If you consider yourself to have even a passing interest in cult beauty brands, you’ll know the name Tatcha. Born in 2009, this Taiwanese-American brand is obsessively raved-about, yet has remained frustratingly elusive on our home shores.
Now for the very welcome news: we're finally able to get our hands on Tatcha’s Japanese-inspired skincare on the brand's own site (no crazy shipping costs involved), with a pop–up in Covent Garden also in store for those who prefer a more hands-on shopping experience.
Like many beauty founders, Tatcha’s Vicky Tsai was spurred to create the line when a skin condition – stress-induced eczema, in her case – left her unable to find products she both could use, and actually wanted to use. Ditching her Wall Street trader career, and the stress that came hand-in-hand with finance life, she set off to travel around Japan and came across the inspiration that would lead to Tatcha, which has grown exponentially to become one of the US’s most popular luxury skincare brands.
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Conceptualised in San Francisco and made in Tokyo, each product is based around the brand’s hero complex, dubbed Hadasei-3. A combination of green tea, algae and rice, this cocktail of healing and hydrating extracts is purported to support the skin barrier (by now, we know how important that is) while reducing inflammation and congestion.
Most cult brands boast a particular GOAT product, and Tatcha is no exception. While the entire line is widely loved, it’s the Rice Polish that will no doubt vanish from the shelves first when the brand lands on our shores.
Beloved by the likes of Kim Kardashian and Meghan Markle (who went as far as to gift it to friends at her baby shower), this gently foaming exfoliator combines rice bran granules with papaya enzymes, which make a lighter alternative to resurfacing acids, shifting dull skin cells and trapped oil without leaving you red-faced. Simply shake it into damp hands and massage (don’t scrub) the froth over your face for a squeaky-clean complexion in seconds.
While the Instagram-friendly nature and poetic backstory of Tatcha have undeniably fuelled its rise to ‘cult’ status, the real driving force behind the brand’s astonishing popularity is what’s inside those admittedly good-looking jars. No brand is immune to the aesthetic shifts of the Instagram grid, and Tatcha has ensured longevity by keeping its focus firmly on formulation, favouring long-trusted and skin-kind extracts over zeitgeist-y ingredients, essential products over surplus steps. Whether you’re dry or oily, sensitive or congested, this is luxury you can – and should – indulge in.
Oily skin needs hydration, but it's understandable if you shy away from rich moisturisers. This refreshing humectant formula contains an pore-refining floral extract, and sinks straight into skin to leave things supple, not sticky.
Perhaps the best face mist we've tried, this algae-based spritz ticks all the boxes: it adds radiance whether used under or over make-up, and boasts a nozzle fine enough to deliver a light refresh, rather than a drenching. Keep one in your bag at all times.
Packed with moisture-grabbing hyaluronic acid and algae, this is the one to go for if you've got dry skin that always looks dull. Radiance is en route, we promise.
The crowd-pleaser, this hydrating serum makes all skin types glow. It's all down to the clever blend of humectants – squalane and hyaluronic acid included – and gentle resurfacing ferments that tackle congestion and reveal brighter, more even skin.
Roberta Schroeder is the Senior Ecommerce Editor at Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, overseeing shopping strategy and content across fashion, beauty, and travel. Roberta has reported on everything from market-leading skincare brands to the world’s most iconic fashion pieces, while also regularly updating a range of shopping guides, including LED masks, heritage cashmere brands and niche new dress brands to know.
Roberta has more than 15 years' experience in the luxury sector, spanning editorial consultancy, trend forecasting and journalism. Over the years, she has worked for global brands including Farfetch, Chanel, and Vogue.
When not testing beauty products, trialling trends and curating content that spotlights the very best in fashion and beauty, Roberta can usually be found trawling resale sites and vintage stores for a long-coveted designer find. Follow Roberta on Instagram at @roberta__schroeder
