T-House

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.

Your mindset has the power to change your entire day. When we “wake up on the wrong side of the bed” it’s easy to continue seeing the negative of every situation, but you can think of that as a self-fulfilling prophecy—if you choose to look for what’s going wrong, you’re more likely to see more of it. So how do we change things when they feel like they’re spiraling out of control? The best thing to do is reset your mood. Whether you take your time or only have a few moments, there are plenty of ways to come back to yourself and back to the moment so you can function at your optimal state of mind. Here are some of our favorite ways to regain a positive outlook, with love from Japan. Meditate Even if you only have a few minutes, allowing yourself to step away mentally from the task at hand that is causing you stress can help you recenter your mind. Sitting meditation, or zazen, is a type of meditation in Japan meant to bring peace of mind. According to Ito-san, our Global Wellness Mentor at Tatcha, “zazen is about awareness—it is about the harmony between the outerworld and your body.” To practice zazen, find a comfortable seated position with your back straight, and close your eyes. Ito-san suggests thinking through the practice like this: “Shift your attention from yourself to your surroundings. Once you are there, gradually shift your attention to your body. Then, once you are in that state, review yourself as if you are looking at yourself from a distance. The key is not to push yourself too hard.” Exercise Did you know that exercise can suppress hormones that cause stress and anxiety? Taking just a few minutes to move your body can help release endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine—neurotransmitters known to trigger happy thinking in your brain. Anything from a walk around the block to a few jumping jacks to a full yoga flow can have a positive effect on your mood. The Japanese have the term sanpo, which is specifically used for taking a meaningful walk, such as for leisure or to clear your mind. Engage your sense of smell In Japan, kodo, which directly translates to “way of fragrance” and can be understood as an appreciation of incense, is a classical art perfected by geisha. This practice involves smoldering incense or fragrant wood with coals on a plate, and “listening” to the smoldering material—or allowing your nasal passages, heart and mind to open up to its presence—to determine its origin. Because of the strong tie between your olfactory senses and your memory, it is believed the scent given off by these materials can transport you elsewhere on the spiritual plane. The specific practice of kodo is believed to create a feeling of harmony even under stress, promote alertness, heal feelings of loneliness and purify the mind and body. If you don’t have incense or fragrant wood on hand, you could even do something as simple as brew a cup of tea. Known as ocha in Japan, when you slow down and focus specifically on each step in the act of making a cup of tea—take in its scent, listen to the sound of water boiling, watch the tea change the color of the water—you can reset your mood. Cleanse your body Purification of all kinds is highly regarded in Japanese culture. Even with something as simple as taking a shower, you can feel the positive effect any kind of cleansing has on your mood. Bathing culture is very popular in Japan, from the communal hot spring onsens to private and public ohuro bath rituals. If you have the time and supplies, a yuzuyu, or a bath full of winter citrus fruit, is known for its cleansing and healing properties. It is believed that partaking in a yuzu bath on the evening of the winter solstice can keep one from catching a cold and can ward off any bad spirits. Clean your space A cluttered space provides an easy distraction for your mind. When you physically remove the clutter from your area, it can also help clear the clutter in your mind. Not only does cleaning your space give you a sense of accomplishment, but it removes one thing standing in your way of doing something you really enjoy. Before each new year in Japan everyone partakes in a big cleaning known as o-souji. This act of deep cleaning, tidying, and organizing celebrates the fresh start presented by the coming year. While o-souji occurs in December, you can experience the mood-lifting benefits of cleaning anytime you want! The physical act of cleaning provides purification for both your space and your mind.

The people of Japan are acutely aware how paying attention to ingredients can be beneficial to their health. Living in a Blue Zone—a region where a high number of people live much longer than average—they know to avoid certain foods, or have a very plant-rich, clean diet to stay healthy. It stands to reason that what is healthy for their body is also healthy for their skin, as many of the ingredients that are commonly found in their diet are also in their skincare. Their centuries-old emphasis on fewer, better ingredients has been a source of inspiration for Tatcha since our beginning. The Tatcha Institute in Tokyo partners with leading plant extraction scientists to harness the powerful efficacy of these ingredients. The basis of Hadasei-3™, our proprietary complex found in every Tatcha formula, is a fermentation of green tea, rice, and seaweed—the trinity of superfoods credited with Japanese longevity. This single combined ingredient yields over 85 essentials for skin health, including lactic acid, enzymes, amino acids, and minerals. This proves that while a formula doesn’t have to be 100% natural to be good for you, natural ingredients can deliver impressive results without harmful side effects, and give the body what it needs safely. Another aspect we consider when choosing our ingredients is provenance. We source plants grown in the most renowned provenances of Japan, based on climate, soil, and other factors. Our partners include family-run farms and small-scale suppliers that have specialized in that ingredient for years—even centuries—in an effort to be more environmentally sustainable and culturally authentic. Here are just a few examples: —Our natural Japanese Indigo, long regarded for its deeply soothing and restorative powers, comes from a family-run farm on the banks of the Yoshino River, which floods annually to replenish the soil with vital nutrients and minerals. Found in: The Indigo Cream, Indigo Soothing Hand Cream, The Rice Polish: Calming —Silk extracts are easily absorbed into the skin, allowing antioxidants and amino acids to help condition for improved elasticity and resilience. This strong fiber has become a cornerstone of many of our formulas, and comes from a company that has specialized in silk extraction since 3500 B.C.E. Found in: The Silk Cream, The Silk Canvas, The Liquid Silk Canvas, The Silk Peony —The 23-karat gold you can see in some of our formulas comes from a small gold-leafing workshop outside of Kyoto, renowned for its whisper-thin sheets of gold. High-quality gold will crush on application and impart a subtle gleam to the skin, one that mica and other inexpensive optical agents simply cannot replicate. It lends an incandescence that flatters any skin tone. Found in: Gold Camellia Beauty Oil, Camellia Gold Spun Lip Balm, Aburatorigami, Plum Blossom Silk Lipstick —Rich in oleic acid and vitamins A, B, D and E as well as nourishing Omega 3, 6 and 9, our camellia oil is harvested from the Goto Islands. The seeds are cold-pressed to extract the essential oil and retain its full benefits.The molecular weight of the oil is an almost identical match for skin, allowing it to absorb quickly and thoroughly. Found in: Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil, Plum Blossom Camellia Lip Balm —The Okinawa Red Algae is harvested by hand from a tranquil lagoon in Yaeyama. Once dried in the sun, it is distilled to retain the plant’s benefits. This specific type of algae helps to enhance skin’s barrier function, replenish the skin’s natural water reservoir, and increase its moisture-retention capabilities. Found in: The Dewy Skin Cream, Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum, Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum, Luminous Deep Hydration Revitalizing Eye Mask In this season that fills us with kansha, or a deep sense of gratitude, we want to say how thankful we are for our ingredients. We spend as much time on these materials as we do on the formulas themselves, and continuously return to these natural ingredients because they’ve proven to be gentle, pure, and efficacious.

Inspired by teinei, which means ‘with care’ in Japanese, our skincare philosophy of kindness reminds us to treat our skin with love and attention. Skin is the body’s largest organ and it is so much more than what holds us together. It’s our beautiful and natural armor, our most reliable communicator, and thanks to the wonder of sensory perception, it’s an astounding source of pleasure. Think of the happiness that comes with a caress of your cheek or a needed embrace. This is the basis for our skincare philosophy of kindness. The cornerstone of our philosophy is what we call “kind-to-skin” ingredients. Rather than treating our skin as a problem to be solved with harsh ingredients that irritate, we cherish our skin with gentle yet effective ingredients proven to bring transformation over time. Many classical Japanese beauty rituals have roots in the kitchen, because it stands to reason that what is healthy for the body is also healthy for the skin. In fact, the basis of the Japanese diet—rice, seaweed, and green tea—are the beloved ingredients of Hadasei-3™. This double-fermented, proprietary complex is found in all of our skincare and is rich in lactic acid to promote skin surface turnover. Made with natural, minimally manipulated ingredients, our formulas are able to care for your skin both gently and effectively. Alongside kind-to-skin ingredients, we believe it is equally important to thank your skin every day with a daily ritual of wellbeing. Giving yourself time to take care of your skin is not a luxury, but a necessity—a short, impactful moment for you to open and close the day. Inspired by the Japanese skincare ritual, we like to think of this practice as a meditative moment of attending to your skin—and therefore to yourself—every single day. Think of your skin as a reflection of your body. Could it be stress that causes a breakout? A lack of sleep that results in dry or dull skin? Lotions and potions will only go so far if you aren’t paying attention to the state of your soul, which you can continuously nurture by making this commitment to caring for yourself every day.

Nourished. Hydrated. Moisturized. Replenished. Firmed. Plumped. All of these words are ones we hope will describe our skin. Using a serum every day is a vital part of your skincare ritual, as the right one delivers high concentrations of ingredients to leave your skin looking and feeling soft, smooth, and supple. Keep reading to learn more about this essential step in your skincare routine, and discover the best face serums for each skin type. What is Face Serum? If you already moisturize (and we hope you do), you may not have realized the added benefits of incorporating serum into your skincare routine. Serums are highly potent skincare treatments that work to increase the overall effectiveness of your entire skincare ritual. These liquid or gel formulas contain high concentrations of ingredients, which are able to penetrate into your skin more deeply. At night, these concentrated and nutrient-dense formulas can also help to aid in skin repair while you sleep. When Should You Apply Face Serum? Serum should be the fourth step in your skincare ritual, and should be applied both morning and night to your face and neck. It comes after cleansing, exfoliating, and applying essence, and before applying moisturizer and sunscreen. This is because you should apply your skincare products in order from lightest to heaviest, so that each one delivers its maximum benefits to your skin. And, since serums help the ingredients in your moisturizer and sunscreen to work more effectively, you should always ensure that they are applied in this order. Furthermore, anyone can benefit from introducing a facial serum into your skincare ritual. Whether you are in your 20s or your 60s, your skin can always use an added boost of nourishment, especially in drier months and drier climates. What is the Best Face Serum for Dry Skin? For those with dry skin types, we recommend using a hydrating serum with ingredients that will feed your skin with moisture, such as the ever-popular hyaluronic acid. Give your skin new life with The Dewy Serum—a 3-in-1 serum that gently resurfaces with lactic acid in Hadasei-3™, plumps with hyaluronic acid, and locks in moisture with squalane for hydrated, dewy skin. We suggest incorporating this serum into your morning skincare ritual.. In recent trials with this serum, we found that it immediately boosts hydration 6X, with 91% showing improvement in radiance**, and all-day wear maintained 2X the hydration*. After two weeks, 100% showed improvement in radiance** and 98% showed improvement in texture**. After four weeks, 100% showed improvement in radiance and texture**, 87% showed improvement in elasticity** and 82% showed improvement in the appearance of fine lines**. What is the Best Face Serum for Uneven Skin Tone or Fine Lines? Those with uneven skin tone or fine lines and wrinkles can benefit from a serum that features vitamin C. Our VIOLET-C-SERUMViolet-C Brightening Serum—a clean, kind-to-skin formula with two types of vitamin C and antioxidant-rich Japanese beautyberry—works to brighten skin and reveal a translucent, youthful glow. Mild fruit AHAs also work to resurface dull, uneven skin, while Japanese angelica root helps to reduce the look of dark spots, discoloration, blemishes, hyperpigmentation, and post-acne scarring. We suggest incorporating this vitamin C serum into your evening skincare ritual. Is There a Face Serum for Touch-ups Throughout the Day? As a matter of fact, there is. If you feel as though your skin is needing a touch of extra freshness during the day, reach for The Serum Stick. This touchup and treatment balm is formulated as a concentrated serum with 80% squalane and Japanese lemon balm to target the signs of aging and dryness instantly and over time. Lemon balm has been used for centuries to help calm inflammation, and it visibly reduces fine lines and crepiness while helping to minimize the UV damage that can cause signs of aging to appear. Meanwhile, all-natural squalane works instantly to richly moisturize, hydrate, and improve the skin barrier. It absorbs easily without clogging pores or leaving behind oily residue, making this balm ideal for those with combination skin or oily skin. In addition, The Serum Stick is formulated with Hadasei-3™, our proprietary complex of double-fermented Uji green tea, Akita rice, and Mozuku algae. This trinity of time-tested ingredients work in harmony to deliver radiant, healthy-looking skin. Uji green tea is known to help reduce the signs of aging and to detoxify the skin. Protein-rich Akita rice nourishes the skin, leaving skin feeling plump and supple. Okinawa mozuku algae is packed with hydrating polysaccharides essential for skin water retention and renewal, helping your skin retain moisture and maintain a smooth, hydrated appearance. Rich in a symphony of essential amino acids, this trio supports the skin’s natural moisture-keeping factors while promoting natural skin surface turnover for brighter, beautiful skin at every age. At Tatcha, it is our long-espoused belief that beauty knows no age. This formula that would traditionally be referred to as an anti-aging serum, and does indeed treat the signs of accelerated aging that occur from environmental elements, lifestyle choices, and other factors. However, we believe that time is a gift, and to better align our language with our values, we have pledged to phase out the term "anti-aging" in our marketing. Patting on a face serum and drenching your skin with essential nutrients is an act of self-care you can perform for your skin each and every day. We welcome the opportunity to help you treat your skin with the utmost respect by incorporating these treasures into your daily skincare ritual. For our full range of serums and other targeted face treatments, visit tatcha.com. *based on bioinstrumentation study conducted on 25 people **based on an expert graded 4 week study, twice daily use on 45 people

Today, the skin on the neck is put through stress from constant movement and sun exposure, and is naturally prone to premature aging. Did you know that your neck is one of the first areas to show fine lines and wrinkles? Because the skin on your neck is quite thin and sees a fair amount of sun, it can often show signs of sagging and aging more quickly than other parts of the body. At Tatcha, it is our long-espoused belief that beauty knows no age—even so, you may be searching for ways to treat the neck wrinkles you may have discovered, and prevent more from forming in the future. Keep reading for a list of tips we have compiled to treat this area of your body with the utmost care. What Causes Neck Wrinkles? Neck lines and wrinkles are a normal part of the natural aging process. They are caused by a variety of factors, including: The lack of collagen production and loss of elasticity in your skin, causing it to bounce back less easily. Smoking. Genetics. In some cases, neck wrinkles are hereditary, especially for those with lighter skin tones. Exposure to UV light over a prolonged period of time, especially from not using sunscreen. Neck wrinkles can also be caused by repeatedly looking down at your phone, which is also referred to as Tech Neck. All fine lines and wrinkles are caused by repetitive movements—for example, excessive squinting may cause lines to appear around your eyes—and the constant motion of looking down at your phone can cause your neck to crease. You can prevent this by positioning your phone in front of your face instead of below you. What Are Some Effective Products to Treat and Prevent Neck Wrinkles? Treating the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on your neck is very similar to what you would do for them on your face. While there are skincare products specifically formulated for the neck, you can also use the same skincare products you are using on your face. There are three specific types of products you can incorporate into your daily skincare ritual to both treat and prevent neck wrinkles. Moisturize. —To treat the appearance of neck wrinkles, it is important to flood the skin with hydration, which helps to keep your skin taut and plump. Our Ageless Revitalizing Neck Cream is an antioxidant-rich moisturizer developed to specifically hydrate, smooth, and nourish the delicate skin on the neck and decolletage for a visibly renewed look. Natural botanical actives featuring Japanese cornflower, lemon balm, and artichoke leaf extracts help to smooth the appearance of crepiness, lines, and wrinkles. Peony (which revitalizes skin) and vitamin C (which aids in natural skin surface cell turnover) work together to help minimize the appearance of aging skin. It is also formulated with Hadasei-3™, our proprietary complex of double-fermented Uji green tea, Akita rice, and Mozuku algae. This trinity of time-tested ingredients work in harmony to deliver radiant, healthy-looking skin. Use a Vitamin C Serum. —Vitamin C contains many antioxidant properties that provide a multitude of benefits for the skin. The clean, kind-to-skin formula of our Violet-C Brightening Serum includes two forms of vitamin C and is stabilized by antioxidant-rich Japanese beautyberry, helping to reveal brighter skin and a more translucent, youthful glow. First, a fast-acting vitamin C derivative absorbs quickly into skin to fight premature aging from the daily assault of free radicals. It helps support surface cell turnover, hydrating and plumping the skin with improved moisture levels. Secondly, a long-lasting vitamin C derivative helps minimize attack from free radicals. Mild fruit AHAs resurface dullness and uneven skin, while Japanese angelica root helps to reduce the look of dark spots, discoloration, hyperpigmentation, and post-acne scarring. Wear Sunscreen. —One of the primary causes of neck wrinkles comes from sun exposure and subsequent sun damage from harmful UV rays. To protect your skin, it is imperative to wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day. We recommend applying sunscreen as the last step in your daily skincare ritual. Our Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen is a weightless sunscreen with broad-spectrum SPF 35 that blends effortlessly and invisibly for matte, poreless-looking skin. If you are searching for ways to address and help minimize pigmentation and uneven skin tone, rest assured that it is very common. For the full range of skincare products that help reduce uneven skin tone, visit tatcha.com.

Did you know that, even though dry skin and dehydrated skin are often interchanged in conversation, they are actually not one and the same? While your skin may show semblances of one or the other, it is important to decode the differences between them so that you can treat your skin with the utmost care. Keep reading to discover the differences between dry skin and dehydrated skin, along with skincare rituals to saturate your skin with moisture and radiance. What is the Difference Between Dry and Dehydrated Skin?Dry skin is a skin type, while dehydrated skin is a skin condition. In its simplest terms, you are naturally born with your skin type. Conversely, your skin condition is what occurs to your skin based on a variety of factors, including dehydration, acne, and irritation. Skin conditions can happen to anyone, at any time.Those with dry skin types will find that their skin lacks oil. Your skin produces less sebum than normal skin, which means it is without the lipids it needs to retain moisture. The dryness can occur all over your body, from your face and scalp to your hands and legs. While you drench your skin with moisture and hydration, those moisturizers and lotions tend to sink in and be soaked up quickly. Dry skin can also be accompanied by flaking, cracking, sensitivity, itchiness, or skin conditions such as eczema.Dehydrated skin means there is a lack of water in your skin. When your skin becomes dehydrated, it creates more oil to make up the difference and try to regain its lost water—which can lead to breakouts, irritation, and dry patches. Dehydration also affects all skin types, including oily skin.Here is a further breakdown of the characteristics of dry skin vs. dehydrated skin.DRY SKINDEHYDRATED SKINFeels roughLooks dullAppears dryFeels tight or roughCan be flaky or itchySensitiveShows accelerated signs of aging, including sagging, fine lines, and wrinklesWhat Are the Common Causes of Dehydrated Skin?Dehydrated skin can be influenced by many factors, including: Aging Climate changes, including extreme cold, extreme heat, or low moisture levels in the air Dietary habits Smoking and alcohol UV exposure How Do You Treat Dry Skin?We recommend incorporating oil-based or cream-based products into your skincare routine. Dry skin benefits from skincare products that infuse the skin with moisture and nourishment.Begin by cleansing with a gentle cleanser, such as The Rice Wash—a gently effective cream cleanser that washes away impurities without stripping skin. This is thanks to a pH-neutral amino acid base that helps to balance your skin’s pH levels, and Japanese rice powder, which is used in classical Japanese cleansing rituals to naturally soften skin, boost luminosity, and keep the skin moisturized.While many exfoliants can be too harsh for dry skin, the right one can gently slough away dullness and dead skin cells to infuse your skin with moisture. The Rice Polish is a water-activated exfoliant that transforms to a creamy foam for smooth, polished skin with a healthy glow. Finely ground rice bran and papaya enzymes promote natural skin surface turnover, while the pH-neutral, amino acid base formula provides effective cleansing without stripping skin of essential moisture or breaking the skin barrier, so your skin is left feeling baby soft and supple.Bring nourishment to dry skin with a rich, creamy moisturizer. The Dewy Skin Cream is specially formulated for dry skin, feeding it with plumping hydration and antioxidant-packed Japanese purple rice. A blend of Okinawa algae and hyaluronic acid capture water to help replenish skin’s natural moisture reservoir and replenish ceramides to aid in the reduction of future moisture loss.Include a serum in your skincare ritual for an added boost of hydration. The Serum Stick is a concentrated solid serum of 80% squalane and Japanese lemon balm that targets signs of aging and dryness instantly and over time.If you find that you have dry hands, they will benefit from a hand cream. Our Indigo Soothing Hand Cream is rich in soothing indigo, silk extracts, and squalane to soften and calm dry, irritated skin.How Do You Treat Dehydrated Skin?There are two ingredients that are essential in bringing hydration back to dehydrated skin—hyaluronic acid and water. It is also imperative to follow a skincare ritual with products specifically formulated for dehydrated skin. You may find that some of the steps in your skincare ritual are similar to those of dry skin—however, the products you will use differ.After cleansing your skin with The Rice Wash, apply The Essence. This plumping skin softener is a deeply hydrating, moisturizing, and resurfacing facial treatment essence. It is formulated with 98.6% pure Japanese superfoods to maximize the performance of all of your skincare products, creating a pathway for them to further amplify their effectiveness. Follow this by bringing a burst of hydration to your skin with The Water Cream. This oil-free moisturizer that breaks upon application to release a combination of skin-improving Japanese nutrients and botanicals. At night, treat your skin to extra hydration with our Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask—a unique, coconut-derived sheet mask that boosts the moisture content of your skin by up to 200% in 15 minutes, leaving behind a plump, luminous complexion.Much like dry skin, dehydrated skin can also benefit from the added hydration of a serum. The Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum features a deeply hydrating blend of Okinawa red algae and hyaluronic acid to nourish skin in need of bounceback.Do You Need SPF?The short answer is yes. Whether you are putting together a morning skincare routine for dry skin or dehydrated skin, the last step should always be sunscreen, as it helps to protect against harmful UVA and UVB rays that can dry out the skin. Our Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen is a weightless sunscreen with broad-spectrum SPF 35 that blends effortlessly and invisibly into skin.

We’re so grateful that something as simple as wearing a face mask can help us—and those around us—stay healthy and safe during this pandemic. Just as we’ve adjusted to this new daily ritual, we’ve adjusted our skincare practice to match. Though masks are essential to our health, they can elicit various reactions from your skin, from dry patches to breakouts. Thankfully, these reactions are temporary and easily preventable. Plus, these extra moments of care allow us a little extra time to come back to ourselves and back to the moment. WHAT IS MASKNE & WHAT CAUSES IT? A portmanteau of “mask” and “acne”, maskne is an overarching term for any skin irritation that occurs as a result of wearing a protective face mask. As your mask catches the particles you breathe out to keep those around you safe, it inadvertently traps moisture, oil, dirt, dead skin cells, and sweat close to your skin. This can change your pH level, which can in turn cause anything from breakouts to inflammation. SKINCARE RITUALS TO AVOID MASKNE Depending on the type of mask you wear and how your skin usually feels, there are generally two common outcomes—blemishes or excessive dryness. Thankfully, there are several ways to care for your skin before, during, and after wearing your mask to help minimize both. Here are just a few simple steps you can incorporate into your existing ritual. If you're seeing more pimples pop up after wearing a reusable cloth mask, it could be because there is more build up of oils and sweat than usual. Provide an extra layer of protection to clean skin with The Liquid Silk Canvas, which acts as a barrier between skin, makeup, and your mask to help minimize clogged pores that can lead to breakouts. If you start to feel greasy as you’re wearing the mask, a quick dab with blotting papers, like our Aburatorigami, can help control excess oil while you’re out and about. Once you get home safe and are able to remove your mask for the day, wash your face to help clarify skin and get rid of excess sebum. Our oil-free cleanser, The Deep Cleanse, gently but deeply lifts impurities and decongests pores without over-drying, for clean, refreshed skin. To replenish the good moisture in your skin, nourish with our oil-free moisturizer, The Water Cream, which works to visibly tighten pores and help minimize excess oil while delivering nutrient-rich, balanced hydration. IF YOU WEAR A REUSABLE MASK BEFORE: Protect with The Liquid Silk Canvas DURING: Touch-up with Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers AFTER: Purify + Nourish with The Deep Cleanse +The Water Cream If you are seeing excessive dryness, redness, and irritation when you wear a disposable mask—or even dry patches or little red lines around your nose and mouth—there are a few steps you can take to help keep this at bay. The key to minimizing these is to include moisture in every step of your ritual. Before you put on your mask, lock in moisture with The Serum Stick. If you start to feel dryness as you’re wearing your mask, a spritz of our Luminous Dewy Skin Mist can help replenish skin’s moisture. Once you’re home and mask-free, remove impurities with our most hydrating, gentle cleanser, The Rice Wash, for soft, pure skin. To intensely hydrate and seal in moisture, nourish with The Dewy Skin Cream. IF YOU WEAR A DISPOSABLE FACE MASK BEFORE: Lock in Moisture with The Serum Stick DURING: Refresh with Luminous Dewy Skin Mist AFTER: Purify + Nourish with The Rice Wash + The Dewy Skin Cream MASK CARE To further minimize any discomfort in your skin, it’s also important to care for your mask. If you can, wash your cloth mask with mild soap and hot water at least twice a week, but ideally after every wear. If you have to wear one on a daily basis, it might be worth it to invest in a few to rotate between. For disposable masks, make sure to cut the strings before you dispose of it in the proper receptacle so wildlife do not get trapped in the strings.