted with timeless Asian botanicals. There’s one for each major skin care concern, from oiliness and dryness to firmness and redness. If you’re stuck on a gift for more than one friend, consider splitting up this obento of luxurious skincare into four little gifts. A skincare gift for a mom Chances are your mother, or a mother you know, already uses a moisturizer. But there’s a good chance they only use one moisturizer. A gift like the Day & Night Moisture Duo not only provides them with two of the brand’s most popular formulas, but it offers the benefits of using separate creams for day and night as it’s a good idea to use two daily moisturizers. A skincare gift for a makeup loverThere are skincare gifts for the makeup enthusiasts in your life, too, especially at Tatcha, where so many of the brand’s offerings are designed to prime and prep the skin for optimum makeup wear. There’s no need to decide between Tatcha’s popular face mist, cult favorite Liquid Silk Canvas primer, or lip mask, because the Prime & Glow Trio contains all three. Whether the giftee is a concealer fanatic or lip look afficionado, they will certainly appreciate a set that helps them achieve their very best application, every time. A skincare gift for the one who has it allRemember those Japanese obento lunch boxes? Imagine opening yours to find a seven-step skincare ritual, and you’ve just imagined the Luxury Obento. This platinum-standard gift for the ultimate skin whiz not only includes the brand’s most iconic skincare staples, from The Camellia Cleansing Oil to the The Rice Polish: Classic, but it also tosses in a few high-tech newcomers—including a retinol alternative and an eye cream that melts into skin for radiant eyes. In a way, this is a hard gift to give because it’s so tempting to keep it for yourself.

Two of our most beloved formulas—the Indigo Calming Cream and the Indigo Overnight Repair—are often compared interchangeably. But they differ in a few, notable ways. Read on to discover which formula is right for your skin. In Japan, skin is considered a conduit to the world: It perceives temperature, touch, light, and even time. It then sends those messages to the brain to distinguish how we feel and think. Our brain and skin work in tandem, which helps to synchronize our intelligent facial skin. But, this symbiotic relationship can often lead to trouble when chemical and hormonal interactions come to play, like adrenaline, inflammation, and cortisol. Pair that with external stressors like pollution, sun radiation, and poor nutrition and you might have a damaged skin barrier.The skin barrier’s primary job is to keep moisture in and harmful substances out (including allergens, irritants, and pathogens). When it’s damaged, skin is out of sync, showing signs of dryness, redness, sensitivity, itchiness, flakiness, dullness, hyperpigmentation, and fine lines. This is where Tatcha comes into play. The Tatcha Institute has been studying and perfecting skin barrier repair for nearly a decade. Keep reading to see two products (and what makes them different) that calm and visibly relieve damaged skin.Stressed Skin SolutionsIrritated and stressed skin can occur frustratingly easily. Thankfully there are a handful of Tatcha products that are designed to strengthen skin just as quickly. Two of our most beloved products for this very task are the Indigo Calming Cream and the Indigo Overnight Repair, but which is right for you? Read on as we uncover Tatcha Indigo Cream vs. Overnight Repair.Indigo Calming CreamTransform stressed skin to strengthened skin with the newly updated Indigo Calming Cream. Our beloved fragrance-free cream has been proven to calm visible irritation and relieve itchy skin, thanks to Japanese indigo and colloidal oatmeal (an FDA-designated skin protectant). What sets this innovative cream apart from others (and even the Indigo Overnight Repair) is the addition of colloidal oatmeal, which has helped earn it the coveted National Eczema Association seal of approval for its ability to soothe irritated, eczema-prone skin on the face and beyond. Whether as a face cream or spot treatment, The Indigo Calming Cream offers a luxurious way to heal visibly stressed or eczema-prone skin for a calmer, stronger skin barrier.100 percent of panelists in a clinical study saw an improvement in softness and suppleness immediately, an improvement in the appearance of the skin barrier after one week, and an improvement in visible redness and evenness of skin tone after four weeks. The emotional benefits of using the new Indigo Calming Cream are worth noting, too. In a clinical study self-assessment questionnaire, 86 percent of panelists noted that the product left them feeling like their skin was healthier after just one week.Benefits: Soothes dry and irritated skin Relieves redness and itchiness Long-lasting hydration Texture: Velvety rich creamUse: Morning and nightIngredients: Japanese indigo Colloidal oatmeal Hadasei-3 Indigo Overnight RepairTatcha’s award-winning Indigo Overnight Repair is a fragrance-free, soothing serum-in-moisturizer treatment. The formula, which includes Japanese indigo, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, provides an immediate improvement in moisture, smoothness, and radiance. What truly sets the Overnight Repair apart from other treatments is the formula’s ability to balance the microbiome, helping to cultivate good bacteria so skin performs at its optimal, symbiotic level. The cushiony treatment is ideal for evening use, where the luxurious application can be used as an act of mindfulness and sensorial skincare moment, helping to bring comfort and peace of mind while unwinding at the end of the day. In clinical studies, 100 percent of users saw an improvement in their skin barrier strength within four weeks.Benefits: Visibly calms irritation and redness Strengthens skin barrier Balances skin’s microbiome Texture: A cushiony creamUse:Night onlyIngredients: Japanese indigo Ceramides Hyaluronic acid Mondo grass root Suggested Skin-Soothing RitualWhile it’s tempting to pit Tatcha Indigo Cream vs. Overnight Repair—the two products truly work best together. Here’s our suggested daily ritual that’s proven to soothe, calm, and visibly repair skin.Morning Ritual Purify with The Indigo Cleansing Balm Polish with The Rice Polish Plump with The Essence Nourish with The Indigo Calming Cream Evening Ritual Purify with The Indigo Cleansing Balm Polish with The Rice Polish Plump with The Essence Nourish with The Indigo Overnight Repair

Tatcha is honored to have a collection of innovative, highly-effective face creams. But we often get asked about two of our most popular moisturizers: The Water Cream vs. The Dewy Skin Cream—which is best? Read on to discover which option is right for you. At Tatcha, we are truly honored to care for your skin. We aim to put the ‘care’ back into ‘skincare’ with each and every Tatcha product—and our collection of nutrient-rich, highly-effective face creams are some of our proudest innovations. One question we often receive, regarding two of our best-selling products, is: Tatcha Water Cream vs Dewy Skin Cream—which is best? There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the Tatcha Dewy vs Water Cream debate—the only correct answer is selecting the ideal moisturizer for you and uncovering the unique cream that can deliver the optimal level of hydration for your specific skin type. And that’s a question we can answer. Read below to uncover the differences between The Water Cream and The Dewy Skin Cream—and discover which option is right for you to unlock your healthiest-looking complexion yet.Why We Love The Water Cream Launched in 2017, The Water Cream took the world by storm, offering a refreshing burst of hydrating nutrients and pore-refining botanicals for balanced, healthy-looking skin. The Water Cream features wild rose and leopard lily to balance the skin, decongest pores, and minimize excess oil production. Plus the water-burst cream formula also includes our Hadasei-3 Complex, which includes Uji green tea to detoxify and prevent premature aging, Okinawa red algae to seal in moisture, and Akita rice to nourish and hydrate. Appearance-wise, the cream imparts a subtle, shine-free glow.Those with combination and oily skin will adore The Water Cream for its pore-reducing, balancing, and lightweight qualities. The unique formula delivers deep hydration, without leaving skin sticky or greasy, too. Oily skin types tend to shy away from face moisturizers because they can feel greasy or have used a hydrator in the past that led to clogged pores. But finding a lightweight moisturizer, like The Water Cream, balances oil and can make skin not only feel better, but also look healthier. In consumer studies, 95 percent of users found their skin looked brighter, more hydrated, and had a healthy-looking glow after four weeks of usage. Why We Love The Dewy Skin Cream Making its debut in 2019, the emollient-rich Dewy Skin Cream was specifically launched to give skin a natural glow and pair beautifully under makeup. The rich, moisturizing cream plumps skin for a dewy, healthy-looking appearance–thanks to antioxidant-packed Japanese purple rice, hyaluronic acid, and our superpowered Hadasei-3 Complex (to restore healthy radiance). The rich texture increases hydration, radiance, plumpness, and overall texture and firmness. When applied, the cream gives the skin a dewy and radiant glow.The Dewy Skin moisturizer is wonderful for a variety of skin types, but those with dry skin will treasure this cream. Dry skin needs extra emollients, ceramides, and peptides (all are present in this cream), which soften the skin’s surface and drench it with hydration. In consumer studies, 100 percent of users noticed an increase in hydration and an improvement in radiance and plumpness in two weeks of consistent use.Similarities: The Water Cream vs. The Dewy Skin Cream Both moisturizers are complexly hydrating and contain a handful of similar ingredients, including hyaluronic acid and our treasured Hadasei-3 Complex. They both also have a whisper of 23-karat-gold for a subtle, lit-from-within sheen.Differences: The Water Cream vs. The Dewy Skin CreamThere is a noticeable and intentional difference between the two moisturizers. The Water Cream is specifically designed for combination and oily skin, helping to target oil production and balance the skin. While The Dewy Skin Cream is ideal for drier skin types looking for more intense nourishment and hydration.Your preference between the two might also depend on your locale or time of year. If you live in an area of extreme humidity and heat or a cold, dry climate, your choice of moisturizer might alter depending on the skin’s needs at that time. For example, those with oily skin might need the extra hydration and support from The Dewy Skin Cream during extremely chilly, dry weather.Of course, both work beautifully under makeup, but they do have different finishes. The Water Cream has a pore-refining, light texture and imparts a more matte-like finish. While The Dewy Skin, as you might expect from its name, provides a dewy, radiant glow.No matter which moisturizer you select, we encourage you to take a few moments of mindfulness while applying your cream during your daily regime. Having a moment of mindful meditation paired with your skincare routine can elevate the routine into the extraordinary.

Ever noticed how good you feel after spending time in nature? Our founder, Vicky Tsai, learned that being connected to nature not only lifts your mood, but has a proven impact on your overall well-being. On her visits to Japan, she fell in love with the Japanese ritual of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, which is scientifically proven to decrease stress, lift mood, and improve concentration simply by engaging the five senses in nature. Through extensive research, forest science experts like Tatcha partner Dr. Qing Li of the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, have found that seeing greenery, hearing birdsong, tasting wild vegetables, touching tree trunks, and smelling the forest’s natural aroma can set off a myriad of health benefits. After studying shinrin-yoku and feeling its effects first-hand, our founder Vicky Tsai and team set out to discover whether these benefits could translate to skincare. While each sense plays an important role, research shows that 50% of the benefits of forest bathing come from “smelling,” or breathing the forest air, which is rich in phytoncides: airborne compounds emitted by trees’ essential oils to ward off mold, bacteria, and insects. When these compounds are released into the forest air and inhaled into the body through the lungs, they’re proven to boost immune function, decrease stress, lower blood pressure and provide a relaxing effect. “This scent stimulates the brain through the olfactory nerve, and has a relaxing and calming effect on the brain, and also has a positive effect on memory,” Dr. Li told us. But, exactly how do phytoncides accomplish all this? Studies have shown that forest bathing for three days and two nights increases what are known as natural killer cells: immune cells that defend against bacteria, viruses, and tumors, as well as anti-cancer proteins. “If you take a forest bath once a month, your body will always remain at a high level of immune function. This is very important preventative medicine,” says Dr. Li. But you needn’t visit the forest to obtain these benefits. Through his research, Dr. Li has found evidence that inhaling essential oils or applying them to the skin can reduce stress levels and increase natural killer cell activity and anti-cancer proteins in the cells. “I used a humidifier to diffuse [hinoki] essential oil evenly into the air in a hotel room, and had the subjects stay in the room for three nights,” says Dr. Li. “The results showed that inhalation of phytoncides increased immune function, decreased stress hormones, and improved sleep.” Informed by Dr. Li’s research, we created the Forest Awakening body care collection. Rooted in the proven power of trees, all three formulas contain our essential oil blend of hinoki, hiba, and cedar, to deliver the benefits of forest bathing to your home. Our Hinoki Body Wash, Milk, and Oil are each steeped in the citrusy wood scent of hinoki to awaken your senses and calm your mind while cleansing, smoothing, and moisturizing your skin from head to toe for holistic care.

Off the southernmost tip of Japan’s mainland lies Okinawa, an archipelago of wondrously clear water, white-sand beaches, and lush, verdant vegetation. Aside from its natural beauty, Okinawa is home to some of the most abundant coral reefs, incredible wildlife, vibrant blossoms—and some of the healthiest people in the world. Recognized as a Blue Zone, Okinawa is famed for the health, vitality, and happiness of its inhabitants, who happen to enjoy some of the longest average lifespans in the world. The astounding longevity of its citizens can be attributed to their activity—Okinawa is the birthplace of karate—as well as their plant-based, nutrient-rich diet. Surrounded by water, Okinawans have much respect for the ocean and its bounties, and make use of its many offerings in their daily life, from omega-rich fish in meals to red algae in their religious ceremonies. Known as a “treasure from the god of the sea,” this same red algae is a key ingredient in many of our skincare formulas, like The Dewy Skin Cream. With the belief that what is good for the body is good for the skin, Okinawans have included many other local oceanic finds in their beauty rituals as well. One such beauty secret includes kucha, a clay found only in the central and southern seas of these islands. This soil was blessed by marine life, enriching it with minerals and nutrients five million years old. For centuries, Okinawan women have cherished this clay for its superb oil-absorbing properties, using it as a hair powder or face mask. We chose this beloved kucha clay to act as the base of The Clarifying Clay Mask, our sensorial face mask that will help return harmony to your skin. We paired the clarifying and oil-absorbing properties of Okinawa kucha clay with gently exfoliating Japanese konjac (a starchy root vegetable) and warming Japanese volcanic ash to create this innovative clay mask. The Clarifying Clay Mask works in three minutes to help your skin let go of excess oil and sebum, leaving behind only essential moisture. Ideal for oily and combination skin, this mask helps reveal a complexion as clear and beautiful as Okinawa itself, with smoother texture, visibly tighter pores, and a soft, hydrated feel. We hope this timeless offering helps transport you to this wondrous island, if only for a few moments.

What words would you use to describe your ideal skin? Some common responses might include “soft,” “smooth,” or “plump”—the same words you would use to describe a baby’s skin, and that’s not a coincidence! When you were born, your skin contained the highest levels of all of the skin-improving substances you commonly see on a skincare label: hyaluronic acid, collagen, elastin, and more. As you age, your body’s production of these substances slows down and the evidence can show up as fine lines, dryness and loss of firmness. The best way to delay the visible signs of aging, like wrinkles, lines, and dark spots, is to focus on enhancing your skin barrier function. Tagawa-san, our Chief Scientist at the Tatcha Institute, explains what your skin barrier is in a way that’s easy to visualize: “Skin consists of regular stratum corneum and intercellular lipids: imagine a brick structure and cement that exists in between, and this structure is strong enough to resist even physical stimulation.” This outermost layer of skin acts as your first line of defense between your body and the environment, like sun and pollution. While the natural process of aging can weaken your skin barrier function, environmental factors can accelerate this damage. “When the skin’s barrier function is impaired by external or internal stress, water is evaporated, and skin becomes sensitive.” Your skin naturally renews this layer every 28 days, bringing healthy, new cells up to the surface. Our proprietary complex found in every formula, Hadasei-3™, helps enhance the skin barrier function with lactic acid, amino acids, and other various components naturally produced in the complex’s fermentation process. When used every day, Hadasei-3™ can improve the epidermal skin barrier function to help reveal healthy-looking skin. Your skin barrier is also responsible for retaining and regulating moisture levels in the skin, and performs best when it is properly hydrated. According to Tagawa-san, “your skin barrier function is not something special; it’s a natural function that your body has to maintain your skin in ideal condition.” In infancy, your body fed your skin barrier nourishing materials like hyaluronic acid and squalane. A moisture-binding molecule that helps skin retain moisture, hyaluronic acid gives skin a hydrated, plump appearance. To maintain the hydration levels in the skin barrier for proper function, squalane, a saturated and stable hydrocarbon, works as an emollient and seals in moisture. Though your skin produces less of these materials as you get older, you can replenish the skin barrier by incorporating these native-to-skin ingredients into your daily skincare ritual. Inspired by the Japanese concept of shinsei, which translates to ’new birth,’ Tagawa-san created our newest formula, The Dewy Serum, to restore and replenish the key components of healthy skin, lost over time, to help it perform at its optimal level. This serum uses 73% Hadasei-3™ to gently sweep away dull, dead skin cells, then replenishes your skin with hydrating and plumping hyaluronic acid, and emollient squalane derived from sugarcane for healthy, renewed cells in your skin barrier. Together, these three ingredients return to your skin the supple, bouncy radiance lost over time. Our whole collection of Dewy formulas—like The Rice Wash, The Dewy Skin Cream, Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, and Luminous Dewy Skin Mask—harness the hydrating benefits of these native-to-skin ingredients to help renew your skin’s barrier function.

Over the decade that I’ve been visiting Kyoto and interviewing geisha, there has been one consistent answer to my question, “what’s the most important part of your skincare ritual?” The answer is invariably, bintsuke, a soft wax that she melts in the palms of her hands and massages onto her skin as the last step of her skincare ritual. In addition to creating a smooth poreless canvas to help her makeup last all day, it protects her skin from makeup and pollution while holding moisture in the skin, all at once. I loved the idea of a protective barrier between skin and makeup but having tried the bintsuke wax myself, dreamt of recreating the benefits with a natural material that felt featherlight on the skin instead of waxy. Our scientists at the Tatcha Institute in Tokyo were intrigued by the challenge and so we began researching weightless ingredients that would act as a second skin. We found our dream ingredient in silk. If you have ever worn silk and wondered why it feels as if you’re wearing nothing at all, it is because silk proteins are biosimilar to our own skin’s proteins, down to the amino acid composition. The key to turning silk extracts into a second skin would be marrying three silk extracts together to capture all of the benefits of this wondrous natural material - from holding in essential moisture, to protecting the skin from impurities. After years of refining the formula, The Silk Canvas was born. The first thing I noticed when I began using it was how effortlessly makeup applied, how dramatically it improved color payoff and how my makeup lasted all day whenever I used it - even becoming water resistant. After one week, I was even more delighted to see the texture of my congestion-prone skin changing from not being directly exposed to the oils and pigments in my makeup. For the first time in my adult life, I feel like I have truly foundation-optional skin. It’s our honor to bring you this treasure, evolved from the geisha’s beloved rituals. Spun from the best of both worlds, The Silk Canvas is skin-protecting and makeup-perfecting for healthy, lustrous, filter-finish skin. I hope you love it as much as we do and can’t wait to hear about your results too! The Silk Canvas, $52